Next scene Carter's POV
As soon as Suzaki and I stepped onto the 10th floor, a blast of scorching heat hit us like a punch to the face. Flames crawled up the walls, their orange glow flickering wildly. The air was thick with smoke, making it hard to breathe, and every step forward felt like "Wait. Carter—wasn't there another Juggernaut?" Suzaki exclaimed
"I think so, but we can definitely beat bot—"
The dark gray creature in armor towered over me, its red eyes glowing like burning embers. Before I could react, it grabbed me by the throat and hurled me off the building.
The world spun violently, the wind rushing past my ears, my stomach twisting as I plummeted toward the streets below.
I could see my scythe—falling in the opposite direction.
No…
This couldn't be it.
I don't want to die like this.
Flashback: The Hospital Visit
The smell of antiseptic filled my nose as I walked into the hospital room. The beep of the heart monitor was steady, rhythmic, almost calming.
Christopher lay in the bed, looking stronger than before, but still trapped within these white walls.
Chris—my brother.
"Hey, Chris, are you doing alright?" I asked, holding up a plastic bag. "I brought some Chinese food to make you feel better."
Chris smirked, shifting slightly in bed. "Dude, I just beat cancer, and you're still treating me like I'm dying."
"Yeah, well, gotta make sure you don't collapse over a dumpling or something." I joked, setting the food down on the tray next to him.
Chris rolled his eyes. "At least tell me you brought duck sauce."
I froze.
"Uh…" I scratched my head, realizing I forgot it.
Chris laughed, shaking his head. "It's okay, I was just messing with you."
I chuckled. "You're such a pain."
He grinned. "And you're easy to mess with."
For the first time in a while, things felt normal.
"Oh yeah, one more thing," I said, leaning against the wall.
Chris raised an eyebrow. "Yeah? What is it?"
"I won't be here tomorrow because of some school program. But I'll be back after."
Chris scoffed. "Please, I'll be perfectly fine without you hovering over me."
"Uh-huh. Try not to burn down the hospital while I'm gone."
Chris laughed. "No promises."
The Day Everything Fell Apart
The next day, Christopher Sutfin was murdered.
Stabbed in the throat.
The reports said it was a case of mistaken identity.
The killer got the wrong person.
But that didn't change anything.
Chris was gone.
I locked myself in my room for weeks, barely eating, barely sleeping. My parents tried to comfort me, but nothing they said made a difference.
Because deep down, I knew the truth.
It was my fault.
I wasn't there.
I should've been there.
Maybe if I had gone to see him, I could've stopped it.
Maybe he'd still be alive.
Chris was more than just my brother—he was my best friend.
And I had let him die alone.
One night, after days of avoiding reality, I found myself in Chris's old hospital room.
Most of his stuff had already been packed away.
I was supposed to clean out his things.
Instead, I stood there, staring at the empty bed, feeling completely hollow inside.
Then, while going through his drawers, I found it—
A folded piece of paper with my name on it.
With trembling hands, I opened it.
Dear Carter,
Just in case I don't beat cancer… or even if I do, I want you to listen to me.
You're not weak. You're not anyone else.
You don't have to prove yourself to them—you just have to be you.
Your strength isn't in what they say. It's in what you choose to become.
Stand up. Fight.
Because no one else gets to decide who you are—only you do.
My hands shook, my breath catching in my throat.
Chris…
He always knew.
He always believed in me.
And here I was—about to die like a coward.
No.
No more running.
I HAVE TO FIGHT.
I HAVE TO FIGHT TO WIN!!
Back to Reality: The Fall
The memory vanished, and suddenly, I was back in freefall—plummeting toward the ground.
But something was different now.
I wasn't afraid anymore.
I twisted my body, reaching deep inside myself, letting go of my fear, my doubt—everything holding me back.
And then—
Something awoke within me.
A surge of energy exploded through my body, rushing through my veins like a sudden power-up. My entire being felt lighter, stronger—unstoppable.
In an instant, my scythe materialized in my hands, crackling with energy as if it had been waiting for me to awaken.
