The second wave hit hard, but we managed.
Chris’s Energy Driver overheated at the worst moment, forcing him to switch to his Plasma Rifle, which he should have done from the beginning. Danny took a claw to the shoulder before slamming his warhammer into the drone’s head like he was teeing off at a driving range. Ryan’s Arcwave went off twice, the second pulse frying what was left of the remaining swarm. And Emily? She carved through them like a demon, her Plasma Sword practically singing with every precise strike.
Meanwhile, I was up on a ridge, pretending my TL8 sniper rifle was worth a damn. At least Zoe was actually getting kills. Me? I was a glorified alarm system, ding! Target’s mad now, someone please finish it off. My shots weren’t doing much more than pissing the bugs off before the rest of the team had to finish them. And my Energy Tomahawk? Absolutely useless from up here. What was I supposed to do, chuck it from this distance? Yeah, that’d go great.
My fancy Dione Vanguard Scout Suit? It might as well have been paper. Ryan was tanking hits in his Medium Armor, Danny was shrugging off blows in his Heavy set, and me? If I got looked at too hard, I’d be reduced to a smear on the ground. Yeah... noodle armor, thanks Ryan. It worked wonders when I could one-shot enemies. Here? I''d be a laughing stock.
When the last drone twitched and collapsed, we took the breather we desperately needed.
[+41,535 XP]
[+15,575 credits]
"Everyone still in one piece?" Joey asked, looking at us all with a raised brow.
Danny, still shaking out his arm, grinned. "Define ‘one piece.’"
Emily was already rummaging through the still-smoking corpses. "Let’s see if we get anything good out of this."
Looting wasn’t exactly glamorous, but at least the System made it easy. The moment the last drone twitched and died, shimmering loot boxes materialized within their remains, glowing faintly. I reached into one, the interface flickering as I claimed a compact TL9 power cell. Oh wow, more ammo for my glorified flashlight. Ryan snorted and tossed me another from his own haul.
"Better hope we keep finding these, or your sniper rifle’s gonna be a fancy club soon."
I sighed. "It’s already a fancy club. Except a club would actually do some damage."
Zoe, gagging, wiped her hands on her pants. "Ugh, these energy bars are warm. And squishy."
"You’ve eaten worse," I pointed out.
"Yeah, but at least those weren’t actively gross. What the hell do they make these out of anyways?"
Chris whistled as he turned over a sleek, deep-red grenade in his palm. Thermal Incendiary Grenade. "Now this is something I can work with."
Great, even the loot is telling me I’m useless. Ryan gets a TL9 Plasma Rifle. Chris gets an Incendiary Grenade. Danny gets to be a walking wrecking ball. And me? I get to watch from the sidelines with my peashooter and a pack of regret-flavored rations.
Joey pulled a Neural Boost Capsule from a drone’s remains, raising an eyebrow. "Anyone wanna feel like their brain’s moving at hyperspeed for four hours?"
Ryan was already reaching for it, but Joey smacked his hand away. "You? No. You need less distractions, not more."
Ryan rolled his eyes. "You’re all so mean to me."
I scoffed. "We should be. You nearly got us swarmed."
Not that it really mattered. I wasn’t exactly tipping the scales in our favor up here.
Ryan grumbled something under his breath but didn’t argue.
With what loot we could salvage in our packs, we moved deeper into the chamber.
<hr>
I frowned at the numbers. "This isn''t just a ramp-up. This is a straight-up power curve shift."
"Feels like a power fantasy," Zoe muttered, flicking her interface open and scrolling through her logs. "I''m not complaining, but yeah… this much XP this fast? Feels off."
Danny was already doing the math. "If we keep this pace, we’ll be level 63 in a few hours."
Ryan’s eyes had that far-off look, indicating he was looking at his own interface, now deep in thought. "Look at the XP delta for 62. It jumped to 570k. That''s way more than the jump from 60 to 61. The system is scaling exponentially."
"Scaling for what?" I asked.
Ryan shrugged. "Best guess? TL9 combat skills and class evolutions."
Oh. Oh, that was going to hurt. My skill XP was already spread too thin across too many skills, and higher-tier abilities would need even more to level up.
I scrolled back through the log, frowning at the numbers.
