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Ariel's golden hair whipped in the wind as she stood with her fists clenched, her eyes locked on the Yoka. The lean, dark Gemini, its blue markings dimmed by her [Protector] skill, remained frozen, its head tilted as if caught off guard. Her [Submission] skill held it tight, like invisible ropes binding its limbs for three precious seconds, while [Protector] had shredded its defenses, leaving it vulnerable.

Ariel didn't hesitate. She dashed forward, her boots pounding the cracked ground, kicking up bits of gravel. Using every ounce of her strength, she unleashed a flurry of punches, her small fists slamming into the Yoka's chest and face. Each hit landed with a loud thud, sending sprays of inky blood splattering across the pavement. The Yoka staggered, its body jerking with each blow, until the final punch sent it crashing backward, smashing into the side of a crumbling building with a loud crack. Dust billowed, chunks of plaster falling as the Gemini slumped, ichor dripping from its head.

Valmer, a few paces away, ducked and weaved, his long black coat flapping as he faced the Mistibeast. Its misty form swirled, dodging his punches with ease, his fists passing through it like smoke. He wiped sweat from his brow, his sable-rose eyes narrowing as he muttered, "Come on, stay solid for one second." The Mistibeast reformed, its claws shaping into a misty spear, and thrust at him. Valmer sidestepped, his boots scraping the ground, but his counterattack hit only air as the Gemini dissolved again. He clenched his rosary beads, frustration tightening his jaw. The Primordials were struggling, and only four of the seven Elite Geminis were fighting. They couldn't hold back anymore—they had to go all out.

Across the battlefield, Kai faced the Dark Seraph alone, his twin swords flashing as he slashed at its red-furred body. The Gemini blocked with its massive black wings, the blows ringing like metal on stone, while its claws swiped back, forcing Kai to duck and roll. He sprang to his feet and gritted his teeth. "Tough bastard," he muttered. The Dark Seraph didn't bother with aerial attacks, its wings folding tightly as it pressed forward, claws gleaming. Kai's slashes left shallow cuts, but they healed almost instantly, the Gemini's regeneration outpacing his damage.

Kenshi, battling the Ragumon, knew they were at a disadvantage. His eyes flicked to his status window, the holographic blue screen glowing faintly in the dim light.

[Status Window]

Player Name: Kenshi Aokawa

Username: Cursed

Rank: Primordial

Class: Assassin

Abilities:

- One Step Ahead: Doubles speed every 5 seconds for 5 minutes. Cooldown: 2 minutes.

- Faded Existence: Becomes undetectable by sound, scent, or steps[requires a large amount of stamina].

- Blade Sovereign: All weapons wielded gain 200% cutting power and precision for 5 minutes. Cooldown: 2 minutes.

Special Ability:

- Assassin Creed [Ranked D]: With every increase in Rank, a new skill will be added.

Current Creed: Shadow Step. Covers a short distance in a short amount of time.

As a Primordial, no one may view your status without your permission.

With his dad a drug addict and his mother a prostitute, Kenshi's life was a wreck from the start. Growing up under the toxic pull of his family and the rough crowd he ran with, he became a feared gang leader, his hands stained with theft and murder. But then he met her—a woman whose beauty and kindness broke through his hardened shell. She loved him, even after learning the truth about his dark past, the blood on his hands. For her, Kenshi turned his back on that life, building a new one with the woman who saw good in him. Maybe, he thought, he wasn't cursed after all. But when the Apocalypse hit, ripping away his wife and daughter, the truth crashed down. His curse—endless suffering, endless killing, a life without joy—wasn't gone. It never would be. So when the System asked for a username, he chose "Cursed." It was a reminder: never love again, never forget he was doomed to pain.

Kenshi's fingers tightened on his katana as he activated [Assassin Creed: Shadow Step], his body blurring as he closed the distance to the Ragumon in an instant. His katana slashed diagonally from the right, the blade a silver streak aimed at the Gemini's chest. But the Ragumon's speed was unreal, its lean body vanishing in a blur, leaving Kenshi's blade cutting empty air.

[System Notice]

Kenshi Aokawa has activated the skill [Assassin Creed: Shadow Step].

Effect: Instantly covers a short distance .

The Ragumon appeared behind him, its fist rocketing toward Kenshi's ribs. Kenshi's instincts kicked in, and he activated [Faded Existence], his presence vanishing from the Gemini's senses. His footsteps made no sound, his scent gone, as he slipped to the side, his coat brushing the ground silently. The Ragumon's punch missed, slamming into the pavement and cracking it like glass.

