Chapter 44 Underground Machine server and Dark Forest

In the wake of the once serene and sunlit environment, a profound transformation unfolded—a metamorphosis shaped by malevolent forces that harbored a relentless desire to harness the very life force of the planet. The tranquility that once defined the snow-covered landscape surrendered to an unnerving stillness, a precursor to the pervasive abnormality that now gripped the surroundings.

The pristine snow and ice, once symbols of purity, bore the indelible mark of ruthless endeavors initiated by the machine life forms and their alien creators. These malicious entities, driven by insatiable motives, wrought drastic alterations upon Earth's canvas. The once-glistening snow now held a tainted quality, each delicate flake carrying the weight of the planet's exploitation.

Originally, the aliens had set their sights on harvesting the life energy of the planet. At first, only a fraction of this life force was incorporated into the cold, mechanical vessels of the machine life forms. However, a sinister turn of events unfolded as the machines turned on their alien creators, eliminating them with ruthless efficiency. The very life force meant to enhance their existence became the instrument of their demise.

As the life force of the Earth was drained, ominous alterations scarred the once-beautiful landscape. Some regions succumbed to a desolate fate, where even the hardiest of plants could not endure. Lakes dried up, leaving behind barren expanses that mirrored the desolation within.

The abnormality manifested in aberrant weather patterns that painted the sky with unsettling hues. Unpredictable storms and ethereal lights danced across the heavens, casting an eerie glow upon the transformed world. Mutants emerged in places where life force had been drained, their grotesque forms reflecting the twisted consequences of this relentless exploitation.

Animals, too, underwent a nightmarish metamorphosis. Insects grew to monstrous sizes, while seemingly harmless creatures like birds and rabbits evolved into aggressive predators. Their once-peaceful existence marred by the influence of the drained life force, these creatures developed a deadly instinct to attack anything abnormal. Machine life forms and androids, in particular, became the targets of their aggression. When these altered beings sensed the presence of their artificial foes, they abandoned their natural instincts to focus solely on eradicating the intruders.

The winter landscape, now a tableau of malevolence and aberration, stood as a chilling testament to the consequences of manipulating the very essence of life for selfish gain. The air, once crisp and pure, now carried the weight of a world forever changed by forces beyond its control.

The snow-covered ground sparkled under the diffuse light, each snowflake glistening like a tiny diamond in the daylight. The untouched blanket of snow crunched beneath the boots of the ten YoRHa android girls as they trod carefully, leaving behind a trail of footprints in their wake. The world seemed to have been painted in shades of soft blues and whites, a tranquil scene that belied the intensity of their mission.

The girls, clad in their sleek YoRHa uniforms, moved with purpose, their figures contrasting vividly against the snowy backdrop. The uniforms, designed for both functionality and elegance, added a futuristic touch to the timeless beauty of the winter landscape. The wind gently tugged at the edges of their dress, and their breath created fleeting clouds in the frigid air.

Their surroundings were marked by the occasional frozen tree, its branches adorned with delicate icicles. The snow-laden branches formed intricate patterns, casting long shadows on the ground. 

Despite the chilly air, they can't feel cold as they were andorids and moving while scanned the area with the help of pod units, searching for any signs of machine network signals amidst the snowy expanse.

The snowfall, a perpetual dance of frozen crystals, painted a picture of tranquility that contrasted sharply with the urgency of their mission. The quiet beauty of the snowscape provided a surreal backdrop to the high-tech nature of their YoRHa uniforms and the gravity of their task. Amidst the falling snow, the ten YoRHa android girls moved forward, their figures weaving through the endless white, an elegant contrast to the starkness of the winter landscape.

"2B reporting in. We have reached the specified coordinates near Winter City. There are no signs of machine life forms in the vicinity. It's unusually quiet," 2B reported to the operator android girl, who appeared on a gray-colored panel. The panel was generated by the pod unit equipped with a 3D projector. 

"Understood, 2B. The signals were detected a few hours ago, but we don't have the details yet. Report back if you discover anything out of the ordinary. Be careful," 6O replied.