[System Log]
2026-10-28 – Defeated Vexillary Drone (Level 64) 2,966 XP gained, 1125 credits
<ul>3,750 XP after XP share allocation = 535.714 XP</ul>
<ul>
<li>Ranged Weapons Proficiency [+107.14 XP * (1+(66 PER * 5%) + (50 INT * 3%))] +621.428 XP</li>
<li>Precise Shots Proficiency [+107.14 XP * (1+(66 PER * 5%) + (50 MEM * 3%))] +621.428 XP</li>
<li>Adaptive Cover Proficiency [+107.14 XP * (1+(66 PER * 5%) + (50 INT * 3%))] +621.428 XP</li>
<li>Critical Strikes Proficiency [+107.14 XP * (1+(50 INT * 5%) + (50 MEM * 3%))] +535.71 XP</li>
<li>Light Armor Proficiency [+107.14 XP * (1+(66 PER * 5%) + (50 WIP * 3%))] +566.78 XP</li>
</ul>
2026-10-28 – Defeated Vexillary Drone (Level 64) – 2,966 XP, 1,125 credits
2026-10-28 – Defeated Vexillary Drone (Level 64) – 2,966 XP, 1,125 credits
2026-10-28 – Defeated Vexillary Drone (Level 64) – 2,966 XP, 1,125 credits
Danny leaned against a large boulder, shaking out his arm. “It’s the same reason we’re seeing TL9 drops. The system’s preparing us for the next tier. Back in Sol, all the drops were Tech Level 8, near-future stuff, 20 to 50 years ahead of what we had pre-System. But here? This is all TL9. The next step up.”
I furrowed my brow. "Right, but TL8 already gave us a ton of overpowered crap. Med Pods that can regrow limbs, schematics, and blueprints for working fusion plants, nanotechnology…”
"And spaceships, orbitals,” Ryan added. “Spacecraft capable of traveling around the solar system, near-c lightspeed drives, and some early inertia dampeners."
Danny nodded. "Yeah, and even that felt too advanced. Med Pods? We went from barely understanding stem cell regrowth to ''Oh yeah, just hop in, we’ll print you a new liver'' overnight. That was TL8. Now we’re skipping to TL9? What’s next, immortality?"
Ryan smirked. "Oh, absolutely. The System’s been force-feeding us progress, but the TL9 jump? This is different. If TL8 was a massive leap forward, TL9 is a whole new game. I wonder what sort of tech we’re going to find. The Graphene Wafer schematic is barely the first, I’d bet.”
Zoe let out a low whistle. “So, what? The system’s just… speedrunning us to whatever’s next?”
I stared at the logs again. 535 XP per drone. 570,000 XP just to reach Level 62. And we were plowing through it like nothing.
Chris, turning the incendiary grenade over in his hand, finally spoke. “We’re in a tutorial portal.”
That made us all pause.
Ryan’s brow furrowed. “Well… yeah. Maybe. I mean, it makes sense. This is the first and only portal we’ve found in Alpha Centauri. The system probably expects us to be feeling things out. Getting used to the combat scaling.”
“And it’s throwing XP at us like candy,” Joey added.
If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.
I rubbed my temples. “So what, we’re supposed to just accept this is normal now? That the system is fast-tracking us for some higher-tier version of reality?”
“Basically,” Ryan said. “We’ve all seen the theories. Some people think the system is prepping humanity for some universal war. Like, some nearby galaxy is trying to level up partners in the fight. Others think it’s just an AI that wants to push civilization to the next phase.” He waved a hand. “Either way, TL9 is the next step. And we’re getting shoved into it.”
Emily crossed her arms. “I mean, what else would it be? The system doesn’t do things randomly. There’s a reason we’re getting this much XP.”
I snorted. “I don’t care about theories. I care about what this means for me. And I’ll tell you what it means-” I focused back at my logs. “It means I’m already overspread with too many skills, and now we’ve got a whole new tier of stronger skills that are going to need even more skill XP.”
Ryan smirked. “Sucks to be you, huh?”
I flipped him off.
<hr>
The rest of the chamber was, well, relatively easy. More of a grind than high stakes.
Zoe and I would take our positions, firing shots to draw agro. The worker drones would scuttle toward us, and the team would mow them down.
A little slow, a little tedious, but efficient.
Ryan’s turret did most of the heavy lifting, thinning out groups before they got too close. Chris kept his Energy Driver to short bursts, careful not to overheat it again. Danny bashed through anything that got past the first line, his warhammer sending bugs flying. Emily, dual-wielding her blasters, weaved through the fight. She only used her Plasma Sword when something got too close, but every time she ignited it, a drone went down instantly.
Like a well-oiled machine, we raked in the kills and XP. Danny and Ryan''s theory? Any new levels from here on out would require much more XP moving forward. I didn''t care, I was finally leveling up my shitty skills, one kill at a time.
[+139,438 XP]
[+52,875 credits]
[Skill level up! Ranged Weapons Proficiency: Level 8 -> Level 9]
[Skill level up! Situational Awareness Proficiency: Level 8 -> Level 9]
[Skill level up! Adaptive Cover Proficiency: Level 7 -> Level 8]
[Skill level up! Light Armor Proficiency: Level 8 -> Level 9]
Unfortunately, no more TL9 weapon drops.
