Kuina's eyes fluttered open.
Pain. Heat. Blood on her lips. Her vision swam with red mist, and then, clarity. The system's glowing alert floated above her like a cruel halo.
"Emergency Override: Transfer 2,000 levels to activate Dragon Power. Method: Mouth-to-mouth."
She groaned.
"Of course it's mouth-to-mouth. Fucking system."
Her gaze shifted and froze.
Molly.
Barbie-girl perfection in motion. She stood between Cory and death itself, eyes cold, heels tapping the stone with absurd elegance.
Kuina squinted.
"Power level... ten thousand? What the hell? Infinite speed? Four thousand raw power?"
Her head swirled with disbelief. "Who the hell is this little Barbie freak and why is she stronger than all of us?"
Cory sneered. "Well, well. Hello there, weird haircut. How old are you? Twelve?"
Molly vanished.
One second she was standing still. The next, her fist was inches from Cory's face. He blocked it — barely. The impact sent him skidding backward, heels scraping against the stone.
"You," she hissed, "talk too much."
She turned her head. "Kuina. Do it. With Piper. Now."
Kuina looked past the chaos. Piper lay unconscious, black lipstick smeared, blood trailing from her temple. Nearby, another captive was killed. That made three.
Her heart cracked.
"I swear to god, I am so done with this kindergarten of pain."
The system dinged.
"Less whining. More action."
Kuina snapped, "Shut up, you perverted freak!"
She staggered to her feet, dragging herself toward Piper. Molly and Cory collided again behind her, their bodies crashing into pillars, each impact like a thunderclap. Cory was laughing now, impressed but amused.
"You're fast," he grunted, "but I'm stronger."
He landed a punch across Molly's face. Her body tilted slightly, then vanished. She reappeared above him and headbutted him straight in the jaw.
"Idiot," she muttered.
"What the actual fuck?!" Cory staggered.
From above, Mortis shouted, "Piper, wake up! Wake the hell up!"
Kuina reached her.
Her fingers brushed Piper's cheek. Soft. Warm. Her black lips were still glossy, even in unconsciousness.
Kuina leaned down.
"You better appreciate this, system. I'm coming for your code later."
She pressed her mouth to Piper's.
One second.
Two.
Three.
Piper gasped.
Her eyes flared open.
Then she kissed back. Hard.
Tongue. Arms. Hands. She pulled Kuina close, locked her in place, lips dancing with hunger.
Kuina's breath hitched.
System Alert: "Reward granted. Dragon Power +2000 levels."
Kuina's body erupted.
Her armor cracked, disintegrated, then reformed — brilliant orange and gold, sharp and regal. Her blade pulsed and shifted, turning into a burning orange weapon of divine fire. Her hair, once pink, became a wild mix of black and orange flames.
She stood, radiant. A goddess born of fury.
"Time remaining: 1 hour. Mission: Defeat Cory and his army. Penalty: Death."
Piper brushed Mortis's horn with a grin. "Worried about me, slut?"
"Of course I am, you psycho," Mortis barked.
Kuina turned to Molly and Cory. They were blurs of speed and crashing limbs. Molly screamed, "Save the girls already, you fiery red bitch!"
Cory took the moment. He kicked Molly square in the stomach, launching her to the floor.
Piper called out, "Go, Kuina! Save them!"
She blew a kiss and dashed off with Mortis toward Molly.
Kuina cracked her neck.
"Time to slaughter."
She vanished.
Flames traced her path. She arrived behind the soldiers with divine fury, her blade igniting. One swing, and the line of men exploded in fire.
"You'll PAY for killing them!"
She carved through them. Ten. Twenty. Fifty. A hundred. The air was filled with ash, screams, and death.
Piper stood over Molly's slumped form. "You good, Barbie Girl?"
Molly stood instantly. No scratches. She winked. "Just playing. Ready to humiliate him?"
Piper lit up. "Hell yes."
"Oki doki."
Molly vanished. Cory readied another spell, a glowing orb of black fire.
"Let's finish this."
He fired. She absorbed it with her palm.
"Barbie wins. Bye, loser."
She pointed a finger.
"Final Breath."
A silver-grey beam shot forward. It pierced his ribs, flooding his lungs. Cory gasped, choking.
"No! You bitch!"
He fired spell after spell. Molly dodged every single one, smiling, until his body gave out.
He collapsed.
Dead.
Molly looked up at Piper, floating in the air, and winked.
"Barbie Girl wins."
Piper smirked, blowing her a kiss. "You're so damn sexy when you smile."
"Less flirting, more focus," Mortis groaned.
Piper punched him playfully. "Shut up, I'm savoring this, idiot."
Kuina wasn't done.
She raised her blade.
"Let's see what Dragon Power really means."
She stabbed it into the air.
A golden dragon erupted. Massive. Roaring. It unleashed a storm of yellow fire onto the crowd.
Thousands burned.
Within seconds, the battlefield emptied. Ash where men once stood.
Kuina landed and pulled the surviving women off their restraints, laying them gently in the corner.
She turned back. Cory's corpse lay motionless.
"Nice work, Barbie," she muttered.
The dragon dissolved back into her blade.
Silence.
Then a scream.
One man stood.
Broken. Burned. Bleeding.
He lunged.
His foot smashed into Kuina's jaw, sending her flying.
She hit the wall, coughing blood.
"You bitch," he snarled. "This... is my final move!"
He raised his hands. Energy flared.
"KINGDOM BREAKER!"
System Alert: "If this attack is not stopped, total regional destruction is imminent. All present will die."
Time Remaining: 50 minutes.
Kuina wiped blood from her lips.
"Fuck's sake."
Piper and Molly ran to her.
Piper kissed her cheek. "I'm with you till the end, my sexy goddess."
Molly slapped her shoulder. "Let's just end this."
TO BE CONTINUED.