It had already taken an extraordinarily long time to reach this point in the game. Among the five members of their team, three had successively quit, leaving only Brit and Kiwo still standing. Kiwo was severely injured, blood soaking through her clothes as it continued to flow uncontrollably, her strength waning with each passing moment.
Under such dire circumstances, it was clear that Kiwo couldn't hold on much longer. Yet, no matter how little time remained, she refused to give up. At the very least, she had to endure until her body could no longer bear the pain, until the final, inevitable collapse.
The viewers, along with Brit himself, watched anxiously, their hearts pounding with concern over Kiwo's condition. But despite their collective worry, there was nothing they could do to help. And so, Brit and Kiwo pressed onward, heading toward the checkpoint.
Because Kiwo was gravely wounded, even with the most basic treatment, her movements were painfully slow. During this ordeal, Kiwo repeatedly urged Brit to leave her behind and continue alone, but every single time, he firmly refused.
The reason was simple: as long as her body could still move, the situation hadn't reached its absolute worst. As long as that was true, he could not abandon his teammate.
Seeing Brit's unwavering resolve, Kiwo clenched her teeth and forced herself to keep moving forward.
They trudged on for what felt like an eternity. Throughout the journey, both silently prayed that they wouldn't encounter any more danger. The game had already progressed so far, and they were so close to finishing, failure now would bring unbearable regret and frustration.
Not only did they feel this way, but the viewers watching the stream also held their breath, nerves stretched to the breaking point. Everyone was eager, almost desperate, to see the duo triumph and witness the final outcome.
Perhaps it was the collective hope of the crowd that truly worked, because miraculously, they encountered no further threats along the way. At last, they reached the metal door outside the checkpoint, smoothly, without incident.
The door was already open. With a glance inside, Brit and Kiwo saw the scene that awaited them: several blood-soaked corpses scattered across the ground.
Judging by their uniforms, they belonged to the previous Nine-Tailed Fox Mobile Task Force. Among the bodies, one was especially mangled, the face blurred and distorted beyond recognition, impossible to tell who it once was.
Yet, Brit and Kiwo knew instantly: that corpse was Vale.
"Vale…" Kiwo's face was ghostly pale, fresh blood seeping from the hastily bandaged wound. Her expression was a mixture of pain, sorrow, and emotions too complex to articulate.
Brit stood silently, gazing at the corpse with heavy, conflicted feelings. Over several games, Vale had almost always "died" in a miserable way, each time, to protect his teammates. Because of that, Brit felt an immense wave of admiration and gratitude toward Vale.
Though he knew Vale wasn't truly dead, merely having quit the game, the sight of the scene was overwhelming. No one could remain unmoved, as if their calm had been shattered like still water rippling with emotion.
Time seemed to slow. After a few seconds, Brit exhaled softly and whispered, "We will definitely beat…"
These words seemed directed at Vale, but also at the injured Kiwo standing beside him. Simultaneously, they felt like a message to the viewers watching the stream, and to the teammates who had already quit but still kept their eyes on the screen.
As soon as Brit spoke, the chat exploded with fervor:
"Come on, Brit! You'll definitely clear it!"
"It's going to be completed!"
"Keep going! Don't give up!"
"This has to be done! It must be done!"