[You have defeated an advanced 9th grade demonic person.]

[You have earned 500 coins.]

[There are 10 minutes remaining until the end of the scenario.]

 

---

 

I watched the various messages pour into my eardrums. I exerted a lot of energy and needed to take a break for a second. I flopped onto the ground and watched the remaining demonic people flood toward my companions. I knew I had to get up and fight but my body wouldn't let me. I could see Thomas shockingly holding his own, I hadn't really seen how strong he was until now. But that alone wasn't good enough, especially since we only had ten minutes left to get to Derlith Station. It was then I suddenly heard a shout. 

I swiftly turned my head and stared at the scene. Mia was there defending Leo from the mob of demonic people, but it was clear she was struggling to hold her own and she was constantly being pushed back. I tried to push my body once more but I still couldn't move. Shit, even with all these buffs I can't get up? My only hope was Thomas but his next words surprised me. 

"Just leave Leo! Grab the bags and make a break for it!"

Mia was stunned at this proclamation but had no time to ponder on it and kept on fighting. I then shouted abruptly. 

"Leave him?! Didn't you save him?! How could yo-" 

"He's been a burden. Me saving him was a mistake. He's useless and can't even defend himself." 

Even though my morality seemed to argue against him, I could easily grasp what he said. Leo was truly a burden, no good thing would come out of accompanying someone who would hold us back. I thought it every time but I wasn't a protagonist. I wouldn't be a hero or a savior. But… Letting him die voluntarily would be a mistake. I wouldn't let Leo Collins die. At least, not today.

As I watched the surging wave of monsters, I gave strength to my thighs. 

[200 coins have been invested into 'strength'.]

The level 3 strength condensed at once and my feet developed a strong propulsion force. The demonic people came to me from all directions, extending their arms out to neutralise my emerging danger. Unfortunately for them, they were instantaneously hacked down by my knife and collapsed onto the ground. Although I gained a temporary buff, I still was not a match for the hoardes of demonic people radiating venomous energy. As I was making my way through a couple demonic monsters, my arm was grazed by a demonic monsters nail and I gave a grimace of pain. My arm instantly emitted the purple toxic energy and I fell off balance momentarily. I didn't want to waste a lot of coins but it seemed it was inevitable right now. 

[The Constellation 'Nail-Eating Rat' is laughing at you.] 

[The Constellation ‘Warrior's Delightness'’ is looking at you.]

[The Constellation ‘Warrior's Delightness’’ pities you.]

[The Constellation ‘Warrior's Delightness'’ wants to give you a helping hand.]

Helping hand..?

[The Constellation 'Warrior's Delightness’’ offers to grant you their stigma temporarily.]

Stigma? Whatever it was, I couldn't be picky. There was no way to get out of here in time or alive if I didn't receive any help. 

[There are 6 minutes remaining until the end of the scenario.]

[The Incarnation 'Aksel Liebert' accepts the stigma.]

My body suddenly was enveloped in a whitish aura. My eyes stung from the blinding light. 

[All stats will explosively increase for 6 minutes!]

[Physique Lv. 3 -> Physique Lv. 13]

[Strength Lv. 3 -> Strength Lv. 13]

[Agility Lv. 5 -> Agility Lv. 15]

[Magic Power Lv. 1-> Magic Power Lv. 10]

[The vitality in your body is rising!]

[The potential of your muscles have exploded!]

[You can move more agilely than before.]

[Your heart is seething with an unknown energy!]

I was momentarily overwhelmed by the sheer amount of power but quickly set my eyes on the prize. I dashed forward and a slight sonic boom could be heard as the ground erupted into debris. The demonic monsters turned partially to my direction but were slit into halves by my knife which had now extended significantly. It seems that the magic power buff I received effected my knife too. In the distance, I could see Leo clutching his injured leg and crying out in pain. After swiping the legs off a few demonic monsters, I crouched down to Leo's eye level. 

"Don't worry bud, I've got you. We'll get out of this alive."

Leo was too injured to speak but gave off a slightly warming smile. I didn't know where this sense of morality came from, I never was a such a caring person like this until I took part in these scenarios. I got rid of the temporary thoughts and grabbed a piece of my cloth from the ground to bandage Leo's injured leg, placing him onto my back I glanced over to Mia. 

"Mia."

"I'm a little busy right now!" 

"Step back. I'll make a path for you to go through. You’ll have to get through."

Before Mia could fully turn to my direction, I leapt past her with great speed with Leo on my back. Plentiful of demonic people's head flew into the air. Warrior's Delightness' stigma wrapped around my body. I pushed away all the demonic monsters coming from the front.

[There are 4 minutes remaining until the end of the scenario.]

I flew past the remaining demonic people and took a turn, now the distance to Derlith Station was 90 meters in a straight line.

