18.9

ACT 963161069-26889.20.(M12.D21-M1.D23)-Eve-Smith-Silver Prime

“You’ve been hidden in here for over a month,” Finn said, staring at Eve. She stared at him in her grease-covered coveralls with a gaping look of shock.

“A month?” Eve said, wondering if she had misheard. “I was certain it was only a couple of weeks.”

Finn pointed to the nearby wall that was stacked with food trays without food in them. “A month.”

She shrugged; it wasn’t like she had lost track of time to the extent that she was missing decades. Problems had just needed to be solved one after the other, and time slipped away from her. Eve watched with pride as Finn looked over the sleek form of her patent-pending hybrid drilling silver snake tank. After examining everything, the leader of the Loki Familia asked, “Runes?” He pointed to the glowing silver script in a few parts of the device.

Eve nodded and replied, “I’ve been slowly deciphering the ones for this world. It took a lot of effort, but Float is required for something like this. Storage is for the ammo to the guns, and Generator provides the power. I couldn’t do more than three, though, as they create excessive resonance otherwise."

“Resonance is bad?” Finn asked with a raised eyebrow. Eve nodded and mimicked an explosion with her hands. “Very bad, yes.”

Finn and Eve’s attention shifted from the conversation to a strange beeping alarm on a nearby workbench. Rushing over, Eve grabbed the flat enchanted piece of stone pulsing with a bright red 27 numeral. “Finn, did we have anyone slated to go to the Mid-Floors?” Eve said with confusion.

Finn narrowed his eyes and replied, “No. Nothing like that has been cleared through me in recent days.”

Waving the stone Eve said, “This is a distress signal I handed them out to members to use in an emergency. Like the body cameras, it operates on the ambient mana within the Dungeon. Unlike them, however, it is triggered only when the carriers are unconscious or near death!”

“Riveria!” Finn snapped, closing his eyes. Eve could instantly feel the mental connection of a nearby telepathic flow of mana. The Pallum was being updated in real-time by the guild’s strongest caster.

It was quickly discovered that an exploration team had been sent to begin paving the way for the conquest of the Deep Floors. The request was part of the routine operations for scouting deeper and had been approved by Finn several weeks before. Due to that, it wasn’t in the recent updates he’d received, leading to the confusion. The teams had been on a quest to explore the lower floors of the dungeon and look for a smooth path forward when a group of powerful monsters ambushed them. From all reports, they were trapped on floor 27, and time was running out. Teams of this nature didn’t carry extensive supplies limiting themselves to a small amount of a week or less. In a typical run to the Deeps, the number of stores was far more significant due to the Supporters on hand. Eve suspected the Dungeon wouldn’t let a chance to eliminate a powerful group of adventurers pass without action. From all indications, a Pass Parade was already forming to crush the Loki teams.

“Will it work?” Finn said, his eyes looking at the nearby mechanical marvel. Hope bloomed in his eyes, and Eve could see the gears spinning in his mind.

“I haven’t had a chance to test it on anything realistic,” Eve said as the light in the Pallum’s eyes dimmed. “Ugh! Whatever, let’s roll. The only real test is battle anyways!”

Eve knew that she had to act fast. She quickly made her way to the combat storage safe nearby, waiting the few seconds it took to hiss open as gasses within released. Inside the safe was a humanoid suit of metal that she most definitely hadn’t copied from one of her favorite entertainment shows. The Loki Lab had expanded in size and funding as it was where her specially designed drilling silver snake tank, which had previously been only planned, was stored. She had been looking into creating something to combat the difference in Levels, as before, she was a top combatant surviving was the first rule. Thus, the armored suit had been researched from memory with enchanted runes filling in the place of pure technology. Both devices, the suit, and the tank were a marvel of mechanical engineering. One had powerful drills and weapons to plow through even the most formidable obstacles. On the other hand, the metal suit was equipped to eliminate the barriers of the fleshier variety.

Eve didn’t have any mercy when designing either, as she was sure the Dungeon had none for her. The tank was the perfect vehicle for navigating the treacherous terrain of the dungeon. There was no crevice it couldn’t expand and drill through, no watery section it couldn’t bypass, and no fall that would cripple it. Her mechanical minions were as Dungeon-proof as she could make them.

As Eve climbed into the tank's cockpit after donning her metal armoire, she checked the various gauges and instruments to ensure everything was in working order. With a snap of inhalation, she took a deep breath and activated the tank's engines, causing it to roar to life. A mana-manipulated readout appeared on her helmet’s interior, linking her seamlessly into the tank’s network.

