"Racheal, please use your flames to create a barricade on both sides; that will allow us some time to devise a plan." Micheal issued an order to Racheal with a calm demeanor, and she nodded before swiftly executing the command. From their earlier encounter with the undead above ground, they recognized that Racheal's flames had a significant impact on them.
WHOOSH
Racheal unleashed her flames upon the approaching Reapers, sending them tumbling into their comrades behind. A barrier of fire ignited on both sides, effectively dividing the team from their foes. This provided the team with an opportunity to take a moment to relax.
"Excellent job, Racheal. Now, Bai and Hei, could you please clarify the nature of your abilities?" Micheal offered Racheal a smile, a feat that was notably challenging given their current circumstances. He then shifted his gaze to the brothers, who, for once, wore serious expressions.
"I can manipulate light to achieve various effects," Bai replied, observing how Micheal's composed demeanor had a soothing effect on the others, causing them to relax as well.
"RAWWR" The Reapers, trapped on the opposite side of the flames, screamed in fury, desperately seeking a way to cross over and tear the team to shreds.
"My darkness can also be manipulated in various ways," Hei replied, his demeanor serious.
"Great, Yoshi, you reviewed the blueprint, correct?" Micheal inquired, casting a glance at Yoshi, who responded with a nod of affirmation.
"Would you be able to provide me with a copy of it to review?" Micheal asked, as his plans gradually came together.
"Of course," Yoshi replied with a smile. He then flipped his palm, causing a projection of a virtual copy of the blueprint to appear.
"Alright....." Micheal muttered, studying the blueprint with intense concentration on the wall structure of their current location. After a brief analysis, he approached the wall, paused, and knocked twice, he then
pressed his ear against it.
"Mike, what do you have in mind?" Yoshi asked after noticing Micheal's behavior.
"We can't possibly get through this horde no matter what, so the next best thing is through the walls," Micheal explained, a smile fixed on his face.
"The walls? How do we do that?" Henry inquired with interest.
"Based on the structural composition of the wall, it appears feasible to breach it. Given its underground location, the walls lack the fortification found in above-ground structures. Upon reviewing the blueprint, I observed that the main sewer passages are situated behind these walls. If we manage to penetrate them and get to the sewers, we could potentially navigate our way back to the service tunnel." Micheal explained, pausing to allow the information to sink in before continuing.
"Initially, I considered having Henry break down the wall to create an escape route, but that poses the danger of us being trapped if the structure collapses. Upon inspection, I realized the walls are solid and not hollow. Therefore, the most viable option would be... Bai, if we weaken the walls, can your light produce enough heat to melt through them?" Micheal further elaborated before once again pausing and turning to Bai who flinched..
"If it has been weakened, then it is possible, but how?" Bai examined the walls on the blueprint and responded after careful consideration.
"Hei, how far can your ability permeate when integrated into materials?" Micheal turned to Hei with a smile and inquired.
"If it's these walls, then far enough" Hei replied with a nod. He had already grasped Michael's plan, and he had to admit that it was astonishing that under such circumstances, he was able to devise such a flawless strategy.
"Excellent, now that we know the next steps, I'll leave the rest in your capable hands," Michael said, stepping back and turning to Yoshi. Despite having devised the plan, Michael had stepped aside to allow Yoshi to take the lead.
Yoshi smiled as he reflected, 'He's not just intelligent; he's also humble and prioritizes the well-being of his teammates over his own. That's what true leadership looks like.' He then turned to the others.
"You heard the man. Hei, weaken the walls enough for your brother to melt through them. Racheal and Henry, take the left. Mike and I will handle the right. Any Reaper that gets too close, finish it off." Yoshi embraced the role with poise and promptly gave commands; it seemed as though the present circumstances had stripped the twins of their rebellious spirit, for they wasted no time in setting off to follow his instructions.
"BANG" Michael took aim and fired an accurate shot through the neck of the Reaper crawling through the fire, silencing it instantly.
'He has such impeccable aim,' Yoshi observed as he watched Michael effortlessly take down the Reapers, maintaining a completely composed demeanor throughout the process. He found himself pondering the thoughts that swirled within that mind.
Behind them, Hei had completed his task, and the walls now exuded a ghastly and dark aura. Without hesitation, his brother stepped forward, directing his palms at the walls. A powerful burst of light erupted, enveloping the surface, which began to melt at an alarming rate.
"RAWRRRR" The roars of the Reapers intensified as they furiously rushed through the flames, seemingly unperturbed by the damage inflicted upon them.
"They're acting desperately," Michael observed, swiftly turning the approaching Reapers into ashes with his lightning. The sheer destructive force of his lightning left both Hei and Yoshi in stunned silence. Hei, who had previously endured a direct hit from that same lightning, trembled as he contemplated the fate that might have befallen him had his suit not absorbed the majority of the impact.
"They're coming closer!" Henry yelled as he shot down most of the Reapers, whose movements were becoming increasingly frantic.
"I'm done, guys." Bai's enthusiastic voice rang out, bringing smiles to the faces of the group.
"Yoshi, go on, I'll hold them off. Place the charge," Michael spoke, a hint of urgency in his voice, as
Yoshi chuckled in response.
"The last time you mentioned that, it nearly cost you your life. I'll keep them at bay, go set the charges." Yoshi smirked and addressed Michael, who smiled as he observed the familiar lightning emanating from Yoshi's hands. It was then that he recalled Yoshi's abilities.
"Understood" Micheal nodded, then turned to grab their bags, passing a few to Henry, who quickly accepted them and dashed through the openings while Micheal affixed several C'4's to the walls and set up an ultrasonic device.
"Guys, in here, I'm done" Michael called out to his teammates, who swiftly hurried into the opening created by Bai.
"Enjoy the music" Micheal, with a smirk, dashed into the hole and activated the ultrasonic device, emitting a high-frequency pitch that caused the Repears to roar in agony as they charged toward the source of the sound. At this point, Micheal and his team had progressed significantly.
"Here comes the fireworks," Yoshi muttered, pressing the detonator that set off the C'4s.
BOOM
The tunnel's roof caved in upon the Reapers, burying them beneath the debris and effectively neutralizing the danger. Meanwhile, the team had reached the end of the thick walls that led into the main sewage lines, where the stench heavily pervaded the air. Fortunately, their helmets negated the odor.
"Wow, the sewers," Racheal groaned, her voice laced with discontent as she looked down at her feet, now soaked in the foul liquid.
"We're not too far from the service tunnel; we just need to maneuver through these sewers. We should be there shortly. Besides, it's almost nighttime, so the threat of the Reapers should be nearly nullified," Yoshi explained their next moves before turning to Bai, who yawned.
"Yawn, shouldn't we find a place to rest? We haven't really eaten or rested much since we arrived," Bai suggested as they got ready to move.
"Indeed, that's a valid point; resting holds significance as well. With three days remaining, we can allocate some time for rest and strategize our next steps. However, it is essential to exit this environment. Once we reach the service tunnel, we will discover a suitable place to rest. For now, let's continue our journey." Yoshi acknowledged Bai's words with a nod, yet given their present surroundings, rest was out of the question.
"Alright, that sounds like a good plan. Let's proceed." Micheal nodded, activating his flashlight, and then they set off toward the service tunnel.
They navigated through the sewers with extreme caution to avoid another ambush. After walking for a few minutes without encountering any enemies, the team felt a sense of relief, knowing they were close to the service tunnel. However, it appeared that fate had other plans for them.