Cough!! Cough… Cough!!!
The violent, wet coughs wracked Dave's broken body, each one a stab of agony from his shattered ribs. He lay sprawled on the white tile, the metallic taste of blood thick in his mouth. The slow, deliberate clicks of Rex's footsteps sounded around him, growing closer.
See Rex closing in, he had no choice but to stand.. Gritting his teeth against the searing pain, Dave pushed himself up, his body screaming in protest. He struggled to his feet and raised his hands into a fighting stance. I've been injured far worse than this, he told himself. His fists tightened, his knuckles standing out white.
Rex saw the struggle and let out a low, appreciative laugh. "I knew you were more interesting," he purred, his voice dripping with a manic glee. He kept repeating the word, a mantra of delight. "Marvelous… Marvelous… Marvelous…!" His eyes gleamed with unholy excitement. "Show me what else you have left!"
They lunged at each other in the same instant.
Swoosh!
Rex's fist, empowered by his stat boost, shot forward like a thunderbolt. Dave didn't block; he dropped, sliding beneath the blow and using the momentum to propel himself back upward. In one fluid, desperate motion, he lashed out with a foot.
Bam!
The kick connected solidly with the side of Rex's head. Dave didn't wait to see the result; he used the impact to shove himself away, rolling across the tiles to put precious distance between them. The entire exchange took less than two seconds.
Rex staggered, then turned, a deep, unnerving smile splitting his face. He didn't seem hurt, only more exhilarated. In a split second, he closed the gap, his body a blur of enhanced speed. A heavy hand swung at Dave's temple.
Swoosh!
Dave jerked his head back, the air vibrating from the force of the miss. He moved purely on instinct now, his mind a whirlwind of calculation. I'm at a big disadvantage. Even if I keep dodging, there's no way I'm going to win against him after his upgrade. Damnit, I should have just killed some people first… The bitter thought flashed through his mind as he narrowly avoided another fist, the knuckles grazing his cheek. Before he could even find his footing, he saw Rex's leg coil for another kick to his blind spot, a mirror of the blow that had broken his ribs.
But this time, Dave was ready.
With a light, acrobatic twist, he used Rex's own attacking leg as a support, planting a hand on the man's thigh and launching himself into a flip. His other leg snapped out, the heel of his foot connecting with a sickening thud right into Rex's eye.
Rex grunted, his head snapping back. Dave didn't stop. The moment his feet touched the ground, he surged forward. Before Rex could even blink the stars from his vision, Dave landed another devastating blow to the same eye. A wet sound echoed as the eye was nearly busted open.
Rex stumbled back a step, and Dave prepared to press his advantage. But then, a wild, maniacal laugh bubbled from Rex's throat.
"Got you."
A cold dread washed over Dave. It was all a trap.
Before he could leap back, Rex's hand, impossibly fast, shot out and clamped around his throat like a vice. The world spun as Rex lifted him and then slammed him down with massive force onto the white tiles.
Crack!
The impact was total. Every bone in Dave's body seemed to shatter on contact. A wave of numbness was followed by a tsunami of pure, unadulterated agony. He coughed, a fountain of blood spraying from his lips, and his vision blurred, tunneling into darkness at the edges.
"Ahahaha!!" Rex's maniacal laugh rang out. He stood over Dave, waiting, as if expecting him to perform a miracle and rise for a third round.
But Dave couldn't move. He could only lie there, feeling his life seep into the cold tile.
Seeing no further resistance, Rex sighed, the sound dripping with disappointment. "Boring. I need a new person." His good eye scanned the chaotic room, landing on a few other players who had also gained stat boosts from their kills. A fresh, hungry smile appeared on his face. In the next moment, he leapt away, vanishing into the ongoing brawl, leaving the dying Dave alone to perish when the timer ran out.
As Dave lay there, his vision blurring, the last of his strength fading, a bitter, silent laugh echoed in his mind. He watched the timer tick down in his fading sight.
00:16
I'm such a fool. The thought was clear, filled with a final regret. He saw Tanya's face in his mind's eye. I'm sorry… I failed to find you.
00:11
00:10
00:09
00:07
00:06
Just as the timer hit six seconds, a figure blotted out the harsh white light above him. It was the girl with the black hair and timid blue eyes. Her face was streaked with tears and grime, but her jaw was set with a desperate resolve. She knelt beside him, her movements frantic. She pressed something small and wriggling into his palm, a bug, a tiny living organism she must have found while running away..... She squeezed Dave's hand tight around it.
A screen materialized before his eyes.
The timer ticked over one last time.
00:01….
00:00
A faint, incredulous smile touched Dave's bloody lips. Then.. slowly his vision blurred completely, fading into a welcoming darkness.
The Next Game Awaited…
[End Of Arc 0: The First Rule]