First Wave

'How many times did I run for my life already?'

Out of breath, Cleo became more scared when the monster still caught up to her for thirty minutes and she failed to lose the beast. It never stops chasing her, she can barely manage to run ahead to buy some time and hide behind the thick and tall trees. It was a blessing in disguise that the bear lost its other two legs or she'll be dead in no time.

'I need to hide!'

The snow is getting harsh every time she tries to run faster. But having no choice, she runs. Controlling her breath to stop her body from suffocating, she took a glimpse behind her and the beast still chasing behind. Cleo musters all her remaining strength and manages to run ahead and hide behind the trees. Leaning on the wide trunk, she covers her mouth when she heard the whimper of the bear just a few distance.

'Calm down, calm down… I need to think.' She chanted in her thoughts as her gaze hardened.

"Weapon…" she whispered and unexpectedly, the system emerged in her sight.

[Weapon storage: Empty]

'Sh-t!'

Her body stiffen when she noticed another monster lurking a few meters in front of her—a wolf with a half-face, red fluid oozing down from its head. Cleo leaned her back roughly at the trunk that she could feel stings of pain on her flesh. Hearing the agony of the bear behind her, Cleo felt terrified that she could hear her own heartbeat despite the wailing coming from the monster.

She squeals from the wolf's petrified voice. Her eyes widen in terror when the wolf noticed her. When it tilted its head more scarlet fluids drips from its severe injury while the parts of its cerebrum showed slightly from its broken skull. Cleo felt like puking from the scene. Inhaling her fear, there is nothing scarier when the wolf runs to her like a madman. It was laughing insanely while staring at her with its other eye while stretching its paw. Just as its nails almost scrape her head, her body reacted with adrenalin and luckily she bent down in time. Cleo heard a crack of bone and when she looked at the wolf, the paw that almost hit her was badly ruptured from its collision with the tree's trunk.

Immediately she leaps away revealing herself to the other beast—the bear. Holding her breathes, Cleo increased her speed and run the other way distancing herself from the two monsters.

"Ron!" she called desperately that her throat hurts.

"I'm right here!" the small red man answered while waving his small arm at her.

"Help me!!!" Cleo yelled in anger—her frustrations are building up.

"I'm trying okay?! I'm trying for g-ddamn sake!"

"Find me a weapon!"

"I'M TRYING!!" Ron shouted back and disappeared again.

She cursed in between her breaths.

"Initiate System!" Cleo muttered, trembling from the cold and her fear.

[The system is initiating response...]

[How may the system help you, Cleo Sky?]

"A weapon!"

[You don't have a weapon at the moment]

"Anything that can kill monsters!"

[Searching for: "Anything that can kill monsters!"]

[The system will allow you to have a weapon…]

[1 weapon]

[Caution: You only borrowed a weapon. The span of its availability is only thirty minutes!]

[Good Luck!]

"Weapon Storage!"

[Opening Weapon Storage…]

[1 Weapon available for 30 minutes]

She clicked the air despite having difficulty running from the thick snow beneath her boots. The whimpers of the bear and the mad laugh of the wolf is bursting her eardrums—making her shiver she could think of nothing else but to run. Inside her head she hums a small prayer for her survival. Fortunately, Ron appeared beside her calling her attention while holding a long spear. Focusing herself, Cleo controls her tempo while running, she reached for the spear from the dwarf's hold almost shock because of the weapon's weight while holding it tighter. As soon as she adjusted herself from the weapon's heaviness, her gaze returned to the two monsters behind her.

Her mask started to run an analysis on the being.

[Level 3 Monsters: Experimented Humans

Warning: DO NOT GET BITTEN

-Weak spot: Head]

"What?" Cleo commented, confused and almost halting.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Ron screamed in anger seeing the lady's speed decrease.

"THEY ARE HUMANS?!" she exclaimed in horror as she glanced at Ron.

"—NOT ANYMORE!!" Ron answered in exasperation.

'F-ck this!' Cleo's inner voice yelled in fear.

Pivoting her body, Cleo runs toward the monsters—approaching them. Ron noticing her insanity he chases her with an expression of fury.

"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?!" Cleo heard Ron yell behind her.

"MAYBE..?!" She responded in between her harsh breathes.

"YOU'RE CRAZY!" Ron shouted in rage.

Ignoring the red-skinned midget throwing tantrums behind her, she focused her gaze on the monsters. Running away would be futile for her, above everyone else, she knows her body cannot endure the pressure of keeping her speed, eventually her body will slow down from the low temperature and exhaustion. She has no choice but to defeat them or else… they would.

'The wolf looks stronger at this moment. I'll go for the bear first.'

