The broken sword was pierced in Saber's chest, the blade went inside the keyhole of the chain's lock and started shining purple. Saber, feeling the pain, started screaming and got burned in his own power. Gale's face showed disappointment as he walked away.
Saber felt great pressure, and flashback frames covered his surroundings.
A chorus of voices echoed within Saber's mind, each word a sharp, stinging blow. "You cow!" a gruff voice accused. "You cow!" a higher-pitched voice repeated. "You cow!" a deeper tone resonated. "You… Were… Always… A slave…"
But then, a single, clear voice cut through the darkness. "Don't give up."
Saber's eyes snapped open. He found himself enveloped in an intense purple fire, the heat radiating outwards, distorting the air around him. He took a powerful stance, his muscles coiled, ready to move. When he dashed forward, the ground beneath his feet cracked and splintered, a testament to the raw power he now wielded. Chloe, still within his arms, gasped, her eyes wide with disbelief.
"S-Saber?" she choked out, tears streaming down her face. "You're… alive."
Saber gently set Chloe down, his gaze shifting to Gale. Gale's face twitched, a bizarre mix of confusion and manic excitement contorting his features.
"OH!" Gale exclaimed, his voice laced with a disturbing thrill. "I've never felt anything like this since the last fight against the Spirit King. It… it seems you've earned my respect but…" His voice rose to a scream, filled with a primal rage. "WHAT ARE YOU, SABER?!"
Is this thing completely out of his mind? Saber thought, a flicker of disgust crossing his face.
"ANSWER ME!" Gale roared, his voice echoing through the space.
Saber's voice was calm, almost chilling in its seriousness. "You don't have to shout…" A psycho smile spread across his lips, twisting his features into something unsettling. "Find it out yourself."
Gale's eyes widened, a strange mixture of fear and exhilaration swirling within them. "I think you'll make me hit my adrenaline if this goes on."
Saber scoffed, a hint of disdain in his tone. "A ghost? Hitting adrenaline? What a joke."
Chloe, her voice trembling, began, "Sab…"
"Not now," Saber interrupted, his eyes still fixed on Gale. "He's way out of your league, mine too, I think. So be ready when I signal you… we HAVE to save everyone, right?" He offered her a brief, reassuring smile.
Chloe, her fear momentarily replaced by a surge of determination, nodded and ran towards the others, her footsteps echoing in the sudden silence. Gale's laughter, a chilling, psycho sound, filled the air.
"Then COME AT ME!!!" he screamed, his voice a raw, primal challenge.
Saber took the stance with the broken sword and his handle.
"SABER!!!" Gale screamed.
Saber dashed straight. Gale threw a purple fist, but Saber cut through the fist, making Gale happy. Saber passed through Gale, cutting his active arm. Gale turned back. Saber saw it. Gale shot him at the wall. Saber stood on the wall.
"I have no time to waste. SYSTEM! Initialize Battle Mode!" Saber commanded.
System: Initializing Battle Mode.
SYSTEM OVERWRITE
COMMAND SEQUENCE 'BATTLE MODE'
CODE- 2405/PLAYER FINAL ID POST: 9
INITIALIZING BATTLE PREPARATION SEQUENCE
- CLEAR SCREEN OVERLAYS
- ACTIVATE BATTLE MODE UI
- VOICE COMMAND ACTIVATE
QUICK ACCESSIBILITY CONFUGURATION
- ASSIGNED HEALING SLOTS ON THE LEFT SIDE
- ASSIGNED WEAPON SLOT (EMPTY) ON THE BOTH SIDE BOTTOM
- ASSIGNED UTILITY ITEMS ON THE RIGHT SIDE
OPTIMIZE UI FOR VISIBILITY
- ABILITY USAGE INFORMATION GENERATION IN PORCESS
- MINIMIZE UNNECESSARY HUD ELEMENTS
- ALERT NOTIFICATION ON THE RIGHT SIDE
Gale and Saber dashed at each other. Saber grabbed Gale's neck and slammed him on the ground. Gale burst his energy and punched Saber. Saber rotated and kicked him back, foot on the ground with Gale's head. Gale's aura hand emerged from the ground behind Saber and punched. Saber fell a bit far. Gale stood up still smiling and spat blood.
"I think we're destined to be together. What do you think?" Gale asked.
"Me? A soulmate of yours?" Saber chuckled. "That can't be possible."
"We can be best buddies, don't you think? Admit it… You and I are the same here," Gale continued.
"Did you read some kind of Manga? How did you even find that out with just 2 minutes of talking and 10 minutes of punching?" Saber questioned.
"I'm not saying this on a hunch, but you'll find out soon, my buddy. After you'll make the first kill," Gale said.
"It makes me cringe to the core," Saber replied.
"Then I'll have to make you believe that you're a cringe too. By the way, you might want to check on that girl, buddy," Gale said.
Saber's eye widened in shock. Shit! I completely forgot about the poison, he thought.
Gale, behind him, slammed Saber down. Saber kicked Gale's head when he jumped up with a handstand, spun his legs to double hit Gale. Saber quickly landed in a kneeling position and kept punching Gale in the gut. Gale pushed him back with a green aura hand. Saber lost balance and fell. Saber dashed forward at Gale, missed the slash. Gale countered by grabbing the blade with a green hand and striking Saber. Saber countered it with the handle. Both pushed each other back. Gale slammed the ground with both aura hands, creating a shockwave of energy at Saber, cracking the stone floor beneath him. Saber flipped backward, using the handle to control his balance. Gale taunted him with a hand sign. Saber dashed at Gale. Gale spun and grabbed the broken cursed sword, dashed too. Both clashed.
CLASH!
Gale made a massive aura hand behind him and swiped. Saber ducked down, sliding under the hand and slicing upwards. Gale grabbed Saber's neck with another hand.
