With the intervention of the battle-crazed killer, Charles, and the anomaly, Ryzen, the battle between Jack and Amber has now been forcefully paused. Although both opponents were against it, they had no choice but to retreat.

Like all disasters, first responders arrived and extended aid to injured civilians and any property damage. Of course, law enforcement could not pinpoint the location of the S-Class criminal duo, as Jack and Charles quickly departed the incident scene.

They quickly inhabited an abandoned house on a completely different side of the country. With their blatant and immense speeds, traversing this distance wasn't difficult for them.

* * *

"Damn it! Why did you have to stop me, mate!?" Jack yelled. With him was not only Charles, but the rest of the developer's game characters (except for Ada), the NPCs, and, of course, the developer himself.

"The developer asked me to get you," Charles responded. "Don't blame me for stopping you. I wouldn't have come in the first place."

"Hmm, Are you sure we won't be spotted in this building?" Zack asked. "Not that I'm scared...just wondering."

"Don't worry, Zack! Everything is going to be A-Okay!" The developer responded as he performed the thumbs-up gesture.

"...Alright."

"Damn it, Jack! You couldn't wait on us, could you!?" Nathan angrily questioned. "You just couldn't control your bloodlust!"

Now I'll have to go back to murdering people, dammit! Nathan pondered. The least I can do is ensure that Lilith doesn't have to get more blood on her hands.

"Tsk, I don't want to hear your yapping, Nathan! I was this close to killing a bitch that survived me once before!" Jack explained. "You won't understand how I feel!"

Yeah, because I'm not a psycho, dammit!

"I was watching your battle as I said, and I noticed something exciting," The developer commented. "Jack, that woman who you were desperate to kill is the one I was talking about. She's likely the one blessed by a powerful god."

Everyone shifted their gaze to the developer with shock in response to his statement. Immediately, Charles's surprise morphed into an ecstatic expression.

"Haha! Is that so!?" Charles uttered. "If that's the case, then--"

"I'll be the one that murders her," Jack interjected with a cold expression. "That brat is mine."

"Huh, but I called dibs on her!" Charles argued. "Do you know how long I've been dealing with the boredom of not fighting someone strong!? She may be the only good fight I'll get since the blessed slaughterer!"

"Listen, I have attacked thousands of people in my life, far more than I remember, and not one survived. Not one until I came across that woman! That weak little bugger somehow survived me!" Jack monologued, which caused Nathan and Lilith to gaze at him with cringeworthy expressions. "She being alive is an insult. I will murder her, and you won't get in my way, mate!"

"Sigh, but what do I get then?"

"You shouldn't even focus on that woman anyway. She's weak. There are strong soldiers there that I'm sure you'll find fun, mate," Jack assured.

"Fine, you're right. You didn't disrupt my fight with the blessed slaughterer," Charles said. "So, you can have this if it's that important to you."

"Heh, good."

"So, how are we going to go about spreading chaos in this nation," Zack inquired. "Are we gonna use the same method as in the US, by taking down the strongest guys with our strongest before nuking the country?"

"Tch, Jack should do most of the work," Nathan stated. "He attacked before we could make an efficient plan. Besides, he's why we're in this country in the first place."

"You...shouldn't be so...mean to...Jack," Olivia stuttered to say with a shy expression. Her peculiar support towards Jack caused Nathan to gaze at her with bewilderment.

Huh? Why is she defending this guy? Nathan wondered. Has losing Ada finally made her lose it?

"Don't worry, I'll work hard in this 'game mission.' When I kill the brat, I'll finish off the country," Jack declared before smiling sadistically. "The girl I failed to kill found some great friends and trainers. I have some creative ideas for this mission!"

The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

"Ooh, I like the sound of that," The developer said. Making Themis's 'avatar' suffer would be pretty amusing...

"Sigh...let's brainstorm some good plans to finish this mission," Nathan suggested. He had let out an audible sigh in response to Jack's treacherous words.

"Hmm?" The NPC muttered as he turned his head to the abandoned building's door. Although the mask was blocking his facial expression, it was evident that the NPC became alert.

"Oh, my. An unexpected visitor?" The developer commented as he also shifted his gaze to the door. The game characters and other NPCs seemed confused.

"What are you talking about--"

Before Nathan could finish his question, an individual suddenly appeared before the group. The man who got in the way of Jack, and the one they least expected - Ryzen Cain.

"So, this is where you retreated to," Ryzen said as he gazed upon Jack.

