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"Run? Run where?"
The room was a dead end. One door, one way out, and a hulking Shimmer-beast standing in the way of it.
Chen felt a cold sweat prickle his neck. In his past life, the years between the tragedy at the cannery and the start of the "present day" story were a blank slate—a montage of training and trauma he hadn't seen. He was off the script now. No more spoilers. No more foreknowledge. Just him, a steel pipe, and a monster that smelled like chemical rot.
Powder was trembling, shrinking back into the corner as the beast let out a guttural roar. One of the kids tried to slam the door, but a single, massive fist punched through the wood like it was wet cardboard.
Ekko lay crumpled against the wall, his ribs likely shattered. This wasn't the "Time Assassin" yet. He didn't have a Z-Drive to rewind his mistakes. He was just a kid in over his head.
I have to do something.
Chen's eyes darted to his system HUD. A notification was flashing gold:
Main Quest: The Twin Cities War Objective: Help Ekko establish the Firelights (Completed). Reward: Random Basic Ability — Counter Strike.
Wait, mission complete? Chen didn't have time to process how or when he'd finished it—maybe just bringing Powder to Ekko's side was the catalyst for the Firelights' future. He just mashed the "Claim" button.
Skill Learned: Counter Strike (Jax - E) Effect: Dodge all basic attacks for 2s. Reduces AOE damage by 25%. After 2s, stuns nearby enemies for 1s and deals physical damage. Cooldown: 14 seconds.
"Jax's E?! My precious system, I take back every bad thing I ever said about your RNG!"
Chen snatched the steel pipe from Ekko's limp hand.
"You can't... beat it..." Ekko wheezed. "Take her... run..."
Chen ignored him. He stepped forward, putting himself between the beast and the children. He swung the pipe, connecting with the monster's temple.
-24
"Damn it! My AD is pathetic!" Chen cursed. But it didn't matter. The monster's aggro had shifted. It turned its glowing, purple eyes away from the kids and locked onto Chen.
"GO!" Chen roared, not looking back. "Take Ekko and Powder! I'll hold the lane, just get out of here!"
The monster lunged, a fist the size of a dinner plate screaming toward Chen's skull. The kids gasped. Powder screamed his name.
But Chen didn't flinch. He raised the steel pipe above his head and began to spin it in a blurring, hypnotic circle.
"MISS!"
The massive fist slammed into the spinning guard, but it felt like it hit a ghost. The force vanished into thin air. The monster, confused, threw a follow-up hook.
"MISS!"
For two seconds, Chen was untouchable. The monster was landing hits that should have turned him into paste, yet he didn't lose a single point of health.
"WHY ARE YOU STILL STANDING THERE?!" Chen screamed.
That broke the spell. The other children grabbed Ekko by the shoulders and dragged a reluctant, sobbing Powder toward the exit.
As the two-second timer expired, Chen slammed the spinning pipe downward. A shockwave of kinetic energy erupted, and the Shimmer-beast froze, its limbs locked in a Stun animation.
Chen didn't wait. He bolted.
He made it to the hallway, his lungs burning, but a second of stun isn't much. He heard the thunder of heavy footsteps behind him. The beast was fast—faster than his 320 Movement Speed.
A heavy blow caught Chen in the center of his back.
-137
Chen felt his ribs snap. He tasted copper as he spat blood onto the floor. He managed to land one desperate elbow strike as he stumbled forward, triggering Grasp of the Undying to suck back a sliver of health, but the monster was relentless.
Watching from the end of the hall, Powder's world began to fracture.
Her mind became a cacophony of voices. A new one—sharp, high-pitched, and manic—cut through the static of her fear.
"You're so useless, Powder. A little good-for-nothing. You're just going to watch him die too, aren't you?"
"No..." Powder whispered, clutching her head. "Who are you?"
"I'm the one who actually gets things done, baby. Give me the wheel. I'll save your boyfriend."
Powder's eyes didn't just change; they lit up with a feverish, violet intensity. She shook off the kids holding her and reached into her satchel, pulling out two handguns.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Seventeen rounds. Every single one screamed through the air and buried itself in the monster's skull.
"Damn, this thing's a tank!" a voice shouted. It wasn't Powder's voice. It was wilder.
Chen saw the shift. He knew exactly who had just stepped onto the stage. His 14-second cooldown pinged—ready. He activated Counter Strike again and charged the monster, meeting it head-on to keep it in place.
"JINX! SPRAY AND PRAY! FINISH IT!"
"Hahaha! Jinx? What a great name! I love it!"
The girl flicked her wrists, magazines dropping and fresh ones sliding in with impossible speed. She emptied both clips again. The monster finally collapsed, its body twitching before going still.
Chen, clutching his broken ribs and wheezing, limped toward her. "Powder? Are you... okay?"
The girl tilted her head, a sharp smirk playing on her lips. She stepped forward and poked Chen's chin with a slender finger. Her eyes were wide, bright, and utterly terrifying.
"Powder? You mean that crybaby?" She spread her hands innocently. "Oh, I locked her in a box. You're stuck with me now."
She leaned in, her finger sliding down to rest right over his heart. "You gave me this name, you know. Back at the junkyard. You kept calling me 'Jinx.' I didn't even know what to call myself until you said it."
She drew a small, slow circle on his chest. Then, she grabbed his face, pressing her forehead against his. The signature, jagged grin of the Loose Cannon spread across her face.
"So tell me, Chen... what exactly does 'Jinx' mean?"
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