Infinity, The Arcade Age

"Huff… Huff…"

Amidst ragged breathing, a figure stumbled through the dense forest, leaving behind a trail of crimson blood.

Wind, desperately stuffing recovery items into his mouth, looked utterly wretched.

His chest had been punctured by his own teammate's punch, and he had barely escaped with his life while Rage was being killed.

His face was smeared with blood, and his once-handsome features were now grotesquely deformed. He fled in a panic, stumbling over roots and branches.

Why… Why had that monster grown so terrifyingly strong after just two worlds? Why couldn't I stand against him anymore?

And why… why did Captain Hook, the supposed final boss, refuse to intervene? Why just stand there while the enemy boarded the ship and wreaked havoc?

There were too many unanswered questions, but Wind didn't have the luxury to dwell on them.

He had to run. Run as far as he could before that monster caught up.

His older brother was just an elite adventurer—one of King of Fighters Squad's top combatants—but not the leader.

The squad wasn't their family business. The revival token he had used previously had already cost them a fortune.

Right now, he had no life-saving items left. If he didn't escape, he would die here—for good.

Desperately fleeing into the depths of the forest, Wind's bloodshot eyes darted back repeatedly, terror etched across his face.

He couldn't shake the fear that Qin Ming would suddenly appear behind him, grab him by the collar, and deliver another round of devastating punches.

He was truly afraid this time—utterly broken. Revenge was no longer in his mind. Survival was all that mattered.

However…

"Animaxing!"

A mechanical male voice suddenly rang out ahead. Wind's eyes went wide in confusion.

Before he could stop running, the ground beneath his feet erupted in a fiery explosion.

The shockwave hurled him five meters into the air before he crashed heavily back to the ground.

His already fragile body, still weakened by the lingering White Flames, couldn't withstand the explosion. His left leg was blown clean off.

Clutching his bleeding stump, Wind let out a tortured scream.

From the shadows of the trees ahead, a girl in a military uniform chewing bubblegum emerged, a dazzling silver-grade light machine gun slung casually over her shoulder.

It was Kasamoto Eri.

Seeing Wind's pitiful state, Eri grinned wickedly. "Well, well! Looks like the bait worked. I thought our boss was just messing with me when he told me to wait here!"

Hearing her voice, Wind snapped his head up. When he saw Kasamoto Eri's face, his eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

"Kasamoto Eri?!"

"Oh? You know me? Are you a fan? Hello, fan! Goodbye, fan!"

Before Wind could respond, Eri raised her light machine gun and unleashed a torrent of bullets.

The sudden barrage forced Wind to scream and scramble backward, his hands clawing at the ground as he flipped into an awkward handstand and darted away like a spider.

Surprised by his agility, Eri adjusted her aim and chased after him, her machine gun spitting fire as she pursued.

The forest was alight with gunfire, tree trunks splintering and leaves raining down like confetti.

Wind moved like a cockroach, his speed and agility allowing him to evade the bulk of the bullets despite his crippled state.

But then…

Click—BOOM!

Another massive explosion lit up the forest. Wind was thrown into the air again, and when he hit the ground, he had lost not only his leg but also his left arm.

A-Rank Skill: Memphis Bombshell!

Every 24 hours, Eri could choose between C4 Explosives, Incendiary Bombs, or Tracking Explosive Rounds as her primary attack mode.

The explosive power of this skill was nothing short of devastating, especially against someone like Wind, whose defense had been reduced to zero.

The two C4 bombs had left him crippled and helpless.

Lying in a pool of his own blood, Wind could only sob in agony, his body trembling violently.

Footsteps approached, and Eri, chewing her gum nonchalantly, walked over with her light machine gun resting on her shoulder.

"Stop struggling, moron. This entire forest is packed with C4 landmines. You're not getting out of here alive."

She clicked her tongue and shook her head mockingly. "And to think you're supposed to be a 'strong enemy.' I was so nervous before this fight. But you… you're just tough to kill, aren't you?"

Tears and blood streamed down Wind's disfigured face as he looked up at her, his terror-stricken eyes filled with hopelessness.

Desperation consumed him as he screamed, "Eye! Help me, Eye! Please, save me!"

His voice echoed through the forest, but no response came.

The silence was deafening.

No footsteps. No allies. No explosions triggered from any hidden bombs.

The forest remained eerily quiet.

Slowly, Wind's screams subsided as reality sank in.

Kasamoto Eri rolled her eyes. "Well, would you look at that? Your buddy just abandoned you. I even set up so many presents for him. What a waste."

Realizing there would be no rescue, Eri released her grip on the detonator in her pocket and raised her machine gun once again.

"Looks like your friend's not coming. So, any last tricks up your sleeve, or are we done here?"

Wind's lips trembled. "I… my brother… my brother is—"

RATATATATATATATAT!

"Wrong answer! Game over!"

Bullets riddled Wind's body, turning him into a blood-soaked mess.

Just for good measure, Eri tossed a grenade onto his remains.

BOOM!

The mangled corpse was obliterated in a fiery blast.

Chewing her gum nonchalantly, Kasamoto Eri glanced around the forest.

"Hey, you out there! You made the right choice running away this time. But if you mess with my boss again, I swear you won't be so lucky next time!"

She pulled out the detonator and pressed it without hesitation.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

The entire forest erupted in flames as all the remaining C4 bombs and grenades ignited in unison.

When the smoke finally cleared, half the forest had been reduced to smoldering ruins.

In the lone patch of unscorched earth, Eri stood with her hands in her pockets, gum still popping between her teeth. She turned and walked away.

From a distant hill, a blindfolded girl watched the carnage unfold.

After a moment of hesitation, she removed the King of Fighters Squad insignia from her shoulder and tossed it aside.

This mess is way above my pay grade. I'm out.

With one last glance at the burning forest, she turned and disappeared into the distance.

Long after the chaos subsided, Eri re-emerged from the shadows one final time, confirming the silence before vanishing back into the night.

All that remained in the ruins of the forest was a broken, charred corpse.

(End of Chapter)