My breathing steadied, my determination burning brighter than ever.
My eyes glowed green, radiating a fierce energy I had never felt before.
I wasn't running anymore.
This time, I am fighting to win.
Next scene Suzaki's POV
In the distance, I spotted a crowd of people—some standing frozen in fear, others already trying to flee. My chest tightened.
I cupped my hands around my mouth and screamed, "EVERYONE, RUN! NOW! THE JUGGERNAUT IS IN THAT BUILDING BEH—"
BOOM!
Before I could finish, the Juggernaut exploded through the wall, its massive frame crashing onto the pavement. Dust and debris filled the air as the ground shook beneath me.
For a moment, I expected it to tear through the crowd—but instead, it ignored them completely.
Its glowing red eyes locked onto me.
Wait… why is it coming for me?
The Juggernaut's slow steps turned into a walk. Then a jog. Then a sprint.
"Shit—!"
I turned and bolted, pushing my legs as fast as they could go—until my foot caught on a rock.
I fell hard, my hands scraping against the rough ground. My heart pounded as I turned my head, eyes wide with terror.
The Juggernaut swung its arm back, ready to smash me into the ground.
Someone—please, help me.
I squeezed my eyes shut.
SLASH!
A sharp sound cut through the air, followed by a pained, guttural roar.
I opened my eyes just in time to see a flash of silver.
Standing in front of me was the same silver-haired girl from school.
Her long hair flowed behind her, her cold, sharp eyes locked onto the massive creature in front of us. In her hand, she held a bloodied knife, its blade buried deep into the Juggernaut's eye.
The creature staggered backward, its massive hand clutching at its wounded eye, thick black blood dripping down its face. Its body tensed, muscles flexing with rage.
The girl didn't even flinch.
"That got its attention," she muttered, yanking the knife free in one swift motion. The Juggernaut howled, its roar shaking the very ground beneath us.
I stared, still trying to process what just happened.
"You—you just stabbed it in the eye," I stammered.
She didn't look at me. Her focus remained on the raging beast in front of us.
"Yeah, and now it's pissed," she said casually, like she did this every day.
The Juggernaut let out a furious roar, stomping forward, its remaining eye burning with pure hatred.
She grabbed my arm.
"Move, idiot!"
She yanked me forward, and I stumbled before catching my footing, barely keeping up with her speed as we darted into a narrow alleyway.
We finally stopped, my back slamming against a cold brick wall. My chest heaved, lungs burning from the non stop running.
The silver-haired girl stood beside me, barely even out of breath. Meanwhile, I was still shaking, my mind racing from how close I had just been to dying.
I turned to her, my voice still uneven. "Okay—who are you? And how the hell are you so calm?!"
She didn't even look at me. "Panicking won't help," she muttered, eyes locked on the alley entrance.
I clenched my fists. "We're being chased by a monster, and you just stabbed it in the eye!"
She finally turned to me, her face unreadable. "And if I hadn't, you'd be dead."
I swallowed hard, unable to argue with that.
Then, in the distance—BOOM!
The ground shook, followed by a series of loud crashes.
I peeked around the corner and saw the Juggernaut tearing through buildings, trying to sniff us out.
The girl frowned. "It won't stop until it finds us or something distracts it."
"You got a plan?" I whispered.
"Yeah. Don't get killed."
I stared at her, completely dumbfounded. "That's—seriously? That's your plan?!"
She smirked slightly. "It's worked for me so far."
I groaned, rubbing my temples. "God, we're gonna die here."
Then—
Another Juggernaut appeared.
It stood at the end of the alley, its towering frame blocking the only way forward.
I froze. "Uh, what do we do now?"
She didn't answer.
She was too focused on something above us.
I followed her gaze, and that's when I saw it—
A burst of green light.
And a familiar voice, filled with pure rage.
"I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!!!"*
My eyes widened.
"Carter?!"
He came soaring from above, his scythe glowing with energy as he swung down toward the first Juggernaut.
The creature reacted fast, raising its arm to block.
CLANG!
