As Nathan drove, he noticed the road ahead blocked by military forces. This would have been no issue if there were other routes, but that wasn't the case. He could only go straight, leading him into the military units.

"Tch, the road's blocked off by law enforcement," Nathan stated as he pulled off to the curbside. "We're not going to get past them."

"Huh? Can't we blow them up or something?" Zack questioned.

"I'm not taking such a violent risk when Lilith is with me," Nathan said. "Next thing we're being chased by reinforcements."

"Oh, yeah, my bad," Zack apologized. "You wouldn't want to put your dear girlfriend in danger. Understandable."

Of course, this made both Nathan and Lilith flustered as their cheeks flushed red.

"Tsk, just be quiet," Nathan muttered. "We should probably take refuge in one of these houses in the meantime."

"...Nathan, I keep telling you not to worry about me," Lilith responded with puffed-up cheeks. "I can also help you, you know!"

"Yeah, well, let's just go about this with rationality," Nathan advised. "Instead of just attacking them and potentially putting heat on us."

"Hmm...Nathan, we're leaving here," The NPC said which confused the game characters.

"Huh? Why?"

"The developer advised me to watch over the other NPCs as they are weaker than me and not to let anyone see our faces," The NPC explained. "I wouldn't have minded helping you guys, but I can't go against the developer."

"Oh, of course..." Nathan said. The developer never ceases to be a pain, huh.?

"If I knew this was happening, I would have carried my pups with me," The blacksmith said. "But you're smart, Nathan. I'm sure you'll be fine, especially since I've given you many weapons."

"Yeah, yeah...thanks," Nathan said.

In response, Lilith looked at her with furrowed eyebrows as she was visibly jealous of Nathan talking to the blacksmith.

"Yes, of course, they'll be fine," The NPC said. "Even without my help, it'll be alright."

The NPC proceeded to disembark the car and carried the C. Specialist on his back and the female NPCs like luggage.

"Good luck, guys!" The doctor said while being carried. "Don't hurt yourselves too much!"

"Mhmm," Nathan responded. Before the game characters' eyes, the NPC disappeared with the others. He had moved too fast for them to register.

"Damn, that guy is fast, huh," Zack stated. "Even while carrying three people, we had no chance of seeing that guy."

"Enough of that. We should follow suit and leave," Nathan advised. "Let's go into that hotel over there."

"Oh, sure!" Zack agreed. "That's very nostalgic, huh?"

Nathan ensured that Lilith was close to him as he disembarked the vehicle with the rest of the game characters. They quickly made their way to a relatively sized, victorian-themed hotel beside them.

Nathan easily infiltrated the hotel by smashing the window and climbing in before opening the door for Lilith to enter without fear of climbing through the glass shards.

Blissfully unaware of the situation, the soldiers who blocked the road had noticed Nathan the entire time.

"So, someone interesting showed up, huh," A random soldier stated as he disembarked his military vehicle. "Well, let's call 'him' up, then..."

The hotel's interior was dark and sparsely furnished, likely caused by the civilians and workers being evacuated and forced to lock down their businesses temporarily.

"Alright, this will be a good place to stay in the meantime," Nathan remarked as he went around and switched on the lights. "It's not like we have to do much this time since Jack and Charles are around."

"But it's not like they're invincible, though," Zack argued. "Shouldn't we help the rest of our friends?"

"Firstly, those guys aren't my friends," Nathan corrected. "And second, who's realistically going to beat the guys who made quick work of the strongest super soldiers? We have nothing to worry about."

"I agree with you, Nate!" Lilith supported. This way, Nathan won't have to put himself in harm's way.

Hearing Lilith agree with him placed a happy smile on Nathan's face. Olivia, who has been unusually quiet, looked slightly annoyed.

"No...we can't...stay here," Olivia muttered in her usual introvertedness. "J-Jack...might need...our help..."

"...Huh?" Nathan uttered as he glared at her. "Why would he need our help?"

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"We shouldn't...leave tearing...this country apart...to Jack," Olivia responded. "We have...to help him...with that burden..."

"...Ever since we screwed America up, you've been weirdly clingy to Jack. It's like you found someone else to cling onto after that snake, Ada," Nathan harshly stated.

"Hey! Calm down on the harshness!" Zack, who had an idea of Olivia's feelings, told Nathan.

"...I just want to know why you're worrying about that monster so much," Nathan said.

"He...saved me...from certain death. He showed me...that Ada...was not my life," Olivia explained. Suddenly, a resolved expression filled her face. "I must help him...you should relate to my feelings, Lilith!"

"Wha--"

BOOM!

Before everyone's eyes, the entrance of the hotel exploded. Dust and debris flew about, causing the group to move away reflexively.

"Ugh! What the hell!?" Nathan uttered as he shielded his face from the dust.

Amid the confusion, a single individual casually walked in. By the white military uniform, transparent casing and tubes on his body, and the blue liquid that ran through it, the man who entered was Cryostasis.

"Wow, how lucky am I? The one who got to encounter you bastards first was me!" Cryostasis exclaimed.

As he gazed at Cryostasis, Nathan's expression immediately turned to anger. He had remembered fighting him and his partner, Pyrostasis, but that wasn't all. The memories of Lilith's life-threatening burns and injuries flooded his mind.

He was not the only one who remembered Cryostasis, as Lilith seemed rather nettled. She recalled Nathan having to protect them both against the duo while being tired physically and mentally.

