Day Six.
"Hey, Valentine, wake up," Jack murmured, tapping her shoulder and shaking her gently.
"Let me sleep a little longer, please," she whispered, before her eyes snapped open and she bolted upright.
"What on earth is going on?!" she shrieked, her breathing rapid and shallow.
Jack stood there, utterly bewildered, staring at her face.
"I took advantage of you being asleep to clean up last night's mess."
"Are you feeling okay, Jack?"
"Yeah, I feel much better than yesterday."
Valentine got out of bed. Snatching her crutch, she stepped close enough to raise her left hand and pressed it against Jack's forehead.
"It's true, your fever is down compared to these past few days. I'm so happy," she cheered, a massive smile lighting up her face.
What a relief.
Suddenly, Jack dropped to his knees, his veins bursting across his skin as his eyes rolled back, turning completely white. At the exact same moment, Valentine's veins flared violently, and an agonizing pain surged through her entire body.
She collapsed to her knees right in front of Jack, trying to steady herself with her crutch, but her grip failed.
"The synchronization is almost complete," a voice thundered.
Seconds later, everything snapped back to normal. Jack's eyes were bleeding, and Valentine was coughing up blood.
"Damn it, we have to clean up all over again," she wheezed, looking over at Jack.
"Ha… ha. What a nightmare, but you're right," he groaned, trying to push himself off the floor only to collapse again.
"Let's just rest for a second. I can't get up either."
"Jack… were you conscious when you said that?"
"Yeah… but it didn't feel like… like I was the one saying it."
The two of them sat on the floor, facing each other, locked in an intense gaze.
"Jack. Do you understand what is happening to us?" she asked, her voice rising slightly, her eyes narrowing as she stared without blinking.
"No… I'm so sorry, Valentine," he murmured, hanging his head and slowly closing his eyes.
"Well… it doesn't matter, we'll figure it out another day," she replied, flashing a radiant smile at Him.
Jack blushed slightly.
"You really are an angel," he muttered under his breath.
"What did you say?... I didn't catch that. Can you repeat it, please?"
"Nothing, I didn't say anything. Come on, let's clean up," he deflected, slowly pushing himself up to his feet.
"Then why are your cheeks so red?"
…
Ah… thank you for calling me an angel.
…
"It's nothing… drop it, please," he snapped, his volume rising as he gritted his teeth.
"Fine… help me up, please."
Valentine gripped her crutch with her right hand…
Instantly, Jack leaned down, positioning himself at her side, and Valentine gripped his arm tightly to hoist herself up. As she rose, she looked directly into his face and raised her voice.
"This is how you'll carry me when we get married, right?"
The boy turned redder than a tomato, and actual steam began to billow from his nose and ears simultaneously.
Good grief, how can she say something so bold in a situation like this?
He guided Valentine over to the kitchen sink, helping her rest her hand against the countertop for support. Then, he whispered hurriedly as he backed away from the area in a rush.
"Wait here… I'll take care of everything, okay?... I'll be right back."
"Wait for me, please."
"Dummy… it's not like I can go anywhere in this condition."
"Right… be right back."
….
I love it when he blushes. It's the only way I can calm him down during these moments of absolute despair.
I hope one day I can be as strong as he is.
….
A few minutes later, Jack returned carrying a chair.
He helped Valentine sit down and exclaimed, looking her dead in the eye with a massive grin.
"Don't worry… just rest. You've done more than enough for me this week."
Tears of pure happiness welled up in her eyes as she smiled back at him.
…..
The area was shrouded in darkness, the sparse lighting barely illuminating the path forward.
"I'm sorry, Alicia… I might not make it out of this place alive!" a dying man gasped.
"We should have never entered this place. Something has been guarding it from the very beginning," he muttered, trying to flee the area as fast as his failing body allowed.
Right. Left.
Right. Right.
Right. Left.
…..
"I'm sorry, Alicia… I might not make it out of this place alive!" the dying man repeated.
"We should have never entered this place. Something has been guarding it from the very beginning," he muttered, trying to escape as fast as he could.
Right. Left.
"What the hell?... What is happening?"
