Primordial Expanse: I have the Strongest Talent!

'So I only have to take down 15 more of these Kree before the ship will officially become a ghost ship? That seems much more doable than what I was previously afraid of.'

Alex walked out of the airlock with a new feeling of resolve.

He had just finished disposing of the Kree's body by dumping it out of the airlock like he did with the other four.

But right as he was about to start heading over towards the command area now that he knew how many Kree pirates there were, he felt the presence of many Kree enter within 20 metres of him before he could even move away from the airlock.

'Shit! It looks like they got impatient and decided to come looking for me before I could go to them!'

Alex wasted no time in darting off in the opposite direction down the winding hallways, before hiding in a vent.

***

Alex crouched in the cramped darkness of the ventilation shaft, his breathing steady and controlled.

The metallic walls, slightly wider than his shoulders, made for a tight but manageable fit.

The original occupants of this ship were clearly larger than humans, which worked to his advantage now. The Kree pirates likely had no idea they were up against a human.

From his vantage point, he could hear the distant, muffled sounds of the Kree searching the corridors below.

The environment worked in his favour; the ship's labyrinthine layout provided numerous hiding spots and ambush points, and the Kree had unknowingly played into his favour by splitting up and searching each hallway solo.

'There's one nearby!'

Alex listened intently, picking up the faintest echoes of movement.

He recalled his encounter with Norskt, the first Kree he had faced.

Before that, Alex had no knowledge of the Kree's existence, just as they might not know of humans.

This ignorance was a double-edged sword, but for now, it was an advantage Alex intended to exploit fully.

Minutes ticked by in silence, each second stretching for what felt like an eternity.

Finally, the sound of footsteps echoed up the hallway beneath him.

Alex held his breath, the adrenaline sharpening his focus.

The steps grew louder, approaching his position.

He positioned himself, ready to strike at a moment's notice.

The Kree pirate walked directly beneath the vent.

In a swift, practised motion, Alex kicked the vent cover out in a crashing beginning of events and landed right atop the unsuspecting Kree pirate's shoulders.

Before the Kree could even react to the fact that he had been ambushed, Alex clamped down a hand over its mouth, muffling any cries for help.

With his other hand, he brought the sword across the Kree pirate's throat in a precise and lethal cut.

Any muffled cries turned into a gargled mess by now.

The Kree's eyes widened in shock and horror before the light faded from them.

Alex gently lowered the body to the ground, ensuring no noise would alert the others.

He quickly dragged the corpse to a nearby utility closet, hiding it from the immediate view.

The sight of blue blood seeping from the wound was becoming a familiar and grim reminder of his circumstances.

'14 left.'

Alex thought to himself, mentally marking the number of remaining enemies.

He climbed back into the ventilation shaft, his movements fluid and making as little noise as possible.

Navigating the narrow passages, Alex made his way to another section of the ship.

***

Alex moved through the ventilation shafts with lethal precision, his senses attuned to every faint sound and movement and his spatial perception alerting him to any Kree in his immediate presence.

Each Kree he encountered met the same fate: a swift, silent death followed by a quick disposal of the body.

One by one, the Kree fell, their numbers dwindling rapidly.

Contrary to what Alex was expecting, none of these Kree had any strength above Ordinary class C- rank, which only made things easier for him.

Finally, after what felt like hours but was likely just minutes, only two remained: Captain Yaron and Varrik.

Alex knew these two would be much more challenging than the rest.

They were likely more skilled and wary than the other pirates, and their survival thus far was evidence of that.

Captain Yaron and Varrik had regrouped early on, realising something had gone terribly wrong.

"Any news from the others?" Captain Yaron's voice was a mixture of frustration and slight concern.

Varrik shook his head, worry etched across his face.

"No, Captain. This is bad. Things are much worse than we could have imagined!"

Yaron's eyes narrowed. He had underestimated their opponent, but he wasn't just going to give up his life so easily.

As they turned a corner into a new hallway, they froze.

'No…'

Varrik felt his heart tighten when he saw what was laying there.

In the middle of the hallway lay the body of one of their comrades, unclear whether they were dead or alive.

Varrik, blinded by rage, started to rush forward, but Yaron's hand shot out, stopping him.

"This is a trap," Yaron said, his voice cold and calculating.

He pointed to the body and then to the ceiling, where a ventilation shaft was clearly visible.

"But ho-"

Varrik was about to ask how anyone was even supposed to fit up there, but Yaron shushed him, and spoke himself.

"Our enemy isn't Kree."

Varrik's eyes widened as the realisation dawned upon him. Their adversary was not one of their own, which explained how they had managed to have been so elusive.

Captain Yaron's mind raced.

'What are you planning…'

This enemy had picked them off one by one, using the ship's environment to their advantage.

But this trap was way too easy to spot now that the clues had all clicked in his mind.

He had no idea whether the enemy intended to ambush them when they went to check the dead Kree's body, or some other plan.

It seemed too simple, which only made the situation even more complex.

"Stay close," Yaron ordered.

"We'll force them out of the vents."

As Alex listened from his vantage point, he had no idea what the Kree duo were speaking about due to the language barrier, but he knew they hadn't fallen for his easy bait.