The darkness ahead wasn't just black; it felt thick, heavy, like swallowing velvet dust. The only reliable light source was the erratic flickering from the blown junction box behind them, casting their shadows long and distorted down the service conduit. It made judging distance or detail almost impossible.
Kai moved with exaggerated slowness, trying to mimic Squeaks’s effortless stealth. It wasn't working. His boots still scuffed occasionally, his breathing sounded like a leaky bellows in the quiet, and he could practically feel the [Symbiotic Shock] debuff making him clumsy. At least the [Minor Energy Burns] had ticked down to just 2 minutes remaining, thanks to their timely heal. HP: 5 / 40. Still dangerously low, but the immediate threat of bleeding out was gone. Cooldown on [Minor First Aid] was probably up soon. Good.
Ahead, Squeaks paused, a low silhouette blending almost perfectly with the grimy floor. Kai stopped too, holding his breath, straining his ears.
Tick… scrape… tick… scrape…
The sound was clearer now, maybe thirty meters ahead. It was definitely metallic. Rhythmic. Almost… methodical? It didn't sound overtly aggressive, like gnashing teeth or claws scrabbling for purchase. It sounded… worn out. Like old machinery grinding itself down.
What do you make of it, Whiskers? Kai projected the thought, keeping it focused and quiet. Friend, foe, or just another piece of junk waiting to fall on our heads?
He received a complex jumble through the sensory link. GREYSCALE VISION: A wider section of the conduit ahead. Something boxy and metallic partway blocking the passage. Sparks, smaller and more contained than the junction box, flickered near it. OLFACTORY: Ozone, hot metal (less intense than before), oil (old, slightly rancid), underlying scent of decay. AUDITORY: The scraping sound, louder, clearer – metal on metal grating. EMOTIONAL/INTUITIVE: CAUTION-HIGH. BROKEN-THING. NOT-ALIVE (biological). POTENTIAL-DANGER (unpredictable). CURIOSITY (faint).
Broken thing. Not alive. Got it, Kai interpreted. So… a machine? A drone? That made sense in a service duct. Maintenance drones were supposed to keep these tunnels clear. Or they were before the city decided the Undercity wasn't worth the upkeep.
Can we get past it? Kai asked mentally.
The response was hesitant. WIDE-PLACE. BUT-BLOCKING. MOVING… STRANGE. DANGER-SPARKS. MAYBE-SQUEEZE-PAST. MAYBE-GET-ZAPPED.
"Great. So, fifty-fifty chance of passage or electrocution," Kai muttered under his breath. "Standard Undercity odds, I guess."
He checked the skill cooldown. [Minor First Aid] was ready. Okay, Squeaks, quick top-up before we investigate the clank-monster. He reached down, touched the rat lightly on the back. Focused intent: HEAL.
Warmth flowed again. [-5 MP/STM]. (MP/STM: 15 / 25). Squeaks twitched but didn't pull away this time, seeming to anticipate the energy flow.
HP: 10 / 40. Much better. Still fragile, but double digits felt like a luxury. The [Minor Energy Burns] effect finally blinked out with a quiet mental notification: [Status Effect Expired: Minor Energy Burns].
"Alright," Kai whispered, feeling slightly more prepared. "Let's get a closer look at this… broken thing. Lead on, brave rat."
Squeaks advanced again, hugging the wall, moving with incredible silence. Kai followed, trying to step exactly where the rat stepped, using the faint outline of its body as his guide in the near-total darkness.
As they drew closer, the scraping became louder, grating on Kai’s nerves. The flickering light source became visible: small, intermittent blue sparks spitting from a damaged joint on a metallic arm attached to a boxy chassis.
They stopped about ten meters away, peering from the edge of the deepest shadow. The light from the sparks provided brief, fleeting glimpses of their obstacle.
It was definitely a maintenance drone, or what was left of one. An older model, roughly cubical, maybe a meter on each side, designed to trundle through these conduits cleaning or repairing. But this one was heavily damaged. Its chassis was dented and scorched, likely caught in the same power surge that hit them. It was tilted awkwardly, one of its tread units mangled and jammed against the wall.
