The government's response to Renji's infiltration was swift, precise, and relentless.
As soon as the data from the surveillance systems filtered through, the emergency alert systems went into overdrive. The feed from the underground dungeon core room, where Renji had just defeated the mutated soldiers, was transmitted to high-ranking officials in a matter of seconds. The picture wasn't clear at first, the static flickering with intermittent bursts of corrupted data. But as it stabilized, the cold faces of those in charge saw the unmistakable evidence: Renji Kuroya was alive. Worse, he was still fighting, still alive, and now making his way deeper into the heart of the dungeon.
"It can't be." A voice cut through the sterile atmosphere of the command center. The speaker, a tall man with sharp features and cold eyes, was none other than Taro Matsuda, the government's lead strategist on dungeon-related matters. He stared at the screen, his mind racing.
"I thought he was dead," Matsuda murmured, his tone betraying a hint of disbelief. His hand hovered over a touchscreen, tapping it to zoom in on Renji's distorted form. The screen showed flashes of the fight, Renji's silhouette lit up in bursts of dark energy as he hacked through the Devourers with uncanny precision. The mutation was more advanced than expected.
"Report," Matsuda barked at his subordinates, his voice gaining an edge of urgency.
The young technician sitting at a nearby console adjusted his headset and spoke up in a panicked voice. "We've confirmed it's Renji Kuroya, sir. There's no mistaking it. His profile matches perfectly. We tracked his movements. It's definitely him, and he's heading towards the core."
The room fell silent. Matsuda's face hardened, his mind already calculating. How could Kuroya have survived? The man had been presumed dead after the failed experiment, his body torn apart by the lethal side effects of the dungeon's influence. But here he was—alive, and worse, evolving in ways they hadn't anticipated.
"We need him contained. Now." Matsuda's voice was like ice, each word clipped with cold precision.
An officer, standing near a large holographic map of the facility, flicked a few switches and the area surrounding the dungeon core lit up in red. "We've got tactical squads on standby, sir. We can activate the automated traps and lock down the entire sector. It'll trap him long enough for us to deploy a special task force."
Matsuda's eyes narrowed. "No. That's too slow. We need to neutralize him immediately before he gets any deeper. Activate the S-Class containment protocol."
The officer blinked in shock. "You're sure? The S-Class protocols are designed for situations where we're dealing with high-level mutated creatures... and…"
"And what?" Matsuda interrupted, his tone hardening. "Kuroya is a threat to national security. This is not a normal infiltration. We're dealing with someone who has been mutated—not just by the dungeon, but by the very force we're trying to control. If we don't act now, he could destabilize the entire city."
The officer hesitated but nodded. "Understood, sir."
Matsuda's hand swept across the map, zooming in on the underground sector of the facility where Renji was fighting. "Deploy Task Force 1 to intercept him at the entrance. We'll contain him at the junction, and if he breaks through, we activate the Containment Field. No one leaves that core room alive."
The technicians began their work, quickly coordinating with the nearby forces as Matsuda stared at the screen, his mind working at full capacity.
---
Meanwhile, deep in the bowels of the facility, Renji was barely aware of the storm brewing above. His senses were consumed by the dungeon's energy and the thrill of the hunt, the raw power surging through him as he moved deeper into the complex.
But his senses, sharp as they were, couldn't ignore the sudden shift in the air. There was a presence now, something unnatural and dangerous. Renji paused, every muscle tensing as his eyes scanned the dark corridors ahead.
Then, a voice crackled over the loudspeaker system, cutting through the silence like a razor.
"Renji Kuroya, you are in direct violation of the government's containment protocols. You are ordered to surrender immediately. Any further resistance will result in termination."
The voice was cold, mechanical. A clear warning, but Renji knew what it meant. They had activated the S-Class protocol, a level of response reserved for only the most dangerous and unpredictable of threats.
"So, it's come to this." Renji's lips curled into a grim smile, his eyes burning with a fierce, predatory glow.
The government had underestimated him, as they always did.
The ground beneath him shifted with the faint hum of machinery, and Renji's instincts flared. They weren't just sending soldiers to stop him anymore. No, this was more. This was the full might of the government. They would send their most specialized forces, equipped with experimental weaponry, capable of dealing with mutated threats like himself.
But Renji didn't flinch. In fact, the thought of facing them made him feel more alive than ever.
He wasn't just fighting for survival anymore. He was fighting for control.
"Come at me." His voice was a low growl as he stepped forward, his body rippling with power as he embraced the mutations coursing through him. He could feel the energy from the dungeon calling to him, urging him to push further, to fight harder.
---
Back in the command center, Matsuda received confirmation from his subordinates. The S-Class protocol was activated, and Task Force 1 was en route. He stood in front of the large map, a grim expression on his face.
"Kuroya's no ordinary threat. If he's come this far, it means he's growing more dangerous by the minute. We can't afford to lose him again. Do whatever it takes to bring him down."
Matsuda's eyes were cold, calculating. This wasn't just about capturing a rogue hunter anymore. It was about containing a new kind of weapon—one that could change the entire landscape of the war for control over the dungeons.
The countdown began, ticking down the minutes until they would unleash everything they had. It was no longer just a containment mission. It was an all-out war to reclaim control.
Renji Kuroya had become the greatest threat the government had ever faced.
---
The government's Task Force 1 was the pinnacle of tactical precision, built specifically for situations like the one they now faced. These were no ordinary soldiers—each member was selected for their physical prowess, specialized training in dungeon warfare, and above all, their ability to handle the most dangerous mutated threats.
