The Present,
Alex carried both Maria and Charles on her shoulders. Despite her significant strength and enhanced physique, they still burdened her. She slowed down drastically and could just run at a speed humanly possible. She knew her team had likely made contact with the opposition.
The other leader's location was unchanging which led Alex to guess her teammates had somehow cornered him. Alex pushed herself even more, a single mistake could lead to a devastating loss. Once she got close enough to see the back of a human figure, Alex threw her packages aside, forgoing any form of gentleness.
She brought out her weapon from her badly sewn prehistoric leather clothing before analysing the current situation. Her team members had executed the discussed plan successfully, circling the enemies while maintaining a good distance. This plan was only to be employed if they met at least eight opponents and thankfully they did. It was the least complicated of her plans. Luckily, the team leader was among the cornered youths.
Alex lunged into the encirclement but winced as she poised her weapon. The measly sharpened stone in her hand was not even worthy of being called a weapon.
For the entire stage, she was to wield what was barely qualified as a weapon. There was no stick or handle of any sort. All she held unto was the somewhat round edge of the stone, the length of the stone was not worth mentioning. The pointed edge of the weapon was shabbily carved and she had extremely limited reach with this weapon and her ever-glowing chakrams could not be retrieved from her storage cube throughout this stage. The others told her their weapons vanished, during their transportation so Alex suspected whatever took their weapons could lock or retrieve items from her cube storage. Now she must make do with a rock.
'Not like I'm trying to kill them anyways.' Alex decided to throw it rather than fight with it.
Alex announced her arrival when a rock dug itself into the leg of a confused male. His eyes widened and so did the eyes of his teammates. Alex did not wait for them to gather their bearings, she dashed past the confused and kicked the side of the leader's throat with controlled force. His body went limp on the ground and Dahlia instantly sent her blade his way, lodging a wooden blade into the fallen leader's skull.
Instantly, a message appeared for all members of the opposing team, but Alex was not patient enough to let them peacefully scan its contents. Alex had already picked her another victim, throwing the body to Imani's side. One of the agitated members released a war cry, rousing his teammates from their shock and igniting their fighting spirits.
They rushed at her, ready to overwhelm her with force and numbers. Alex only allowed one to get close, grabbing her skull and leaping backwards in retreat. With her fingers piercing through the girl's skin, Alex roughly threw her at Luca, all this happening at a speed her opponents could hardly register. Her speedy assault left them momentarily confused, and Alex slipped around them kicking the member at the edge to Isaiah's ready pick axe.
They soon realised the girl they were facing was not someone they could haphazardly overcome and looked at each other before scattering around her. They failed to make a circle as large or accurate as the one her teammates had created but they had no time for such details. Alex demanded every bit of their attention. She only watched as they surrounded her, leaving no route for escape. Then after a roar of fury, they charged simultaneously, all except one. This one ran in the opposite direction of his comrades and attempted to flee through one of the breaks in the circular human formation.
Elijah had long anticipated his move, and employed his stone claymore to intercept the boy, met with Elijah's powerful swing, he crumpled onto the ground.
Alex could practically hear their thoughts, and they reflected outrage, apprehension and determination. As they closed in on her, Alex only watched.
A punch, a swing of the blade and a slam from a club rushed towards Alex all at once. They met nothing but air, and Alex retaliated with her right leg throwing an opponent far away, her motion was not done as she connected that kick into a gliding sweep, toppling another enemy onto the ground.
A second round of attacks followed the first: one thrust his stone spear, but failed to meet the flesh of the one intended, instead, he pierced through his comrade. Alex did not need to do much, she shot forward at the only unharmed and slowly retreating team member. She crushed his neck slightly. Throwing him easily to Maria, Alex focused on the trembling boy with a spear. She did not wait for his move and punched him squarely in the stomach's centre before throwing him to Damien.
Alex walked to Imani and he handed her the sharpened stone, a mocking glint in his eyes. Alex gave him a slight glare, she had already endured enough ridicule back in the cave because of her 'weapon'. She was not interested in enduring any more jokes.
"Alex, don't you think you forgot something?"
Elijah gave her a disapproving look, yet she could not recall what she had forgotten. Her role was completed and everything was wonderfully executed.
She changed her expression to one of confusion before she saw Isaiah emerge from behind a tree, dragging two unconscious team members behind him.
"Oh, those two," Alex understood that she had completely forgotten about the unconscious duo, but just shrugged in response to Elijah's obvious disapproval.
They turned into particles and soon found themselves back in the cave.
[ You have achieved complete victory over the opposing team and have received 1000 shards.]
[ You did not exceed the time limit and have received an additional 500 shards]
[ Would you like to fight another match in ten minutes?]
•YES•
•NO•
[ Please choose your next opponent ]
°°°
In another cave, harbouring one quivering male and a visibly disturbed girl, a screen flashed in front of their eyes as well.
[ You have lost. ]
The words rapidly changed, stunning both beholders. It only made the message much more menacing.
[ You lost by cowardice, your reward has been retracted. ]
Both people were not even able to panic as their bodies turned to slime, their skin liquified and slithered down their forms, forming a pool of molten blood, organs, and skin beneath their lifeless skeletons.