Kalia panted heavily.
The giant in front of her showed no signs of exhaustion, unlike her.
During the brief respite in the fight, a question floated through her mind.
‘What the hell were those weird guys?’
She had burst through the door and used one of the incoming guards as a shield.
Despite her body not being fully recovered, she fought like a madwoman—punching, swinging, throwing, and stabbing.
Even barehanded, she could easily take down non-Awakened soldiers.
Yet, she eventually found herself cornered by the security team leader.
‘And then the wall suddenly exploded.’
The wall had exploded, revealing a helicopter beyond it—a rigid military design.
Then the helicopter had fired rockets.
She had dodged in time, but the shock of the explosion caused the floor to collapse beneath her.
She fell to the floor below.
When she regained her senses and stood up, she saw security guards being shot and falling from above.
‘What about Violet…?’
It must have been the work of the people firing rockets from the helicopter.
But why?
She didn’t know.
Laplaxia was a notorious biotech corporation with too many enemies to count.
‘No, stop thinking about other things. Focus on the enemy in front of you.’
Dragging her weary body, she tried to find a way back upstairs, but the giant blocked her path.
She now understood why Violet called him an “Ogre.”
What a brute.
“Damn it… Hey, can’t you just let me go? You guys got attacked by those weirdos too, right? Shouldn’t you deal with them first?”
The black-clad giant shook his head.
“You come first.”
His obstinate attitude made her blood boil.
“Damn… Did you eat bricks for breakfast? You stubborn jerk! Move aside!”
Kalia charged at the Ogre.
Flames flared around her legs as she closed the distance at high speed.
Fiery footprints were left on the ground as she moved.
She dodged the hammer that came sweeping horizontally and evaded the vertical swing that followed.
The guy was simply a physically enhanced Awakened.
If she found an opening, she could definitely gain the upper hand—or so she believed.
‘Then, and now, there’s no opening at all!’
She thought she had dodged, but the hammer strikes came at her in rapid succession.
There was no elaborate technique or psychological tricks, just relentless, straightforward attacks that followed textbook trajectories.
Fast and powerful—that was all.
“Ugh!”
She bent her waist to avoid a hammer swing.
The hammer, imbued with magic, swept past just above her face.
The sharp sound of the air splitting weighed on her.
Taking a direct hit would be a guaranteed loss.
In their first fight, she had been knocked out with a single surprise swing of that hammer.
The hammer slammed into the wall, embedding itself deeply.
She didn’t miss the brief moment when the Ogre lifted it again.
She jumped off the wall next to her and delivered a kick to his head.
Sparks flew as the Ogre flinched.
Kalia moved inside the sledgehammer’s shaft and unleashed a flurry of punches at the Ogre.
Once, twice, three times—please, just go down! Please!
“Argh!”
The Ogre quickly crossed his arms to block her flying kick.
A surge of flames erupted once again.
She stepped back, retreating.
The impact still made her arms numb.
‘If only I had a proper sword…’
The giant didn’t even flinch.
It felt like hitting a stone wall.
Her barehanded attacks weren’t effective.
Her body wasn’t in good shape either.
Thanks to the recovery serum Violet had given her, her injuries had mostly healed, but that was it.
“Gah…!”
A momentary lapse caused by fatigue and injuries resulted in a mistake.
She failed to dodge properly and was struck, sent flying through a glass wall into an office.
She picked up a few glass shards within reach, coated them with flames, and hurled them.
The reinforced shards struck the Ogre’s body and exploded, but it wasn’t enough.
Kalia staggered to her feet.
She could feel the end nearing.
But then,
“Kalia! I’m here!”
A blonde girl with crimson eyes ran toward her.
Kalia was in a terrible state, beaten to a pulp.
Was it because she didn’t have a sword?
‘I forgot this is before the main timeline!’
The Kalia from the main story was an adult woman, but the current Kalia still had a youthful look about her.
The time gap of just a few years was more significant than it seemed.
Right, I remembered now.
That Ogre security team leader—he resembled one of the giant hammer-wielding soldiers from the game.
They were early-game field bosses—sturdy but manageable with higher levels.
Unfortunately, we were still at a beginner’s level.
Could we win?
‘Does it even matter? There’s a bastard over there to fight, so let’s do it!’
I threw the one-handed sword I had brought.
“Here! Catch! A new sword!”
Kalia caught the sword I tossed.
“Ah… Right, this heavy, cold feeling. It’s been so long.”
She turned fiercely, discarding the sheath.
“Wait! Take this too!”
I stuck the remaining recovery serum into Kalia’s body.
Now there was only one left.
“Thanks! I might have a shot now. Stay back!”
