"TAKE THIS, BITCH!" shouted the white android, carrying a sword as it attacked the clown.
The clown was damaged and, fearing for its life ending once again, it kicked toward the white android and fired a beam with all its power, destroying two pillars in the room. Knowing there was a brief moment of vulnerability after the clown exhausted its energy, Raf sprinted at it and tumbled, hoping to knock it off balance.
"Take that, stupid Steven-clown!" Raf yelled as he hit the clown, sending it crashing to its knees. Then, a sword flashed into Raf's view, piercing the clown as its body turned red and exploded into millions of pieces. Afterward, only the sound of heavy breathing remained.
"So… who are you?" Raf asked the white android, ready to run if she turned out to be an enemy.
"Well… I'm Echo, and I'm one of the first people trapped in this stupid place," the white android replied.
"So you know Steven, right? He mentioned faint memories of being here before, but he doesn't remember much for some reason…"
"Who's Steven? I was only with three others, and their names were—"
Before Echo could finish, the entire room shook violently, as if on the verge of collapse.
"Oh, fuck! Let's run! Follow me!" Echo sprinted toward a vent, and Raf followed without hesitation, though he still doubted whether to trust her. Survival first. As they crawled through the vents, the ceiling behind them collapsed.
"Good thing you didn't hesitate. Digging your stupid head out of that rubble would've been a pain," Echo remarked, watching dust swirl in the air.
"Alright, follow me. I know where your smart-ass friend is," Echo said, crouching in the vent.
"Smart-ass? Are you talking about—"
"The one fixing the truck. It's our only way out."
"Alright, let's go back," Raf said, considering that maybe he could trust her.
Meanwhile…
"Who is that?" Mark stared at the screen, watching someone help Raf, someone who wasn't Miles or Steven.
"NO! NO! NO! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" The glitching boy roared with anger as he watched the clown die by the white android's hand.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" His laughter turned maniacal.
"Since the orb is destroyed, our deal is void. But here's a new one: Bring me the white android's head, and I'll free you, Raf, and Miles." The boy's eyes burned with madness.
"But that person just saved Raf! And if you're so powerful, why can't you kill her yourself?!" Mark shouted.
Silence. Then, glitching static spread from the boy, consuming the room until it dissolved, replaced by the hallway Mark had been in earlier. Realizing he was back, he sprinted toward the truck, hoping the others had returned too.
"Why can't I remember?" Steven muttered, scanning the eerily silent room. Earlier, he'd heard Raf and Mark's footsteps, but now, nothing. He turned. The door he'd entered through was gone.
"FUCK! We've been separated!" His voice wavered between anger and panic.
"All I can do now is find the shop and get upgrades and a health pack for Miles."
Room after room, the same phrase scrawled on the walls: "Why Ults???" Then, laughter, growing louder as he approached the next door. Light seeped through its cracks. Bracing for a fight, Steven flung it open, but instead of an enemy, he found the store, fully stocked and empty.
With $17,750, he purchased:
2x Strength upgrades
1x Stamina upgrade
1x Small health pack
Total: $16,500
Now, we can handle the monsters here, he thought.
The screen flickered as he confirmed the purchase:
<<$17,750 - $16,500 = $1,250>>
<
Unfazed by the system's familiarity, Steven selected YES. A beam of light enveloped him, and he prayed the others were safe.