"Also, insert a complete database deletion command when the self-destruction sequence is activated."
Samiel inserted another command into the central computer of the Research Site Alpha in the Vault-76 befitting to his paranoid nature. After everything was finished and he obtained the data that could be counted as partial Legacy of the Doom-Tex Corporation, which would be then passed to the Hall of Kadath and copied to the IMC, they could start hunting for the Deathclaw hunting.
"How much of the data you have obtained is related to the Arrakian sandworms?"
Yvraine asked him after they opened the map of the entire Vault-76 showing the three underground levels of it. Contrary to Samiel, she didn't wish to remain here any second longer after finding out that they were researching and strong Deathclaws here... she couldn't imagine how she would sleep at night with the knowledge of what was down below them.
"Apparently only 15%... the Doom-Tex Corporation were one of hell of paranoid bastards and without special access, I couldn't get to the confidential files only for the CEO and Board of Directors... everything should be in the main servers of the Doom-Tex in Vaul-X0Z underneath the former Imperial Capital of Korias Empire."
Samiel grumbled a bit as Yvraine giggled on it as she shot her silencing glare.
"What? It is funny that you are calling someone else paranoid... especially the fact if this was a competition, you would win every spot available."
He just nodded because he knew she was right and there was some sense of irony in her words, as they then looked at the map. The entire second layer of the shelter consisted of this Atrium, then the Laboratory sector to the right and to the left, there were some kind of living quarters for the scientists and personnel assigned to the Research Site Alpha.
On the third layer, there was a warehouse for some necessities for the proper functioning of the shelter, filled with some resources, data banks and other things that would be needed for either research or living. The rest of the third layer was filled with the glass tanks, keeping there the Deathcalws that were already finished battle-ready, sleeping and ready for the deployment.
"So, the only place which seemed to be swarming with the Deathclaws is the Laboratory Sector and Living Quarters for the Scientists... the third layers seems to be devoid of the Deathclaws."
Samiel stated as only these two areas were filled with the Deathclaws... and there were 67 Silver-Tier Deathclaws were roaming through the second layer of the Vault-76. Samiel decided that they would go there as a team because hunting them down separately would be a death sentence, though the one thing was giving him peace of mind about these Deathclaws.
They were not that strong despite being the Silver-Tiers.
"For the Doom-Tex Corporation to create a perfect gene-engineered weapon against the Arrakian sandworms, they tweaked them too much, making them basically weaklings when they are not on the desert and feeding on the meat of sandworms... these Deathclaws were hibernating for tens of thousands years and awaken only a short time before so while they are technically Silver-Tier creatures, their real combat prowess due to lack of specific conditions is only around Bronze-Tier."
Samiel explained to Yvraine that this task was not to be that feared and that the Deathclaws weren't that strong despite being Silver-Tier ones. When he skimmed the research conducted by the Doom-Tex Corporation to maximize the effect of the Deathclaws against the sandworms, they gene-crafted them for fighting specifically a single foe in a single environment.
Arrakian sandworm on the desert.
If the Deathclaws were not in the desert, their combat prowess was lowered by approximately 30%, not to mention they got even weaker when they didn't regularly eat the meat of the sandworms. This was done on purpose by the Doom-Tex Corporation for two reasons, the first being forcing the Deathclaws constantly hunt the sandworms due to immense hunger and the second as they got stronger and evolved with each worm they ate.
Naturally, if they didn't eat any, their physique got weakened, they were tired and they couldn't use some of their innate racial abilities. It was a good plan; even Samiel could see the benefits of gene-crafting and gene-engineering the Deathcalws that way because they had a sole purpose and there was no reason to do it otherwise.
"You take the front; I am taking the support, with Ashimer taking the vanguard."
Samiel stated as their roles in the battle were divided. Ashimer, as the vanguard, would be the most effective, while Yvraine had the highest offensive power in terms of close combat, while Samiel would be supporting them with his Magic from behind.
Yvraine nodded, while his Higher Undead Frost Death Knight didn't say anything as Samiel took out the ID Card belonging to the Division Head of the Special Research Division of the Doom-Tex Corporation as they went to the Laboratory Sector of the second layer, which contained 21 Deathclaws.
It was the Living Quarters of the scientists and the personnel of the Doom-Tex Corporation that were living there, where it was swarming with the Deathclaws as the remaining 46 Deathclaws were there. If Samiel had to guess, when the incident happened, all of the Deathclaws went for the Living Quarters as that was the place where most of the people attempted to barricade themselves and so it lured them there in hopes of easy food.
