CHAPTER 41: CLOSE-COMBAT

Riza gasped, but did not even scream as her arm fell to the floor.

Then in the next second, without hesitation—

The loud agent’s wounds had almost healed and he roared with renewed power.

"Round two!"

A new suffocating air surrounded him.

He blurred forward, closing the distance to Simon in an instant. Simon had barely regained balance before—

THUD THUD THUD THUD

A barrage of blows slammed into his torso like machine-gun fire. Then the loud agent spun, kicking Simon across the chamber.

Simon smashed into the wall and crumpled, coughing blood.

’This is bad...’ Simon thought as he tried to get back again, but the loud agent was not finished yet. He closed the distance again, and smashed Simon’s head to the wall multiple times.

"Take this! Take this!" He then smiled, "Not so fast now, are you not?"

Just like that, Simon’s eyes had grown dark as it closed and his body fell to the floor lifelessly.

Looking at his own arms as if he could sense the restored energy within his veins, the loud agent then grinned, finding his almost closed wounds fascinating.

"As expected of you, this is an amazing recovery speed." He then said, praising the doctor who had casually picked up her arms like nothing happened.

James cursed, locked once more in combat with the silent agent. Every exchange made his disbelief grow.

They were at the same height and build.

But the man was stronger and he couldn’t push him back. Worse, the silent agent moved with terrifying precision: minimal steps, minimal motion, but all maximum impact.

James then retreated at the next opportunity, and did not dare engage as he waited for his wounds to self-regenerate then circled around.

’They are indeed trained.’ He said, as his wounds closed at the same time.

Unfortunately for Simon however, James could not even imagine him standing anymore unless someone healed him.

"Shit...is he out?" he murmured as he dodged sudden needle attacks from the Doctor. But then the loud agent joining the battle kicked the floor and sent him flying bloody.

James however continued to focus on self-regeneration.

At the same time, the silent agent assessed James and had realized the same as James.

"A skarn, huh." The silent agent thought. "What impressive self-regeneration. Phenomenal. I guess he is not a Vice-Captain for no reason."

James cursed again.

’It is out of my expectations that the Doctor is on their side, and it’s starting to doom on us.’

Across the room, Jack’s vision highlighted stats and health bars. Riza’s healing had changed everything—for the worst.

’Senior Simon cannot help anymore. And I only have a few bullets.’

Jack fired at the loud agent. The bullets hit as always, shaving a portion of his HP, annoying him.

Jack then fired again, this time, aiming at Doctor Riza, but the silent agent deflected it with his metallic disk.

’That kid is annoying,’ the agent then couldn’t help but think.

The silent agent suddenly shifted. Jack tried to defend, but then noticed their plan.

Jack saw it first. The agents separated and two red blips on his vision moving in perfect sync showed, going towards James.

"James!!" Jack then shouted.

But James was already trapped.

James sighed and smiled grimly.

The silent agent slid behind him without a sound, blade-disk glinting.

The loud agent, finished with Simon, darted forward with explosive force. One struck low, the other high—speed and timing impossibly precise.

A pincer.

James crossed his arms to block, his bones hardening under his skin, but—

CRASH!!

The impact was like two trucks hitting him at the same time. After all, both of the agents were strength-focused awakeners. James’ bones cracked.

His feet sank into the floor tiles. Blood sprayed from his mouth.

"Gah—!!"

Before he could recover, the loud agent then grabbed his arm and twisted, dislocating it with a sickening pop.

At the same time, the silent agent also struck James’ ribs with a pinpoint palm strike, slipping through his guard with surgical precision.

James staggered, choking on pain.

’Too fast...!’

His regeneration immediately slowed.

Jack rushed forward but heard nothing but a hollow click—he was out of ammo.

"Fuck!" Jack cursed and then put the pistol down.

Meanwhile, the silent agent whispered almost kindly to James:

"Vice-Captain James. You fought well."

Then the loud agent’s knee smashed into James’ stomach. Once. Twice. The third strike sent him collapsing to the floor like a broken pillar.

"JAMES!!" Jack shouted, voice cracking, but then for the first time, before he realized, Riza had thrown needles at him, accurately hitting certain points of his body.

[You are stunned.]

[Recovering...]

[3]

[2]

[1]

[You have recovered.]

Jack’s body moved before he thought. His vision flashed with red notifications. Seeing him, Doctor Riza could not believe it.

’Not only is he mysterious, he has an outstanding physique. Is he really a rookie? I have to get him!’

