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The weight of the Culling Zone Reduction pressed on Geon as he stood in the middle of a ruined park. The world around him seemed eerily quiet, as though it were holding its breath. He glanced at his phone, the global map glaring back at him.
Entire continents were now grayed out, their names faded and indistinct. Most of South America, Australia as well as large parts of Africa, and Asia had been marked Inactive.
The remaining zones—the United States, Europe, and a handful of surrounding areas in South-America, Africa and Asia—were now the active battlegrounds.
Culling Zone has been reduced to 75% of original size.
Population Status: 8,999,873,342 remaining.
Geon’s stomach churned. More than a billion lives had been snuffed out, and the shrinking zones meant the survivors would be forced into closer proximity.
“Smaller zone, higher stakes,” he muttered.
“You catch on quickly,” the shadow said, its voice curling like smoke in his mind. “They want blood, Geon. It’s time to give them what they want.”
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Geon moved cautiously through the park, his shadow-sword at the ready. The grass, once vibrant and green, was now a sickly gray. Trees stood like skeletal sentinels, their branches clawing at the crimson sky.
He reached a dilapidated playground and crouched behind an overturned slide. His mind buzzed with questions.
“How many players are nearby? Are they watching me now? Planning an ambush?”
He tapped his phone to bring up the leaderboard, scanning for familiar names. A part of him still hoped to find Lila’s name listed, but it was an empty hope.
Instead, his eyes landed on a new feature beneath each player’s name:
Leaderboard Global Rank Player Name
Level Zone
#2111991
Heavenly Henry
Last Known Location: Available.
26
West #2111992
Death Parade Paul
Last Known Location: Available.
25
South #2111993
Liu Fu Han
Last Known Location: Unavailable.
25
East #2111994
Throat Slicer Gia
Last Known Location: Available. 25
West
“Location tracking,” he muttered, his blood running cold. “They’re really pushing us toward each other.”
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“Perfect for hunting,” the shadow said.
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The sudden crack of a twig snapped Geon’s attention to his left. He pressed himself against the rusted slide, peering cautiously around the edge.
A figure emerged from the treeline. This time it was a woman, her long coat trailing behind her like a cape. Her right hand gripped a gleaming scythe, its curved blade glinting in the dim light. Her eyes burned with an intensity that sent a chill down Geon’s spine.
The system’s notification pinged in his mind:
Enemy identified: Lady Death Maria [LVL. 46]
Class: Reaper
Global Rank: #100722
Kill Count: 22
Geon instinctively checked his own profile stats.
Player Profile: Demon Geon Class Global Rank Level Kill Count Demon #1200222 29 8
The gap between them was glaring.
“She’ll crush me,” Geon whispered.
“Not if you use your head,” the shadow countered. “The tendrils. The environment. Fight smart, not strong.”
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Maria’s sharp gaze swept across the playground, her scythe resting lightly on her shoulder. “Come out,” she called, her voice calm but commanding. “I know you’re here.”
Geon’s heart pounded in his chest. He gripped his shadow-sword tightly, his mind racing.
“Shadow Tendrils,” he whispered.
The tendrils unfurled silently, spreading across the ground and weaving through the rubble. He directed them toward Maria, their movement slow and deliberate.
Maria took a step forward, her boots crunching on the gravel. “Hiding won’t save you.”
The tendrils struck.
They shot up from the ground, coiling around her legs and arms in an instant. Maria reacted with alarming speed, her scythe flashing in an arc that severed the tendrils before they could tighten.
“Nice try,” she said, a smirk playing on her lips.
Geon’s breath hitched. She was faster than he’d expected—far faster.
Maria spun her scythe, the blade slicing through the air with a menacing hum. “Let’s make this quick.”
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Maria charged, her scythe a blur of motion. Geon barely managed to block her first strike, the impact sending a shockwave through his arms.
“She’s toying with you,” the shadow hissed.
Geon grit his teeth, ducking under her next swing and countering with a slash of his own. Maria sidestepped effortlessly, her scythe sweeping toward his legs.
“Shadow Tendrils!”
The shadow reacted instantly, a wave of tendrils erupting from the ground and wrapping around Maria’s weapon. She pulled back, wrenching the scythe free, but the brief distraction gave Geon an opening.
He lunged, his shadow-sword aiming for her shoulder.
Maria twisted, the blade grazing her arm but failing to land a decisive blow. She retaliated with a spinning strike, the scythe’s blade slicing through the air inches from Geon’s face.
“You’re not bad,” she admitted, her smirk returning. “But you’re not good enough.”
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Geon’s stamina was waning. He could feel the strain in his limbs, the burn in his chest. Maria, meanwhile, moved with an ease that was both terrifying and infuriating.
“Shadow Spike!” he shouted, pouring everything he had into the attack.
The ground beneath Maria erupted, a massive spike of shadow shooting upward. She leapt back, narrowly avoiding the strike, but the force of the explosion knocked her off balance.
Geon didn’t hesitate.
He charged, his shadow-sword slashing downward. Maria raised her scythe to block, the two weapons clashing with a deafening crack.
For a moment, they were locked in a stalemate, their eyes meeting.
Maria’s smirk faded.
“Interesting,” she said, her tone shifting.
With a burst of strength, she shoved Geon back, the force sending him sprawling to the ground. She stepped forward, raising her scythe for the finishing blow.
Geon’s tendrils lashed out, wrapping around her legs and yanking her to the ground. She hit the dirt hard, her scythe skittering out of reach.
Geon scrambled to his feet, his sword poised over her.
“Do it,” the shadow urged.
Maria stared up at him, her expression unreadable. “Well?”
Geon hesitated, his hands trembling.
“Do it!” the shadow hissed, louder this time.
But Geon couldn’t. He stepped back, lowering his sword.
Maria’s eyes narrowed. “You’re making a mistake.”
She kicked out, her foot connecting with Geon’s chest and sending him stumbling. Before he could recover, she grabbed her scythe and vanished into the shadows, leaving Geon alone in the desolate park.
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Geon collapsed onto the ground, his body shaking from exhaustion. A buzz from his phone alarmed him of the reality that was at play because of his hesitation.
Combat engagement ended. No experience gained.
He let out a bitter laugh, staring up at the crimson sky.
“You spared her,” the shadow said, its tone dripping with disdain. “Why?”
“I’m not a killer,” Geon replied, his voice barely above a whisper.
“But you are,” the shadow said simply.
Geon didn’t argue. For now, he just needed to survive.
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