The Scarbone didn't respond, but its knuckles twitched slightly. Its breathing became heavier, harsher.
From a distance, Darren squinted and leaned forward. "She's saying something. What is she saying?"
Mario folded his arms. "Why ask me? If you're that curious, go stand next to them."
Darren scowled but didn't argue.
Back in the battlefield, something shifted.
Ariel exhaled slowly, her breath visible in the air. The atmosphere thickened around her—like the pressure before a thunderstorm.
Her foot slid back slightly, adopting a firmer stance.
Then, without warning—
She attacked first.
Ariel closed the distance in a heartbeat. She didn't aim for a killing blow—not yet. She needed to test something first.
Her punch connected with the Scarbone's ribcage.
Crack!
A spiderweb of fractures spread across its bony chest as the beast staggered back, letting out a distorted, guttural snarl. Dust and bone shards flew from the point of impact.
She didn't let up.
With a pivot of her heel, she spun into a sweeping kick that knocked the Scarbone off balance. The monster dug its clawed feet into the concrete to steady itself, cracking the pavement with sheer force. Its claws twitched, its rage growing hotter by the second.
But Ariel remained focused.
Then, she whispered—calm, confident, dangerous.
"Submission."
A wave of golden light burst from her body, spreading outward in a flash.
For a moment, the air itself seemed to freeze.
The Scarbone's limbs locked mid-motion, as if invisible chains had wrapped around its joints. Its eyes widened—its roar caught in its throat. It stood completely still, trembling, locked in place like a statue of living death. Submission was one of Ariel's special abilities that could trap an oponent for three seconds.
Ariel didn't hesitate.
She leapt up and brought her fist crashing down on the monster's skull.
Boom!
A crater formed where it stood. The shockwave blew debris in all directions, and the Scarbone's upper body was slammed into the earth with a thunderous crash.
But she wasn't done.
She planted her heel on its back and pushed off, flipping into the air and landing several meters away, eyes never leaving the beast. "Three seconds. That's all I needed."
The Scarbone twitched violently as the effect of Submission wore off. It rose slowly, shaking with fury. Its crimson eyes burned brighter, its muscles swelling. Blood—dark and thick—dripped from its cracked skull.
[System Notice]
Skill: Submission – Cooldown: 5 minutes.
Ariel wiped sweat from her brow. The recoil of using a core ability left a sharp pulse in her chest, but she didn't let it slow her. "Let's see how much longer you can stay mad," she muttered.
The Scarbone charged again, faster this time, more reckless. It was a blur of jagged bones and blind fury.
But Ariel noticed something.
It had been about a minute since it activated Berserk.
And the change was beginning.
Its movements—once sharp and explosive—were starting to slow. Slight hesitations in its punches. A moment too late in adjusting its stance. The cracks on its armor from her earlier attacks weren't just remaining—they were spreading. Chunks of bone flaked off with each hard impact, leaving exposed, pulsing sinew underneath.
"The system said it couldn't detect a weakness. But it never said there wasn't one," Ariel thought, her eyes narrowing. "So Berserk comes at a cost."
Malric watched from a distance, mouth agape. "She's breaking that thing down. That little girl is actually wearing it out!"
Ariel ducked under another swipe and drove her elbow straight into the creature's ribs again. This time, the bone didn't just crack—it shattered.
The Scarbone stumbled back, confused. It raised its arms slowly, trembling slightly.
"Your time's up," Ariel said coldly. "You went all out, and now you're nothing but a hollow shell."
She dashed forward, readying another strike—this one aimed at the creature's exposed core.
The Scarbone groaned, its movements sluggish and disoriented. Its once-terrifying aura had thinned, flickering like a dying flame. Each breath it took now came with a rattling hiss, a sign that its monstrous body was on the verge of collapse.
Ariel slowed her approach, studying it carefully. She could end it now.
Her eyes shifted to the left—something glinted under the faint sunlight breaking through the gray clouds.
It was a broken metal signboard, half-buried in debris. The pole was bent, jagged at the end, with rusted bolts still clinging to it. The sign itself read "Caution: High Voltage," its letters faded and smeared with dust and blood.
She walked over calmly, gripping the cold, heavy pole with both hands. The metal was worn but sturdy. Perfect.
As the Scarbone let out another roar—half-rage, half-agony—Ariel turned and ran.
She closed the distance, her body glowing faintly from the energy still thrumming through her veins. She leapt high into the air, spinning once for momentum.
The Scarbone raised its arm, but it was too slow.
She brought the metal end of the signboard crashing down onto the creature's fractured skull.
CRACK!!!
The impact rang out like thunder. The jagged pole pierced through the cracked bone, driving deep into the creature's head with a sickening crunch. A burst of black ichor erupted from the wound, spraying across the rubble like ink.