Jack sprinted with all his speed.

The loud agent sneered, turning toward him. "Finally coming for a brawl, huh?!"

Jack didn’t stop.

With his Level 2 Basic Fighting Skill, it was like something ignited in him—deep, primal—burning through his limbs like molten metal.

His steps blurred. His fingers tingled. His heart pounded with unnatural force.

Then—

BOOM!!

Out of the opponents’ expectations, Jack appeared in front of the loud agent, fist already swinging and the hit successfully connected, creating the sound of leather getting smashed by a hammer.

The loud agent’s head snapped sideways, spit flying. For the first time, he stumbled back.

"James, snap out of it!"

Jack shouted, giving a few seconds for James to recover. Indeed, with his insane regeneration, it was like seeing a zombie.

Yet.

"—!"

Doctor Riza shot needles, all accurately hitting James in certain points, slowing his recovery.

"Agh—?"

Seeing this, Jack then started shout. He bit his lip, then—shockingly—stabbed and punched himself like a madman.

Everyone could not help but pause as Jack’s eyes went bloodshot from pain.

But then finally.

[Certain Conditions have been met.]

[Your health have fallen below 10%]

[Last Surge Skill activated.]

[+ 5 HP]

[+ 5 HP]

[+ 5 HP]

[...]

[All stats doubled temporarily for 1 minute.]

[2X Strength, 2x Speed, 2X Stamina!]

[Warning: Severe physical backlash expected.]

The greatest surge in power erupted through Jack’s body, and his eyes glowed with energy. But he had to be quick.

Then in the first breath, he took his step.

Plang!

It was like he disappeared.

Then he reappeared and moved again, faster than even he realized as he scooped James’ body away.

His footwork was precise, instinctive. His body moved like someone who had trained all his life.

"Who is this boy?" The silent agent then said, experiencing surprise one after another.

James, half-conscious on the floor, stared in disbelief as he tried to self-regenerate.

"Kid... what the hell..."

Even the silent agent’s eyes widened a little as he tried to stop and block his way.

But Jack wasn’t stopping.

Jack’s fist slammed into the loud agent’s ribs—

THUD!!

The follow-up elbow smashed into his jaw—

CRACK!!

He ducked under a counterattack and drove his knee into the man’s solar plexus.

The loud agent coughed blood and staggered back, for the first time looking rattled.

Jack exhaled sharply, surprised at himself. Then one last thing, he ran towards Doctor Riza. No, at the sleeping cat.

His system flashed how many seconds he got left.

He only felt his heart tearing itself apart as he dashed forward again.

"Bastard!!" the loud agent shouted, now enraged. At the same time, the silent agent appeared, and also started to swing.

Their fists collided—

BOOM!!!

Shockwaves rippled through the room.

Jack held his ground. Everyone felt it. Even Riza’s eyes shook.

For a minute, Jack was the strongest person in the room as he actually was able to push away the two agents.

But then—

[3 Seconds left.]

His vision cracked. Literally. Like a screen splitting apart.

[Warning.]

[User HP Dropping.]

[User stats returning to normal.]

Jack blinked hard, trying to stay focused.

The loud agent grinned as he saw Jack starting to stumble and eventually drop James he was carrying.

"You’re burning yourself out, kid."

Jack swung again. This time, James had fallen to the floor from his arms.

He punched.

But instead of his usual power, he felt pain travel to his stomach.

Jack gagged, spittle flying.

Another hit smashed onto the same spot.

Then a knee to his chest by the silent agent. Followed by another.

Lights blurred and burst behind his eyes as blood sprayed on his vision.

"Ukh—!!"

In a blurry vision, he tried to dodge the next blow, but his legs finally gave out.

The silent agent stepped in, catching Jack by the back of his neck, and slammed him face-first into the floor.

BANG!!

[-10 HP]

[-12 HP]

[You suffered a critical hit.]

[-16 HP]

Jack’s HP plummeted.

’Shit, am I dying? Will I die after my HP reach zero?!’

[Critical Condition.]

For a moment, the voice of his loved ones echoed in his mind and his life started to flash.

Gritting his teeth, he tried to lift his head as he summoned all his power.

His arm shook violently as he tried to get up but nothing moved.

The loud agent crouched in front of him, grinning.

"Not bad, kid. Not bad at all!"

The silent agent then kicked him again, snapping his head to darkness.

Jack’s final thought was a blurry whisper.

"..."

Then everything went dark and his body collapsed.