"What the...What the hell are you doing here!?" Jack uttered with surprise.

"Wait, this is bad, developer!" The doctor said. "This stranger is seeing our face!"

This greatly concerned the NPCs, as they all were without their masks, except for the original NPC.

"Don't worry. This person is different," The developer said as he and Ryzen gazed at each other with strange smiles. It's as if they had known each other all along.

"It doesn't matter who this guy is, but I remember you," Jack remarked with an unhinged smile. "You're the annoying bugger that kept me from murdering that gnat!"

Has this guy called Amber by her name, yet? Nathan thought.

"I didn't come here to talk about anything like that," Ryzen replied coldly. "I've come here for something far more interesting."

"Is that so!?" Jack questioned before taking his dura-negs out immediately after.

"Wait, fighting here wouldn't be the best idea," The developer suddenly interjected.

"Well, why is this bugger here!?" Jack questioned.

"Yeah, why are you here? Just as Jack said, you saved Amber Hoss from being killed," The developer analyzed as he rubbed his chin. "Not to mention, you're on the military's side. So, why have you come here?"

"It's refreshing, seeing how you've kept your rationality, developer," Ryzen said which garnered confusion among everyone else.

"What? This man knows who the developer is?" The doctor said with a shocked expression. This person isn't a game character or an NPC. The developer would have told us.

Great, more people to worry about. Nathan thought with an annoyed expression. Meanwhile, Lilith kept close to Nathan.

"But, the reason I came here is that I'm interested in the people you've 'chosen,' developer. I want to see if they're up to the task," Ryzen said. "Well, not exactly everyone."

Suddenly, Ryzen pointed his index finger right at Nathan, much to his and everyone's surprise.

"I want to challenge you to a 1v1 combat," Ryzen declared.

"What--" Before Nathan could fully process what Ryzen declared, they disappeared before everyone's eyes.

"Nathan!?" Lilith uttered with a panicked expression. "Where did he go!?"

"Tsk, where did that guy take him!?" Zack said as he matched Lilith's expression.

"...Damn," The developer simply muttered.

* * *

The streets of the US - nearly five thousand miles away from England. It would take a few seconds for even the likes of Jack to travel this distance. But what if distance was completely ignored?

Well, we get the action Ryzen performed on himself and Nathan as they both instantly appeared in the United States.

"What the...where are we!?" Nathan uttered as he registered the completely different surroundings. They were now located in a rather rocky biome.

"We're back in your home country," Ryzen said. "There won't be any distractions here."

"Tsk, How did we get here!? Who the hell are you, and why did you bring me here!?" Nathan snapped. Never mind the fact that this bastard somehow carried me here. I can't leave Lilith with that psycho, Jack!

"Who I am isn't important right now, but why I brought you here is. I'm not here to arrest or kill you, so don't be so angry," Ryzen assured.

"You think that makes anything better!?" Nathan yelled. "It's obvious you know that bastard developer somehow. Of course, I'd naturally be hostile towards you!"

"Heh, yeah, I know the developer. We're friends...in a sense. So as his partner, I want to assess the quality of his 'workers,'" Ryzen continued. "I want to fight you in a 1v1 specifically. I want to see if you can complete every level of this 'game,' understand?"

"Tch, how annoying," Nathan muttered. And, of course, another person who knows the developer has to come with this shitty game talk.

* * *

Amber, who was forcefully returned to the Enlightenment Program's campus by Ryzen, was treated for her injuries in an infirmary around the same time Ryzen confronted Nathan. It's as if her being in an infirmary after a big battle was now a usual thing except this time she was wide awake.

Beyond the walls of Amber's infirmary room, ear-piercing screams and yelling were audible.

"AAAHHHHHH!! NO, SHADOW!!!" Ariel's voice was audible on the right side of Amber's room. "PLEASE NO!!!"

"I'm sorry, it's...too late," Another voice, likely a part of the medical staff, responded. "We can't save him..."

"Augh! It hurts!!!" Aiden's voice was also audible on the left side.

"Tch! Jack the Ripper did this much damage to your ribs!" A member of the medical staff said. "What a monster!"

The sounds of screams coupled with the distressed tones of the medical staff pierced deeply into Amber's soul. She was so affected that she curled up into the fetal position.

All the destruction and death. All the suffering you will all experience. IT WILL BE YOUR FAULT, AMBER!!! Jack's words replayed as tears began flowing from Amber's eyes.

"No...not anymore...please..."