The words floated at the edge of his vision, so short and stupidly casual that they almost didn’t feel real.

Already dead? What the hell does that mean?

But even as he thought about it, a part of his brain kept on believing the words. Ryker was still standing there, gripping the fire axe with both hands before plunging said axe into the skull of another Hound.

Hana rushed forward with [Basic Heal] already glowing in her hand. "Move! I can heal him—"

"Wait."

The word left Deon’s mouth before he even knew why he said it. Hana stopped, looking back at him in confusion. "What? Why?"

He swallowed once, then looked at the chat. "What does [Last Stand] do?"

[ChairGoblin_22: Last Stand only activates after fatal damage.]

[ClownWithWifi: awkward timing bro, but it turns you into a frenzied corpse.]

[AuraMonster: A final act after death. A beautiful but cruel Card.]

Ryker had been holding the zone...the last thing that burned into him before the Card activated.

That bastard...that absolute, complete, unbelievable bastard.

Calling him stupid was easier. Calling him reckless was easier. If Deon could reduce it to Ryker being an idiot, then maybe he wouldn’t have to think about the rest.

He wouldn’t have to think about the fact that he had sent him here.

"Bargain, you fucker!" Deon yelled out in frustration just as another Infantry charged at him. He didn’t even know when his katana had plunged into the creature’s skull.

[You have defeated a Ruined Infantry.]

[+10 Points Awarded.]

Hana looked between him and Ryker, her face slowly losing color as she understood. "Deon..."

"Don’t heal him...He’s already gone."

Hana’s fingers trembled around [Basic Heal]. "But maybe if I use it—"

"It activates after fatal damage," Deon said, voice low. "That’s what they said."

Nearby, Jin had gone completely still, the blank Card in his hands shaking.

"F-Fatal damage?" he repeated.

Deon ignored him, not because he wanted to. But if he looked at Jin right now, guilt would cause him to stop. And right now, he just couldn’t afford that.

The Brute Crawler dragged itself farther onto the lakeside path. Its enormous claws crushed through the stone promenade, dragging long trenches behind them.

Water poured from its armor in black streams, hissing wherever it touched the molten red glow leaking from its cracked spikes.

[Zone M-4]

[Claim Progress: 82%]

Damn it...Ryker’s still standing. Dead or not, the man’s still holding the Zone. If I let that effort be wasted, then I’d be worse than Bargain.

Deon sprinted toward the behemoth, raising [Trip] in his free hand and activating it. He saw the movement happen, a small force that tried to push against one of the Brute Crawler’s legs, but it was too weak to trip something this massive over.

Up close, Deon realized it was way bigger than he had expected. A few minutes ago, half of its body was submerged, but now that it was out in the open—

It was the size of at least a four-story building, with massive claws and serrated teeth that Deon knew would give him a bad time if he got hit.

But what was dangerous was not them, it was the laser beam that was capable of destroying trees and rocks in one go.

Though now that he was closer, Deon spotted the crucial detail. Every time the Brute Crawler would shoot the beam attack, the spikes on its body would flare up.

Is that how it charges up? Then why are three of them cracked while the last one remained?

Still, it was enough of a target for Deon to move in. He shouted without looking back. "Hana! Boost me!"

"Physical Boost Minor!"

Green light wrapped around his body just as Deon kicked off the ground. There was no way a human could jump from the ground up to the roof of a four-story building...but Deon did just that.

He landed on a lower limb before running up the slanted armor plate before throwing himself toward the nearest cracked spike.

The heat from up close was unbearable, like standing in front of a crucible forge.

Still, he raised his katana with both hands before slamming it straight into the exposed cracks.

"Break!"

Crrrrrrrrack!

The spike shattered like a crystal, turning into a thousand pieces as they dropped down the creature’s body.

But that seemed to have grabbed the Brute’s attention, as it shook violently, trying to swat Deon off.

His boots slipped, causing him to sway over and almost tumble back to the ground. But before he could, his fingers managed to grab one of the bones and held on for dear life.

"Deon!"

"I’m fine!"

He was very much not fine as the creature had fully turned its head around now, looking at him hanging on it as its second spike started glowing.

"Shit...please, Trip!"

He aimed it at the same leg, and this time...it worked.

ZZZZZRAAAAAK!

The creature swayed forward a bit, just enough for it to completely miss him and shoot straight into the sky. The heat passed so close that he could feel second-hand burn from it. Deon ignored it, climbing back up again and arriving at the same crystal that had just glowed prior.

How the hell did it still shoot its beam...do all the crystals have to be broken?

He drove his sword down all the same.

Crrrrrrrrrack!

"Behind you!" he heard Hana shout.

Deon turned only to see a Hound had slipped past her and lunged straight for Jin whilst he was defenseless.

But before he could move, Hana was already sprinting towards it, green light wrapping around her legs as she swung a broken piece of wood with both hands.

The strike barely landed before the Hound could reach, knocking it into the Zone where Ryker’s axe met its face immediately.

[Claim Progress: 86%]

"Hold out!" Deon yelled from above the monster. "We’re almost there!"

Jin’s Card suddenly flashed green again. "Biscuit’s back!"

"Then summon it!"

"Biscuit!"

Green light erupted from the Card, and the Hound reformed from the light, appearing by his side before launching itself immediately at an Infantry trying to enter the Zone.

Good...just a little longer.

He stared over at the remaining spikes, hands tightening around his katana.

I have my part to do as well...Just two more to go.

Deon started running up its spine again, but this time, the Brute Crawler was prepared. Its whole body slammed sideways into the remains of the pier.

For a second, he was launched into the air. His shoulders crashed into a jagged armor plate as pain flared through it. Deon barely managed to land on the spike he needed, wrapping his arm around the molten crystals.

"Gragghhhk—!"

His entire arm scorched as heat invaded his body from the arm, but he couldn’t afford to let go.

[ClownWithWifi: Ooooh, he’s in trouble now!]

[ChairGoblin_22: Yeah, I might switch streams, this one might die.]

Deon ignored everything, pure willpower allowing him to plunge his sword into the Brute’s core.

Thunk!

The katana was half-stuck, but the force wasn’t enough to completely crush the crystal inside.

Shit! It’s not deep enough!

Deon thought about the options, all while the skin on his arm became redder and almost black in some parts. He looked down to the black water below.

If I were to drop now...Damn it, there’s no telling if the water is safe or not. But then again, I can’t let this thing get close!

Without any other options, Deon positioned his foot on the hilt of the blade before gathering all the strength he could.

"BREAK!"

He pushed off, shoving his katana deeper into the core with his legs before—

Crrrackkk!

The third crystal shattered, melting his sword in the process and pouring everything out as molten sludge.

But Deon couldn’t afford to look at it any longer. Air rushed past him as gravity claimed his body, beckoning it toward the pool of black water below.

And there was nothing he could do but brace for the inevitable, hoping it wasn’t corrosive or some kind of acid that’d turn him into goop in a touch.

But just as his face was about to collide headfirst with the water’s surface—

"Pull!"