I breathed in and started to run with all my strength. I could see the Exit 1 sign in the distance. I placed Leo onto the ground.

"Can you walk?" 

Leo nodded. 

"Go, quickly. There's only a little time left before scenario's over."

He didn't need to be told twice. Leo one-leggedly sprinted toward the exit. As I watched him sprint, I realize Leo wasn't holding any bags... Good grief. But, I had to go back and save the others at the very least anyway, I'll also have to find the bags and carry them myself. I consumed another breath of fresh air and sprinted. 

[There are 3 minutes remaining until the end of the scenario.]

[There are 3 minutes remaining until 'Warrior's Delightness' stigma is removed.] 

As I approached the scene I had temporarily withdrew from, I could see Mia spontaneously fending off the demonic people screeching at her. 

"Mia!" 

She turned and her eyes met mine. 

"Aksel!" 

A monster jumped out at her and I quickly obliterated its skull.

"T-thank you so much! I really can't thank you enough, Aksel."

I hit her with a slight grin. 

"Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it from here. The scenarios nearly over so you should get there immediately."

"But what about you? How are you going to get there in time?" 

"Again, don't worry about it. Just go quickly, I’ve got this."

"Ah..Thank you. I’ll pay you back for this too!"

Little resistance, it was practically a quick get out of jail free card, who wouldn’t take it? I don’t blame her though, if anyone should survive, it had to be the beauties. At least in this apocalypse, with everything destroyed, they were something that could keep you pushing.

As her blonde hair was lifted by the wind, Mia departed and hurriedly sprinted over to Derlith Station. 

[There are 3 minutes remaining until the end of the scenario.]

There weren't a lot of monsters now, there were only a couple few that were instantly cut down by my enhanced knife. I could spot the groceries in the distance, but it was then that a figure jumped into my line of sight. The figure tried to grab me but I curved away from the trajectory. As I focused on the figure, I could determine its character. Thomas. 

"Why the fuck did you leave me?! You bastard!" 

I was taken aback but replied. 

"I didn't abandon you. You seemed to handle the hordes on your own. I couldn't say that about the rest."

"Dammit! Why didn't you just ditch them? They're practically useless. We should team up, me and you. We're both powerful so we can get through this shithole together. Whaddya say?" 

I glanced at him then looked away. 

"Sorry, but I can't do that."

Thomas became greatly disturbed, as if he could not believe what I had just said. A look of rage on Thomas Lee's face and his thoughts burst out like a barrage of bullets. 

"Are you fucking stupid?! What are you going to do with people like that, huh?! Are you really going to waste time with people like that?! Let's team up!" 

[A handful of Constellations are intrigued by this conversation.]

[A few Constellations have sponsored you 500 coins.]

I glanced back at Thomas. 

"I said sorry, but I decline."

Thomas Lee's face shifted from rage to agitation. He let out a deep sigh. 

"I guess I'll just kill you right now."

 

---

 

I continuously kept dodging Thomas' consecutive attacks, even with my buffs he could still go toe to toe with me. I couldn't afford to waste anymore time here. The scenario was almost over and I've wasted too much time already. I anticipated Thomas' attack and grabbed his arm, thrusting him onto the ground with all my might. 

"You don't have to do this, Thomas. We can still group up with the others."

Thomas spat out specks of blood.

"Haven’t you seen the message? We’re out of time already, you shouldve just accepted my proposal from the start and ditched that stupid kid. Now you'll die here with me."

I leapt away from Thomas' incoming strike and landed next to the groceries. There was no point trying to talk to him anymore, he'd gone insane. I had to go. Now. 

[There are 2 minutes remaining until the end of the scenario.]

I picked up the groceries and sped forward. Thomas watched in awe as I zipped past him. I could hear shouts slowly drifting away but I had no time to dawn on them. I had to exert all my energy and focus on getting to Derlith Station. 

[There is 1 minute remaining until the end of the scenario.]

I pushed every inch of my body forward until I saw Derlith Station. My happiness quickly turned to null. The exit that Leo had went into and Mia supposedly was now closed. I swiftly passed Exit 1, to Exit 2 then Exit 3. They were all locked. 

[There are 40 seconds remaining until the end of the scenario.]

As I sprinted to Exit 4, it appeared to be locked as well. I cursed myself, if only I had not gone back for these groceries. It was then that I had the idea. At my will, my muscles tensed and my feet grew light. My only option was to blast through the steel shutter. I braced myself and sprinted. 

[There are 10 seconds remaining until the end of the scenario.]

Just a little more. 

[There are 5 seconds remaining until the end of the scenario.]

I was right before the steel shutter. Cmon. I braced myself for the impact, my final step had printed itself into the ground, wind scattering.

['Warrior's Delightness'’ stigma has been removed.] 

[The second scenario has ended.]