Chapter 9 – Nemesis Protocol
Kuro's vision flickered as the last embers of lightning faded from his fingertips. Blood dripped down his forearm, and the scent of scorched flesh hung in the air. Yumi sat slumped beside him, her breath shaky but steady. They had made it.
The System's familiar tone chimed — this time, with gravity.
[System Log – Fragment Quest Overview]
Fragment Quest 1 – COMPLETE
✔ Objective: Kill 20,000 infected in Raccoon City
✔ Status: Success
✔ Rewards: 50,000 IP (Item Points) / 50,000 EP (Equipment Points) / 50,000 AP (Ability Points) / 50,000 SP (Summoning Points)
✔ Bonus Title:Hordebreaker – Increases AoE damage against infected by 15%
Kuro chuckled, almost too tired to lift his head. "Hordebreaker… not bad."
Yumi gave a weak grin. "Sounds badass."
Before they could rest further, the screen flashed red.
Fragment Quest 2 – ACTIVE
❗ Objective: Assist Alice in eliminating the Nemesis Project before it reaches full adaptation.
🕒 Time Limit: Until Nemesis completes final mutation.
⚠ Failure Consequence: Fragment rewards downgraded permanently.
💠 Reward: Unknown.
Kuro's eyes narrowed. "Nemesis… That's a name I didn't want to hear."
Yumi tilted her head. "Who's Alice?"
"I'll explain on the way. But we're not ready yet. First, we rest. Then we grind. We need to level up more if we're going to face that monster."
They holed up in a half-destroyed apartment complex. Yumi spent several hours meditating, and for the first time since unlocking her powers, she got a notification.
[Yumi: Compatibility Check – Complete]
Eligible for Leveling: Confirmed
Progression Path: Medic / Support Specialist
Current Level: 3
Available Skill Upgrade: Minor Healing Pulse II – 6,000 AP
Kuro glanced at his interface. "I can buy that for you. Consider it a party investment."
Yumi frowned. "I don't want to slow you down."
He shook his head. "You saved my life more than once. It's a good trade."
He used 6,000 AP to purchase the upgrade.
Minor Healing Pulse II Installed. Healing range and output increased by 40%.
Yumi smiled, her hands glowing faintly with new energy.
For the next two days, they focused on grinding. Instead of massive swarms, they targeted tactical pockets of infected. Mutated crows in the park, waterlogged zombies near the canal, crawling bone-hounds near the school.
Yumi used every encounter to refine her healing timing and even began learning how to dodge mid-cast. Kuro trained to conserve stamina between lightning strikes.
One night, while scavenging the ruins of a lab near the outskirts, Kuro came across a sealed containment unit with biohazard symbols.
Inside — a strange, glowing crystal pulsing with green-blue energy.
[System Scan: Unknown Organic Core Detected]
Properties: Dense Life Energy. Reacts to physical contact. May restore or enhance biological resilience.
Kuro touched it.
A surge of raw vitality coursed through his arm.
Vitality Boost: +10% Health Regeneration (Passive)
Item Stored in Inventory: Verdant Core
He blinked. "Okay… that's new."
Yumi raised a brow. "You glowing or is that just you being dramatic?"
"Both."
Kuro, grinning to himself, opened his inventory and hovered over the Verdant Core.
[System Notification: Sell Item – Verdant Core?]
Exchange Rate: 100,000 SP (Summoning Points)
He froze.
"Wait. Wait wait wait. A HUNDRED. THOUSAND. SP?!"
The scream echoed through the empty hallway.
Yumi nearly dropped her tea. "Kuro, what the hell—?"
Kuro was on his knees, hands trembling, eyes shimmering with stars. "Yumi... do you know what this means? This is divine intervention. This is fate. This is SYSTEM-APPROVED ECSTASY!"
"You're being dramatic again," Yumi muttered.
"I can summon an ENTIRE HAREM!" he bellowed to the heavens. "Elves! Catgirls! MILFs with tragic backstories!"
Yumi facepalmed. "I walked into that one."
Kuro accepted the transaction immediately.
Item Sold: Verdant Core
+100,000 SP Acquired
He collapsed onto his back, laughing like a madman. "This is it. I'm the Summon King now. Girls from every corner of fiction will kneel before my magnificence!"
Yumi threw a pillow at his face.
"You get ONE summon," she said. "And if it's a catgirl maid again, I'm leaving you to die."
Kuro raised a hand in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. One summon. Tasteful. Maybe. Probably."
By the end of their third day, Kuro had reached Level 25. Yumi had reached Level 6.
They were ready.
At sunset, the sky over Raccoon City darkened further. Distant explosions lit the horizon. Thunder rolled in the distance — or maybe it wasn't thunder.
[System Notification: Nemesis Detected – City Center Hospital District]
Kuro readied his sword, lightning crackling around him.
"We move now."
Yumi nodded, her baton in one hand, healing glow in the other.
And behind them, in the far-off smoke, something massive roared.