BOSS FIGHT INCOMING

Fiona took the lead as we walked in through the entrance of the building. The lobby was massive, with a high ceiling adorned with beautiful designs and mellow ambient light. The floors were polished marble, reflecting in a manner that made the whole place sparkle. A humanoid with sleek silver skin manned a vast reception desk at the far end.

"Welcome," the receptionist smiled at us warmly. "What can I help you with today?"

"We're here to view the property," Fiona said. "We have an appointment."

"Certainly," the receptionist nodded and pressed a few keys on his console. "Please proceed to the elevators. The agent will meet you on the tenth floor."

We thanked the receptionist and walked toward the lifts. All I could do was think of the possibilities that this building would bring. If we could secure it, this would be a game-changer for us.

The elevator doors opened to a wide hallway with smooth, modern decor. And there was the agent, a tall blue woman with bright blue eyes and long, flowing blonde hair. She greeted us with a professional smile, shaking hands with Fiona. "Welcome. I'm Elara, your agent for today." Then she extended her hand toward me.

"Hi, I'm Jack," I returned her smile and shook her hand firmly. "Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Miss Elara."

"And I'm Lisa," Lisa introduced herself shyly.

"Lisa? Nice to meet you," Elara looked at her with a polite smile, "Let's begin the tour, shall we?" Elara gestured for us to follow her.

The lower levels provided vast, ample office space; such would be apt for our setting up of business operations. The technologies in each office were state-of-the-art, complete with ergonomically designed furniture and a huge window looking through what is Xandar. The midsections are filled with plush bedrooms, modern kitchens, and big bathrooms. At the very top, we set aside some recreational facilities—an indoor gymnasium, a spa, and even a small enclosed garden.

"This is incredible," Lisa said, walking through one of the bedrooms. "It's as though we were in a five-star hotel."

"Our main objective was to build something a little different this time. Office, business, and home, all in one package," Elara explained proudly.

"The entire place has top-notch security systems. No one can enter without clearance."

"Sounds perfect for our needs," Fiona nodded, seemingly pleased with the accommodations.

Yeah, the price will also be that big, I bet. But if I manage to buy this place, I'm gonna be able to set up our business in Xandar in just a month or so. Elara showed us everything, the storage areas, the utility rooms, the maintenance facilities.

Everything was spacious and well-maintained. The finishes were stylish and functional.

"I have one more place to show you." We followed her to the rooftop. Stepping out, in front of us sprawled a panoramic view of Xandar—nature intertwined with technology, forming a harmonious cityscape. Rooftop—it was heaven up there with a beautifully landscaped garden, comfortable seating, and a stunning infinity pool.

"It's one of the jewels in the crown of this property," Elara commented, her eyes sparkling. "Just imagine relaxing here at the end of the day." It was clear. This place was perfect. But I'm 100% sure this place is way above what I can afford and she will name a price that's greater than the value of my kidneys and balls. Hahaha...

"So, what do you think?" Elara asked after the tour, looking at me.

"I love it," I replied honestly. "It's exactly what we need. But the main question remains... how much?"

"4 million credits if in upfront pay for the entire building or you can pay 2 million credits upfront and we can arrange for the remaining amount to be paid over the next six months with a reasonable interest rate," Elara answered.

Holy shit! That's a lot more expensive than I thought. I only have around 1.2 million credits in total. There's no way I could get my hands on the rest anytime soon. Lisa looked at me with hope in her eyes. She really liked the place and it seemed like she had already fallen in love with this place. Humm... Well, time for the counteroffer...

I thought about it. It was a good offer, but I needed to push a bit more. "Elara, the property is fantastic, but it does require some initial setup and modifications to suit our needs. If we could bring the upfront payment down to 1.5 million credits and the rest... 2 months instead of six, I think we have a deal."

Elara smiled. "You're a tough negotiator, Mr. Jack. I'll need to discuss this with the owners, but I think we can reach an agreement. Give me a moment." She left the room to make a call.

Fiona, Lisa, and I exchanged hopeful glances. This deal was crucial for us, and we were so close.

After a few minutes, Elara returned, her smile even broader. "Congratulations, Mr. Jack. The owners have agreed to your terms. But should you fail to meet your payments within the stipulated period, the ownership of the property will revert to them. They will retain the upfront payment and all your properties, including yourselves. You'll have to work for the owner till you can pay off your debt with interest."

"In short, you want me to sign on a slave contract, huh? How traditional." I let out a laugh.

Huh?! What's this feeling? I stood up in between our conversation and looked up at the sky. Something is coming, straight down at our location.

****

Surprise Quest Alert! (Boss fight incoming!) (Survive)

Reward: ???

Penalty: ???

Time limit: ???

****

"Something wrong?" Elara looked at me.

What the fuck?! Boss fight? Now?! I read the notification again. What boss and what fight? Although it was far in the sky, I could barely see two people fighting each other in the air.

"GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" I grabbed Lisa and Fiona by their arms and ran toward the elevator. "We're in danger."