The scraping sound came from its single remaining functional manipulator arm. The arm, equipped with some kind of cleaning claw or brush head (hard to tell in the dark), was moving back and forth with jerky, repetitive motions, scraping uselessly against the metal floor. Tick… scrape… tick… scrape… It seemed stuck in a corrupted cleaning cycle loop, oblivious to its own damage or surroundings. Small sparks spat periodically from its frayed power coupling where the arm joined the chassis.
It blocked about two-thirds of the conduit's width. The gap between the drone and the opposite wall looked just wide enough for Kai to maybe squeeze through sideways. Squeaks could probably stroll through with room to spare. But getting that close to the sparking, malfunctioning machine felt… unwise. What if it suddenly lurched? What if the arm swung wildly? What if those sparks decided to jump?
Okay, options, Kai thought, pulling back slightly into the shadow. Option A: Try to squeeze past. High risk of sudden robotic violence or electrocution. Option B: Try to disable it? How? Got no weapons except a sack of junk and a pointy stick (aka, the rebar). Option C: Find another way? Doesn't look like there IS another way.
He felt Squeaks nudge his leg again. The rat was looking intently at the drone, specifically at the sparking power coupling on the arm joint. A thought, clear and concise, projected through the link, accompanied by a strong visual: TINY-GAP. BITE-WIRE. SPARKS-STOP.
Kai blinked. You want to… bite the power cable? The one that’s actively sparking? Are you insane?!
He got back: SMALL-TARGET. QUICK-BITE. TEETH-STRONG. SPARKS-STOP. THEN-SAFE-PASS.
Kai considered it. Rats were known for chewing through things, even wiring. And Squeaks wasn't just any rat; it was a mutated, System-enhanced rat. Maybe its teeth were strong enough? And its Dexterity was higher than Kai’s; maybe it could make a quick, precise bite without getting fried. But the risk… if it got zapped, they both felt it. Shared HP was still only 10. A jolt like that could kill them both instantly.
Too risky, Kai projected back firmly. Way too risky. Need another plan.
Squeaks projected back stubbornness, laced with a hint of 'trust me, I know rodents'. BITE-SAFE. QUICK. SPARKS-BAD-LONG-TERM. NEED-STOP.
They were having their first actual argument via telepathic rat-thoughts. Progress?
"No," Kai whispered aloud, shaking his head. "Look, what if we distract it? Or short it out somehow? Throw something conductive at it?" He looked down at his sack. He had… metal junk. The rebar? Too big, too clumsy. What else? Rusted bolts? Maybe?
He rummaged quietly. Found a handful of heavy, corroded iron bolts. Okay, new plan. Operation: Annoy the Robot with Garbage. I'll try tossing these bolts at the sparking joint. Maybe I can short it out, or knock the cable loose. You stay back and… uh… sense danger? Yeah. Good.
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Squeaks projected skepticism but didn't argue further. It retreated slightly deeper into the shadow, tense and watchful.
Kai hefted one of the bolts. It felt heavy, solid. Okay. Aim for the sparking bit. Hope for the best. He took aim, compensating for the gloom and his general lack of throwing prowess.
He threw the bolt.
It sailed through the air and hit the drone's chassis with a loud CLANG, nowhere near the sparking joint.
The drone reacted instantly. The rhythmic scraping stopped. The arm froze mid-scrape. A low, grinding whirring sound emanated from within its chassis, louder than the previous scraping. Red optical sensors, previously dark, flickered to life on its front plate, casting eerie ruby beams that sliced through the darkness.
The red beams swept across the conduit, searching. They passed over Kai, who instinctively ducked back further into the shadows, heart pounding.
Scrap! Okay, bad plan! Bad plan! Abort!
The whirring intensified. The drone’s damaged treads grated against the floor as it tried to turn, pivoting awkwardly on its jammed side. Its functional arm lifted, the cleaning head twitching. It hadn't located them yet, but it was definitely active now. And aware that something was out there.
Okay, Squeaks! Your crazy plan is suddenly looking less crazy! Kai projected frantically. Can you still do the bitey thing? While it's distracted looking for me?