Just enough power cells to keep our ammunition stocked and some more sand-flavored rations. Nothing exciting, but at least we weren’t running dry.
Zoe groaned as she loaded another cell into her sniper rifle. "We get one fancy grenade, and the rest is bug chow? This hive officially sucks."
"Come on, at least we’re stocked up," I said, stretching out my sore arms.
"Yeah, yeah," she muttered. "But I was really hoping for something cooler."
<hr>
It came through the far end of the chamber, stepping past the pulsing, veined doorway.
It was different from the drones.
Two meters tall, longer limbs, sleeker build. A raised, segmented head, its mandibles clicking, its six sharp limbs twitching. Unlike the worker drones, this one looked designed to kill.
And then it spat a barbed projectile, fast as a bullet.
"Cover!" Emily shouted.
We scattered just as the projectile slammed into Joey’s shield. It crumpled inward, the impact so hard it sent Joey and his heavy powered armor staggering back.
"Fuck!" Joey grunted, bracing. "That thing hits like a goddamn truck!"
Another barbed spike slammed into the wall, splattering corrosive liquid.
The nearest eggs melted instantly, dissolving into a stinking puddle.
"No plasma fire!" I barked. "If we hit the walls, we’ll be swimming in acid!"
"Well, that’s just fucking great," Chris growled, ducking behind an egg cluster.
Ryan gritted his teeth. "Okay, Plan B, Danny, you’re up!"
Danny, already stomping forward, charged.
His powered armor thumped against the organic ground, the heavy steps shaking through the humid chamber. He raised his Devastator Warhammer, locking on to the target.
The scout drone didn’t wait.
It moved fast.
Way faster than the bulky tank of a man charging at it.
Danny swung. The hammer whooshed through empty air. The bug vanished, ducking low before Danny could adjust, skittering around his flank.
"Shit!" Ryan cursed. "We need another plan!"
"Fuck it," I snapped, running.
I sprinted full speed, closing the gap before I could think about how bad of an idea this was.
The scout twisted, sensing me and raising its limbs.
I jumped and landed right on its back, burying my Energy Tomahawk into the side of its neck. I felt a guttural need to whoop as I hacked at it.
The beast screamed, flailing, legs buckling under the sudden weight. I held on, gripping its carapace, hacking again, again, desperate to bring it down.
Its blood splattered over my arm. It burned against my suit. I hissed, gritting my teeth, trying to ignore it.
One last swing and the fucker collapsed. I rolled off, panting, my visor fogging from the heat.
Dead.
[+23,297 XP]
[+9,000 credits]
[Skill Level up! Tomahawk Throwing Proficiency Level 8 -> Level 9]
<hr>
I was still catching my breath when I heard her, sharp and angry.
"What the fuck were you thinking!?" screamed Emily.
I barely turned before she grabbed my arm, her eyes blazing behind her visor.
"You just- just jumped on that thing!" Her voice spiked, vibrating through the comms. "You could have been- Jesus, Luca!"
Zoe snorted, grinning, clearly enjoying my near-death stunt. "I mean, it worked, right?"
Emily whipped around, glaring at her. "That is not the point, Zoe!"
Zoe just shrugged. "Looked pretty badass to me."
I raised my hands, trying to calm her down. "Em, I’m fine. It’s dead. We didn’t have a choice."
"You always have a choice!" she snapped. "Like, I don’t know - using the plasma rifles like we’re supposed to?"
I sighed, rubbing my neck. "We couldn’t. First shot splattered acid. Not worth the risk."
She clenched her jaw. "And jumping on its back was the better alternative!?"
I opened my mouth, closed it, then shrugged.
She groaned, turning away, frustrated. "You are such an idiot," she muttered.
Ryan, ever the opportunist, clapped a hand on my shoulder. "Well, I for one think you did great, buddy."
Emily shot him a look that could melt steel.
Ryan quickly removed his hand. "Right. Yeah. I’ll shut up."
Zoe just chuckled. "Bet that adrenaline rush felt real good, huh?"
I exhaled, the heat still in my veins, the fight still buzzing in my muscles. Fuck, yeah, it did. But instead, I just nodded. "Yeah," I admitted. "It really did."
<hr>
Finally, we hit this stupid fucking crack in the wall. Seriously? The irony wasn''t lost on me. Tight spaces, unknown dangers, this was what it was all about. Veiny tendrils stretched along the walls, pulsing slowly, like a heartbeat. The organic, fleshy texture made my skin crawl, and when I reached out to touch it, because I’m a dumbass, it moved. Not a simple shift. It contracted under my palm, like it had felt me.
I yanked my hand back.
Scanners showed a chamber beyond. Of course it did. It''s a dungeon. What, did they expect us to just stroll through a wide open door? Bring it on, System.