"Alright, let's do this," she said as Finn sat beside her, racking his spear in a nearby holder. He said nothing about her strange armor because everyone knew Eve was weird. Quite a few suspected she was insane, but the trio of top Levels in Loki Familia had kept the rumors contained. Wearing a suit of armor with glowing runes on it was just another ordinary day in Finn’s view, she was sure.

“I’m contacting the Guild to get us special permission to enter. We’ll pay for all repairs caused en route. All you need to do is get there before the death toll rises!” Finn said briefly as his eyes sharpened and his fist clenched.

Eve gave a sharp nod and drove the tank out of the Lab without bothering about the doors and into the wide streets of Oro Oro. The whistle attached to the frontal command cab they were riding in cleared the packed cobble roads like sunlight melting shadows. She slipped through the Guild entrance wincing as her baby re-arranged the expensive pathway to the interior. Without stopping, Eve drove directly over the deep hole leading down. She didn’t take the ramp down as it would be too slow, and there was no need. The moment they were no longer connected to the ground, a sensation of Float took over. The entire D.S.S.T. dropped like the multi-ton rock it resembled, and with rapid speed, the tank flew down at a breathtaking pace.

Once at the bottom of the Dungeon’s First Level, the drills on the front of the tank started spinning. Following the tracking beacon Eve carved through solid rock like butter. She knew that time was of the essence, and she pushed the tank to its limits, taking the straightest path at breakneck speeds and plowing through obstacles in her wake. Monsters attempting to charge the D.S.S.T were turned into meat paste splattered on the walls. Eve flinched as the Generator rune whined in a high-pitched scream of distress that caused sweat to bead on her forehead.

“Just hold together, baby; Big Daddy Finn will make sure to pay for all the repairs,” Eve said, giving a gimlet glare at the shorter blond figure.

“No worry,” Finn said, waving nonchalantly.

Floors sped past as she utilized Finn’s precise knowledge of the pathways down to clock the highest boost to momentum. As she neared the location of her trapped Familia, she could hear the sounds of battle echoing through the tunnel. She knew they were fighting for their lives and decided now would be an excellent time to demonstrate that screwing with her allies was a mistake.

With a burst of speed, she finally arrived at the location of her comrades. Water City was the well-known name for the Floors they had been cornered on. The entire set of teams was surrounded by massive groups of powerful monsters, their weapons at the ready but their backs against the figurative walls. Crews had been split by floating ice chunks, and the amphibious monsters were closing in. Eve even spotted what appeared to be a Floor Boss in the middle of the watery lake. Without a doubt, it looked as though all was lost before her appearance.

"Get in!" Eve shouted over the sounds of battle, utilizing the tank's loudspeaker. "I've got you all covered!" Finn exited the command cab with haste and added to her words, “RALLY ON ME!”

Her comrades quickly used every means possible and jumped into the tank’s doors that had been opened for their arrival. She wasn’t able to get everyone, but the majority were saved. Once everyone who could reach her was inside, Eve activated the weapons systems. Time to demonstrate the might of technology to this overgrown lizard and his minions.

The tank's cannons fired a barrage of explosive shells shifting ammo from Storage and taking out several monsters in a single shot. Eve glanced at Finn as he re-entered the command cab before setting the weapons to automatic fire. The barrels and components were made of an Oro Oro metal that couldn’t get hot. Instead, in applying the laws of magic to this world, the metal dumped the heat into the surrounding area resulting in boiling steam. Eve wasn’t bothered as the tank was a sealed unit, but the water monsters around realized that boiling steam was terrible. The surviving enemies scattered, learning that her horrific creation outmatched them.

"Eve, this is awesome!" Raul said. "We thought we were done for!" Several others nodded and voiced their consent over the internal communications.

"No problem," Eve replied, watching the Generator rune glowing an unhealthy shade on the gauge. "We need to get out of here, now."

With her comrades safe, Eve raced back through the dungeon, pushing the tank to its limits. She knew it would fail, but as long as it failed outside the Dungeon, that was a good test. They encountered several more groups of monsters along the way, but Eve's skills as a driver and the tank's powerful weapons made short work of them. It was to be expected, considering she had slaughtered Floor 27 monsters like cutting cheese curds.

Eventually, they made it back to the surface, the tank bursting through the exit of the First Floor and into the Guild’s half-obliterated front lobby area. The Loki Familia had made it out but were exhausted and battered from the battle and subsequent escape.

"We made it, Finn," Eve said, looking at the Guild group waiting in the lobby; wiping sweat from her forehead, she asked, "I can leave the rest to the greatest Pallum in existence, right?"