The entrance to the Living Quarters consisted of two sets of huge steel doors separating the atrium where some of the Deathclaws in their glass tanks were deactivated from long corridors, on whose end was another pair of huge steel doors.
Samiel opened the first set of huge steel doors, which had countless claw marks on them, evidently from the Deathclaws that were at some point attacking the steel doors. With his superior eyesight, he saw that the doors on the end of the corridor were breached, as he readied his Ice Trident while Ashimer and Yvraine were doing the same thing as they advanced through the corridor.
"Be ready... I can sense six of the Deathclaws coming our way..."
Samiel stated as both Ashimer and Yvraine assumed a combat stance, while Samiel immediately cast a 5th Level Spell of the Winter Magic called Come of Cold, as the extreme coldness soon started overtaking previously lukewarm temperature in the corridor to the point where even their breath started freezing.
He was already creating an environment suitable for him o fight in. Because the Deathclaws were gene-engineered to fight in a scorching hot climate to absolute limits, during their creation, additional adaptability to other types of environments and weathers were sacrificed entirely to increase the affinity of the heat as much as possible.
This means... coldness was especially deadly to the Deathclaws created by the Doom-Tex Corporation. Soon enough, the already familiar visage of the Deathclaws entered their sight, as several figures of around 4 meters tall, with lizardish appearances and horns atop of their head, appeared and started running towards them like rabid dogs starved to death.
It was evident that the years that they had spent in hibernation took their toll on their mind, as they were acting purely on their instincts, devoid of any logical thought process. Normally, the Deathcalws were pretty intelligent creatures; while they weren't fully sentient per see, they could adhere to logic, reasons and often carried out advanced calculations to make the best decision possible.
The second Deathclaws started rushing at them; Samiel cast another 5th Level Spell of the Winter Magic, whose effects were even further amplified due to the presence of the previous 5th Level Spell Come of Cold, as countless frostbites started appearing all around the six incoming Deathclaws that were nearest.
Soon enough, their legs started freezing up and they were moving slower and slower, which was an opportunity exploited by Yvriane and Ashimer, who sued this to attack on their enemies immediately.
Yvraine appeared behind one of the Deathclaws and with swift slashes of their twin swords, she at first severed the longs hands of the creature; immediately after jumping over and after she landed in front of it as she decapitated it in one swift stroke.
The same situation as with Ashimer, who didn't do any fancy movements like Yvraine did, but he went straight for the head, as he severed in one move. Because the effect of the frost and cold was strong here, especially after the usage of the 5th Level Spell Frostbites, the Deathclaws had a rather very hard time even moving around as the remaining four were frozen in their place.
Or three, because one of them was hit by more than ten 3rd Level Spell Void Strikes simultaneously, as Smaiel used the opportunity to cast them at one of the Deathclaws who was in his strike zone almost perfectly.
Instantly after, Yvraine and Ashimer went for the remaining three Deathclaws, who were being slowly frozen to death, as they were soon decapitated because the fastest way to kill a Deathclaw in any situation was to take their head. Additionally, they were right now like big unmoving targets who couldn't really move with their legs which were half-frozen and half-covered in the frostbites that were continuously injuring them.
Within several minutes all six of the Silver-Tier Deathclaws were annihilated and laid dead on the ground. Indeed as Samiel predicted, they were much weaker than any Silver-Tier creature should be, not to mention they were taking immense damage from the frost and cold when he used his Winter Magic.
"That was rather anticlimactic, don't you think?"
Yvraine asked and while Samiel was tempted to agree with her, he shook his head in denial... at least partially she was wrong and partially right.
"We were lucky because they are deprived of everything that is giving them any kind of advantage. If we fought against the Deathclaws in the desert, they would be already overpowering us... fortunately, we are underground and they were suffering greatly from the coldness. From now on, we are repeating the same strategy as it proved itself to be very effective against the creautres."
Samiel stated as Yvraine nodded because while it seemed boring, it was the most logical thing to do and they were not some adventurers fighting for the sake of thrill and glory. There were still 41 Deathclaws remaining in the Living Quarters Sector that needed to be killed before they could move onto the Laboratory Sector.
Samiel looked at the corpses of the Deathclaws as he was deciding if they were worthy of something before he decided to use 3rd Level Spell of the Necromancy Arts, Vampiric Touch, as he started draining Life Force from them and transferring it into himself.
While it wasn't as effective as the Life Drain Spell of the Void Magic, it did its job as Samiel greedily absorbed the Lifeforce from the deceased Deathclaws, revitalizing himself a bit from the fatigue.
New novel chapters are published on fr(e)ewebnov(e)l.com