The Scarbone froze—its body twitching violently.
Its legs gave way.
Then, with a final groan that echoed across the battlefield, it collapsed backward. The earth trembled beneath its weight.
Ariel stood over its motionless corpse, breathing hard. Her knuckles were scraped, her arms bruised, and her chest rising and falling with every sharp breath.
[System Notice]
Gemini: Scarbone Eliminated.
Rewards will be calculated and distributed after the tutorial.
Darren's voice broke the stunned silence from afar. "She… She actually did it."
Malric gave a long, low whistle. "Remind me never to piss her off."
Ariel yanked the signboard out with one smooth pull, letting the body slump fully. The scarlet glow in its eyes faded to gray.
She didn't celebrate. Didn't smile.
Instead, she looked to the horizon.
"Zane… I'm coming."
Ariel took a deep breath, her body aching with exhaustion. Blood stained her clothes, and shallow cuts still lined her arms and legs. But there was no time to rest. She raised her hand and activated her healing attribute for the second time.
A soft, golden aura enveloped her, wrapping around her body like sunlight breaking through storm clouds. The light pulsed gently as her wounds mended. Cuts closed cleanly, bruises faded, and torn muscles knitted themselves back together in a matter of seconds. The pain eased, replaced by a warm sensation spreading through her limbs.
[System Notice]
Mana Points Remaining: 8200
"So... each time I heal myself, it costs 400 mana points," she thought, narrowing her eyes. "I'll have to keep that in mind if this goes on much longer."
The street around her was still a disaster zone—burned-out cars littered the road, their frames twisted and scorched. Chunks of concrete and metal were scattered everywhere, and smoke drifted from collapsed buildings like ghostly fingers clawing at the sky. Fires crackled in the distance, adding an eerie red glow to the scene. Ash danced in the air like black snow.
Ariel lowered her hand and glanced toward the others.
Celine was kneeling beside a young Awakened student. His eyes fluttered open, and he groaned weakly. She had already healed him—his deeper injuries were gone, but he was still pale and weak from blood loss.
Now she had moved on to Leon, who lay unconscious near a shattered light pole with Mario beside him. The fight against the Scarbone had knocked him out cold. His clothes were torn and dust-covered, but his chest rose and fell steadily. Celine hovered her glowing hands over him, sweat dripping from her brow as she concentrated.
A sigh of relief spread like a ripple through them, the tension slipping from their shoulders as they slowly realized the immediate danger was over.
A heavy silence took over the street—awkward, thick, yet peaceful. For now.
****
Far away, in a ruined building that once served as a school, the Elite Geminis had gathered.
Inside a classroom reduced to rubble, broken desks lay like corpses, and black soot covered the chalkboard. The windows were shattered, letting in a faint breeze carrying the stench of death from outside.
Seven beings stood within, casting grotesque shadows on the walls. They weren't human. Not even close.
Among them stood the Whisperkin, the one responsible for transporting Zane to Planet Zoic. It looked nothing like the others—smaller, its body thin and unnaturally bent. Skin like shifting shadows, with a faceless head that seemed to morph every few seconds.
Its voice slithered through the air like a whisper from beneath the earth.
(Gemini language)
"Khral'zhûn... Nar'thal vex uth'ren. Thruk zol kri'el... Xhaz'al ner vurn."
("Fascinating... I feel something familiar. Like a trace of the boy I sent to train under the Master. Not far from here. But this one... this one is different.")
The other six monsters turned toward the Whisperkin, their alien eyes narrowing. Each was an elite Gemini, monstrous beings of various sizes and forms. And each of them radiated power that made the very walls hum.
"Zhol'ren Mal'krash thur?"
("Is this one strong?") asked a Gemini as it turned, trying to sense a strong presence nearby.
The Whisperkin tilted its head, its limbs twitching like a broken puppet.
"Xhaz nur talak. Velruth... zharn'tok. Shar'rokk kri'tel. Noth'shal uthren."
("Not strong enough to be a threat… yet. But I see potential. She's the one he tried to protect, isn't she? Send stronger soldiers than that weakling Scarbone. I want to see how far she can go.")
A low growl rumbled through the room.
One of the Geminis stepped forward. Its voice sounded like thunder trapped in a cavern.
"Vel'uth NAR! Ghal-vek zharnok! Krez'tal ur krûn. Khrath NOL?! Xhaz'ar nar'thal vekt."
("Enough with these games! Why are we crammed in this small room? Why follow your orders, Whisperkin?! You're F-ranked filth.")
It looked around, and it was clear the other elites shared its thoughts. They were stronger, more dominant. Some could level cities alone—yet they followed the commands of a monster they could crush with a single blow.
The Whisperkin didn't flinch. Its head twitched, as if amused.
"Zol'tar... ven'ghal."
("You'll see.")