A/N: Please Check out chapter 11 up to 11.5 fixed errors and duplicate chapters sorry for the inconvenience.

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"Seven minutes." Jin's head felt too heavy. He let it fall back against the panel. "That's... that's enough time, right?"

*[HP: 19/160]*

*[Motor Function: Degrading]*

He tried to apply some pressure to the worst injury, but his hands just weren't cooperating. His fingers felt totally numb and didn't want to do what he needed them to do. Not too far off, the Crawlers were starting to stir again—the ones that had managed to get away from the overload and avoid complete neural shutdown.

One of them lifted its head, its foggy eyes looking around in the mist. It was only about ten meters away, dragging its broken limbs as it made its way forward.

"Hey," Jin called out weakly waving his hand.

The Crawler oriented on his voice, moving faster now. Jin's hand fumbled for his destroyed baton, finding only melted polymer and cooling metal.

*"Jin, what are you doing?"*

"Buying time," he whispered. "If it's focused on me... won't go after the others."

*"That's remarkably stupid, even for you."*

"Thanks." Jin forced himself to sit straighter, meeting the Crawler's approach with what dignity he could muster. "I remember my mom said to me.... face death with a smile."

*[HP: 16/160]*

*[Phoenix Protocol: Attempting Emergency Stem Cell Production]*

*[Success Rate: 23%]*

The Crawler was only five meters away now. Then it got to four. Jin noticed its muscles tensing up, like it was about to jump. He hurriedly snatched a bit of his broken baton—not the best weapon, but it might do the trick for self-defense.

Out of nowhere, Rosa's knife shot right through the creature's head.

"What did I tell you about dying on us?" Rosa's voice cut through his fading consciousness. She materialized from the fog like an avenging spirit, immediately dropping to his side. "Jesus, Jin. What happened?"

"Rosa," he managed, relief flooding through him. "You..r—okay?"

"Better than you." She was already pulling emergency gauze from her kit, pressing it against the worst wounds. "We need to move. Now."

*[HP: 13/160 - Bleeding Slowed]*

"Can't," Jin admitted. "Legs won't... won't work."

"Then I'll carry your heroic ass." Rosa slung his arm over her shoulder, grunting as she took his weight. "You know, when I said I wanted you to sweep me off my feet, this isn't what I meant."

"You're bleeding," Jin countered, noticing the dark stains spreading across her jacket.

"I'm ok, you look worse.."

"Sorry," Jin mumbled, his head lolling against her shoulder.

"You better" Rosa said fiercely.

"The mines?" Jin asked.

"Worked perfectly. Fried at least six of them." Rosa's grin was sharp. "Though I'll be sending Clara my dry cleaning bill."

As Jin's vision started to fade, he realized that more Crawlers were starting to stir around him. The fog gave him a bit of cover, but it wouldn't last. Every step he took sent jolts of pain coursing through him, and blood was seeping through the quick band-aids he had slapped on.

*[HP: 10/160 - Critical System Failure Imminent]*

"Asha," he thought weakly. "Tell them... tell them I'm sorry."

*"Tell them yourself,"* Asha snapped.

"Almost there," Rosa promised. "Almost there."

As they strolled through the foggy hallways, Rosa was practically dragging Jin along. In the background, some creepy sounds began echoing; it seemed like the group was coming back together, getting used to the place.

*[Movement Detected: Multiple Signatures Converging]*

*Distance: 40 meters and closing*

*Nitrogen Fog Density: 47% and falling*

"They're coming," Jin warned.

"I know. Sera got a surprise waiting at cryo-bay." Rosa picked up the pace, half-carrying him now.

"Just need to get there in one piece."

The corridor ahead split into two paths. Jin's Predator Instinct flared weakly, warning of danger from the left route.

"Right," he gasped. "Go right."

Rosa didn't question it, veering down the right corridor just as something large crashed through the left passage behind them. The fog swirled, briefly revealing multiple pale forms crawling along the walls.

"How many of these things are there?" Rosa muttered.

"Too many," Jin replied. His vision kept fuzzing at the edges, but he forced himself to stay conscious. "The Leader is quite smart....."

"Fan-fucking-tastic."

They rounded another corner, and Jin's heart lifted. Ahead, through the thinning fog, he could see the reinforced doors of the cryo-bay. Sera stood beside them, pulse rifle raised, while Clara worked frantically on a portable terminal.

"Incoming!" Rosa shouted.

---

At cryo bay.

Sera's eyes snapped to them, quickly assessing their condition. "Clara, how long?"

"Thirty seconds!" Clara's fingers flew across the interface. "The pods are in the final revival sequence!"

"We don't have thirty seconds," Sera said, raising her rifle.

Suddenly, the Crawlers emerged from the mist behind Jin and Rosa—five of them, moving in perfect harmony. Unlike the previous mindless ones they had faced, these creatures coordinated their movements, skillfully covering each other's flanks.

Sera was the first to spring into action, unleashing a barrage of shots from her pulse rifle. The energy bolts sliced through the fog, striking the first Crawler directly in the chest. It hit the ground with a piercing howl, but the others quickly dispersed, using the walls and ceiling to surround their prey.

"Rosa, get Jin inside!" Sera shouted, firing in measured bursts.

Rosa hurriedly dragged Jin toward the door, but suddenly, a Crawler lunged out from a vent, blocking their path. Its jaws snapped open, poised to attack.

Reacting on instinct, Jin didn't think twice. Despite feeling weak and unarmed, he instinctively reached out and grabbed the creature by the neck just as it leaped toward him. In that moment, his thumb accidentally pressed on a sensitive spot.

*[Tsurugi Unarmed Combat Technique: Partial Recognition]*

*Effectiveness: 67% (Reduced due to fatigue)*

The Crawler's eyes went wide in disbelief when Jin's grip interrupted something important. It swiped at him, its claws ripping at his already messed-up uniform, but he held on tight, fueled by sheer will.

"Down!" Rosa shouted.

Jin dropped down, pulling the Crawler along with him. At that moment, Rosa brought her knife down over him and plunged it right into the creature's head. Just like that, it went completely silent.

"T-Thanks," Jin gasped.

"Thanks me later." Rosa kicked the body aside. "Move!"

They rushed through the cryo-bay doors just as Clara shouted, "I got it!"

The heavy doors began to close, but not fast enough. Two Crawlers slipped in, their pale forms standing out in the spotless medical bay. Sera quickly turned around, pointing her rifle at the intruders, but then she noticed the charge indicator flashing red—she was almost out of bullets.

"Shit," she hissed.

Jin tried to stand, to help somehow, but his legs gave out. He hit the floor hard, darkness creeping at the edges of his vision again.

*"Jin, stay conscious. The team needs—"*

Asha's voice faded away as he got totally wiped out. The last thing he could picture was Clara grabbing the fire extinguisher, Rosa pulling out her backup knife, and Sera getting ready to face off against the Crawlers head-on.

After that, it was just darkness and the distant sounds of the fight going on.

*[CONSCIOUSNESS LOST]*

*[Phoenix Protocol: Emergency Preservation Mode Active]*

*[Estimated Recovery Time: Unknown]*

The battle for the cryo-bay had begun, and Jin could only hope his sacrifice had bought them enough time.