Elara looked surprised for a moment, till she saw the red alert on her wristwatch-like device.

"CODE RED! CODE RED! EVACUATE THE BUILDING!" The mechanical voice boomed throughout the building. The fire alarm blared and the lights began flashing red.

Four of us entered the elevator, but before we could reach the ground floor, a loud bang shook the building, and we could hear the screams of people running outside. The elevator stopped abruptly, trapping us inside.

"Lisa, Fiona, Elara! Are you alright?" I held Fiona and Lisa to support them. Elara was on her back, I grabbed her arm and pulled her up, "Stand back."

Hope it works...

"Argggg!" I pried open the elevator doors and helped them climb out first. Elara jumped out, followed by Lisa. I climbed out last and then we ran for the stairs.

When we got outside, we saw people fleeing in panic, screaming as they ran from the approaching threat. An enormous flaming meteor was heading straight for the building. Well, that's what it might look like in other's eyes, but with my focus, I could see a blonde girl fighting a blue alien guy. And just like that, they came crashing down onto the building.

BOOOOOOM!!!

A huge explosion threw us back, shattering windows and knocking down fleeing civilians. I pushed Fiona and Lisa on the ground, shielding them with my body as debris fell around us. I don't see Elara around us.

"FIONA! LISA!" I called out to them. "Keep your heads down."

Fuck! That girl's costume... She's Captain Marvel, Carol Danvers, and that blue guy is a Kree. Why are they here?! But considering how he's fighting her like that, that Kree guy is strong, there's no doubt about that. A massive chunk of rock crashed down on Fiona's car and chunks of debris shot out toward us.

I wanted to run away with the girls, but there was no time. Three humanoid civilians got squashed right before my eyes a second ago and not these rocks shooting out like bullets. Fuck! I immediately grabbed Fioan and Lisa by their tummy and rolled to the left, barely dodging the debris.

"AAARGGG!" Lisa screamed.

"LISA! ARE YOU OKAY?!" I turned my head, only to find her leg bleeding, impaled by a piece of glass. Shit! Lisa's HP bar appeared above her head with a quarter of it drained. Wait! I can see the HP bar?! It wasn't there before.

"JACK! Look out!" Fiona cried, pointing at a large chunk of the building falling toward us. "I can run. You take Lisa." My eyes went toward her swollen ankle. There is no fucking way she can run.

"Shut up!" I stood up and threw the two girls on my both shoulders. "Hold on tight."

"Jack! What are you doing?!"

I dashed forward, escaping the collapsing building. With my focus at its peak and my physical condition at its best thanks to the adaptation and all that training and reading, this much is nothing to me. I will take my girls away from this mess. I ran with everything I had, jumping over cars and rubble.

BOOOOOM!

Another explosion blasted outward. The shockwave swept over the area. I kept running without looking back with only one goal in my mind. Run! Fiona and Lisa clung tightly to me.

The buildings around us were ablaze, with fire and smoke rising into the air. Civilians lay dead and wounded everywhere. Nova Corps jets were flying in this direction. I can see thirty jets in total.

After reaching a somewhat safer distance, I put them on the ground.

"Grit your teeth," I pulled out the glass shard off Lisa's leg. Lisa clenched her jaws and tears welled in her eyes. Fiona hugged her tightly.

"It's okay. It's okay. It will be alright." Fiona whispered.

"AAAARRRGGGHHHH!" Lisa's scream pierced through the air as I tore off my shirt and tightly wrapped it around her leg to stop the bleeding for now. Then I quickly grabbed Fiona's ankle and without a warning, twisted it back to its original position.

"AAAAAHHH!!!" Fiona yelled, her face pale from pain. "Fucker!"

"Stop being a crybaby," I stood up and glanced toward their new HP bar. Lisa's was at 60%, well, she isn't a fighter or trained in that area, so that much drain is understandable considering the bleeding too. Fiona's HP bar was at 97%. She's a veteran fighter, so losing 3% of her HP is normal in this situation.

My eyes were on Lisa's wound. Blood! Too much blood... How dare those motherfucking bastards do this to her? I've never seen her in pain or cry like this before. I'm gonna kill them. Yes, I will. Those fuckers are going to pay for hurting my Lisa. I looked at my HP bar. But I got three bars. HP, Stamina, and Defense. They were all full, but what's this weird silvery color over the bar? Some kind of boost, maybe?

"Fiona, get her out of here. Now," I grabbed her shoulder tightly and stared into her eyes. "Don't stop till you guys reach the hospital, understand?"

"Wait! Where are you going?!" Fiona grabbed my hand.

"Someone's going to pay for what they did, right?"

I don't know if it was a foolish decision or bravery or just anger... Since it's a quest, there must be a way to clear this. I don't know if its instinct or just my arrogance, but I could feel that I won't die. I know I'm strong. And, even if I end up dying, I left my credits back in my room. That should help my family get past the year and there's Rosia too. I'm sure she'd help out. But enough thinking...

It's time to kick some alien ass.

---

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