"Caught you, Mouse!" Gale taunted.
Saber struggled and burst his purple energy. Gale fell way back, suffering some damage for real.
A random burst of spirit energy? But I didn't sense anything? Gale thought.
Saber rushed towards Chloe. Chloe coughed blood, laying down. Shit! I was so focused on him that I forgot to check on her! Saber thought.
Saber removed a portion and tried to make Chloe drink, but she spilled. She can't even drink now. I'll have to pour the drink from upwards, creating a vertical position but… My both hands are holding her, Saber realized.
Saber looked at her lips. Should I go for it? Screw it! Her life is more important than a random kiss, he thought.
Saber poured the portion in his mouth, held Chloe's chin, and kissed her. She gulped the portion as they kissed. Saber held Chloe, and she coughed and opened her eyes.
"Chloe? Chloe! Open your eyes, damn it!" Saber called out.
"…. ….. ... ….." Chloe whispered faintly.
"What?" Saber asked, coming closer.
"You stole… my first kiss… take res…ponsi…bility…" Chloe said.
"I will… I will…" Saber hugged her while sobbing.
The green aura hand came out of the dust. The hand just behind Saber. His eyes widened in alert. Saber slashed it with the handle. Gale laughed while coming out of the dust.
"Come on, Darling! Pay some attention to me too," Gale taunted.
"Wait here, Chloe. I'll finish this quickly," Saber said.
Saber turned towards Gale. Saber's serious face. Gale's smiling face.
The small rock pieces shook. Earthquake? Saber thought.
The top and the side of the cave exploded, and the Gem Dragon came out roaring at the two of them staring at each other. Saber pointed his right hand at the dragon. Gale pointed his left hand.
"Out of my way," Saber and Gale said in unison.
Both shot their energy shot at the dragon, making two holes in the dragon's chest. The dragon turned into dust roaring. Saber stiffened himself. Gale smiled and charged forward, throwing a series of punches at Saber. Saber dodged most of them, but got hit in between.
I can see them coming, but I cannot adapt to this body, Saber thought.
Saber ducked below and punched Gale in the rib. "ARM!"
A force was shot under the chest. Gale spat blood but laughed and threw another punch. Saber caught that punch, turned around, and elbowed Gale in the face. Gale, now maniacally, kept throwing punches. Saber was about to dash off but got hit by the punch and was slammed by the wall. The purple energy burst off Saber. Gale burst as well, and both went back and forth with their power. Saber dashed off. Gale dashed off. Both dashed here and there in purple light, as they kept dashing and clashing with each other.
The area started to crack and fall. Both fell when hit by the rocks.
"It looks like I have to go, but… Be sure to be alive for me, buddy!" Gale said, flying off.
Saber rushed towards Chloe. "Chloe! Let's get out of here," he said, picking her up.
"…aber…" Chloe muttered.
Both fell down.
"Hey-Hey! Come on, Chloe! Chloe!!!" Saber hurried.
"Listen… you used everything… you had… now leave... only one… can… be out here…" Chloe said weakly.
"The poison, right? System! Give me antidote! Now!" Saber commanded.
System: The Player's current items cannot cure the illness.
"No… no… no…" Saber cried.
"You're… wasting the… time… Saber…" Chloe said.
"I don't want to be alone again," Saber cried.
"You were… never alone… Before going… answer me…" Chloe said.
"Tell me, what?" Saber asked.
"You didn't… give me… the answer… Do you love me?..." Chloe asked.
"Yes, I do love you," Saber said, smiling in tears.
Chloe smiled, crying. She pulled Saber closer and kissed him.
"There, you've taken your responsibility. NOW GO!!!" Chloe pushed Saber away.
Chloe coughed. The ground started to crack and explode. Saber turned back one last time. Chloe smilingly said goodbye. The ground between them exploded.
The air crackled with the frantic urgency of the announcer's voice. "Mission Abort! Mission Abort! Heavy civilian casualties reported! Rescue teams are en route!"
DURATION: ONE WEEK LATER
The news broadcasts painted a grim picture of the aftermath. "Dungeon raids suspended indefinitely due to catastrophic civilian casualties," a reporter somberly announced. "The town mourns the loss of its hero team, paying a devastating price."
"Sir," another reporter pressed, his voice sharp with accusation, "how could this incident have occurred?"
"We were told drones were deployed for surveillance and rescue," a third reporter interjected. "What happened to them?"
The announcer's voice, strained and weary, echoed through the news feed. "The drones were destroyed before they could issue a warning."
"But how could such a catastrophic failure occur with professionals on site?" a reporter demanded. "Was there a lack of proper planning?"
"And is it true," another reporter added, his tone accusatory, "that you failed to recover three bodies?"
The announcer, his voice thick with grief, finally spoke. "Listen… we have lost too much today. Do not ask us to lose hope as well. That is all."
The reporters surged forward, their voices a cacophony of unanswered questions. "Sir… sir… sir…"
The internet buzzed with the reporters' accounts, the discussions a somber dirge. The townspeople, their faces etched with sorrow, gathered for the funeral.
"Where is the boy who survived the collapse?" a woman whispered, her voice laced with a mixture of grief and resentment.
"He could have at least shown some respect," another woman replied, her words heavy with unspoken judgment.
...But none felt more sadness than…
Saber laying in his bed, looking at the ceiling with dull eyes.
...The one who tried his best and still failed.
2 WEEKS LATER
Saber was in an empty, abandoned hotel, searching for something.
"Meow," a cat said.
"Finally found you," Saber said.
A knife flew towards Saber's head; he dodged it and turned back. A hand grabbed his neck. The person was covered in a robe.
"Finally found you. Bastard!" the guy said.