Red Zone

Liam gazed out into the murky swamp water in front of him, his mind still reeling from the fight with the Queen Swamp Serpent. The creature had been no match for him and his Nuclear Force Manifestation, but he couldn't help but wonder about Axis.

'What was her race? How was she able to keep up with me even after Nuclear Force Manifestation amplified my power to a whole other level?' Liam thought.

He knew not to ask her, though. She was as secretive as they come and he had learned a while ago that she was not one to divulge information willingly.

Ding!

His thoughts were interrupted by a strange, translucent screen that appeared before him. As he read the notification about his reward for defeating the Queen Swamp Serpent, he couldn't help but smile.

Axis noticed his positive reaction and teased him, "You know, Liam, I might just have to kill you in the Red Zone so I can loot the reward you received for myself."

Liam chuckled, "Oh really? Why don't you go first to set traps and wait for the moment to strike me?"

Axis grinned mischievously, "That's actually a great idea. I'll see you in the Red Zone, Liam. Please bring the reward that you received at all costs!"

But before she left, she added, "You'd better get moving, Liam. The new batches of monsters will spawn soon. If you don't leave the Yellow Zone before then, you'll be in serious trouble. I need you to stay alive until I can kill you, ya know."

"Just leave, f*cker!" Liam laughed and watched as Axis quickly disappeared into the dense foliage of the swamp.

With one last look around the abandoned building, Liam made his way out too. His senses were on high alert. He knew that danger lurked around every corner and he needed to be ready for whatever was thrown his way.

As he trudged through the murky water, Liam couldn't help but reflect on the unlikely companionship he had formed with the other players. Despite their vastly different personalities and backgrounds, they had managed to form a tight bond that had gotten them through some of the toughest challenges the swamp had to offer. 'Would I see them again? Did they even survive?'

And as he prepared to face a new series of problems that might await him in the Red Zone, Liam knew that he might encounter players in a very dangerous area.

***

Axis trudged through the thick, swampy terrain, her eyes fixed firmly on the mountain up ahead. As she walked, she mulled over Liam's true intentions. Did he really just want her to go first to be careful of him in the Red Zone, or was there something else at play?

She shook her head, trying to clear her mind of any distractions. She knew that the Red Zone was a dangerous place and if she wanted to survive, she needed to stay focused.

Meanwhile, Liam had also left the abandoned building and the Yellow Zone, his mind buzzing with thoughts of Axis. He knew that she was a formidable opponent and he didn't want to take any chances by encountering her in the Red Zone.

As he made his way towards the mountain, his eyes fell on the countless bodies scattered around. They were the remains of players who hadn't paid attention to the Map feature and had fought against other players and lost, costing them their lives.

Liam felt a pang of sadness as he surveyed the scene. He knew that he needed to be careful and avoid any unnecessary confrontations if he wanted to survive in the Red Zone.

But as he was scavenging through the bodies, he heard a familiar voice.

"And what are you doing here?" It was Axis. She greeted Liam.

Bang-!!

After accessing Marksman Mode, a handgun materialized in Liam's hand and fired at Axis. The bullet was about to hit her but it vanished because she was out of Liam's range.

"And here I am taking a different route to avoid you. Why do I have to see your ugly blue face again?" Liam mocked, leaning forward recklessly.

"Oh, is that a warning shot? So you have two modes? A brawler that can be a marksman, I hope that helps you from my might." Axis took a stance, her axe materializing in her hand, cautious of Liam's range of basic attacks.

"Oh, so you want to go? I'm ready anytime." Liam maintained his cool, gun pointing at Axis. He didn't want Axis to know that he had taken a different route to avoid her and was just trying to find items and scavenge.

But before they could move against each other, they heard voices.

"That's them, come on! Faster!" Aaron and Kaiser, followed by Colleen and Sharky appeared from the mountain.

Sensing the atmosphere, Sharky asked, scratching his head in confusion, "What were you two up to?"

"Are they gonna fight?" Kaiser added.

Irritated, Axis responded, "Well, yeah? Why were you four so close to each other? This is a Red f*cking Zone, remember? No friends or allies in this area."

"You're right. Unless we're in the same party!" Aaron massaged his chin, beaming like an idiot, proud of what he had done.

"Are you f*cking kidding me? The Party feature is inaccessible at this stage! I won't be tricked by this level of deception!" Axis narrowed her eyes, maintaining her battle stance and wary of everyone.

"Why don't you check your system and see for yourself, Dear Miss?" Aaron rebutted.

As if in unison, a notification rang in Axis' head.

Ding-!!

[<TheAnonymous> invited you to a party?]

[Y/N]

"Whaaat? How is this possible?" Axis exclaimed.

'You son of a b*tch! So his skill is to access locked features temporarily? That's a game-changer for sure. I'm glad I saved him, he could be a lot of help in the future.' Liam smirked, knowing fully well Aaron's capabilities.

With a sense of camaraderie in the air, Axis and Liam agreed to join the Party, knowing that it would provide them with much-needed support and protection against each other in the Red Zone.