The gunshot rang out like a thunderclap, splitting the chaos.
For half a second, everything slowed.
My heart slammed against my chest, adrenaline pumping through my veins like fire.
Knox's eyes flicked toward Reed—the briefest glimmer of surprise flashing across her face.
She hadn't expected him to fire.
Neither had I.
The bullet missed her head by inches, embedding into the concrete wall behind her with a sharp crack.
It didn't matter that he missed.
The opening was all I needed.
I pivoted sharply, gripping Rebellion with both hands—ignoring the searing pain in my injured forearm.
Knox's eyes snapped back to me—
Too late.
I swung with everything I had.
📩 [System Alert – Critical Strike Executed]
Rebellion's blade slammed into her side, slicing through her tactical vest.
The impact sent her flying backward, her feet skidding across the cracked concrete floor.
For the first time, she staggered.
She landed in a crouch, gripping her side. Blood stained her fingers.
Her grin widened.
"…Oh," she panted. "Now that's more like it."
She was bleeding, and she was still excited.
I tightened my grip on Rebellion, feeling my knuckles ache.
She was still smiling.
Like she was enjoying this.
📩 [System Alert – Opponent Sustained Damage: Moderate]
📩 [Administrator Stamina: 42% – Rapid Decrease Detected]
👾 Administrator (Me): I landed a hit! She's hurt!
💀 I'm Not a Bad Slime: Good. Now hit her again before she adjusts.
⚔️ The Lone Wolf: Don't let her recover. Keep pressing. You're still slower than she is.
🕷️ Peter Parker: Yeah, she's not gonna let you get another freebie.
Knox pushed herself up, rolling her shoulder casually.
Her jacket was torn open at the side, blood seeping into the fabric.
But her expression barely shifted.
She rolled her neck and cracked her knuckles.
"Y'know," she drawled, her voice still calm, "you're a lot more fun than I expected."
Then her eyes narrowed slightly, and her grin sharpened.
"But you're still not gonna win."
I barely had time to process the words before she vanished.
Third Person POV – Reed and Claire
"Shit, she's fast," Reed muttered under his breath, lowering his gun slightly.
Claire crouched beside him, eyes wide, watching the blur of motion that was Knox and Evelyn clashing across the safehouse.
Her gaze flicked toward Reed. "You missed."
He exhaled sharply, eyes still locked on Knox.
"I wasn't aiming for her," he muttered.
Claire's eyes narrowed. "Then who—"
Then she noticed.
His eyes were locked on Evelyn.
Reed wasn't trying to hit Knox.
He was giving Evelyn an opening.
Claire's breath caught in her throat.
She wasn't used to this—seeing people fight for their lives like this.
Knox was fast. Too fast.
And yet, somehow, Evelyn was still keeping up.
Barely.
But it wouldn't last.
Claire's hands curled into fists.
Her chest tightened.
She turned back to Reed. "We can't just watch."
Reed's jaw clenched. "I know."
He reloaded his gun, voice low and steady.
"We're getting her out of here. One way or another."
Back to Evelyn – First Person POV
Knox moved like a phantom.
One second, she was in front of me—the next, she was gone.
I felt the slightest shift in the air behind me.
Too late.
Her knife slammed into my shoulder, cutting through muscle.
I gasped sharply, staggering forward.
Pain flared through my arm, my vision briefly flickering with white spots.
📩 [System Alert – Severe Injury Sustained]
📩 [Administrator Health: 64% → 49%]
👾 Administrator (Me): Oh, COME ON!
💀 I'm Not a Bad Slime: MOVE. DON'T LET HER CLOSE IN.
⚔️ The Lone Wolf: Your reaction time is slipping. She's pushing you too hard.
🕷️ Peter Parker: You're bleeding too much! You need to fall back!
I barely blocked the next strike, Rebellion's blade colliding with Knox's knife in a shower of sparks.
My arms shook from the impact.
I couldn't keep this up.
She could see it too.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Her grin turned sharper.
"You're slowing down," she mused.
Then she suddenly slammed her knee into my stomach.
I choked, stumbling backward.
Pain exploded in my ribs, knocking the air from my lungs.
Knox advanced instantly, not giving me a second to recover.
I swung Rebellion out of reflex, trying to buy space—
She ducked the blade easily, stepping into my guard.
Her knife flashed toward my neck—
📩 [System Alert – Incoming Fatal Strike Detected]
And then a second gunshot rang out.
Third Person POV – Reed and Claire
The shot whistled through the air, slamming into the ground just in front of Knox's feet.
It missed—but it was close enough to make her stop.
For half a second, she hesitated.
Reed didn't.
He fired twice more, forcing her back.
Knox spun, eyes narrowing slightly at the two of them.
Then she smiled.
Slowly.
Like she was sizing them up.
"Well," she muttered. "That's annoying."
Claire grabbed Reed's arm.
"Are you insane?!" she hissed. "You're just pissing her off!"
Reed didn't respond.
He was already moving.
He pulled two cylindrical devices from his belt and hurled them toward Knox's feet.
Smoke bombs.
First Person POV – Evelyn
The entire room suddenly filled with a thick cloud of black smoke.
I blinked, vision blurring.
My chest heaved as I tried to push air through my burning lungs.
I could barely see—but I could hear.
Knox's boots scraped against the ground.
She was moving through the smoke, slowly, deliberately.
"Cheap trick," she muttered, her voice echoing slightly. "Won't save you."
My hands tightened around Rebellion, shaking slightly.
She was right.
The smoke wouldn't save me.
But it might slow her down.
I shifted my weight, ignoring the burning pain in my arm.
I calmed my breathing.
I listened.
There—three steps ahead, slightly to the right.
I swung.
📩 [System Alert – Precision Counter]
Rebellion's blade sliced through the smoke, colliding with Knox's knife.
Sparks flew.
She grunted softly, her stance shifting slightly.
Her knife arm dipped for half a second.
My chance.
I twisted my body, throwing my full weight into a kick—
Slamming my boot into her chest.
Knox staggered back, coughing slightly as the smoke thickened.
And that was all the time Reed and Claire needed.
"GO!" Reed's voice boomed through the smoke.
I barely felt his hand clamp around my arm before he pulled me back, dragging me through the swirling black haze.
Claire's hand clutched my other arm, guiding me toward the exit.
"Don't stop," she gasped, her voice tight. "Keep moving!"
I stumbled forward, my legs barely cooperating.
Behind me, I heard Knox's voice—calm, dangerous.
"You think you can run?"
Then I felt it—
A chill crawled down my spine.
Because it wasn't just Knox in that smoke anymore.
Something else was coming.