Rex kept moving deeper into the mine. The further he went, the more he spotted small pools of blood here, abandoned equipment there. His nerves started to get the best of him. Every sign he came across chipped away at his hope that his best friend might still be alive.

    ["Reminder: The stored oxygen is almost depleted. With about an hour left, I recommend finding an oxygen tank from the equipment scattered around."]

    "Oh man, I almost forgot. I’ve been breathing fine, and it felt... normal, I guess. Alright, help me find a tank with oxygen, then."

    ["Scanning... There’s one ahead. Please follow the illuminated path."]

    Rex followed the glowing trail in front of him. Since the mine was worked by various races, there were all kinds of tanks scattered around, some not even filled with oxygen. That’s where Cleo came in handy. Without her, he wouldn’t have a clue what was safe.

    "Got it. Now what? None of the atmospheric suits down here are intact."

    ["Not necessary. Just open the tank and inhale the oxygen directly. I’ll store it in your lungs and expel impurities using the breathers near your ribs."]

    "Why do I get the feeling I’ll be eating a lot of strange stuff because of you? Well, here goes nothing."

    He did as Cleo instructed, while she efficiently stored the oxygen, extending the time they could survive without having to breathe the thin air. Rex pushed on, heading further into the excavation site until he reached what looked like the main operation zone. There was equipment everywhere used for mining.

    He glanced around, trying to spot any sign of Carlos. Maybe he was still alive, hiding out somewhere.

    "REX! WATCH OUT!"

    Rex barely heard the shout before something heavy slammed into him, launching him through the air. He crashed into one of the mining vehicles with a sickening thud, the impact causing its battery to explode in a flash of light and sound.

    ["Multiple damaged areas confirmed. Beginning automatic repair process. Host incapacitated. Detecting powerful threat ahead. Activating overdrive, combat mode engaged."]

    Rex had been knocked out cold by the unexpected hit, leaving Cleo to take full control. From within the flames of the wrecked vehicle, the sound of gunfire echoed, shots ricocheting off the armored enemy that had ambushed them. But something was off. The bullets weren’t even scratching it.

    With a powerful leap, Cleo launched Rex’s body out of the burning car. His wounds were already healing, skin knitting back together at a pace that seemed impossible. Where his eyes were once black, they now glowed a fierce amber, illuminated by Cleo’s control.

    ["Enemy identified: Khryssari Vanguard. Insufficient power to neutralize. Searching for alternatives."]

    The Khryssari Vanguards were notorious for being the first wave of a hive-mind army, built for brute strength and terrifying endurance. Their thick, organic armor could shrug off most conventional weapons like nothing.

    Cleo kept firing, maintaining distance while dodging the vanguard’s relentless charges. Each shot was precise, aimed straight at the thing’s head. But the rounds weren’t enough. They bounced off its thick carapace or simply got absorbed, and any damage they did manage to inflict was quickly being repaired by its living armor.

    "Dude, you’re heavy as hell. Seriously, you need to lay off the pizza," Carlos grunted, still struggling to even budge him.

    "Shut up, I’m not fat," Rex’s voice suddenly groaned from the ground. "Check out these sexy muscles."

    Carlos nearly jumped out of his skin. "What the—! If you’re awake, say something! I almost had a heart attack, man."

    "Haha, my bad," Rex chuckled, slowly sitting up, rubbing his head like he’d just woken from a nap. "I wake up to find you groping me—just for the record, I’m not into dudes."

    Carlos let out a sigh, both relieved and exasperated. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. You’re lucky you didn’t get your metal head kicked in."

    "By the way, since when are you this strong? And what’s with the beautiful voice? What the hell is going on?"

    "Whoa, slow down, man. One question at a time," Rex replied, shaking his head with a smirk. "Let’s move first—I’d rather not stick around and find out what else is lurking down here."

    Just as they were preparing to leave, something pinged on Rex’s radar; it was a single blue point. That was new. He hadn’t seen a blue signal before.

    ["Unnatural presence detected in the vehicle ahead. I recommend investigation."]

    "Hold on, Carlos," Rex said, his tone more serious now. "What’s in that car over there?"

    Carlos followed Rex’s gaze, squinting as he tried to remember. "Hmm, no idea. When I clocked in for my shift today, that car was already parked there, with a bunch of guards around it. A few hours later, even more guards showed up, but that’s all I know. Why? You think it’s connected to whatever went down here?"

    "I’m not sure," Rex replied, staring at the vehicle. "But if they had guards swarming around it, the corporations must’ve known something was up. This thing might be why the attack happened. You stay here; I’m going to check it out."

    Rex moved toward the vehicle, his body still feeling a bit stiff from the overdrive. He made his way to the back of the car, stopping just behind the cargo bay doors. They were sealed tight, clearly not meant to be opened by just anyone.

    But Rex wasn’t "just anyone" anymore. With his enhanced strength, he dug his fingers into the edges of the doors, and slowly, they started to give way, metal groaning under the pressure.

    With one last pull, the doors swung open, revealing the contents inside.

    What he saw was breathtaking; it was something completely alien. Even Cleo, normally composed and calculated, sounded surprised.

    ["Incredible... Host, what you’re looking at is rare, almost unheard of in the galaxy."]

    Rex stood there, staring in awe. Whatever this thing was, it was the kind of discovery that could shake the universe to its core.