All three of them determined to climb over any danger, Ron shared the location of the safe zone with the other two:
– Alright, we're currently in the northwest of the city, near the manor. And the safe zone is… all the way southeast.
Jack nodded, gloomily:
– Great, our exact opposite.
Ron tried to lighten the mood, smirking:
– But imagine!! We'll be able to chill out once we get there! No more monsters, isn't that a good source of motivation?
Fiona, worried about something, asked the group:
– And which path are we going to take? Through the city center, or by continuing to go along the city's outskirts?
Jack thought for a moment, then answered:
– Better to take the safest way, and keep going along the edge of the city. Even if it takes more time.
But he had barely finished when a BOOM echoed in the air. A giant clock appeared in the sky, with a two-hour countdown. Then the Arbiter N appeared, floating above the rooftops:
– My dear stories!! I'm sure you missed me!!
A heavy silence. The survivors' eyes darkened, full of hate. The arbiter continued, with a mischievous smile:
– A-anyway! As you can see, this clock shows how much time you have left… before dying!!
Murmurs and sharp glances intensified. The arbiter felt the tension and quickly added:
– But! Go to the safe zone and your lives will be spared, so what are you waiting for? Let the race begin! And try to survive. Heehee~
Panic set in. Fiona, shaking, held her head in her hands:
– We're doomed… what should we do? We're so far from the safe zone.
Jack suddenly stood up, determined:
– Alright! We have no choice, we'll have to cut through the center!!
Ron, smiling and clenching his fists:
– Don't worry, Fiona! We'll crush everything in our way, 'cause we're fast and furious!
Without wasting any more time, the three friends rushed through the ruined alleys, heading toward the heart of the monster-infested city. After about thirty minutes of running and carving their path, they reached a neighborhood with collapsed, ruined buildings.
Jack, agile, climbed up to the rooftop of a building to observe the surroundings. He spotted the creatures and quickly noted them in a small notebook::
– A hundred on the left… about thirty there, and twenty on the other side… Hm.
Then his eyes fixed on a dark entrance:
– Huh, a subway station.
After his little scouting, he climbed back down and rejoined his friends:
– I've got a plan, but it'll need our coordination.
He explained the plan to the others, and they got into position. Ron, armed with an assault rifle and a sword, shouted:
– Hey bone bags! Come and taste my blade… if you dare, of course.
Meanwhile, Fiona, positioned higher up, aimed her mage staff like a sniper rifle:
– I got your back.
The monsters began charging at Ron, numerous and aggressive. He dodged, struck, stepped back — a true survival dance. Until one monster resisted all his attacks:
– I know I'm Irresistible, but no need to shove! he said with a nervous smile.
The monster raised its claw, ready to finish him off. But a ball of energy flew through the air and struck it head-on. Fiona, with a sly grin, declared:
— Physical resistance: 100%. Magic resistance: zero.
Another monster tried to sneak up on him from behind, but it disintegrated instantly, pulverized by a second energy sphere. Fiona, still focused, muttered through her teeth:
— You won't touch him, not on my watch. One monster down !
Jack, on his side, was setting a trap in the station. Once ready, he signaled Fiona. She yelled:
– Now, Ron!
Ron ran and lured the horde of monsters into the subway full of gunpowder. Once inside, he escaped through an exit Jack had prepared.
Outside, Jack tossed a match into the tunnel, murmuring with his back turned:
– That manor really was something.
Then—
BOOM!!
A deafening explosion shook the station. Ron smiled:
– What a beautiful firework! I love it!! Even if I nearly burned with them.
Then, more serious:
– Open wide, the way's clear. Let's go!
They resumed their run, the streets now less packed with monsters. The timer showed 45 minutes left.
When the time dropped to 30 minutes, Jack slowed down, panting:
– At this pace, we won't make it.
That's when a loud roar was heard. A group of flaming skeleton bikers burst onto the scene. Ron gave the others a big grin:
– Plot armor's still with us. Look at those bikes!
In a flash, they took the bikes and sped toward the safe zone, engines roaring through the devastated streets.
Only 10 minutes remained when they passed the gates. Looking around, they saw only half the stories had survived.
Once the celestial clock hit zero, Arbiter N reappeared:
– 3…2…1…Adios !!
With a snap of his fingers, hundreds of stories vanished in a click.
Then, smiling:
— Congratulations to those who survived… and brought back readers. You're doing better than your "predecessors." As a reward, one well-deserved month of rest! Enjoy it… while it lasts.
And he vanished.
Ron, very happy, shouted:
– Finally! A little break! But weird, I reached 32 views and no memory came back. What about you?
Jack :
– 29
Fiona:
– I'm at 35 views.
They celebrated their victory as best as they could. Night fell, and the campfire flames danced under the stars. But they all knew the real battle was just beginning.
The first week passed without trouble. During the second week, however, a worry grew: the supplies inside the safe zone were slowly running out. Fiona noticed it while inspecting the reserves:
– Barely enough for a week left.
Jack, arms crossed, nodded:
– If this keeps up, we'll have nothing before the month ends.
By the third week, they decided to go hunting. The monsters still roamed the streets. As they left the zone, Fiona looked up at the sky:
– This is bad… it's starting to snow.
Jack added grimly:
– With this cold, resources will be even harder to find…
Ron stayed silent. The trio found an abandoned mini-supermarket, its entrance collapsed. They went in carefully, hoping to find something. But the shelves were empty, gutted, as if already looted many times.
Jack quickly checked the area:
– Looks like someone came before us.
Fiona grabbed the others and pulled them behind the counter, whispering:
– A group of monsters.
After sneaking out quietly, they returned empty-handed. Tense faces, gloomy mood.
Only five days left before their rest period ended. In the zone, the atmosphere grew heavier. Some desperate groups started to consider the unthinkable: eating monster flesh. Others preferred to fast and keep their humanity.
Ron sighed, then suddenly raised his head, a determined smile on his lips:
– There's always hope. We'll find a solution, we're not giving up.
That's when something unexpected happened.
A flash of green light suddenly burst from Ron. His eyes lit up, as a smartphone appeared in the air before him. He grabbed it, his hands trembling.
— Ukraine?... he murmured.
Then he shouted:
— I remember! I remember my world!
On the screen, an app opened by itself: Kamazon.
« Order what you want as long as you have points. You currently have 100 welcome points uwu
PS: 1 point = 1 dollar. You can earn points by trading material or immaterial goods. »
— No time to think! shouted Ron.
He exchanged monster loot and quickly ordered enough food for a hundred people. Minutes later, a drone flew in, dropping crates filled with supplies into the zone. Everyone stared in shock.
Fiona, hands over her mouth:
— Incredible…
Hundreds of people rushed toward him, but Ron declared:
— Whoa whoa whoa — it's not free. You'll have to trade something if you want this food.
Five days later, Arbiter N appeared again — t
his time in a massive circular arena. He grinned wickedly:
— Vacation's over… Let the real fight begin!