Finn nodded and asked, “Is there a possibility of someone duplicating this steed?”

"Anything is possible with a Skill in theory, but the probability is low. I encrypted the current blueprints. The ones I showed you are long turned to ashes.” Eve said, smiling. "I’m a very paranoid individual, sometimes."

“Excellent. Return everyone to the headquarters. I’ll deal with the political fallout.” Finn said as he exited the command cab once more.

With that order from the leader, she set off for the headquarters, eager to rest and recover. Before they even traversed out of the Guild, though, the Generator rune gave one last gasp before going dark. Eve’s eye twitched as she knew they had been lucky this time, but she also knew they would have to be even more prepared.

After returning home to headquarters Eve and the other Loki Familia members recovered from their harrowing experience in the dungeon within the week. They immediately began investigating the events that led to their ambush on Floor 27. It quickly became apparent that they had been lured there by suspicious rumors detailing an easy route to the Deeper Floors. With that information as bait, someone set a trap for them.

Eve watched with awe as the Familia members pooled their information-gathering abilities and began to piece together the events that had led to their ambush. They discovered that a member of a rival familia, known only as "Tenebrae Absolutae," had been spreading rumors about a safe route that could be found on floor 27 of the Dungeon. The information had trickled in from trusted sources, so no one had suspected anything.

The Loki familia had been thrilled by the rumors and had immediately deployed to verify them. They had been led to a seemingly abandoned section of Water City, where they were ambushed by the monsters lying in wait.

"It was a filthy trap," one of the familia members said in the cafeteria during lunch. "Tenebrae Absolutae set us up."

"But why?" Eve asked, puzzled. "What could they possibly gain from this?" I will not mention what that name means in the dead language of Earth, either. No need to draw attention. However, this is another firm thing to discuss with my little brother!

“Tenebrae Absolutae has a long-standing grudge against the Loki familia. They have been envious of Loki's success in the Dungeon and have always sought a way to bring the other powerful Familia and us down.” Finn said as he passed by to grab a tray of food.

"They knew that we are currently the only ones who have a decent chance of breaking into the Deeper Floors consistently," another familia member said. "The resources down there are incredible. Most likely, they wanted to eliminate us as competition."

Eve clenched her fists, her anger boiling at the thought of someone trying to harm those who had aided her in her hour of need.

"We can't let them get away with this," she said. "We need to find out who Tenebrae Absolutae members are and stop their schemes."

“The Guild agrees,” Finn said as he sat at Eve’s table. “They have placed some of their best people onto the problem. We’ll provide the muscle when they give us solid intel that Riveria can confirm.” Eve watched the familia members sitting nearby nod in agreement. Well, I can always use the time to improve my two mechanical minions.

After several weeks of investigation by the Guild, they finally discovered the concealed location of Tenebrae Absolutae's headquarters. It was a hidden underground bunker under the pleasure quarter of Oro Oro, heavily fortified and guarded by some of the most influential members of the enemy group.

Eve knew they would have to be careful if they wanted to take down Tenebrae Absolutae and end their schemes. To that end, she had used a blacksmith from Hephaestus’s Familia to upgrade her D.S.S.T. it had been costly, but the Loki upper management wanted the best. She’d also slightly embezzled some funds to improve her metal suit. More robust metal meant it could hold better runic enchantments. The Loki Familia gathered their most vital members, equipped themselves with the best weapons and armor on loan from Hephaestus’s Familia, and prepared to storm the bunker.

Eve drove the strike team into the concealed bunker using the D.S.S.T. the attack was a complete surprise. Within minutes the battle was fierce and intense, with both sides fighting tooth and nail for their respective ideals. Tenebrae Absolutae members were violent,  but in the end, the Loki familia emerged victorious, their teamwork and skill enabling them to overcome the robust defenses of the less organized enemies.

As they emerged from the bunker, victorious but battered and bruised, Eve looked around at her familia members, a sense of pride and loyalty swelling in her chest. "We did it," she said, her voice filled with satisfaction. "We crushed them. It was a brutal fight, but my inventions carried the day. So, I'll need an increase in funding. Leader! Funding increase!" Finn was seen escaping the moment she glanced in his direction. I also collected quite a few examples of Falna from the dead. My research will show results soon enough.

With two masterful examples of power shown, Eve’s vehicle was set to become the standard for Dungeoneering transportation chains. She looked forward to being filthy wealthy, money allegedly couldn't buy happiness, but she didn't believe that.