Marvel: Warhammer Simulator

The thick clouds were swiftly torn apart by the massive frame of the Valkyrie, carving a scar-like rift across the sky.

Inside the slightly swaying cabin, Zaire methodically donned his Solar Void combat armor.

He gazed at the assortment of weapons laid out before him.

After a moment's deliberation, he chose a chainsaw sword and a grenade launcher, strapping them to his back.

Hesitating briefly, Zaire also grabbed a plasma pistol and a refraction field generator, securing them to his armor.

With preparations complete, Zaire, expressionless, raised a finger.

He tapped the helmet of his combat armor lightly, producing a dull thud.

A deep, steady voice emanated from within the helmet:

"One, two, three—testing... is the communication channel connected?"

"Signal is clear, my Lord. Everything is functioning normally."

The mechanical voice of David, the AI assistant, echoed from the comm system, resounding in Zaire's ears.

Click-click.

Satisfied, Zaire flexed the neck joint of his combat armor.

He slowly seated himself in the cabin, placing his armored hands flat on his knees.

With his back straight, he waited for the transport to reach its target.

Smallville.

A rural town under the jurisdiction of Kansas.

Most of its residents were farmers and laborers.

The town's remote location and the outflow of its youth had long extinguished any semblance of nightlife.

On this night, with an approaching storm brewing for days, most locals had left the town's lone bar early and returned home to sleep.

A few kilometers outside the town, in a forest clearing, the enormous Valkyrie transport hovered above the ground, engines roaring.

With a metallic hiss, the cargo ramp opened, and a towering figure leaped out.

Thud.

Zaire's heavy form landed forcefully, his armored boots sinking into the muddy earth.

Paying no mind, he gave a thumbs-up toward the cockpit.

The agile Valkyrie ascended swiftly, beginning its patrol around the outskirts of the town.

"Commence operation..."

Standing still, Zaire activated the night-vision mode in his helmet to scan his surroundings.

He quickly sprinted into a sprawling cornfield.

According to David's map, the Red River Orphanage lay at the town's edge, encircled by a meandering river that cradled it like an island.

For the children within, it might well feel like an isolated world.

Zaire soon reached a shallow part of the river, wading across silently, and crouched beside a cluster of scrawny corn plants.

In the distance, a four-story, weathered building stood solemnly beneath the brooding night sky.

It loomed like a slumbering beast, its interior almost completely dark save for the glow of a few exterior lamps.

Fixing his gaze on the building, Zaire murmured into his comm:

"David, disable the orphanage's surveillance and communication signals."

"My Lord, I completed that task five minutes ago."

Hearing David's reply, Zaire exhaled deeply.

He moved swiftly, leaping over a low wall in a single bound.

Thump.

His armored form landed with a muted crash, yet drew no attention.

Like a wolf stalking its prey, Zaire cautiously traversed an open space, stopping under the orphanage's shadow.

Rumble...

At that moment, thunder growled low in the gloomy sky.

A downpour suddenly began, drenching Smallville's soil.

Leaning against the building, Zaire remained unbothered by the rain.

His gaze pierced the window as he scanned the building's interior.

A classroom or activity room lay within, containing a few scattered chairs, desks, and crates of toys piled in the corner.

Testing the rain-slicked window, Zaire found it unlocked.

He pushed it open and slipped inside.

Plop.

The muddy soles of his boots met the clean floor with a faint sound.

Raindrops trickled down his armor, pooling beneath him as he shut the window.

Striding forward, Zaire stopped at the room's door, pressing his ear against it.

Hearing no movement outside, he cautiously opened the door.

Creak.

The instant the door swung open, a small figure appeared in the dark corridor beyond.

Zaire nearly collided with it.

Startled, Zaire's hand instinctively gripped his plasma pistol, ready to fire.

But upon closer inspection, he relaxed.

It was just a boy, wearing green pajamas.

The child's bare feet and closed eyes indicated he was sleepwalking.

Zaire carefully stepped past the boy, who silently wandered into the room, shuffling toward the toy crates.

Expressionless, Zaire stared at the child's back for a moment before shaking off his thoughts and continuing his search.

Twenty minutes later, Zaire returned to the first floor after thoroughly combing the orphanage.

Speaking softly into his comm, he inquired:

"David, I've searched every room. Aside from sleeping children and their caretakers, there's nothing here. Are you sure this is the right place?"

"One moment... My Lord, I'm detecting persistent electromagnetic signals from the first-floor restroom. Please investigate there."

"The restroom?"

Narrowing his eyes behind his helmet, Zaire hurried toward the location.

The rain outside intensified, its relentless patter masking the faint sounds of his armored movements.

Reaching the restroom, Zaire began a meticulous search.

Finally, under a sink, he spotted a peculiar device with a keyhole, adorned with two small, outdated bulbs—one red, one green.

"David?"

"Accessing now... Done."

As David's mechanical voice trailed off, the entire sink and the adjacent wall slid open with a hiss, revealing a narrow underground passage just wide enough for one person.

"Well... Open sesame."

Zaire, clad in his combat armor, stooped slightly as he entered the newly revealed passage.

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