When Kalia tried to push me back, I snapped and pulled out a hammer.
“I can fight too! If you try to fight alone like earlier, I’ll hit you!”
Kalia looked at me for a moment and then nodded.
She resumed her combat stance.
“Round two. You dumb rock.”
I moved behind a wall briefly.
Flames flickered on the sword Kalia held.
The Ogre charged like a dump truck.
Kalia met him head-on, dodging the hammer swing once more.
When she got close, the Ogre retreated and kicked at her.
But she wasn’t about to fall for the same attack twice.
Kalia twisted her body, avoiding the incoming leg.
In that instant of vulnerability, several bright violet arcs appeared in the air.
“Urgh…!”
The Ogre flinched, stepping back.
It worked!
Bright scars burned on his thighs and abdomen.
Enraged, he began swinging his hammer wildly, but Kalia had already jumped back.
“Take this!”
This was my moment.
Two clones that had circled behind the room opened fire at the back of his head.
-Tatatat!
-Bang! Bang!
<Critical Hit!>
<Critical Hit!>
<Critical Hit!>
[Your coordinated assault triggered the synergy effect: Rear Assault. Damage increased!]
‘Yes! Even ranged attacks apply!’
Bullets struck the back of the Ogre’s helmet.
The shock made him flinch, and Kalia charged in, slashing again.
Several exchanges ensued.
Flame-wreathed blades stabbed relentlessly.
Though the Ogre swung his sledgehammer fiercely,
“I can see it all, you bastard!”
Kalia never directly clashed with it.
She dodged the hammer’s blows and countered with quick, precise attacks, adding more wounds to his arms and shoulders.
Sensing danger, the Ogre became defensive again.
Meanwhile, Clones #2 and #3 kept darting around, firing bullets at him.
“Fall already!”
I kept pulling the trigger.
No real damage, but it distracted him.
When the Ogre moved aggressively, we shot at him, and when Kalia attacked, we retreated.
But we were nearing our limit.
“That little brat, how ridiculous.”
As he swung his arm, I was sent flying through the air.
“Arghhh!”
I collided with the wall. I wanted to faint, but thanks to the recovery agent’s effect, I couldn’t.
The Ogre glanced at my vanishing clone before approaching Kalia.
“Your little friend was of no help. Now it’s over.”
The Ogre raised his sledgehammer.
“Ugh! Kalia! Now’s the time!”
“?”
I activated the electric switch. Maximum output!
-Bzzzzt!
“Ugh! What is this…?!”
The Ogre dropped the sledgehammer handle as a sharp electric shock struck his right arm.
It was the last remaining electric shock collar I had attached earlier when I clung to his arm!
He immediately tore off the electric shock collar. But it was too late.
Flames were already erupting around Kalia.
-Boom!
“Guh… Guhk…”
With a single charge, the blade of her sword pierced through his chest.
He fell…!
“Aagh!”
Kalia let out a short scream and was pushed back.
No way, he’s still alive even after taking a blade to the chest?
The Ogre staggered, trying to pull out the sword from his chest.
How is this even possible?
Clone #2 and I staggered to our feet and clung to him.
“Ugh! Just die! Just die already!”
I repeatedly stabbed a screwdriver into his neck.
The clone joined in, stabbing and hitting the back of his head.
-Thud! Thud! Thud!
“Please! Have some decency! Just die already! Aaargh!”
I screamed as I continued stabbing him.
The Ogre stopped moving and collapsed forward with a thud.
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[Level up!]
[* As you faced a formidable opponent, experience points have been boosted!]
“We won…!”
I immediately supported Kalia.
“Ah… Right. That was your clone, wasn’t it? You really know how to give someone a heart attack…”
“Yeah, whatever! We won! Let’s get out of here!”
Supporting each other, we headed for the elevator.
-Ratatatat!
-Get them!
-Spare me!
The noise, presumably from those terrorists earlier, grew louder as it drew closer.
We reached the elevator platform. Except for one entrance, all other doors were sealed with fireproof shutters.
“But how do we open the elevator doors?”
“With this!”
I pulled out the Bald Director’s severed wrist I had pocketed earlier.
Kalia grimaced at the sight.
This better work.
I placed the hand on the elevator’s recognition sensor.
The light on the screen scanned back and forth before beeping, and the doors opened.
“Finally…!”
“Yes!”
We got into the elevator immediately.
The doors closed, and the sound of it descending echoed.
“Surely, there’s nothing else waiting for us down there, right?”
“Probably not!”
Hopefully, there really wasn’t.
When the doors opened, we were greeted by a spacious room and hallway that resembled a lobby.
