The deeper Aklion ventured into NeoRhodes, the more his instincts screamed that the island was wrong—unnaturally pristine and lifeless, even for a Conglomerate-run city. The streets were eerily quiet save for the rhythmic hum of automated drones and the shuffling footsteps of Paxxer workers. Emotionless and devoid of purpose beyond their assigned tasks, they moved like ghosts in a machine.
Aklion’s stolen worker uniform itched under the grime of his infiltration. The PRIME INPAXX vial in his belt felt like a burning coal against his side, a constant reminder of his purpose. He adjusted the HUD in his visor, letting it scan the network for any hints of Khares’ location or access to the critical systems he needed to dismantle NeoRhodes.
System Notification:
Mission Objective: Eliminate Khares
Secondary Objectives:
?Infiltrate Secondary Infohub (+2,500 XP)
?Identify AI Weaknesses (+3,000 XP)
?Access Mainframe Lockdown Protocols (+5,000 XP)
“Looks like Christmas came early,” he muttered. “If only this shit wasn’t wrapped in death and despair.”
The secondary infohub was buried deep within a network of maintenance shafts. It was heavily guarded by automated turrets and patrolling Paxxers. Aklion crouched in the shadows, watching the drones scan the area in precise arcs. His HUD painted their field of vision in glowing red, tracing the paths he’d need to exploit.
Skill Activated: Tactical Analysis
Effect: +30% Pathfinding Efficiency, Enemy Weak Points Highlighted
He sprinted between blind spots, moving with the fluid precision of someone who had survived on the razor’s edge of chaos for too long. The glitch buzzed in his mind, urging him to charge blindly, but he shoved it aside.
“Not today, you sadistic bastard,” he growled to himself.
As he approached the infohub, two Paxxer workers blocked his path. Their uniforms were identical to his, but their deadened expressions told him they were too far gone into the INPAXX-induced fog. He straightened, adopting their lifeless posture.
“System maintenance,” he said flatly, holding up his fabricated ID.
The workers stared for a moment too long, their processing clearly slowed by decades of INPAXX. Then they nodded and stepped aside without a word.
System Notification:
Deception Successful
XP Gained: 1,500
The infohub was a sleek, circular chamber filled with holographic displays and glowing data streams. Aklion slipped inside, his heart pounding as he accessed the terminal using Zeus’ stolen credentials. Lines of code and encrypted files flooded his HUD, and he worked quickly to decipher them.
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System Notification:
Secondary Infohub Accessed
Data Decryption in Progress…
As the files decrypted, critical information emerged:
1.The Greek AI network could be entirely erased using a five-character password, stored in Zeus’ mainframe.
2.NeoRhodes was entirely dependent on its solar energy distribution system. Disabling the solar panels would shut down the city, including HELIOS.
“Well, isn’t that a beautiful little Achilles heel,” Aklion muttered, smirking.
The infohub provided a detailed map of NeoRhodes’ HQ, where Khares was most likely located. Aklion’s HUD highlighted a clean sewer and waste treatment network that ran directly beneath the facility.
System Notification:
New Path Unlocked: HQ Infiltration via Waste Network
Path Difficulty: Medium
Stealth Bonus: +25% Concealment
He slipped into the underground tunnels, the acrid stench of waste biting at his senses. The glitch churned in his mind, whispering chaos and doubt. Every sound felt amplified—the hiss of steam, the drip of water, his own labored breathing.
The HQ’s lower levels were a stark contrast to the sterile perfection above. Exposed pipes lined the walls, and the hum of machinery echoed through the narrow corridors. Aklion moved with calculated precision, his blade drawn and ready.
The HQ’s central chamber was an architectural marvel, a blend of brutalist design and high-tech functionality. Khares stood in the center, flanked by holographic displays and a towering console connected to the Kolossus AI system.
The man was older than Aklion had expected, his face weathered but his eyes sharp and calculating. He didn’t look surprised to see Aklion.
“So, the red-eyed specter finally arrives,” Khares said, a faint grin tugging at his lips. “I was beginning to think you’d never make it.”
Aklion leveled his blade at the man. “You know why I’m here.”
“Of course,” Khares said, his tone unnervingly calm. “Revenge. Righteous fury. The usual cocktail of human frailty. You’re a fascinating creature, Aklion. Broken, yet still clinging to purpose. Tell me, how does it feel to carry the weight of so many deaths?”
Aklion’s grip tightened on his blade, the glitch surging with rage.
System Notification:
Emotional Instability Detected
Warning: Glitch Effect Amplified (+15% Combat Power, -10% Sanity)
“It feels fucking overdue,” Aklion snarled, charging forward.
The battle was brutal. Khares was no fighter, but the automated defenses of the room sprang to life. Drones and turrets fired relentlessly, forcing Aklion to rely on every ounce of his skill and the chaotic boost from the glitch.
Combat Sequence Initiated:
?Aklion’s Stats:
?Level: 45
?Health: 78%
?Stamina: 65%
?Glitch Surge: Active (+15% Damage, -10% Defense)
?Enemies:
?Defensive Drones (x4)
?Turrets (x3)
Skill Activated: Shadowstep
Effect: +25% Evasion, +20% Critical Strike
He moved like a ghost, his blade cutting through drones and deflecting turret fire. Sparks flew, and the chamber filled with the acrid smell of burning circuits.
When the last drone fell, Aklion turned to Khares, his chest heaving. Blood dripped from his wounds, but his grip on the blade was steady.
Khares didn’t flinch as Aklion approached. Instead, he smiled—a twisted, knowing smile.
“Do you think killing me changes anything?” Khares said, his voice low but steady. “The Kolossus is more than a statue, you fool. It’s a failsafe. Red Protocol ensures that even in death, I win.”
Aklion didn’t hesitate. He drove his blade deep into Khares’ gut, twisting it with brutal precision.
Khares coughed, blood bubbling at the corners of his mouth. “Activate… the Kolossus… Red Protocol.”
His body went limp, but his words hung in the air like a curse.
System Notification:
Objective Complete: Eliminate Khares
XP Gained: 5,000
Level Up: Level 46 Reached
Aklion pulled his blade free, his mind racing. The Kolossus? At that moment he felt a minor earthquake and as the chamber’s lights dimmed and an ominous hum filled the air, Aklion realized the true scope of what he had unleashed.
