The rooftop cracked beneath her boots. Kuina stood tall, arms crossed, pink-black aura flaring like a pissed-off goddess ready to burn the world down.
"I'm going alone."
The words dropped heavy like a nuke.
All seven girls inside the safehouse froze.
"I'm not asking." Kuina's voice was flat, but firm. "I'm not dragging y'all into this shitshow. I don't need backup. I need obedience."
Kylie stepped forward first, her black lipstick smudged from stress chewing. "Aww, love, how you care just melts me." She leaned in and kissed Kuina's cheek hard. "Moaah! But if you ain't back in three hours, I'm comin' for that sweet ass."
"Duly noted," Kuina muttered with a smirk.
Then Mira walked over silently, wrapped her arms around Kuina, and held her tight. She didn't say much. Just a whisper in her ear. "Come back in one piece... and I'll let you do anything you want with me. No limits."
Kuina tilted her head with a sly half-smile. "That's a dangerous promise."
Lika, the shy one, walked up last. The top of her head barely reached Kuina's waist. She hugged Kuina's thigh like a lost bunny. Kuina bent down, kissed the top of her snow-white hair. "Thanks, little one."
As she stood, Kuina exhaled sharply. "If Piper ever hauls her green-haired ass back, tell her she's a punk bitch for leaving without a word."
With that, she stomped toward the roof's edge. The cracked tiles gave way and she just dropped. Wings of aura exploded behind her, catching her in midair like a queen of vengeance reborn.
"Take care, baby!" all three shouted in unison.
Then Kylie chimed in, smirking, "Sooo... wanna kill time with another round?"
Mira slapped her shoulder. "No, dumbass! We wait!"
Kylie chuckled. "I was joking! Chill, sexy."
Kuina tore through the sky like a pink comet on rage mode. The wind screamed against her armor. Her sword hummed in her hand, vibrating with impatient bloodlust.
"This one's brutal," she muttered. "System, you picked a damn tough one."
A soft ping rang inside her skull.
[SYSTEM ALERT]MISSION REWARD:SPEED X1000+1000 LEVELSTIME LIMIT: 3 HOURS
"Only a thousand levels?" Kuina scoffed. "Damn stingy system. That'll barely push me to 1500. Y'all want me dead, huh?"
Below her, the fortress came into view — a jagged mess of black stone, rusted alchemy towers, and floating platforms choked in green fog. A bunch of dudes stood in formation outside, circling ten women bound in chains. The air stank of blood, fire, and testosterone.
Three captains stood on a high ledge, addressing the crowd.
"Listen up, boys!" one bellowed. "These ten killer sluts murdered ten of ours. We gave 'em due process. Now we give 'em death!"
The crowd roared.
Among them, a small armored figure with a full helmet stood still. Short. Silent. Watching.
The girl under the helmet smirked. "Come on, redhead. They're thirsty for blood."
Kuina reached the clouds over the fortress. She drew her sword and aimed it downward.
"Knock knock, motherfuckers."
With a battle cry, she launched a massive energy blast straight into the fortress gates. The shockwave turned half the front wall to dust. Chaos erupted below.
"WE'RE UNDER ATTACK!"
Guns turned. Alchemical cannons swiveled. Panic.
The helmeted girl in the crowd chuckled and disappeared into thin air.
Kuina crash-landed in a storm of shattered rock and flying debris. She stood up slowly, cracking her neck.
"Who's ready for a funeral?"
One of the captains stepped out, grinning like an asshole. His name was Omach. Huge guy, silver armor, sharp jawline, hair slicked back like a villain out of a cheap soap opera.
"Gentlemen," he said with dramatic flair. "I think it's polite we introduce ourselves to the sexy intruder. Clap for her, boys!"
And they fucking clapped.
Kuina raised an eyebrow. "You serious?"
Omach grinned wider. "My name's Omach. Captain of the Alchemy Enforcers. We're the last hope for masculinity. And what you're doing here is treason."
He gestured at the chained girls. "These ladies? Murderers. Killed ten of ours in cold blood. We caught 'em mid-siege. We're just administering justice."
Kuina's sword darkened. Her aura flared hot.
"You're lying. Those girls didn't kill for fun. They fought for their lives."
Omach shrugged. "Semantics."
Suddenly, he lunged at her. Speed like lightning. His fist aimed for her face.
She barely raised her sword in time. The impact sent shockwaves into the earth. Sparks flew.
"He's fast," she hissed.
She twisted and kicked him in the chest. He flew back, laughing.
"She's spicy!" he shouted. "But she ain't gonna last!"
He leaped again, only to get blasted in the face by a pink laser from above.
BOOM
His head exploded like a melon. Silence.
Everyone looked up.
Piper.
Riding on top of her unicorn-dragon hybrid, Mortis, she waved.
"Good luck, my goddess! Catch you later!"
And just like that, she flew away.
Kuina blinked. "So she didn't ditch me after all."
Her smile faded fast. She turned toward the stunned soldiers.
"You fucked up."
Then she charged.
Slashes. Screams. Blood.
Kuina tore through the army like a hot knife through butter. Her blade glowed with pink fire, and every slash sent shockwaves that vaporized bone.
Alchemy soldiers screamed as they died. Explosions lit up the field.
At least 500 men fell in minutes.
Above, a new figure appeared—hovering.
Cory, the second-in-command.
Long cloak. Silver tattoos on his arms. Calm eyes.
"She's strong," he muttered. "But not strong enough."
Kuina glanced up. Her sword pulsed.
"You watching like a creep? Come fight me, coward!"
Cory smirked but stayed put.
Meanwhile, far off in the sky…
Mortis soared fast, but not fast enough.
A blur zipped past him and blocked his path. The small armored figure.
"Move," Mortis grunted.
The figure didn't budge.
"I'm tryna fly here, you garden gnome," Piper snapped.
The girl removed her helmet. Her pink hair bounced in twin ponytails. Cold brown eyes stared back.
"Name's Molly. You mind explaining why you're flying off while your redhead's fighting alone?"
Piper and Mortis exchanged looks.
"Are you serious?" Piper laughed. "You look like a fuckin' Bratz doll. What are you, twelve?"
"I'm thirty," Molly said coldly. "I just look young. And you? You dress like a toddler. What's with the baby-pink shit and lip gloss?"
Piper rolled her eyes. "It's called fashion. Look it up."
Molly raised a brow. "Anyway, I saw the mission parameters. If Kuina doesn't kill 9000 men in 3 hours, she dies."
Piper froze.
Molly continued, "So unless you wanna add a coffin to your love life, maybe help her?"
Piper clenched her fists. "She's strong. She can manage."
"And yet, you left her. She saved your ass. This is how you repay her? Laser and ghost?"
"Don't push me," Piper warned. "If you block me again, I'll kill you."
Molly smiled. "Go ahead. Try."
Back in the fortress, Kuina kept shredding.
Bodies piled up. The sky turned red.
She twirled mid-air, sent a wave of energy that melted dozens of soldiers. Her armor was soaked in blood. Her hair flew wild, her chest heaved, and her lips curled in rage.
Cory floated above still, hands crossed.
"Time to end this," he whispered.
Kuina looked up, eyes glowing.
"If that Naamo freak couldn't stop me, you sure as hell won't!"
She summoned everything. Her aura expanded like a nuke going off.
"SLEEP UNDER THE DAMN GRAVE, MOTHERFUCKERS!!"
She swung her sword, releasing a massive beam that scorched half the battlefield.
Hundreds more died.
Cory grinned. "This is gonna be fun."
TO BE CONTINUED…