"I'll take a different turn this time," the man yelled, clamping a hand over the gaping wound in his stomach.
Right. Left.
"Tankho."
Damn it, the bastard is right there, and I can't move again.
"Panraka zu zuna."
An unavoidable shockwave rippled through the air, slamming violently into the man's battered body, rupturing his internal organs precisely where his hand was holding his stomach.
The man collapsed to the ground, bleeding out rapidly as he uttered his final breaths.
"I'm sorry… Alicia."
…..
Day Seven.
"Valentine, wake up, sleepyhead."
"I don't want to… the bed is still warm. Why don't you just sleep a little longer with me, Jack?"
"I'd love to, but I need to train."
"Come on, get up and get ready. Come with me for a bit, please?"
Valentine slowly rolled out of bed, opening her eyes bit by bit. She raised her hands, stretched thoroughly, and smiled.
"Are we going on a date?"
"No… you're… you're going to help me with my training."
…
How cute. He's nervous.
…
"Well, it's still a date to me."
"Aren't you afraid to go outside?... You've been cooped up in this place for a really long time" Jack pointed out, his tone turning a bit cold.
"No. Because if anything attacks us, I know you'll protect me," she said, her voice rising slightly as she rested her right hand against her cheek, locking eyes with him.
"Of course… I will protect you."
"But we're only going to one of the least dangerous sectors. Understood?"
"Roger that, Commander! Or do you prefer… Sergeant?" she teased, placing her left hand against her forehead in a mock salute.
"A simple 'understood' would have sufficed."
"Ah… you're so boring, Jack. Come here for a second, please."
He stepped closer and leaned down, looking her in the eyes.
Valentine seized the opportunity and pinched his arm, furrowing her brow.
"Ahhhh… hey, that hurts!" he yelled, rubbing the spot gently with a disgruntled look on his face.
"You earned it. Sometimes you're a real idiot," she whispered, her face full of smug pride as a slight smile played on her lips.
"Alright, go get changed."
She slid out of bed and made a line for the bathroom.
"I'll be quick."
….
"Jack, I'm ready!"
"Why isn't he answering?" she muttered, walking straight toward the kitchen.
…
I see, the dummy is fast asleep.
…
She crept up to him slowly. Leaning down, she brought her lips right to his ear.
"Jack. If you don't wake up right now, I'm going to kiss you."
….
Jack snapped his eyes open, blushing furiously.
"I'm awake!"
Valentine stepped back, standing right in front of him.
"How do I look?" she asked, spinning around slowly so Jack could get a good look at her.
"What did you say, Valentine?... That you were ready?" he responded, rubbing his eyes and wiping a trail of drool from the corner of his mouth.
"Idiot," she huffed, crossing her arms in annoyance.
Jack stood up and smiled.
"If you're ready, then it's time to go for a walk."
…..
"Damn it, it is boiling out here, Jack!" she complained, using a rag to wipe the sweat from her chest.
"Watch your mouth, kiddo," he chuckled, carrying Valentine piggyback on his shoulders.
Valentine carried a backpack containing her crutch and a few other supplies.
"Congratulations, young lady… did you lose weight? You feel lighter."
"You are an idiot, Jack," she shouted, planting a solid punch right onto Jack's shoulder.
"Thanks. Hahaha."
Something changed in her. That punch actually felt a bit stronger. "Hold on tight, I'm accelerating straight to Sector D."
"Yeah, I'm ready."
Jack channeled electricity down to the soles of his feet, dropped his center of gravity, activated the vibration mechanics slowly, and pushed off with everything he had.
"If you get scared, just close your eyes… we're about to encounter creatures you wouldn't believe are real."
"I won't close them. I'm ready to see exactly what you see out there."
"Understood."
Jack crossed into hostile territory. It was a decimated city, devoid of any signs of friendly life.
"Jack, the air reeks of blood and the city is completely leveled." Her voice was strained as she tried to cover her nose with her hand, though the sheer velocity of Jack's movement made it difficult.
Right… He dodged two runners that lunged out at them.
Valentine froze in shock.
"I've spent so much time scouring this place for survivors that the smell just feels normal to me now."