We’d fought through wave after wave of drones, taken down a goddamn scout, and now? Now, we had to squeeze through a claustrophobic, pulsing, disgusting gap in the wall.
Ryan, drama queen extraordinaire, let out this huge groan. "Seriously? We’ve been blasting through these monsters like pros, and now we’re reduced to crawling through a hole? Whose idea of fun is this?”
"Guess they want to keep us on our toes," Danny chimed in, grinning. "Or on our hands and knees, apparently." Holy shit, did he just say that out loud?
Zoe, of course, had to add fuel to the fire. "Oh, I don’t know, Danny. I’ve heard you’re not bad on your hands and knees." She gave him a playful nudge. Damn, she was good.
Danny nearly choked on air, turning bright red, while Ryan gave Zoe a flat look.
"Really?" Ryan muttered. "You’re the worst."
Zoe just grinned and patted his cheek. "Oh, sweetie, I know."
And then, because she was completely unbothered, she slung her rifle over her back, dropped to her stomach, and crawled right in.
No hesitation.
Just vanished into the tight, pulsing darkness.
Emily followed right after, slipping through like it was nothing.
"You guys are ridiculous," she tossed over her shoulder, but she was smiling. "And maybe a little obsessed with your own butts.” Speaking of butts… hers disappeared into the darkness. Focus, Luca.
Joey gave Danny this mock-resigned look. “Well, if everyone else is going, I guess we’ll just have to follow, huh?” He deactivated his shield, good call, and shimmied in. Chris and Danny followed behind.
Now it was just me and Ryan. And this fucking hole.
I stared at it.
At the pulsing, fleshy crack in the wall. It was tight, dark and it was moving. Fuck.
My breathing slowed. My chest tightened. I could hear it now. Not just see it. Feel it. The walls had a wet, sucking pulse, like a throat preparing to swallow. Faint squelching noises came from within, a slow, rhythmic contraction.
It was stupid. So fucking stupid.
I was a goddamn Infiltrator. I was built for tight spaces, stealth, recon, slipping through cracks just like this one.
But this wasn’t just a crack.
This was a living, suffocating throat ready to swallow me whole.
Ryan clapped a hand on my back, the bastard. Like he didn''t know I was about two seconds away from losing my shit. "You’re up, Cap. I’ll cover the rear.”
My mouth was dry as a desert. I swallowed, shook my head, and tried to smile. It probably looked like I was about to vomit. “Nah, you go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”
Ryan frowned. Shit. "Luca..." He knew me too well.
"Just go, Ryan," I said, voice tighter than I meant it to be. "I’ll be right there.” Just thinking about being in that tight space… Not in this goddamn claustrophobic nightmare fuel of a tunnel. What if the whole damn mountain decided to take a nap on top of us?
Ryan studied me, then glanced at the tunnel. You could practically see the gears turning in his head. "Ah, hell. You’re not gonna freeze up on me now, are you?” He tried to sound light, but there was this... Like he actually gave a shit.
He kept looking at me, eyes all narrowed. “Yeah, okay,” he said slowly. “Except I’m not going without you, you know that, right?”
My fists clenched. Breathe, Luca, breathe. “I’ll be fine, just... go on ahead.”
He hesitated, glancing at the tunnel again. “Alright, fine. But Emily’s on the other side, waiting. You gonna make her wait longer?”
I exhaled sharply. That asshole.
“You’re a jerk,” I muttered.
Yep,” he shot back, slapping me on the shoulder. Hard. “So, what’s it gonna be? We can crawl through this together, or we can wait until Emily comes back and drags your sorry ass through herself.”
Before I could answer, Danny’s voice crackled over the comms, all sunshine and rainbows. “All clear! Just crawl on through, guys. Nothing on this side but a big empty room. We’re good!”
Ryan raised an eyebrow, giving me that damn look. The "I told you so" look. "See? Told you the walls weren’t gonna eat you, Cap. Now get your ass moving."
“Fine,” I said, my voice tighter than I wanted. "We’ll go together.”
Ryan grinned like an asshole. “Atta boy.”
Then, with zero hesitation, he crouched and slid in, making a big deal of wiggling his shoulders. The wall making a slurp sound as he pushed into the crack. "See? Nothing to it."
Yeah, well, you’re not the one suffocating on air that won’t go down right now, are you?
I forced myself forward, my hands sinking into the material. The walls pressed against my arms, my ribs, my back, too close. Way too fucking close. Every instinct was screaming to get the fuck out.
The moment I entered, it was hot. Thick, humid heat, like stepping into the mouth of something alive. The air clung to my suit.
A slow, wet contraction rippled down the tunnel.
I froze.
Did it just breathe?
Focus on the movement. The scraping. The chatter on comms.
Don’t think about the walls. Don’t think about being buried alive. Don’t think about mom.
Almost there.