Silence spread across the battlefield as everyone stared at the rumble, their eyes unfocused.
"Everyone..."
Just then, a muffled voice broke through as they felt their hearts finally beat properly again.
Lucien emerged with Mai. There were a few scratches here and there, but at least there was no blood.
"Continue. Handle your part—we’ll handle ours!" Lucien shouted.
A chuckle escaped from the soldiers as they returned to battle, this time even more aggressive.
That was how much they trusted Lucien, how much they believed in him.
"Mai... match its rhythm, like we practiced. Strike decisively, and when it reaches that stage, I’ll finish it," Lucien said.
Mai nodded.
"I believe you, Lucien," she replied with a smile.
Lucien nodded.
What they were about to do was incredibly dangerous. It required a terrifying level of trust.
And Mai trusted him.
But for Lucien, this had to work.
He could see his soldiers sacrificing themselves not just for him, but for the shelter.
If they could go that far... then what about him?
"I will take you down..."
"No matter what," Lucien thought as he removed his torn suit.
His muscles bulged as he moved.
His eyes flickered toward his SP balance.
SP: 0
No second chances. This was their only opportunity.
And Lucien was determined.
Bang!
He shot forward, the ground beneath him cracking.
Bam!
In an instant, he slammed into the Half-Step One-Star Zombie. Its movement paused slightly as it was forced back.
Then
Bang!
A sharp impact struck from behind. The zombie’s knee buckled slightly.
"Rhh..."
The Half-Step One-Star Zombie turned, its massive mouth opening as its fangs shifted.
It moved smoothly, like a heavy swing, and charged.
"Hey—your opponent is me!" Lucien shouted as he leaped in front of it.
Bang!
The zombie halted as Mai vanished from sight.
Losing track of Mai enraged it, but it was even more furious at Lucien, the annoying pest that could actually harm it.
The zombie slammed its arm down, but Lucien dodged.
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The zombie chased as Lucien led it, while Mai struck from the shadows at intervals.
For a while, they matched its rhythm.
But the damage they dealt was minimal.
At this rate, they couldn’t even seriously injure it let alone kill it.
Still...
They continued.
Because this was all leading to that moment.
The moment they had prepared for.
The moment they had trained for.
"Now!" Lucien shouted.
The zombie attacked and Mai didn’t retreat this time.
Bang!
Bam!
Mai unleashed multiple strikes before pulling back slightly.
Lucien didn’t attack.
Mai stayed.
The zombie paused for a brief moment.
Something felt off.
Were these pests... tired?
Regardless, its rage focused entirely on Mai.
Every time it clashed with Lucien, she interfered. Even if it was stronger, their coordination kept throwing it off.
"Gssshhh—!"
The zombie roared and charged at Mai.
Mai dodged, but her stats were lower than Lucien’s. She couldn’t keep up for long.
Then
The zombie stretched out its fingers, nails like iron spikes.
Mai closed her eyes.
Her expression... calm.
What was their plan?
They both knew they couldn’t kill it directly.
So they would bait it.
Make it hate Mai.
Force it to focus on her.
And at the moment it tried to finish her—
Lucien would strike and end it.
That was why she stood still.
That was why she closed her eyes and why she could smile.
In the next moment,
The zombie would be dead.
Lucien would win.
And they would return to the shelter... together.
But
Seeing the attack coming...
Lucien paused.
Just for a moment.
His eyes settled on Mai.
...But he still moved.
Shrikkkkkk
Mai’s smile froze.
Her eyes widened as she looked down at her abdomen.
A nail had pierced through her.
Tearing her open.
Her guts spilled out.
Her body was quickly drenched in blood. A pool formed beneath her feet.
"Lu... cien..." she struggled to speak.
What happened?
Why...?
This wasn’t supposed to happen.
The zombie was meant to attack but it wasn’t supposed to land.
So why...?
Why did Lucien let it happen?
Her world collapsed.
Tears filled her eyes as unbearable pain flooded her body.
She trembled.
Lost.
Betrayed.
Her trust shattered.
"Grrrraaa—!"
The zombie roared loudly then suddenly, the sound dropped.
The elite zombies and even the normal ones—froze.
The army seized the moment, delivering devastating attacks.
Their eyes shifted toward Lucien and Mai’s battlefield.
The zombie’s massive body fell forward.
Boom!
Dust exploded into the air, covering everything.
At the back
Lucien stepped out, covered in dark green blood, holding a massive spine.
His body was covered in cuts from the zombie’s sharp bones.
This was the first time he had gone all out.
He felt weak.
Like he could collapse at any moment.
Thud.
He dropped the spine and walked forward slowly.
The dust still lingered, but he could see a few inches ahead.
Then
He saw her.
Mai stood there.
The zombie’s nail still pierced through her body.
"Bos... s... what... hap... pened...? Was... it... stron...ger... than... antici...pated...?" she struggled to speak.
Her face twisted in pain as blood poured out.
Lucien looked at her.
His expression...
Neutral.
"You did well," he said, smiling faintly as he placed a hand on her head.
"Th... ank... you..."
"I’m... glad... I... could... help... you..." Mai whispered.
Her voice faded.
By now, everything around her was soaked in blood.
Her eyes slowly lost their light.
For the first time
Lucien watched someone die so closely.
He watched as life... drained away.
As everything that made a person alive...
Disappeared.
...kk...
Mai died with a smile on her face.
At least... she hadn’t died in vain.
She had helped Lucien and the shelter—win.
At the very least, she had traded the life of a peak Beginner-Level Awakener for a Half-Step One-Star Zombie.
For her, that was enough.
It was worth it.
She had done terrible things in her life. She couldn’t even count how many lines she had crossed just to climb to the top.
But at least... in the end.....
She could help her boss one more time.
She could make him proud.
She could repay him for leaving him behind... twice.
And that...
That was enough.
"Yourrrrr role... is complete..."
Just as Mai was about to die, she heard that eerie voice once more.
And then
Nothing.
Nothing but darkness...
As she ceased to exist.
"The truth is..." Lucien began softly as he rubbed her head.
"I could have saved you. I could have stopped your death. But you had lost your value... and you were a ticking bomb."
"Sleep well... darling."
Lucien gently closed Mai’s open eyes and took a deep breath.
(Ding)
(Host has killed a heroine)
(Host has gained 20,000 SP)