He felt a surge of decisive energy from Squeaks. YES. GO-NOW. DISTRACT-KEEP-LOOKING-OTHER-WAY.
How do I—? Kai started, but Squeaks was already moving.
The rat didn't run straight for the drone. It darted silently along the wall, using the deepest shadows, circling around towards the drone’s ‘blind’ side – the side pinned against the wall by its damaged tread. Kai could just barely track its movement, a flicker of deeper black against black.
Okay. Distraction. How? He needed to make noise, draw the drone's attention away from the direction Squeaks was approaching.
He grabbed another bolt from his sack. He didn't throw it at the drone this time. He threw it hard against the opposite wall, further down the conduit behind the drone.
CLANG!
The effect was immediate. The drone’s red optical sensors snapped towards the source of the sound, away from Kai and, more importantly, away from Squeaks's approach path. The whirring sound grew louder as it tried to pivot its main body further. Its arm lifted higher, claw twitching aggressively.
NOW, SQUEAKS! GO GO GO! Kai screamed internally.
He saw – or rather, sensed through the link overlaying his vision – Squeaks make its move. A lightning-fast dart from the shadows near the wall. A leap onto the lower chassis of the drone. A scramble up towards the sparking arm joint. Kai held his breath, feeling Squeaks’s intense focus, the metallic taste-smell of the ozone sharp in his awareness.
There was a flash of GREYSCALE RAT VISION: Close up on frayed wires, copper strands visible. Target acquired. Open jaws.
Then, a brief, intense spike of PAIN through the link – sharp, like hitting a funny bone but with electricity. Kai gasped, stumbling back a step, his own teeth aching sympathetically.
HP: 8 / 40.
Scrap! It got zapped!
But the sparks sputtering from the drone’s arm joint abruptly died. The arm froze completely, mid-twitch. The red optical sensors flickered once, twice, then dimmed and went dark. The internal whirring wound down with a pathetic groan, leaving only the echo of the earlier scraping in the sudden silence.
Disabled!
A wave of relief washed over Kai, so potent it almost made him dizzy. He saw Squeaks tumble off the now-inert drone, landing softly on the floor. The rat shook its head vigorously, whiskers drooping slightly.
You okay? Kai projected, concern momentarily overriding his usual annoyance. He felt the residual tingling shock through the link, but also a wave of smug triumph from Squeaks.
OKAY. TASTED-BAD. SPARKS-STOPPED-NOW. SAFE.
Kai let out a shaky laugh. "You crazy furball," he whispered, relief making his voice tremble. "You actually did it." He quickly used [Minor First Aid] again, touching Squeaks reassuringly. [-5 MP/STM]. (MP/STM: 10 / 25).
HP: 13 / 40. The 2 HP zap instantly healed.
Just then, another chime echoed in Kai’s head.
[CRITICAL SUCCESS: Coordinated Takedown of Malfunctioning Unit Achieved!]
[Opponent Defeated: Damaged Maintenance Drone (LV 3)]
[Loot Generated Nearby!]
[+15 EXP Gained!]
[Symbiotic Link Strengthened: +10 Synergy Points]
[Skill Unlocked: Symbiotic Scavenger - LV 1 Skill Slot 2 Filled!]
> [Targeted Distraction] - LV 1
EXP? Loot? Another SKILL?!
Kai blinked at the flood of notifications. Fifteen EXP wasn't much, but it was something. Loot was even better. And a new skill? He quickly focused on the skill name.
-----------------------------
SKILL: Targeted Distraction - LV 1
TYPE: Active (Kai Primary)
COST: 3 MP/STM
CAST TIME: Instant
COOLDOWN: 30 Seconds
DESCRIPTION: Leveraging Kai's innate ability to annoy and Squeaks's sensory input, create a minor auditory or visual stimulus at a targeted location within 15 meters. Useful for diverting attention or triggering simple traps.
EFFECT: Creates a brief sound (e.g., clang, scrape, shout) or light flash (e.g., spark, glint) at chosen point. Does not cause damage. Requires line of sight (or Sensory Link confirmation from Squeaks) to target location.