It was smaller than expected.
Glass doors were visible straight ahead, and beyond them, parked cars could be seen.
“A parking lot? That means it’s the outside!”
“Let’s go!”
We dashed out blindly. We ran through the parking lot lanes lined with pillars.
As we passed the parked cars and headed toward the exit, a researcher frantically scrambled into a car.
“Ugh! I can’t die here…!”
-Thud!
<Critical Hit!>
[Attacking from behind triggered synergy: Rear Assault Critical. Damage increased!]
“This car is now Violet’s property!”
I immediately got into the driver’s seat. Kalia and Clone #2 took the passenger and back seats, respectively.
Wow, this is an electric car.
I never drove one of these while alive, and now I’m trying it for the first time as a girl.
“Wait… You know how to drive?”
“I’ll have you know I have a Class 1 license! Trust me!”
“…Class 1? Never heard of such a license before.”
I shifted the gear and stepped on the accelerator.
The car slid smoothly through the lane.
“Woohoo!”
We sped up the ramp to the main gate.
“The sky…!”
Bright morning sunlight and a clear blue sky welcomed us.
How long had it been since I last saw sunlight?
It was so moving!
Even Kalia, who rarely smiled, opened her mouth slightly in awe.
“But, Violet. What’s that motorcycle behind us?”
Kalia pointed at the rear-view mirror.
Two motorcycles were racing toward us from afar.
Oh no, it was the Obsidian Legion guys who had stormed into the lab earlier.
They were chasing us.
“Get down!”
The pursuers, holding submachine guns in one hand, opened fire on us.
The car interior was quickly wrecked.
I yelled at the top of my lungs.
“This is insane! Please! Just let us go!”
They were closing in at a terrifying speed.
Were they planning to leave no survivors from the lab?
My body ached, and my head spun. I was too furious to bear it.
Desperate measures were needed.
“Kalia! You can drive, right?”
“Yeah, somewhat…”
I quickly moved to the back seat.
I grabbed a piece of fabric to gag my mouth and curled up my body.
-Wheee!
Clone #2 opened the door.
Wind roared into the car.
The sound of roaring motorcycles grew louder.
“Violet, are you planning something weird again? Wait, this isn’t what I think it is, right?”
“What do you think it is?”
I grinned, and she flailed her arms, trying to stop me.
“Hey! Stop! Don’t you dare! Don’t do it!”
Clone #2 leaped out of the car.
A motorcycle wheel loomed right in front.
Now, here’s the question.
What happens when a human-sized object gets sucked under the wheel of a speeding motorcycle?
-Thunk!
Answer: a traffic accident!
The motorcycle toppled forward.
The pursuer, unable to resist the inertia, was flung ahead.
“Arghhh!!!”
Feeling like my entire body had been shattered, I screamed.
Clone #2 disintegrated entirely.
It’s fine…!
The enemy’s going down too!
“Hey!!!”
Kalia yelled again.
Even as tears and snot streamed down my face, I gave her a thumbs-up to signal I was fine.
She glared at me with a scrunched-up face.
Wait, what about the remaining pursuer?
As I looked back, an astonishing sight greeted me.
Seeing his comrade launched like a human rocket, the remaining pursuer sped closer, then pulled out a sword and leapt from the motorcycle.
“He’s an Awakened!”
The leaping pursuer landed on top of our car.
“Kyahhh!”
“What? Above us?”
Kalia hastily drew her sword, but the enemy was faster.
We ducked.
With a series of wild swings, the pursuer slashed off the car’s roof, which fell away.
“Whoa! We’ve got ourselves a convertible now!”
The wicked motorcycle rider tried to swing his sword at us.
-Bang!
“Huh? What was that?”
The rider was suddenly struck by a flying baseball bat and flung backward.
Looking up, I saw a yellow pickup truck speeding alongside us.
A burly man with a Mohawk and a scruffy beard, wearing just a denim vest, was leaning out of the passenger window with a club in hand.
“Damn it, Kalia! Sorry I’m late! The place is a mess!”
“Marco! You should’ve come sooner!”
Kalia’s face lit up when she saw him.
“Violet! They’re from the Brotherhood!”
“Introductions later, little miss! Hop on!”
How was I supposed to do that?
Before I could figure it out, Kalia grabbed me from the passenger seat.
“Huh?”
“Hold on tight!”
She leaped into the pickup truck’s cargo bed.
We landed with a thud.
The abandoned electric car rolled away before toppling over a railing.
I collapsed onto the cargo bed.
As the tension subsided, exhaustion and pain hit me all at once.
Finally, I could feel it.
“Freedom…!”
I closed my eyes.
So sleepy…