---
Inside the Task Force 1 Command Center:
Matsuda stood at the center of a sleek, high-tech command room. The large holographic screens displayed maps of the facility, with Renji's last known position flashing in red. His team was moving swiftly, the combined effort of military personnel and specialized dungeon hunters working seamlessly.
One of Matsuda's trusted captains, Captain Hiraoka, walked briskly to his side, her expression unwavering.
"Sir, we've deployed the Vanguards and the Shock Troopers to intercept Kuroya at the sector junction. If he tries to breach that, we have the containment field ready."
Matsuda nodded, but his eyes remained fixed on the screen, calculating. "We can't afford to let him get past the junction. If he does, we'll lose control. Once he reaches the core, it's game over."
Captain Hiraoka's lips tightened. "Understood."
"Good." Matsuda's voice was cold and commanding. He turned to face the other officers. "Activate the drone reconnaissance. I want eyes on every possible exit. If Kuroya tries to escape, we'll know. Prepare the deployment of the S-Class Suppressors."
The room erupted in a flurry of commands, each officer rushing to carry out their tasks with military precision. Outside, Task Force 1 was already in motion.
---
The task force, led by Captain Hiraoka herself, was split into two main groups:
1. The Vanguards: Elite soldiers equipped with high-powered rifles, shock-absorbing armor, and devices designed to counter dungeon mutations. Their role was to head off Renji's progress and contain him at the junction.
2. The Shock Troopers: Specially trained dungeon hunters armed with cutting-edge technology and anti-mutation weaponry. They would be the first to engage Renji directly, relying on their speed and agility to disable him before the situation escalated.
Renji, however, was already on the move.
---
Renji moved through the dimly lit corridors, his footsteps silent as he advanced deeper into the facility. The air had thickened with tension, and his instincts screamed at him to stay alert. He could feel the shift—a trap was closing in on him. But Renji didn't fear traps; he welcomed them.
His body was alive with the dungeon energy, the mutations coursing through his veins granting him unnatural speed and strength. As he rounded a corner, he heard the first sign of the government's forces—footsteps, muffled but distinct. They were coming.
He smiled.
Suddenly, two soldiers, their faces concealed behind visors, appeared at the end of the hallway. They opened fire immediately, releasing a barrage of high-caliber rounds. Renji moved faster than the eye could track, twisting his body with inhuman precision, dodging the bullets by mere inches. The impact against the walls left dents, the echoes of gunfire reverberating through the hall.
Renji's hands moved with the grace of a predator. He reached for a nearby piece of debris, a jagged shard of metal, and hurled it at the soldiers. The sharp projectile struck one soldier squarely in the chest, knocking him back. The other soldier barely had time to react before Renji was upon him, his claws extended. The soldier was dead before he even hit the ground.
"First wave down," Renji muttered under his breath, his eyes glowing with an eerie light as the predatory instincts of the mutations took over.
But he didn't stop there.
The sound of reinforcements was growing louder. The Vanguards were closing in. Renji wasn't going to give them a chance to coordinate. With a surge of power, he vaulted up the nearest wall, using his enhanced agility to scale it like an apex predator. From above, he spotted the Vanguards approaching, their heavy boots stomping the metal floors.
He dropped down onto them from the ceiling, landing with a heavy thud that shook the ground. The soldiers barely had time to react as Renji unleashed a whirlwind of strikes, his mutated strength taking over. One soldier was launched across the hall, crashing into a wall with a sickening crack. Another was knocked unconscious with a brutal hit to the head.
But these soldiers were no pushovers. Even as Renji tore through them, the remaining Vanguard soldiers deployed special energy shields, locking into a defensive formation. Their rifles shifted, powered up with anti-mutation rounds designed to pierce through his enhanced defenses.
The fight became a brutal back-and-forth, Renji leaping, dodging, and attacking with lethal precision. The soldiers were tactical, trying to anticipate his movements, but Renji's unpredictability was his greatest weapon. He lashed out with claws, tore through armored suits with ease, and even used the environment to his advantage, causing explosions by triggering nearby energy conduits.
Despite the shock and devastation he was causing, Renji knew this wasn't over. The government wasn't going to send in regular soldiers for long. They'd escalate the situation.
And sure enough, as Renji defeated the last of the Vanguards, a new force arrived—The S-Class Suppressors.
---
The S-Class Suppressors were a different breed entirely. They weren't just soldiers; they were enhanced individuals—mutated themselves, but under the government's control. Their bodies had been modified with advanced tech and dungeon energy, making them the perfect countermeasure against the likes of Renji.
Clad in black, high-tech armor, each Suppressor wielded weapons designed to disrupt dungeon mutations—energy coils, plasma swords, and electroshock devices capable of disabling even the most advanced mutated beings.
The leader of the S-Class team, Suppressor Alpha, stepped forward. His voice was a low growl, augmented by a voice modulator. "Renji Kuroya. You've caused enough damage."
Renji's lips curled into a defiant smile. "Is that so? Then come and try to stop me."
Suppressor Alpha's eyes glowed beneath his helmet. "We were designed for this. Surrender now, and we'll make your death quick."
Renji's eyes burned with intensity. He wasn't going to surrender. Not to them. Not now.
With a primal roar, he leapt into the fray, his mutated strength colliding with the sheer force of the S-Class Suppressors. The battle was about to escalate into something far more destructive.
---