-----------------------------
Kai couldn't help but grin. "Innate ability to annoy," he read aloud, chuckling. "Okay, System, I see you. Finally, a skill that plays to my strengths!" This could actually be useful for separating enemies, setting up ambushes, or just generally causing chaos. Which was always fun.
He looked towards the now-silent drone. The notification said loot had generated 'nearby'. Where? He scanned the area around the drone's chassis.
And there it was. Resting on the floor beside the deactivated machine, shimmering faintly with the tell-tale glow of System-generated loot, were a few small objects.
He approached cautiously, Squeaks trotting beside him, apparently recovered from its electrifying snack. Kai knelt down. The loot consisted of:
- [Scrap Metal (Common)] x5: Just basic bits of metal, but always useful for crafting or maybe even selling if they ever found a less homicidal scrap monger than Grok.
- [Damaged Servomotor (Uncommon)] x1: Looked like a small motor unit, probably from the drone’s arm. Could be useful for repairs or crafting if he ever got those skills up. Uncommon quality was decent!
- [Frayed Power Cable (Common)] x2: Short lengths of cable, likely what Squeaks chewed through. Maybe useful for basic wiring? Or tying things?
- [Minor Energy Cell (Cracked) (Common)] x1: A small cylindrical power cell, the standard type used in lots of Undercity tech. This one had a visible crack down the side, but… maybe it still held some charge? Worth investigating later.
"Not bad, not bad at all!" Kai said cheerfully, scooping the items into his sack. "A motor, a maybe-functional battery… see, Squeaks? Sometimes biting the explosive bits pays off!"
He received a mental image from Squeaks: The rat spitting out imaginary bad-tasting wires. Not recommending it.
Kai laughed again, feeling genuinely good for the first time since… well, since before Grok showed up. They’d faced a threat, worked together (mostly), used their skills (and Squeaks’s teeth), gained EXP, loot, and even a new ability. Maybe they could actually survive this.
He gave Squeaks another quick scratch behind the ears, which was tolerated slightly longer this time. "Okay, partner. Let's see what delightful surprises await us further down this charming death trap."
With the drone inert, the path ahead was clear. They continued down the conduit, the darkness deeper now without the drone’s sparks, relying solely on the faint, distant flicker from the junction box far behind them and Squeaks's superior senses.
After another fifty meters or so of uneventful travel through the silent, dark tube, Squeaks suddenly stopped. Kai felt a prickle of alertness from the link, different from the earlier caution. This felt like… discovery?
What is it? Kai projected.
Squeaks didn't respond with words or images, but with a scent – faint but distinct – overlaid on the usual dust and decay. It smelled like… fresh air? Not clean air, nothing in the Undercity was truly clean, but air that had moved recently. Less stagnant. Less thick with the ghosts of rust and forgotten chemicals.
And accompanying the scent, a sound. Very faint. A low, resonant humming. Not the aggressive hum of damaged electronics, but a steady, deep thrumming, like powerful machinery operating smoothly somewhere far below.
Squeaks crept forward, sniffing intently at the base of the conduit wall. Kai followed, peering closely in the gloom.
There, low on the wall, almost hidden beneath a thick layer of grime, was another panel. Not like the one Grok had sealed – this one looked different. Smaller, maybe half a meter square, and made of a darker, smoother metal. It had no obvious handle or lock mechanism, just a seamless fit against the surrounding conduit plating. But the faint draft of fresher air seemed to be coming from its edges. And the deep humming seemed to emanate from beyond it.
An exit? A different level? Access to functioning machinery?
Squeaks sniffed along the seam, then scratched at it tentatively with a claw. Solid. No obvious way to open it.
Kai ran his hand over the smooth, cool surface. It felt different from the rest of the conduit – less pitted, less corroded. Newer? Or just better maintained?
"Well now," Kai whispered, a thrill of curiosity mixing with his usual apprehension. "What do we have here?"
The End.
(A/N: New skill! New loot! And a mysterious new panel! What lies beyond? Functioning tech? Another hazard? Or maybe just more disappointment? (It is the Undercity, after all). Find out next chapter! Thanks for reading! FFF love appreciated! (づ ̄ 3  ̄)づ )