Omega Man sat slumped against the tree, gripping the damaged scanner with skeletal fingers. He took a deep breath, the act painful as his burned body strained with every movement. Summoning the last shreds of his willpower, he activated the scanner, watching as it sputtered and whirred to life, its cracked screen flickering with jumbled data.

The readout was barely legible, filled with glitches and error messages:

Detected Energy Source Scanning…

* Destructive Power: Error — Beyond Ominiversal

* Velocity: Error — Beyond Ominiversal

* Endurance: Error — Beyond Ominiversal

* Resistance: Error — Beyond Ominiversal

* Race: Unknown

* Threat Level: Beyond The Ones

* Possibility of Victory: 00000000000000000000000000000000%

* Location: 10 km

WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!! WARNING!!!

It is not advisable to approach the source of this energy!

Omega Man squinted at the screen, his eyes struggling to make sense of the readings. “The scanner… it’s broken. Has to be…” he muttered, his voice raw and rasping. Yet deep down, he knew it wasn’t lying.

Despite the absurd warnings, the scanner had done its job: it had pinpointed an energy source 10 kilometers away. It had to be her. The princess.

He gritted his teeth, forcing himself to his feet. “If she’s my only chance… then I’ll take it.”

THE LONG MARCH

Omega Man started running—or rather, limping at a speed just shy of collapse. Each step was agony. His burned and skeletal body screamed in protest, his fragile frame barely holding together. Every jolt of his movement sent waves of pain radiating through him, but he refused to stop.

The forest blurred around him as he pushed forward, the only sound his ragged breathing and the occasional crack of twigs beneath his feet. Time became meaningless, each meter feeling like an eternity. His vision swam, but he forced himself onward.

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8 kilometers to go. His legs felt like they were crumbling beneath him, the cursed bullets in his chest draining his strength faster than he could replenish it.

7 kilometers. His body begged him to stop, to lie down, to give up—but he pressed on, gritting his teeth against the pain.

6 kilometers. His vision dimmed, his surroundings a haze of green and shadows. The thought of sleep teased him, an alluring escape from the torment.

But then, his progress came to a grinding halt.

A DEADLY ENCOUNTER

Ahead of him, a group of bloodykillers stirred among the trees. Their twisted, blood-drenched forms seemed to pulse with dark energy, their eyes glowing malevolently as they turned toward the intruder.

Omega Man clenched his fists, his skeletal frame trembling with exhaustion. He knew he couldn’t avoid this fight.

“Out of my way!” he roared, his voice hoarse and cracked. With what little strength he had left, he charged at the bloodykillers, his every movement driven by desperation.

The battle was brutal. The bloodykillers were relentless, their claws and fangs tearing into his already broken body. Omega Man retaliated with sheer ferocity, striking them with blows that cracked their twisted forms. But each attack cost him dearly. His good arm was slashed open, the skeletal frame beneath his charred flesh exposed.

For an hour that felt like an eternity, Omega Man fought. His vision blurred with pain, his body teetering on the edge of collapse. Blood—his own and the creatures’—soaked the ground beneath him. But in the end, he stood victorious, surrounded by the shattered remains of his foes.

He swayed on his feet, his body screaming for rest. Yet he knew he couldn’t stop now.

THE FINAL STEPS

Omega Man stumbled forward, his gait uneven as he trudged through the forest. His surroundings became clearer as he neared his destination. The oppressive wilderness gave way to open land, and in the distance, he saw it: a castle, its silhouette illuminated by the faint glow of the night sky.

His skeletal body groaned with each step as he crossed the castle’s backyard. The manicured grass and gardens were a stark contrast to the destruction he had left behind. He moved slowly, each step heavier than the last, until he reached the castle’s main door.

Summoning the last ounce of his strength, he raised his fist and knocked once, the sound echoing faintly.

Then, his body gave out.

Omega Man collapsed onto the ground, his scorched and skeletal form lying motionless before the door. His mind flickered briefly as consciousness slipped away, his last thoughts a mix of relief and desperation.

“I made it… Now, it’s up to her…”

And with that, Omega Man fell into unconsciousness, his fate resting in the hands of the princess inside.