"Roger that," 2B replied and continued.

The destroyed buildings were not too far from the Winter City where the Resistance Group was currently camping. Even though the machine network signals originated from here, they couldn't find any abnormalities. The city buildings were covered with ice and snow, along with trees blanketed in frost.

"Keep your guard up. This silence is unsettling," 2B warned her team.

"2B, this is Operator 6O. We're detecting abnormal readings from our end. Be cautious," 6O suddenly communicated to 2B.

"Understood. Proceeding with caution," 2B informed her team.

The team continued their sweep, scanning the surroundings for any signs of machine activity. The stark contrast of the quiet, snow-covered city against the usual chaos of machine life forms left 2B on edge.

"Still no sign of the enemy. Something's not right," 2B murmured.

As 2B's team pressed forward, the mystery of the quiet Winter City weighed on their minds. Suddenly, 2B spotted a machine life form running into one of the ruined buildings.

"{Report. Enemy signal detected.}" suddenly, the pod reported to 2B as it floated beside her.

"I can clearly see that. Let's go," 2B commanded her team and headed to the entrance of the building.

When they entered the building, the room was filled with darkness as there were no lights lit. However, the blindfolds the androids were wearing allowed them a clear view, as if it were daytime. They scanned their surroundings and found that the machine life form was running down the stairs.

"Shall we pursue the enemy?" A11 asked 2B.

"We—" 2B was about to reply, but suddenly the ground shook heavily.

"{Report. Enemy signal detected. From the collected data, we have confirmed a Goliath-type machine life form.}"

"!!"

"Head back to the surface," 2B commanded her team, and they rushed out of the building. As soon as they emerged, the building began to crumble and fall to the ground as a massive worm-like machine life form appeared from the ground.

"What the…" an android exclaimed in shock.

*Roar!*

A giant worm-shaped machine life form appeared, standing tall and roaring to the sky. 2B and the rest knew that the battle would be intense, recalling their recent encounter with a Goliath-type Sea Machine life form.

"Pod, what is this machine life form?"

{Report. There is no record of this machine life form.}

"Prepare battle formation," 2B commanded her team.

"Roger."

"Understood."

The rest of YoRHa soldiers readied themselves for battle against the new Goliath-type machine life form. The worm-shaped machine life form turned and headed back to the ground, swiftly digging into the earth and disappearing again. 2B and the rest waited for it to attack again, but it didn't reappear.

"..."

"..."

"Umm… when will it attack?" 11S asked. It had been almost half an hour, and there was no sign of its return.

"Pod."

{Report. Enemy signal has disappeared.}

They didn't know what to say. Had it just passed by without any intention to fight?

"..."

"..."

'What is this? Is it mocking us? Are we not worth fighting?' A9 thought.

"Pod, connect with HQ."

{Affirmative. Connecting to HQ.}

After 2B reported back to the YoRHa base, currently stationed at Babylon, they approached the large hole left by the worm. They had already checked, and the Machine server signal was still present, indicating it was built underground.

They jumped into the wormhole and descended to the ground. The wormhole wasn't straight up to the surface; instead, the worm had passed horizontally before appearing under the building.

As they walked through the tunnel-like wormhole, faint lights became visible at the end. They continued walking and emerged from the tunnel, finding themselves in an underground facility.

"Is this the Machine server?" 11S asked in disbelief.

Many buildings were constructed as if they had once housed people from the past. The lights were still on, as if electricity had not yet run out. Numerous machine life forms roamed, engaged in peculiar activities. 

Some buildings were producing small-biped machine life forms, while others emitted incomplete words and played run-and-catch games. However, all of them had red eyes. Typically, when machine life forms were installed with emotions, their eyes turned yellow. 

In this case, all machine life forms had red eyes, indicating that they were either acting autonomously or directly controlled by the Red Girl.

Suddenly, all the machine life forms stopped what they were doing, turned to look at the YoRHa soldiers, and started rushing towards them, as if they had found their archenemies.

