W-Why...

As tears ran down Amber's face and her breathing rate increased, she recalled other memories. Her dear family, who she spent most of her life with, all the poor soldiers who were her comrades, her instructor, Altius, and now Aiden - all died in front of her eyes by the monster Jack, and she was too weak to stop it.

This overbearing feeling of trauma, grief, and guilt caused Amber to break down visibly; she had finally reached her limit.

"W...Why...why...why...why..." Amber repeatedly said as she burst into tears and slinked to her knees. I never did...anything wrong...to anyone. Why do I have to go...through this...?

While she was breaking down and balling her eyes out, Jack and the developer were busy laughing hysterically at her.

Hahaha! Which idiot would confess to someone as their last words? It's like they're asking to screw them mentally! The developer thought. Are you seeing this, Themis!? Is this supposed to be the one that brings justice to my characters!?

"Haha, I wonder why this is happening to you," Jack responded as he finally finished laughing. "Do you have any idea, Aiden?"

"Erm, I don't know, Jack!" Like a ventriloquist, Jack moved the mouth of Aiden's decapitated head with his one good arm and tried to mimic his voice.

"Oh, you don't know?" Jack responded in his original voice. "Hey, brat! Catch!"

Hearing this, the broken Amber looked up instinctively. Jack suddenly tossed Aiden's head and slammed into Amber's face. Aiden's decapitated head splattered blood on her face upon impact. In a pure reflexive motion, Amber caught her deceased friend's head.

As she shifted her gaze at it, a frown that exposed her gritted teeth was visible on Amber's expression. Inaudible sounds came from Amber's mouth as she stared at it in despair.

Jack gave her no time as she darted at her and performed an elbow strike to her face. He then hit the side of Amber's head with a punch so powerful it knocked her away.

"Urgh!" Amber groaned as she went through multiple large buildings. Jack held his punching form and gazed at her with a smirk. His fist was steaming from the sheer force.

"You don't know why it's always you!? It's because you're the one who survived, you insect!" Jack loudly stated as he charged at her. "Don't act like you're the only one suffering! It grinds my gears that a nobody like you survived me!"

Jack picked her up by the collar and struck her in the gut with his stomp for a hand. Although Amber looked to be in pain, she didn't resist as Jack slammed her into the ground.

"I bet that since you survived me and became a bit stronger and tougher than most, your goody-two-shoes ass personality made you think this was some damn comic book!" Jack continued to berate her as he continued slamming her head into the ground. Blood flowed from Amber's head as he slammed her. "A comic book where the hero always saves the day, huh!?"

After slamming her, Jack followed up by ruthlessly kicking Amber and blasting her through a building.

"You must think you were some main character, huh!? That you'd always protect your friends against any adversary!? Or did you think your stupid god would always protect you!?" Jack said as he ran at her. Jack punted Amber in the face after getting a running start like an American football player. A good amount of blood flew from Amber's mouth after being struck. "Don't be goddamned stupid, you weak little bitch!!!"

Amber rested on the damaged wall of another building she went into, and Jack quickly approached her. Not only did she not move, but it didn't look like Amber was there mentally, as her expression was empty and broken.

"I murdered your family, your instructor, and your dear friend in front of your eyes!" Jack taunted as he pummeled Amber's face with punches as she rested on the wall. The feeling that Jack had at this moment was that of being high as he gained ecstasy from finally breaking Amber. "You saw that big explosion earlier? I was fighting that jester woman and the rest of your friends! You know what that means, right!? I killed them as well! You surviving me was not fate. It was simply a fluke! You're nothing special!"

After beating her violently, Jack booted Amber out of the building.

"You want to protect what's close to you? You now have no one! So what the hell are you fighting for!?" Jack mocked as he began to stomp on Amber's body. The wounds that he sustained were visibly regenerating. "This isn't some freaking fairy tale! This is reality! That's what makes it so amazing!"

Jack not only stomped on her body repeatedly, but he also rubbed the soles of his boots on Amber.

"You're not going to bullshit your way into winning because you're morally superior or whatever you think! Just like your family I slaughtered, your god won't protect you!" Jack mocked. "I'm sure Kreuger told you to finish me off! What a stupid thing to ask of a useless brat! You survived for this long because your friends have always kept saving you! In what world could a pathetic bugger like you have beaten me solo!?"

After thoroughly berating her and further destroying her mental state, Jack paused beating on Amber. Amber suffered extensive bruises, swelling, and discoloration as some bones were broken. Her military combat suit was sullied by dirt along with her skin due to Jack. While Amber was laid out on the ground, Jack gazed at her with a contented smile.

I finally broke this brat. It took longer than I expected, but she's finally done. Jack thought as he gazed at Amber's broken expression. Psychological attacks always work on annoying people, haha.

"I don't mean to get philosophical, and I don't want to compare myself to a brat like you, but we're two sides of the same coin. You want to save everyone, while I want to kill everyone," Jack calmly stated as he stooped to Amber's level. "Aint nothing about being morally superior to win. This is simply a clash of passions, and the one who wins gets to continue their passion. If you don't realize something that simple, then how the hell do you think you can beat me!?"

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

Jack happily continued beating Amber by repeatedly punching her face. The hand Kreuger destroyed with his bloodbath was near restoration. Jack's hand and fingers were nearly full-grown.

"In my twenty-eight years of living, I've never hated anyone! Not until I met you! A religious brat like you, with an opposite passion from mine, isn't that terrible, but you survived me once and think everything will go your way. STOP TREATING THIS LIKE A COMIC BOOK!" Jack yelled as he punched her. "It's reality! Things never go how you want, especially if you're too weak to do anything!"