[System Notice]

Kenshi Aokawa has activated the skill [Faded Existence].

Effect: Becomes undetectable by sound, scent, or steps [requires a large amount of stamina].

The Ragumon, unable to sense its prey, started moving around to make it difficult for his opponent to attack.

Kenshi spun, his katana raised, eyes burning with focus as he tracked the Ragumon's blurred movements.

Ariel, catching her breath, stepped back from the Yoka's crumpled form, her fists still raised, ready for its next move. Valmer dodged another misty spear thrust, his rosary beads clinking as he circled the Mistibeast, searching for an opening.

Yuna stood at the rear of the battlefield, her boots planted firmly on the cracked pavement as she raised both hands toward the sky. The fading sun cast a weak glow, barely piercing the heavy storm clouds, the air thick with the sharp sting of ash and blood. Her fingers traced swift patterns, her sharp eyes glinting with focus as she spoke her spell, her voice steady and clear.

"A mile, a hundred miles or more,

Your death written in stone by my call.

Missiles of earth and fire, true to all enemies.

Strike them down with accurate precision.

All shall die or live with the trauma,

Lava Domain: Bullet Magma."

The ground trembled, stones bursting from the pavement like jagged teeth, while streaks of fire rained from the clouds, swirling together in a fiery dance. The elements fused, forming twenty molten missiles, each about thirty centimeters long, glowing red-hot with a core of bubbling lava. They hovered in the air, their heat warping the space around them, ready to strike.

[System Notice]

Yuna Lee has activated the skill [Lava Domain: Bullet Magma].

MP (Mana Points) Used: 7,000

MP (Mana Points) Remaining: 42,000

"What is that?" Kai muttered, his twin swords pausing as he glanced up. His eyes widened at the glowing missiles, their fiery trails casting flickering light across the battlefield. The Dark Seraph seized the moment, its massive black wings flaring as it lunged at him, claws slashing toward his chest. But Yuna's hand snapped forward, her fingers curling downward, and one missile shot from the sky like a comet, streaking toward the Gemini at blinding speed.

The Dark Seraph aborted its attack, twisting mid-strike, its blue hair whipping as it flapped its wings to dodge. The missile grazed its wing, singeing the edge with a hiss of burning flesh, forcing the Gemini to retreat a few paces, its red-furred body tensing. Kai grinned, stepping forward, his boots crunching gravel as he raised his swords again, ready to press the attack.

Yuna gestured, recalling the missile.

Ariel, a few steps away, kept her eyes on the Yoka, its lean, dark form stirring from the crumbled building it had crashed into. Her punches had hurt it, but its blue markings flickered, signaling recovery. She brushed a strand of golden hair from her face, her blue eyes sharp, fists raised as she took a cautious step back, her boots scuffing the pavement. She knew she couldn't overpower it, but Yuna's missiles gave her hope.

Twenty glowing lava bullets hovered above, their fiery trails casting flickering shadows across the ground, forcing the Geminis to split their focus between the deadly projectiles and the Primordials before them.

Yuna stood steady at the rear, waving both hands, her eyes locked on the Dark Seraph. Two missiles shot forward, streaking through the air like fiery arrows. The Dark Seraph leaped into the sky, its massive black wings flapping with a sharp rustle, blue hair streaming as it climbed at terrifying speed to dodge the death trap. It twisted and weaved, the missiles missing by mere inches, their fiery trails grazing its wings, singeing the edges with a faint hiss. The Gemini's agility in the air was unmatched, but the relentless pursuit of the missiles kept it on edge.

Deciding the caster was the greater threat, the Dark Seraph's red-furred body tensed, its claws gleaming as it dove toward Yuna, wings tucked for a swift, deadly strike. Its blue hair whipped behind it, eyes glinting with predatory focus, ready to tear through the mage and end the missile barrage. She was a mage after all, what could she possibly do? It was impossible to cast another spell in such a short amount of time.

Kai, a few paces away, watched with a faint grin, his twin swords lowered, the dragon tattoo on his chest stark through his half-zipped jacket. He saw no need to jump in—Yuna wasn't prey. She was the hunter.

As the Dark Seraph hurtled down, claws extended, Yuna's lips curled into a sly smile. 'Nice, it fell for it,' she thought, her fingers snapping shut.