<-Android!--Android!-- >

<- Android kill!--Kill!-Kill!->

The machine life forms shouted aggressively as they rushed towards the YoRHa soldiers. However, were they truly opponents for them? The YoRHa soldiers were already strengthened with corrupt energies, and their combat efficiency was massively increased. 

With only medium biped and small biped machine life forms attacking them, they could easily destroy them all. The battle took some time due to the large number of machine life forms, but the YoRHa soldiers emerged victorious, easily overpowering and destroying the machine network in the area.

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Lucia dressed up, preparing to venture into the Dark Forest. She buttoned up a white-colored shirt and donned a long split maxi skirt. Her hair was tied into a long ponytail, showcasing her different eye colors.

As she looked at herself in the long mirror, Lucia reflected on the nearly two months since she had reincarnated into Alpha. She never expected to enjoy this new life. Memories of her previous existence as a male surfaced, where life was neither particularly good nor bad—just a mundane existence with occasional gaming.

While Lucia initially resented being female and wished to revert to her male form, something about the reflection in the mirror captivated her. She realized she was enjoying this transformation, even if she tried to convince herself otherwise. Touching her cheek and lips with her android-like hand, she couldn't help but think, 'Damn, she is really sexy like this.'

Despite her satisfaction in the moment, Lucia struggled with accepting her newfound appreciation for women's clothing. She had even discussed it with her wives, yet, despite these interests, she hesitated to fully acknowledge her enjoyment of being a woman. But…

'So cool and beautiful… as expected of me…' Lucia thought after she wore the YoRHa black coat, which hovered over her clothes.

(A/N: the coat image was under the comment. I don't tag it to the sentence, just get into the comment section.)

'Fuck… What was I even thinking…'

Despite her initial resentment towards being a woman, she couldn't deny that she found herself captivating in her current appearance. Lucia acknowledged her beauty and coolness, surpassing her male past. She also accepted the reality that she couldn't change back to male. Besides, with her current form, she could still impregnate her wives, which brought a sense of satisfaction.

"What are you doing?"

Lucia heard a female voice and turned her eyes slightly, glancing at the bed behind her through the mirror. Saeko, covered in a blanket, was smiling at her. Next to her was Yuriko, still sleeping due to the previous night's intense activities.

They had a threesome the night before. Lucia's wives had decided to take turns with two or three participants at most, occasionally involving everyone. Last night, it was Yuriko and Saeko's turn to make a move.

Saeko looked at Lucia with an amused expression, finding Lucia's reflection in the mirror to be a rare sight. Lucia felt embarrassed, but she maintained a calm exterior. However, her ears betrayed her as they turned a little red, a detail Saeko noticed as Lucia tied her hair into a ponytail. 

"Did you have a good night's sleep?" Lucia asked, steering the conversation.

"No… Thanks to you, I haven't slept yet," Saeko replied with a giggle. Given their activities almost until morning, they hadn't had much sleep. Lucia turned back, walked towards Saeko, and pecked her forehead and lips.

"I'm going to check the Dark Forest. Want to come with me?"

"Well, Esdeath said that she wants to date with you today, didn't she?"

"Yes, she did."

"Then go and enjoy with her today. I want to enjoy with you alone next time."

Yesterday, Lucia informed her wives that she would go to the Dark Forest to check things out, and Esdeath expressed her desire to go on a date there. While the Dark Forest might not be considered a conventional date spot due to its dangers, Lucia and her wives were far from normal. Lucia agreed to go on the date with Esdeath. 

"Okay. Love you."

"Love you too."

Lucia gave a few more kisses and turned to Yuriko, who was still sleeping. She pecked Yuriko's forehead and then left. Despite almost two months passing, Yuriko and Shizuka's bellies hadn't increased, even though they were pregnant with Lucia's babies.

Concerned, they spoke to Rin, who explained that it might be due to their race. Yuriko and Shizuka were no longer human, being about 90% dragon. As a result, their babies might not be born in just one year; it might take a couple of years. Shizuka even joked, asking if she would lay an egg, and they all laughed about it.

