CLANG!

Deon just barely managed to block the attack, but the force of the impact nearly knocked the katana out of his hands.

It’s...heavy!

Pain shot down both wrists as he staggered back half a step. Not enough to leave the Zone, but enough that the red light beneath his feet flickered like it was warning him not to take another step.

[Warning: Contestant nearing Zone boundary.]

"No shit!"

With its other arm, the Infantry swept it across the space like a scythe. Deon managed to drop flat just as it tore through the trees behind him.

But he didn’t manage to completely dodge it in time, as it managed to nick him, drawing blood through his jacket.

It was enough of a reminder that Infantry were still dangerous, and one clean hit would open Deon up like a convenience store rice ball.

He pushed himself up.

[Claim Progress: 84%]

Every time Deon tried to move toward its head, one of those long arms swept across the Zone and forced him back. It wasn’t even trying to stab him, just clearing space.

"Annoying bastard..."

"Chat," Deon hissed, barely ducking another sweep, "how long does it take—"

He just barely dodged another pincer. "To capture this freaking Zone!"

[Claim Progress: 91%]

Almost, so close...!

The Infantry dragged its claws back, preparing for another sweep.

Deon clicked his tongue. If this were a normal fight, he would’ve already ended it. But the Zone had turned his feet into nails hammered into the ground.

[Claim Progress: 94%]

I need to buy some time.

The Infantry lunged again, and this time, Deon noticed that it was just off-balance enough to—

"Trip."

Its front leg slipped just enough to ruin the angle of its charge. The monster stumbled, claws scraping across the dirt instead of his chest.

And in that moment...

Ding!

[Claim Progress: 100%]

[Zone M-1 Claimed.]

[Zone Holder may now leave the area.]

"Finally."

He vanished from the center of the Zone in one smooth step, slipping outside the path of the claws with inches to spare.

Before the Infantry could recover, Deon was already at its side. Using his boot, he kicked the monster’s lower knee, causing it to fall back to the ground and exposing its head.

With one smooth motion—

Thunk!

The core split apart.

The Infantry let out a broken shriek before its entire body collapsed beneath him, dissolving into ash before it could even hit the ground.

[You have defeated a Ruined Infantry.]

[+10 Points Awarded.]

"See?" he muttered, breathing hard but no longer cornered. "So much easier."

As soon as he did, the entire northern path had gone quiet. The monsters that had been swarming toward him only moments ago had either died, retreated, or turned their attention somewhere else.

"So that’s how it works..." he muttered. "Each side has one zone...so once a Zone was claimed, the monsters stopped spawning here."

"Good to know."

Just as Deon felt like things were starting to come together, a scream suddenly rang across Mihan Park.

He turned, looking for the source of the sound before finding it. There, lying on the ground, was Nami, with a massive gash across her stomach. Mina was on her knees, supporting her twin sister’s body with her arms.

Hana just barely reached them, [Basic Heal] already in hand as a green light enveloped Nami’s body.

Deon narrowed his eyes only to find a group of Infantry quickly approaching the group.

...Why did so many Infantry come from Mihan Station?! Fuck, I messed up, I should’ve been over there instead.

Deon had assumed the station entrance would funnel Hounds. He thought [Push] and [Pull] would be enough to disrupt anything coming from below, turning the stairs into a meat grinder where the twins could stall long enough to claim their Zone.

But he had forgotten one thing.

Mihan Station was a tunnel, and tunnels didn’t just limit enemies—they also hid how many were coming.

Three Infantry dragged themselves up from the broken stairwell, their long claws scraping against stone steps as they climbed.

Mina raised her hand desperately.

"Pull!"

One of the Infantry jerked sideways, its shoulder slamming into the broken railing, but it didn’t fall. Its claws dug into the stone, anchoring itself before it dragged its body forward again.

Nami tried to lift her own Card with trembling fingers, her lips parted but only a weak sound came out.

"Nami, don’t move!" Hana cried, pressing [Basic Heal] closer as the glow wrapped tighter around the wound. "Please, please, please—"

Deon sprinted immediately, shooting out from the northern path before raising [Trip] between his fingers.

The closest Infantry’s leg slipped just as it brought its claw down toward Mina. The swing missed by inches, tearing through the stone where her head had been a moment earlier.

