The girl lunged, her bloodstained hands slashing toward Jin like a predator's talons, her cold smile sparkling with psychotic glee. Her eyes gleamed with the promise of ending his "suffering," a twisted kindness in her gaze. Jin reacted instantly, his analytical mind sharp from watching her crush a man's skull with a light tap followed by a delayed explosion of force. He swung the steel pipe up to block, muscles taut, bracing for impact. Her fist slammed into the metal with a piercing crack, the force jarring his arms, rattling his bones. A second later, a shockwave erupted, ripping the pipe from his grip. It spun through the air, clattering against a car's hood fifteen feet away, skidding across the dented metal. Jin's body launched backward, crashing into an abandoned sedan, the frame groaning as pain seared his ribs, stealing his breath. He wasn't surprised—her skill amplified one strike at a time, the force hitting seconds later, leaving her vulnerable until it landed.
Jin staggered to his feet, chest throbbing, mind racing. One hit, then a delay. She can't amplify another until the first connects. He sprinted for the pipe, boots pounding the cracked pavement of the dead city, surrounded by shattered windows and blood-smeared concrete. The girl giggled, her voice light as a chime, chilling as frost. "Running already?" she sang, her orange prison jumpsuit swaying as she darted to intercept, her movements fluid despite the blood staining her arms. "That's no fun!"
Echo snapped into action, voice steady. "Move!" he shouted, clapping his hands. A raw pulse of sound rippled through the air, sloppy but sharp, distorting the space around the girl. She paused, head tilting, brows furrowing as if confused by the vibrations. Jin seized the moment, diving for the pipe, fingers scraping the car's hood as he grabbed it. The girl lunged again, her fist aiming for his skull, her smile widening with cold delight. Jin rolled to the side, pavement tearing at his elbow. Her punch missed, and a second later, the car crumpled with a deafening crunch, the delayed force caving the door like tinfoil, glass shards scattering.
Jin scrambled up, pipe heavy in his hands, ribs screaming. She's not strong—her skill is. He'd pieced it together: her light taps carried no immediate weight, but seconds later, the amplified force hit like a sledgehammer. She could only enhance one strike at a time, vulnerable until the delay triggered. He tightened his grip, testing his theory, eyes locked on her.
Seul clenched her fists, focus sharpening. "I'll slow her!" she called, pushing her hands forward. The air shimmered, the girl's movements slowing as if wading through water, gravity pressing down. "Ooh, what's this?" the girl cooed, voice sparkling with delight despite the strain, her smile unwavering. "You're all so clever!" Her steps faltered, but her eyes burned with manic glee.
Joon stepped forward, hands crackling with violet energy. "Back off!" he yelled, thrusting his palms out. A jagged bolt shot forward, fast but erratic, sizzling through the air. The girl twisted, her slowed movements still agile, dodging the blast. It clipped a streetlight, which sparked and flickered, but she was unharmed, her giggle cold and mocking. "Missed me!" she chirped, her voice a chilling melody.
Jin charged, pipe swinging in a tight arc toward her ribs. She ducked, but the metal grazed her arm, the impact solid but unamplified—her skill hadn't reset. He pressed forward, swinging again, aiming for her shoulder. The pipe connected with a heavy thud, and she gasped, stumbling back, her smile twitching. "You think that hurts?" she hissed, voice light but venomous, tears welling in her eyes. "Daddy hit harder. No food, no money, just pain every day." Her tone was cheerful, like recounting a favorite story, but the words carried a crushing weight. "I learned to stop feeling it. I stopped feeling everything!"
She lunged, fist aiming for Jin's chest, her movements faster as Seul's gravity weakened. Jin sidestepped, pipe blocking her strike. Her knuckles grazed the metal, and a second later, a shockwave jolted through his arms, nearly knocking him down. Pain flared in his shoulders, but he held firm, mind sharp. She's open. He swung the pipe, aiming for her side. She twisted, avoiding the full hit, but the graze sent her staggering, her smile twisting into a snarl.
