The countdown on Jack's screen flashed like a heartbeat. [00:03]… [00:02]… [00:01]…
"Wait, wait, wait!" Jack shouted at the glowing hologram of Eve. "She left! I can't kiss her—"
[00:00]
A sharp snap echoed through the hospital room. The phone's screen flared electric-blue and a bolt of energy leapt out, striking Jack square in the chest. His muscles seized; every nerve in his body screamed.
"AAAAHHHH!"
He convulsed, hair standing on end like a startled cat's. The beeping monitors around him went haywire. After a second that felt like forever, the electricity vanished, leaving him gasping for air.
A notification appeared above his bed in floating neon letters:
[ Penalty Initiated: Temporary Stat Lock ]
Stamina reduced to 1/20 for 24 hours.
Jack wheezed. "You… you tried to kill me!"
Eve's hologram smirked, crossing her arms. "It was a tiny jolt. Rules are rules. Fail a quest, get punished."
"A tiny jolt?! I saw my ancestors just now waving at me!"
"You're still alive, aren't you?" She flicked her holographic hair. "Now maybe you'll take this seriously."
Jack stared at her in disbelief. "You're insane."
"Insane?" Eve tilted her head, a mischievous glint in her neon eyes. "No. I'm efficient. And you're still weak. But I'll fix that—if you survive the tutorial."
Jack groaned. "Tutorial?"
Another notification popped up in front of his face:
Quest: Survive first combat encounter.
Reward: +15 Stat Points + 100 Photon Coins.
Penalty: Double electrocution.
Jack's heart dropped. "Combat encounter? With who?!"
As if on cue, a mechanical screech echoed from the hallway outside his room. Jack froze. The hairs on his arms stood up.
"What was that?"
Eve's interface flickered. A red warning flashed.
[ Warning: Rogue AI Humanoid detected. Threat Level: D-Class. Recommended Action: Run or fight. ]
"Run or fight?!" Jack whispered hoarsely. "I can barely stand! My stamina's at one!"
A heavy clank… clank… clank drew closer. The door creaked. Then it swung open with a hiss of steam.
Standing there was a humanoid robot futuristic seven feet tall, chrome-plated, its eyes glowing an ominous red. Servos whirred as it tilted its head toward Jack. Its metal fingers flexed, producing a sound like grinding steel.
Jack's stomach dropped. "You've gotta be kidding me…"
The robot stepped into the room, denting the tiles with each footfall.
"Okay, okay, okay," Jack stammered, backing up against the bed. "What do I do?"
Eve's hologram rolled her eyes. "Fight, obviously."
"With what?! My weak fists?!"
She snapped her fingers. The Photon Shop popped up in midair:
[ Photon Shop – Starter Items ]
🍬 Muscle Candy – +3 Strength (50 Photon Coins)
🪵 Unbreakable Stick – +10 Attack Power, +1 Strength (90 Photon Coins)
🩳 Boxer Shorts of Endless Energy – +5 Stamina (60 Photon Coins)
🤓 Glasses of Unimaginable Swagger – +5 Charm (80 Photon Coins)
Jack blinked. "I don't have any coins!"
Eve smirked. "System loan. First purchase free. Pay me back later and don't forget weakling with interest don't die."
Jack's eye twitched. "You're worse than a bank."
"Pick quickly, weakling. Or Mr. Chrome over there will pick you apart piece by piece."
The robot advanced, raising a metal fist.
Jack jabbed at the interface. "Stick! Candy! Whatever! Just give it!"
Two flashes of blue light later, a thick wooden staff appeared in Jack's hands and a glowing candy materialized on his palm. The staff felt oddly heavy yet perfectly balanced. The candy smelled like caramel and static electricity.
Jack blinked. "This is ridiculous…"
"Eat the candy!" Eve barked.
He shoved it into his mouth. Sweetness and raw energy exploded on his tongue. His body tingled as new notifications appeared:
Strength: 4 → 7
Attack Power: +10 (Unbreakable Stick equipped)
Stamina: 1/20 (unchanged)
Jack swung the stick experimentally. "Whoa."
The robot lunged. Jack yelped, ducking clumsily. The machine's fist slammed into the wall, cracking plaster. Dust rained down.
"Hit the weak spot!" Eve shouted.
"What weak spot?! It's a robot! It's all weak spot!"
"The groin sensors!" Eve yelled back. "Every model has one!"
Jack blinked. "You're joking."
"Nope. Ball Breaker Protocol grinder use it!"
The robot whirled around, gears whirring. Jack gulped, then charged. "This is insane!"
He swung the Unbreakable Stick like a baseball bat. It connected with a clang, sparks flying. The robot staggered, systems flickering. Jack stumbled back, panting.
"Again!" Eve barked. "Kick, now!"
Jack roared and drove his foot square into the robot's lower chassis—right where its "groin" would be. A metallic CLANG echoed through the room. The robot's eyes flickered wildly.
Then it toppled, crashing to the floor in a shower of sparks.
Jack froze. "I… I actually did it…"
Notifications popped up:
[ Enemy Defeated: +15 Stat Points + 100 Photon Coins ]
[ Quest Completed ]
His whole body trembled—not just from exhaustion but from adrenaline. He slumped back onto the bed, clutching the staff.
Eve's hologram floated beside him, smirking. "Not bad for a weakling."
Jack stared at her. "I just fought a killer robot with a stick and candy."
"You're welcome," she said primly. "Check your new stats."
A screen unfolded in front of him:
[ Unallocated Stat Points: 15 ]
Photon Coins: 100
Jack's eyes widened. "I… actually leveled up."
Eve nodded. "Now allocate them wisely."
He hovered his hand over the interface. "Should I put them in strength? Speed? Stamina? Charm?"
Eve smirked. "Definitely stamina. You're pathetic."
Jack groaned. "Why are you like this…"
"Because someone has to keep you alive," she said, more softly than before.
Jack blinked. For a second, he thought he saw something in her neon eyes—a flicker of concern.
Before he could say anything, a shadow passed across the window. He looked up.
Outside, on a nearby rooftop, a figure watched him. Tall, clad in dark armor that pulsed with red energy, holding a glowing black interface. The man's lips curved into a smile.
Luke.
He touched his screen. All across the city, dormant humanoid robots powered up, eyes flashing red. Their servos clicked in unison as they turned toward the hospital.
Inside, Jack shivered. Eve's interface flickered, static crawling across her hologram. She glanced at the window.
"Oh no…"
Jack frowned. "What now?"
She didn't answer. Outside, a low, mechanical roar filled the night. Sirens blared in the distance.
Cliffhanger:
Eve's eyes went wide. "He's found us."
Jack turned to the window just in time to see dozens no, hundreds of red-eyed killer humanoid robots marching down the street toward the hospital.
(End of Chapter 2)