The impact sent shockwaves through the air, but the Juggernaut managed to parry the strike, forcing Carter backward.
Carter landed and took a step back and tried blitzing him.
His speed was insane.
He dodged and weaved, slipping between the Juggernaut's attacks like he had fought creatures like this a thousand times before.
Then, in one fluid motion—
He flipped over the Juggernaut's head and landed behind it.
Before it could turn—
CRACK!
Carter kicked it in the back, sending the massive beast crashing through multiple buildings.
I stared, completely speechless.
"When the hell did he get that acrobatic and how the hell did he get powers?!"
The girl crossed her arms. "He's not bad."
Before we could even process Carter's fight, the second Juggernaut turned its attention toward him.
With a thunderous roar, it charged straight at Carter, its massive hands raised to crush him.
Carter didn't flinch.
"Too slow."
He grabbed the Juggernaut's head mid-charge—and with sheer strength, he slammed it into the pavement.
BOOM!
The ground cracked beneath the impact. The monster's massive body jerked, its arms twitching.
The silver-haired girl let out a low whistle. "Damn. Guess we're not the only ones getting stronger."
I could only stare in shock.
Carter stood over the downed Juggernaut, his green eyes burning with intensity.
This wasn't the same Carter I knew..
Carter staggered backward, his vision blurring. His breath came in ragged gasps, his chest burning like fire was tearing through his lungs. His legs felt like lead
Carter dropped to his knees, gasping for air, his chest rising and falling rapidly. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he clutched his ribs, his breathing shaky.
"Shit… I wasted too much energy…" he muttered, his voice weak.
The Juggernaut's massive shadow loomed over him.
Before Carter could react, a giant hand wrapped around his throat.
CRACK!
The ground beneath him shattered as the Juggernaut lifted him into the air, its grip tightening. Carter choked, his hands clawing at the beast's fingers, but it was too strong.
Carter gagged, kicking his feet, his hands desperately clawing at the beast's fingers—but its strength was overwhelming.
"CARTER, NO!!"
I didn't think.
I grabbed my sword and charged forward.
"GET OFF HIM, YOU BASTARD!!"
The silver-haired girl's eyes widened.
"WAIT, DON'T—!!"
But I was already swinging.
I brought my sword down hard, aiming straight for the Juggernaut's arm.
CLANG!
The blade connected—but the beast didn't even flinch.
The Juggernaut slowly turned its head toward me.
And then—it smirked.
Before I could react—
WHAM!
A massive backhand sent me flying across the battlefield.
The world blurred as my body slammed through debris, bounced off the pavement, and crashed into a metal pole.
CRACK!
Pain exploded in my skull. My vision flickered.
The last thing I heard before everything went black—
"NOO! SUZAKI!!"
Carter's vision blurred as he watched me collapse, my body limp against the pole.
A cold rage spread through his veins.
He gritted his teeth, his breathing ragged.
The Juggernaut tightened its grip, crushing the air from his lungs.
Carter's vision darkened.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't breathe.
Couldn't—
A pulse.
Something called to him.
A surge of power—a force deep within, begging to be unleashed.
Then—
His scythe appeared in his hand.
The Juggernaut's red eyes widened.
Before it could react—
SLASH!
The blade sliced clean through its neck.
For a moment, time froze.
The Juggernaut's grip loosened.
Its massive body staggered.
And then—
THUD.
Its head hit the ground first.
Its body crumbled after.
The battlefield fell silent.
Then—
GAME 2: JUGGERNAUTS COMPLETED.
The hologram system flashed, displaying the message in bold, glowing letters.
A wave of cheers erupted from the crowd.
But Carter didn't care.
He ran—straight to me.
I was still slumped against the pole, my body unmoving.
Carter dropped to his knees beside me, hands trembling as he checked my pulse.
For a moment, his breath hitched.
Then—he felt it.
A slow, steady heartbeat.
His entire body relaxed.
I was alive.
Breathing.
Safe.
Carter let out a shaky sigh, placing a hand on his forehead.
"Dumbass," he muttered under his breath.