By mid-morning on Day 8, 1st Battalion advanced into the massive four-story dormitory cellblocks of Block A, Block B, Block C, and Block D.
"Rat-tat-tat-tat!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Heavy 5.56mm gunfire echoed continuously through the open-air barracks corridors as dismounted infantry platoons swept floor by floor.
Because BuCor had demolished all private rooms during past renovations, the multi-story cellblock floors functioned as massive open-air hordes.
Thousands of turned inmates poured down central stairwells and balcony railings, screeching as they charged the military firing lines!
"Maintain tactical formations! Watch the stairwell choke points!" Battalion Commander Mateo Cruz commanded over the comms.
With eleven awakened Super Warriors leading the breach squads, the clearance operation proceeded far faster and smoother than previous surface assaults.
"CRASH!"
Marco Valerio and the Physical Awakeners swung heavy steel bars, shattering bone-armored zombies with 2x Peak Human physical power!
Beside them, Javier Mendoza and PFC Andres Silang darted between open doorways in semi-wolf and semi-panther forms, tearing open the throats of Evolved Hunters!
"Swish! Squelch!"
However, as the intense indoor clearing stretched into its third hour, the unique energy limits of the Super Warriors began to show.
Beast Awakeners like Javier Mendoza and PFC Brandon Velasco experienced severe mental fatigue from maintaining their animal transformations.
Their mental stamina depleted, forcing them to revert to standard human form and rotate to the rear guard to recover!
"My energy tank is running low, Brother Elias!" Maya called out, her forehead glistening with sweat.
Having generated over ten roaring flame bursts to scorch Skeletal Armored zombies, Maya's Level 1 Fire Control energy reserve was nearly depleted, requiring her to rest under 2nd Platoon's guard.
Meanwhile, Physical Awakeners like Marco Valerio began suffering physical muscle exhaustion from hours of intense hand-to-hand combat.
Unlike the other Super Warriors, Supreme Commander Elias was built entirely different.
Because of his 3x Peak Human physique, Elias possessed an elemental energy reserve three times larger than a standard Level 1 Elemental Awakener!
While Maya and the Super Warriors rotated to the rear guard to rest, Elias's Level 1 Earth Control remained active and powerful across his thirty-meter domain!
"Rumble...!"
Elias stepped up to the front line, his eyes glowing with cold grey elemental energy.
"Follow me!" Elias commanded cleanly.
"Crash! Boom!"
Elias slammed his hand forward, erupting stone wall barricades to seal off side stairwells while propelling dozens of razor-sharp stone spikes directly into charging Skeletal Armored hordes!
"Squelch! Squelch!"
Seamlessly combining his active Earth Control with his 3x Peak Human physical strength, speed, and marksmanship, Elias fired his R4A3 assault rifle while crushing mutant skulls with stone pillars!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Leading from the front on foot, Elias's 3x elemental energy pool and relentless combat power kept the battalion's momentum surging forward without delay!
By late afternoon, the final gunshots echoed through the Reception and Diagnostic Center.
"Bang! Bang!"
"All cellblocks clear! Maximum Security Compound is completely secured, Supreme Commander!" Battalion Commander Cruz reported with a sharp salute!
Over three thousand five hundred turned inmates and evolved variants lay dead across the four cellblock buildings and inner courtyards.
Elias stood on the roof of Block A, looking down over the vast fifty-hectare Maximum Security Compound.
For the first time since the apocalypse began, the entire Maximum Security Compound of New Bilibid Prison was completely cleared of hostiles!
Elias raised his tactical radio to his lips.
"Torres, mobilize all civilian extraction teams into the Maximum compound," Elias ordered over the comms.
"Deploy 3rd Company infantry alongside your law enforcement officers to secure every cellblock while civilians harvest all Red Cores."
"Copy that, Supreme Commander! Extraction teams entering Maximum Security now!" Senior Officer Torres reported eagerly over the comms.
***
In the concrete courtyard of Block A, dozens of civilian volunteers and newly rescued inmates moved between rows of fallen zombie corpses, carrying steel supply buckets and extraction knives.
"Squelch...!"
A newly rescued civilian worker grimaced in disgust, prying a glowing crimson crystal from an armored zombie's skull.
"Ugh, this is sickening!" the young worker complained, wiping bloody gore from his gloves.
"Why are we wasting time digging through zombie brains for these useless glowing rocks?"
"What good is a red crystal in the middle of an apocalypse?"
An older civilian volunteer who had been harvesting cores since Day 2 chuckled, tossing three Low Red Cores into his bucket with a clatter.
"Clink! Clink!"
"Keep digging and keep your mouth shut if you want to eat tonight!" the veteran volunteer scoffed.
"Word around the safe zone is that these glowing red stones are what Supreme Commander Elias uses to fuel his earth powers and strengthen the Super Warriors!"
"Nobody knows for sure how it works, but why else would the Supreme Commander order us to harvest every single core?"
Beside them, a BuCor guard escorting the harvest team chimed in sternly.
"That's right," the BuCor guard added, tapping his rifle stock.
"Whether it's for Super Warrior powers or fortress weapons, Supreme Commander Elias knows what he's doing."
"Besides, filling your core bucket earns you extra hot MRE rations and clean water at the supply depot tonight."
"You want full meals for your family? You fill that bucket!"
The complaining worker looked toward the roof of Block A, where Supreme Commander Elias stood watching over the compound in full tactical gear.
Assuming that these glowing red crystals were indeed the secret fuel behind the Supreme Commander's godlike earth domain, the worker stopped complaining and began digging faster into his bucket!
"Squelch! Clink!"
Across the surface yard and cellblock corridors, tens of thousands of Low Red Cores, Skeletal Armored Cores, Hunter Cores, and Brute Cores were collected into heavy supply crates.
SIMBA 4x4 APCs parked at Gate 1 and Gate 2, their roof-mounted .50 Cal heavy machine guns trained on the outer entryways to lock down the compound permanently.
Elias lowered his radio from the roof of Block A, a cold smile of satisfaction touching his lips.
New Bilibid Prison's Maximum Security Compound was officially secured under Supreme Commander Elias's total military control.