Echo clapped again, a stronger wave of sound surging, distorted and chaotic, carrying fragments of the girl's voice: "I stopped feeling everything!" She flinched, hands flying to her ears, movements faltering. "Stop that!" she snapped, voice raw, losing its sparkle. Seul pushed harder, the air thickening, slowing the girl further. "I can't hold it!" Seul grunted, sweat dripping, her strength fading fast. Joon fired another bolt, the energy veering wide but clipping her leg. She stumbled, her snarl deepening, eyes wild. "You're all so mean!" she cried, voice cracking, no longer playful, her body trembling as nails dug into her palms.
Jin saw his chance. He charged, pipe swinging in a brutal arc toward her ribs. The metal struck, and she choked, jerking back, her smile gone. The pipe's surface cracked, fractures spiderwebbing across it, but Jin didn't stop. He swung again, targeting her arm. The impact landed, her forearm snapping with a sickening crack. She screamed, tears streaming, her face contorting with rage. "You're just like him!" she shrieked, voice unhinged, the cheerful facade crumbling. "You think you're strong? I'll kill you!"
She lunged, her broken arm limp, her other fist swinging wildly, gravity no longer holding her. Jin dodged, the pavement behind him shattering as her delayed impact hit, concrete dust clouding the air. The pipe's edges were jagged, fracturing further, but Jin pressed on, swinging for her shoulder. She twisted, the blow grazing her, but her scream was raw, her body shaking. Seul's voice broke through, strained. "I'm losing it!" The gravity field collapsed, the girl's movements snapping back to full speed.
Joon fired again, the energy blast missing but scorching the ground, forcing her to dodge. "Damn it!" he cursed, hands shaking from the effort. Echo clapped once more, his sound wave surging, a chaotic mix of their shouts, the girl's screams, and the city's groans. The blast wasn't targeted—sloppy, accidental—but it hit like a storm, distorting the air. The girl staggered, hands clutching her head, her scream piercing. "Stop it!" she wailed, body shaking, eyes unfocused, balance shot. Her movements turned erratic, her smile replaced by a frantic snarl.
Jin sprinted forward, ribs throbbing, breath ragged. The girl's eyes widened, her hands rising to block, but she was disoriented, stumbling. The pipe swung, connecting with her shoulder, bone crunching under the force. She cried out, body twisting, her broken arm dangling uselessly. Jin swung again, targeting her other arm. The metal struck, bone snapping, and she collapsed to her knees, breath coming in short, ragged gasps. Her tears mixed with the blood on her face, her voice breaking. "You're all the same," she sobbed, words frantic, unhinged. "Hurting, always hurting!"
Jin raised the pipe, arms trembling, the metal creaking, ready to shatter. The girl looked up, eyes dazed, a final plea escaping her lips. "Help me… please…" Her voice was small, a flicker of the broken girl beneath the monster. Jin's chest tightened, guilt cutting through his resolve, but the system's demand—kill something—loomed. He brought the pipe down, a brutal strike to her temple. The impact landed with a dull thud, her body crumpling to the pavement, blood pooling beneath her orange jumpsuit. Her eyes fluttered, then stilled, her chest barely moving, leaving it unclear if she was dead or merely unconscious.
Jin staggered back, breath heaving, the pipe nearly broken, its edges splintered. His ribs ached, body screaming, but he was alive. Echo exhaled shakily, rubbing his hands, the accidental sound blast still ringing in his ears. "That was… too much," he muttered, face pale. Seul slumped to the ground, strength spent, voice trembling. "I couldn't hold her longer." Joon lowered his hands, energy gone, expression grim. "We're alive," he said, voice flat. "That's enough."
Jin's eyes lingered on the girl's body, blood spreading across the concrete, her jumpsuit stark against the gray. The system's First Cull had forced their hand, and they'd survived, but at what cost? He'd struck to kill—or had he? Her faint breathing, if it was there, haunted him. The weight of it settled in his chest, heavier than the pipe. "We can't stay," he said, voice low, steady despite the pain. "More will come—monsters, people, whatever the system throws."
Echo nodded, his new name a quiet resolve. "We move," he agreed, voice firm. Seul pushed herself up, limp easing but face drawn. Joon gave a curt nod, hands steady. The city loomed, silent and deadly, its shattered windows and abandoned cars a testament to the world's end. The system's timer glowed in their minds.
21 hours, 45 minutes remain
Survival demanded they keep going, no matter the cost.