Jack's fist and knuckles were stained with Amber's blood as he finally paused. His wounds were pretty much healed now after beating Amber for nearly ten minutes.

"It seems that your weird power affecting me has worn off, as I'm pretty much at a hundred percent now. I guess you were right about your friends having value, as I received a jumpstart to my healing after murdering Aiden. He was very helpful!" Jack sarcastically said. "I've never wanted to kill anyone more than you. I'll train for once and get stronger to become a far greater demon to everyone."

My daughter, I'm truly regretful for this suffering you've gone through, but you must keep fighting! Amber's goddess suddenly spoke, which sparked a flinch in Amber as she lay on the ground. Please, you're the only hope to return peace to the world. Stand up and keep fighting!

"G-Goddess...I-I...can't...not anymore!" Amber loudly responded as she curled up in the fetal position. Jack, who heard this, gazed at her with surprise. "I-I don't have...what it takes! Everyone around me...has been killed...by this demon...and I was too weak...to save anyone!"

My daughter...

"Oh, my! Have you finally lost it?" Jack questioned as he rubbed his chin. "You talking to yourself now?"

"I...wanted to protect...everyone...but I'm...too useless," Amber continued. "I'm...sorry, god...for failing...the mission...you gave me."

Although Jack didn't understand what she was saying, her pitiful words brought a smile to his face. As Amber reveled in her pathetic state, she recalled the smiles of her deceased family.

"I'm...sorry, mom...dad...brother. I couldn't avenge...you," Amber muttered as she took her locket necklace from under her combat suit. "I hope...you'll forgive me...when I see you all...again."

M-My daughter, is that...what's been holding you back? You have to let that mindset go! Amber's god said. I have been wondering why my daughter, who always fought for others' sake, has not shed herself of her shackles yet, but now I understand! Let those unnecessary things go!

"Let go...? What should I...let go--" Before Amber could finish her question, Jack approached her and snatched the locket necklace away.

"What are you babbling about?" Jack questioned as he looked at the necklace. "Let me see what this is about."

"G-Give that...back..." Amber muttered.

As Jack opened it, he noticed a picture of Amber's family. The sight of their smiles made Jack rub his chin.

"So, this is your family, huh," Jack said. "Oh yeah, I forgot you wanted revenge. No wonder you're so weak."

"H-Huh?"

"You want to save people, but you're thinking about vengeance, how stupid," Jack mocked. "I want to kill people. I don't have any other useless thoughts. I do that one thing only, and I'm winning now."

Like a scientist when they make a breakthrough, Amber's eyes widen in response to what Jack said.

"Whatever, there's no reasoning with someone who thinks real life is a comic book," Jack said as he crushed the locket necklace and tossed it to Amber's side before walking away. "I am going to kill you now, then I'll go on a crazy massacre after."

Amber slowly turned her head to the broken necklace. A glimmer of light shone in her widened eyes in response to Jack's words.

I-Is this...what you mean, god? Amber pondered. I think...I understand...now.

Jack had returned to Aiden's corpse and picked up his dura-neg beside it. He didn't even look at Aiden's body - what good is a corpse to Jack anyway?

"So, how is it going now," The developer questioned. "You surely won, right?"

"Of course, that goody-two shoe brat completely broke now," Jack responded. "In a few moments, she'll be nothing more than an afterthought--"

"No...it's not over," The developer said.

"Huh--"

BUZZZ!!!

Before Jack's eyes, the developer disappeared, and Jack was engulfed in bright golden light. The brightness of the light made all of Amber's prior radiance child's play.

* * *

Kreuger, limping as he walked, noticed a massive sphere of light in the distance.

"W-What...the hell!?" Kreuger uttered with confusion on his face. What the hell is that? That can't be Amber. Right?

* * *

Kreuger was not the only person who witnessed this, as Nathan and the company also noticed it from their location. As they flew in the air via jet, Zack witnessed the expanding light.

"What the...is the sun rising or something!?" Zack questioned. "Why is it so bright over there!?"

"Tsk, the sun is already up, you moron. The clouds are hiding it, is all," Nathan responded. "It's better if we stay far from there.

"I hope...Jack's okay," Olivia stated.

* * *

Ryzen and Barry, who were at the grasslands, witnessed the same.

"...What's going on over there!?" Barry questioned with a visibly concerned expression and tone. Much to his surprise, Ryzen suddenly smiled and showed his teeth.

So, you accomplished it, Amber. Ryzen thought. You showed me what I wanted.

* * *

Jack, who was engulfed by the light, had to close his eyes and cover it with his hands.

"Urgh! So bright!" Jack uttered. "What's going on!?"

As the light slightly dimmed, Jack noticed a silhouette approaching him. Although her physical features were varied, Jack could tell it was Amber. Jack immediately remembered the angel-like pictures he saw in her family's house as he gazed at Amber.

Amber resembled an angelic being, as she acquired a number of the characteristics. The combat suit she originally wore was transformed into white linen robes, and she wore golden strapped sandals. That was not all, as Amber wore a white bandage around her eyes.

Her physical features also changed, as her long caramel hair turned completely golden. Behind her back were two white feathered wings, accompanied by a golden halo above her head, enhancing her angelic presence.

The injuries that she sustained from Jack had disappeared. It's like Amber became a whole new person.

"Urgh, what the hell...have you become now?" Jack questioned as he squinched his eyes to see due to the light.

"Thank you, Jack. You have helped me to realize that my mind and soul were plagued with the thoughts of revenge," The new and improved Amber said. "I will kill you now, not for vengeance, but to deliver justice unto you...and for peace to return to this world."

I see. Jack thought as he smiled. Is the brat implying this is my fault?