"What the...I remember you..." Zack muttered. Suddenly, his eyes widened. "Wait, didn't I blow your friend up? I thought you'd die, too."

Cryostasis didn't respond but smirked. He then shifted his gaze towards Nathan.

"You love driving around in vehicles, Nathan Hayes, so we planned for that. After evacuating everyone, the Chief would have dispatched military forces to block certain routes. Without question, any vehicles that come along would be inspected," Cryostasis monologued. "Super strong guys like me are dispatched nearby to eliminate you if you get caught driving around. You did mess up that plan a bit when you captured the Chief, but we quickly adapted, and you made it easy by suspiciously parking on the curbside."

"Ha, so much for leaving this up to Jack, Nathan," Zack teased. "Looks like we have our problems to deal with, after all."

"Tsk, it's all because you failed to kill this damn bastard that one time, Zack," Nathan retorted. Damn...I'm not going to let Lilith get hurt again!

"You all remember me...I'm so glad. I was also wondering how Pyrostasis died, but it makes sense now," Cryostasis said. "It's all because of you, with your volatile manipulation blessing, Zack."

Hearing that raised the eyebrows of everyone.

What the...he knows Zack's blessing? Nathan wondered. How the hell...?

"I'm going to avenge my partner and kill all of you," Cryostasis said. "And even though you haven't done anything to me personally, you're still a threat to this country, Olivia Gray."

Olivia became somewhat nervous in response to that comment.

"Now that I think about it, it's not entirely bad that you survived. I get the chance to make you pay for nearly killing Lilith," Nathan said. "You're not going to survive this."

* * *

Jack and Trixie stood off, waiting for the other to make the first move.

"You know, fighting you feels far more refreshing than the other buggers," Jack stated. "It's nice to fight someone who isn't yapping about justice or calling me a monster, not that I care."

"Being a protector of the innocent comes with this line of work, but my main goal is to quench my desire for entertainment with a giant spectacle of tricks!" Trixie stated. "I know you can relate to having such selfish goals, Jack the Ripper!"

"Haha! What a cheeky bugger! You aren't normal!"

"Thanks for the compliment!" Trixie stated as she fired more 'confetti' at Jack. The confetti resulted in an explosion that leveled several buildings around the block, but the main target, Jack, remained unaffected as he moved out of the way.

Wasting no time, Jack rushed at extreme speeds towards his opponent. Much to his surprise, Trixie not only perceived his movements but also avoided a slash he attempted at her neck.

Did she react to my speed? Jack thought. Not bad!

Simultaneously, a jack in a box appeared beside Jack's face. Normally it would be decorated with a jester's face, but the face also had a crown, just like Trixie. The jack in a box launched a boxing glove, and confetti strangely flew out, too.

The confetti released smaller explosions, but due to the murder blessing giving Jack precognition against any intent to harm and kill, he preemptively moved out of the way when the box spawned.

He instantly moved to Trixie's blind spot, much to her surprise. Trixie couldn't turn around in time as Jack proceeded to slice her left arm clean off with his dura-neg. He followed up with a powerful spin kick to Trixie's side, sending her flying.

Huh? She feels rather tough. Jack pondered after kicking her.

Trixie stopped herself from going any further and stood back up. Despite now having a bloody stomp for a hand, Trixie didn't seem to be in excruciating pain. Her expression was normal.

"Heh, so much for fighting me solo and making a grand performance," Jack taunted. "You were more fun than the rest, but you're down an arm. There's no way you can--"

Before Jack could finish his sentence, Trixie's stomp became engulfed in a purple radiance. The light then extended in the shape of her entire hand and arm before dimming. Her arm regenerated, and the sleeve of her jester's outfit and purple robe also materialized.

"...Huh? You can also regenerate, love?" Jack questioned.

"Hehe! This is just one of the attributes of getting four kings in a row!" Trixie stated. "Royal Regeneration!"

"Well, isn't that good!" Jack said. "Keep trying, then!"

Jack dashed at her again and engaged her in close-quarters combat. Trixie had consistently reacted and avoided several of Jack's slashes and threw out attacks in response.

Brambled Marbles materialized around Jack, and he instantly moved out of the way. Right after spawning, they sprouted their spikes in a short area, similar to when Jack was restrained by them before.

Just like the jack in a box, the brambled marbles also received an upgrade. After sprouting their spikes, the brambles exploded into several fireworks. The fireworks packed enough power to damage nearby buildings.

So, she's the one with all those weird attacks. It seems they got an upgrade. Jack pondered as he witnessed the fireworks. Still...it's all pointless if they can't hit me.

Much to Trixie's bewilderment, she received four cards - four jesters.

What? Did I get four jesters? Trixie thought with increasing excitement. Please be something good.

Upon getting the jesters, Trixie received yet another card. She had no idea what effects the jesters would give her...not until she read that specific card she got.

Grand Trick:

You're it! (Acquired from Jester - Four of a Kind)

After reading that card, a large and excited smile appeared on Trixie's face. Jack noticed her face, which caused him to smile with a raised eyebrow.

What's got her so happy all of a sudden?

"LET'S GOOOOO!!!" Trixie yelled. "Time to bring this performance to its climax!"

Jack, who watched her, scratched his head with his dura-neg. She's really passionate about her performance, huh?