Left… He raised his right hand, crackling with electricity, and leaped straight at a Gigan's eyes, blinding it instantly. The Gigan began flailing wildly, throwing blind punches into the empty air as it crashed to the ground. Jack evaded several strikes aimed at him, using the creature's head as a springboard to vault away.
"No way… that thing was absolutely massive, Jack!"
Jack hit the ground, using his vibration technique to cushion the impact, a grin breaking across his face.
"Yeah, you're right, they're huge… but they aren't all that strong."
…
He's become so powerful and dependable. To think he's been fighting out here all alone for so Long.
I hope that one day, I'll be able to fight right alongside him.
…
"We're close, Valentine."
Right… blind spot.
Left… A cluster of burning buildings.
"Jack, do you think there are still people left alive out here?"
"Hmm… I highly doubt it. I've been looking for survivors for months, and all I ever find are people on the verge of turning into monsters, people getting eaten, or lifeless corpses," he replied, his voice dropping as his expression turned grim.
Left… Sector D.
Upon reaching their destination, Jack and Valentine stood before a massive shopping mall with a towering sign that read: "Gran Royal California."
"Wait, Jack. Have we been in California this entire time?"
"Yeah. It's almost entirely in ruins, but it's California." Jack's voice remained low, his face serious.
"How long have you known?"
"I only noticed it recently," he said, his tone lifting slightly as he offered a small smile.
….
Jack seems calm.
But his calmness… scares me a little.
…
The two of them stepped inside the mall.
Jack released a pulse of electricity that rippled through the entire structure.
Valentine felt a mild electric current surge from Jack's body, passing gently through her own before radiating outward.
"Jack, what did you just do?"
"You felt that?"
"Yeah… what was it?"
"It's part of the electricity my body generates. I discharge it outward to detect any enemies, near or far, within a ten-kilometer radius."
Valentine was left utterly speechless.
Looks like the poor girl doesn't know what to say.
"Block One." A clothing store titled: "Believe in your own beauty."
"Jack, look at that… can we go in there, please?"
"There's no time, we need to train."
….
"I can't believe we actually went inside that place," Jack groaned, slapping a hand over his face, lamenting the fact that they had derailed from their schedule.
"Haha, thank you, Jack! The clothes are so pretty."
….
"We're almost there."
"Jack, look! If you wear these clothes, you'll look so jacked," she teased with a mocking grin.
An athletic apparel store: "Muscle Dragon."
"As if it were that easy."
They passed a demolished toy store with a weathered sign: "Hiring cashiers. No experience
Required. Contact: [email protected] If you want to work with us, we provide training! Apply
Today! Motto: 'A satisfied customer ensures a future return.'"
"Ah… 'a satisfied customer ensures a future return'?" Jack scoffed. "What a load of corporate garbage." His volume rose, his brow furrowing.
"You only say that because you've never had to deal with customers before. A lot of them are actually really nice."
"But a lot of them are garbage, and that's inevitable. I would never work a job where I have to fake who I am just to please a bunch of misfits."
Valentine didn't say another word for the rest of the trek.
The two of them climbed the stairs to the fourth floor of the mall, entering a massive facility with a sign that read: "Martial Arts Training Hall."
Jack locked the door behind them as a precaution, and they walked over to a heavy punching bag.
"Jack, look, a chair. Can you pull it over for me, please?"
"Yeah… sorry, I was distracted. I'll get it right now."
Valentine sat down in the chair, her eyes locked onto Jack.
"Jack, remember that you're still injured. Don't overexert yourself, please… understood?" she called out, smiling.
"I know… don't worry. I'm just going to warm up a bit," he replied, his tone turning serious as he looked back at her with a reassuring nod.
Seconds later, his demeanor shifted completely. He stared intently at the heavy bag, taking two slow, deep breaths.
Alright, here goes.
Jack flexed his right hand, curving his fingers into the shape of a claw.
The air pressure shifted violently, blasting through the room and sending Valentine's hair flying back.
Valentine was momentarily stunned.
Jack dropped his center of gravity, raising both hands in his claw stance. Just as he was about to unleash a strike with his right hand, a glass pane to his left began to fracture into a spiderweb pattern. Then, the exact same thing happened to a pane on his right. Seconds later, the glass directly in front of him shattered too.