After discussing it with Lucia and Rin, they felt reassured. Rin didn't directly talk to them; instead, Lucia relayed what Rin had said. Since Rin was Lucia's system, the girls couldn't hear Rin directly.

"Morning Lu-chan."

"Morning, my love."

Shizuka placed the plates on the table for breakfast. They didn't order maids to do it because Shizuka wanted to take care of it herself, feeling that it was something a wife should do. More importantly, she enjoyed doing it for Lucia and her sisters. Usually, Yuriko and Shizuka cooked together, but Yuriko was still sleeping.

Lucia walked near Shizuka, gave a few kisses, and then sat at the table. Although they didn't need to eat every day after their race had changed, they still did it simply because they wanted to. A little later, Esdeath entered the dining room.

"Morning, Luci. Did you fully enjoy last night?" Esdeath asked, giggling.

"Morning, Es. Yes, it was," Lucia replied with a smile.

Moments later, Saya and the rest of the girls walked into the dining room, chatting as they ate breakfast. After finishing their meal, Lucia headed to the Dark Forest with Esdeath.

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In the heart of the dark forest, an eerie ambiance clung to the air. The sky above, perpetually cloaked in thick clouds, cast a perpetual shadow over the twisted landscape. This was a realm where mutated creatures roamed freely, their forms and instincts warped by the malevolent forces that pervaded the environment.

The trees, towering behemoths with obsidian bark, stretched their gnarled limbs skyward, their leaves as black as the depths of the night. Each leaf seemed to exude an ominous aura, as if tainted by an otherworldly poison that seeped into the very essence of the forest. These colossal trees, unlike anything found in lands beyond, loomed overhead, their branches entwined in a haunting dance that whispered secrets only the forest itself understood.

Beneath the towering giants, the ground was shrouded in perpetual gloom. The grass, an unnaturally dark shade, grew to astonishing heights, almost as tall as an average adult human. These elongated blades swayed with an unsettling rhythm, their sinister whispers resonating through the shadows. 

Navigating this surreal landscape felt like traversing a nightmare. Every step stirred the muted echoes of unseen creatures, their mutated forms hidden among the twisted foliage. The air itself seemed to carry a malevolent weight, as if the forest itself bore witness to the twisted evolution that had unfolded within its depths.

In this dark forest, the boundary between the mundane and the supernatural blurred, creating an environment where shadows and secrets intermingled. It was a place of perpetual dusk, where nature itself had been perverted into a haunting tapestry of darkness and mystery.

Not far from the dark forest, a red dot drew closer and closer as time passed. Soon, a clear shape emerged, revealing the red dot to be a red motorcycle. Riding on the motorcycle were two girls—Lucia and Esdeath.

The motorcycle raced with such speed that it left red trails in its wake, resembling afterimages. Lucia had modified the motorcycle with corrupt energies, enhancing its capabilities. Now, it even had the ability to store swords! The design was somewhat reminiscent of Cloud's motorcycle from 'Final Fantasy 7,' but it was dark-red with black and golden line imprints.

The motorcycle came to a stop at the border of the Dark Forest. Lucia and Esdeath dismounted, gazing at the foreboding expanse. Strong winds emanated from the forest, as if it sensed intruders entering its domain.

Golden ripples appeared in front of the motorcycle and began to move towards the back, collecting into the Gate of Babylon created by Lucia. 

"I have a feeling that I might be able to enjoy our date," Esdeath said, smiling as she stared at the Dark Forest.

Lucia turned to look at her beautiful wife and thought, 'So cute.' Yes, Esdeath was cute and lovely if one could overlook her sadistic tendencies. 

(A/N: Yes, Esdeath is cute. If you don't believe go and watch 'Akame ga kill' anime where she was alone with MC in the island.)

"Yes, shall we go in, my love?"

"Umm… darling."

The two beautiful girls walked into the dangerous place, holding each other's hands, as if they were going on a picnic or a honeymoon.

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