Changing her trajectory slightly, she moved forward approaching the bear. As the distance between them are getting closer, she glided between the bear's feet and managed herself to stand and holds its white fur from behind. Her body's adrenaline takes over her brain and swiftly she climbs the bear's back gripping tightly the spear despite how her body vibrates from fear. The bear wriggles but cannot do anything against her since both of the bear's hands are amputated. Cleo gazed at the wolf from the other distance desperately catching up. Before the wolf could get rid of her, she hardens her grip to her weapon and move faster, just as she reached the bear's nape, she stabs the head of the bear without a second thought.

Cleo penetrate the head until the bear collapsed.

Before the wolf could reach her, she bounced backward but stumbled upon the corpse of the bear making her out of balance and fell on the snow. Making sure the wolf wouldn't bite her, Cleo used the spear as a shield to prevent its mouth to tear her neck.

"Get off me!!!" she screamed.

Cleo's strength is escaping but her grip on her weapon is so tight. If she let go, and if she gave up what would happen to her? The thought of her suffering and torture on the first floor came in. Remembering them, she collected her remaining to push the wolf away from her. Cleo crawls away from the wolf but her hope immediately run out when the monster dragged her ankle.

'Don't let go of the weapon! Don't let go of it! If you let it go you'll die!' Cleo's inner self whispered as her expression grimaced.

"Cleo!" Ron screamed running to her.

Seeing the small man running towards her with a worried expression. She gritted her teeth while she tried to escape making her mask almost fall off from her face.

"I swear Ron if you die on me might as well don't do anything!!" she yelled in frustration while kicking the wolf's grip, "F-ck! I'm tired!"

Using the spear, she tried to stab the wolf. Luckily, her method went well, giving her enough time to escape. Cleo stands while securing her mask back to her face.

A message came into her sight—from the system.

[Remaining time before the weapon disappears: 20 seconds]

Slowing her breath to calm herself, Cleo anticipated the beast to run to her. Her gaze remains on the monster while the wintery atmosphere made her trembled from the cold she waited patiently. Arching her body, her feet apart, and tightly securing her weapon in her hold. Cleo prepares herself for the outcome.

'If I live, then I will, if I die, then… I will.'

"Whatever happens, will happen!"

Adjusting her feet to the snow, she runs forward. Cleo doesn't want to have any thoughts. She cannot afford to choose anything or anyone. She assures herself, this world is nothing but fiction, but regardless, she does not want to owe anyone their lives for her.

Her heart hardened just by thinking that.

Her pace became faster, her gaze darkened, and her hand trembled. Narrowing their distance from the monster, she immediately used the spear to shield herself from the claws however, she could feel that it managed to scratch her left arm. Ignoring the pain, she continued to move the sharp blade of the spear to the wolf's head, setting her focus on her enemy's death—her tormentor at the very moment.

[Remaining time before the weapon disappears: 10 seconds]

Cleo moved her arms and stab the head of the wolf ferociously so that its neck almost snapped from its shoulders.

The blood from the monster sprayed on her head, her mask, her arms and down to her clothes.

[Level 3 Monsters: Experimented Humans

Warning: DO NOT GET BITTEN

-Weak spot: Head]

[>Clear<]

Cleo's tense body loosen up as she stared at the corpse below her.

"They are…. Humans," she mumbled.

"You did a great job killing them!" Ron muttered approaching her with a wide smile.

"Ron… These monsters… are they humans?"

"Before, but now, they are just human-eating monsters who wanted to devour you."

She didn't respond. Her knees and hands are still trembling. Soon the spear that plunged into the monster's head disappeared like broken shards of glass scattered in the wind.

"Thankfully you managed to survive!" Ron commented and laugh.

"Yeah… I managed." Cleo responded as she glanced at the little monster beside her, "You almost killed yourself back there."

"Me? I'm just… concerned since I'm your guide!"

"Thank you," Cleo muttered in a soft voice.

Ron's lips grinned enormously showing a gummy smile, his eyes squinted and his golden iris glowed in enthusiasm.

"No need to mention it, as an apparition, it's really fine."

"Come to think again, you're an apparition, you cannot die right?" she asked.

"It depends upon you. I can live as long as you can or I can disappear if you wanted. As an apparition, my life depends on you."

"…It must be tough for you," Cleo commented.

"Ha! Don't feel down Cleo Sky. Don't feel bad on me," Ron replied giddily, "And you must go home, the sun is setting, and Castor is already home."

"Ah! I almost forgot the time," she responded as she glanced at her clothes, "He's gonna be really upset. I messed up the clothes I borrowed."

"When you go home, do not waste time. Time is running," Ron announced pointing his bony little pointer finger above.

Cleo shifted her gaze at the sky.

[27 suns]

"27 suns? But last time I check it's 29 suns?" she murmured.

"This world doesn't abide the natural turn of days. Remember Cleo Sky everything in this world depends on the system. Even you."

Cleo remained silent.

"Oh, just to stop spoiling your victory. I am very glad that you made it this far, Cleo Sky," Ron declared with a grin showing his sharp teeth.

"Thanks."

"Now go and clear your head," the little red-skinned man uttered.