"What is happening?" he muttered, his voice dropping as he slowly approached the glass at the far end of the room. He pushed his electricity across the entire space, beads of sweat beginning to roll down his face.
No way. There are thousands of them.
"Jack, help me, please! I can't get it off me!" a voice screamed.
Valentine was dragging herself across the floor, desperately trying to fend off a creature that was clawing to devour her. The monster opened its hideous jaws, snapping rapidly at Valentine's face, but she was using her crutch to maintain a desperate distance.
Suddenly, Valentine's crutch was knocked away, skittering across the floor.
"Hold on, I'm coming!" Jack roared, panic overtaking his features.
I shouldn't have hesitated.
A wall of creatures intercepted Jack, blocking his path, while several more converged on Valentine's position.
….
"You disgusting piece of filth! Get away from me!" Valentine shrieked, her veins bulging as an overwhelming fury took hold of her. She dragged herself backward along the floor.
She thrust her hand straight into the creature's shoulder and collarbone, utterly disintegrating a massive portion of its arm, torso, and brain… turning its flesh into what looked like dry sand.
Her ability deactivated, and the creature's mutilated corpse slumped to the side.
Immediately afterward, Valentine blacked out, losing consciousness.
….
"Damn it, I won't make it in time!" "I have no choice."
Jack tilted his head toward the ground, dropped his center of gravity, and slid his right foot forward.
"TEMPO!"
The entire world froze solid in a fraction of a second.
Jack dug his feet into the ground, channeling massive amounts of force and vibration. He launched himself like a rocket into the pack of Thralls, decapitating every single one of them within a matter of minutes.
"Tempo… DEACTIVATE!"
Jack gasped for air, struggling to maintain his balance from the sheer physical toll. The headless corpses of the Thralls collapsed simultaneously, their fluids pooling into a massive crimson lake.
He rushed over to Valentine, kneeling down and carefully hoisting her onto his back.
Glancing back at the Thrall that had attacked her, he froze. Its right arm, part of its torso, and its brain were entirely missing—erased from existence. He was stunned.
Valentine… your ability is absolutely terrifying.
"Time to go home. You must be exhausted," he whispered, retrieving her crutch and backpack before heading for the exit of the training hall.
….
"What happened to me, Jack?" she asked, her voice low as she rubbed her eyes.
"I'm just glad you're awa—"
"Somebody help me, please!" a voice cried out nearby.
"That's impossible, Valentine."
Jack entered a state of maximum alert, expanding his electric pulse across the perimeter instantly.
"Someone is approaching. Don't lower your guard… understood?"
"Yeah… I get it," she replied, worry lacing her words.
Jack detected a lifeform closing in on them from straight ahead. They advanced rapidly toward the target, Jack immediately priming his right hand with a lethal charge of electricity.
A little girl stepped into view, slowly limping toward them.
"Help me, ple—"
"What are you?! Answer clearly and quickly, or you die right here," Jack barked, his face twisted in pure rage as he thrust his charged hand directly toward the little girl's face.
The girl collapsed backward onto the floor, bursting into tears.
"M-m-my name is Alicia, s-sir. Please don't kill me," she sobbed, terror overwhelming her to the point where she wet herself right there on the floor.
Great… she wet herself.
"Hey, you absolute psycho! Don't threaten a little girl!" Valentine screamed in a fury.
She landed a heavy slap with her left hand right onto Jack's right shoulder as she slid off his back, walking straight past him toward the child.
"Don't worry, sweetie. No one is going to hurt you."
"Hey, you didn't have to hit me that hard, Valentine," Jack muttered, wincing and rubbing his shoulder.
Suddenly, a voice echoed through the corridor.
"Panraka zu zuna Direc."
A violent shockwave of compressed air blasted down the hallway, heading directly for Valentine and Alicia.
Both of them froze, utterly paralyzed by fear. Jack threw himself forward with everything he had, intercepting the blast and taking the full force of the impact directly to his back.
He coughed up a violent spray of blood and collapsed to the floor, completely unconscious, his eyes rolled back white…