She screamed and fell backward, still clutching Nami with one arm. Deon reached them a second later. His katana plunged straight into the first Infantry’s core while it was off-balanced, turning it into ash immediately.

[You have defeated a Ruined Infantry.]

[+10 Points Awarded.]

"All three of you, prioritize claiming your Zone! It’s almost finished!"

Hana looked at him, panic written all over her face, but her hands didn’t stop glowing over Nami’s wound. "Deon, she’s bleeding too much!"

"Tch..." Deon clicked his tongue, grabbing the hem of his shirt and tearing a long strip straight off.

Rrrrip!

With the white fabric, he bent over and wrapped it around Nami’s stomach area before tightening it from the back. Once he finished, Deon stood again, looking at another incoming Infantry.

"Go! Now!"

"But—" Mina started.

"If this Zone doesn’t get claimed, more of them will keep coming!" Deon snapped, raising his katana as the two Infantry dragged themselves up the stairwell. "You want her to survive? Then finish what you started!"

Mina’s face twisted, fear, guilt, hesitation, all of it flashed across her expression in the span of one breath.

Then Nami, still pale and barely conscious, grabbed her twin’s sleeve with bloodied fingers. "Mina..."

"Pull me...in..."

Hana’s eyes widened. "No, you shouldn’t move!"

Nami shook her head weakly, tears gathering in the corner of her eyes. "If...I’m outside the Zone..."

"Then this was for nothing."

Deon managed a glance.

Damn it...

This was exactly the kind of thing he hated. The heroic little speeches and bleeding determination. The part where someone half-dead decided to be useful and made everyone else feel like garbage for wanting them to stay still.

If Nami had already been claiming the Zone, then Deon had no idea when it would reset.

And if the west side reset now, Mihan Station would keep vomiting Infantry into the park until the fountain plaza collapsed.

"Hana. Keep healing while they move."

"What?!"

"You heard me."

"That’s insane!"

"Aren’t you used to it by now!?"

The first Infantry lunged at them, but Deon moved forward to meet it halfway. Its claws came down like a falling guillotine. Instead of blocking head-on, he angled his katana and let the strike slide across the blade.

Remember what you learned, Deon. Nuki-dō—evade the strike and cut through the opening left behind.

He stepped diagonally, slipping past the strike before flipping the edge of the sword upward and plunging it straight into the Infantry’s chest.

Then, with all his might—

"GRAAAAGHHH!"

He drove forward with the cut, twisting his hips and forcing the blade higher, dragging the edge from the creature’s chest all the way toward the red core buried in its split skull.

"BREAK!"

Crrrrrack!

The Infantry dropped to the floor, its body collapsing into ash before it could even finish screaming.

[You have defeated a Ruined Infantry.]

[+10 Points Awarded.]

Deon didn’t even have time to breathe. He turned toward the stairs and immediately saw the darkness below Mihan Station begin to move.

He counted them out: one, two, three, four...maybe even more.

His expression sank. "You’ve gotta be kidding me..."

Yet Deon stepped in front of them regardless, katana lowering to one side. His wrist still hurt from the previous slash and his shoulder stung where the earlier cut had opened his jacket.

And unlike Shinso Bridge, there was no convenient river and tilted car waiting below.

[ClownWithWifi: uhhh that’s a lot]

[AuraMonster: yup, looks like a lot.]

"Less poetry," Deon muttered, tightening his grip. "More solutions!"

The first Infantry reached the final steps.

Then the second climbed beside it, forcing its way up with a shoulder slam that cracked the wall. The third crawled over the railing like some oversized insect, claws digging into the stone.

They were all coming at once.

Shit...maybe I can use the stairs as a funnel. No, that’s only if the monsters lined up.

Hana’s voice came from behind him, "D-Deon!"

"I know!"

His fingers tightened, [Trip] in his left hand and [Blade] in his right. Even if he dropped the first Infantry, the rest would crash over it like floodwater.

I still have to try...there’s no one else but me.

He raised his blade just as the first Infantry lunged. The second followed a beat later and a third came around his side. But just as they were all crashing down onto Deon at once—

Ding!

[Zone M-2 Claim Progress: 100%]

[Zone M-2 Claimed.]