The central hall of Evil Town – a vast space that was once the vibrant heart of the shopping center, now transformed into a hellish arena under flickering torchlight – was steeped in a suffocating atmosphere, heavy with the smell of fresh blood and rotting flesh. Mad Saulus sat there, atop a pile of women's corpses stacked like a barbaric throne, his enormous body filling the space, his rough skin full of old scars and fresh wounds, dried blood stains like war paint. His minions – about fifty, from muscular bikers to radiation-mutated freaks with bloodshot eyes, armed with machetes, spiked clubs, and makeshift handguns – knelt around him in a protective circle. Saulus's maniacal laughter echoed, like thunder from hell, making the air vibrate. Kato, the resistance leader, gripped his rifle tightly, whispering in my ear: "He's a demon. We have to attack fast, before he can summon more troops." The resistance group – ten people, including Kato, a woman named Mika with a sharp short knife, and others holding old weapons – nodded, their eyes flashing with determination mixed with fear. I gripped the Jack Knife tightly, its giant blade gleaming under the firelight, feeling power surge but also a faint unease from Saulus's grotesque smile. "Let's go," I said softly, and we charged into the attack.
The resistance fired the first volley from behind collapsed concrete pillars, the gunshots echoing deafeningly, bullets whizzing toward Saulus's minions. One biker was hit in the chest, blood splattering as he fell backward; the mutant next to him was struck in the shoulder, growling but still charging with a spiked club. Saulus's minions reacted quickly, shouting and rushing out from the circle, a group of about twenty leading with machetes ready. Mika charged first, her short knife slashing across a biker's neck, blood gushing like a fountain, but the one beside swung a club into her shoulder, bones cracking, she retreated screaming in pain. Kato shot that one down, bullet piercing his head exploding brain, but the mutated freaks charged, blistered skin oozing yellow pus, biting and tearing a resistance member – he screamed as flesh was ripped, blood pooling. I charged in to support, swinging the Jack Knife horizontally bisecting two mutants, guts spilling foully; punching hard into the third's chest, caving it in, sending him flying into comrades.
But Saulus didn't sit idle. He stood slowly, his giant body towering a head above me, rippling muscles like boulders, laughing maniacally then charging straight at me like a whirlwind. "You the new dog?" he growled, voice deep and resonant. I dodged right as he swung his first punch, wind whistling past my ear, fist hitting the concrete pillar behind shattering it to pieces. I countered, swinging the Jack Knife into his side – blade cutting deep, blood spraying, but he just laughed, spinning back punching my chest. The terrifying force pushed me back steps, stinging pain spreading, ribs shaking but healing fast thanks to the gene. The resistance was weakening, surrounded by Saulus's minions: one member stabbed through gut, intestines spilling; Kato shot the stabber, but was whipped in the leg by a spiked club, collapsing. I leaped to support, throwing the knife into the back of one attacking Mika, blade piercing chest him faceplanting; then turning to block Saulus's second punch, my hand gripping his fist, muscles clashing with cracks.
Saulus laughed savagely, twisting his hand pulling me close, his knee thrusting hard into my gut – pain like a sledgehammer, organs shaking, blood foaming mouth but I gritted teeth, punching back into his face, nose shattering blood flowing. He retreated, but the wound on his side had closed, flesh regenerating rapidly making me startle. "What monster is this?" I thought, but no time to ponder as his minions charged the resistance: a mutant biting and tearing a member's shoulder, blood spraying; Mika slashing off its arm, but knocked down by another's punch. I leaped to support, punching the puncher's head to pulp, brains splattering; slashing horizontally bisecting two others charging Kato. Saulus exploited, charging again, his hands grabbing my throat, squeezing like vices, air blocked, I struggled punching his chest – force making him retreat but not release, his skin tearing then healing immediately. I swung the knife severing one hand, blood gushing, he screamed releasing, but the severed hand regrew rapidly, flesh writhing like worms.
The resistance gradually exhausted, losing two: one clubbed head to pulp, brains scattering; the other stabbed repeatedly in chest, blood pooling. Kato yelled: "Focus on the monster!" firing a burst into minions, downing three, but charged by a mutant clawing his arm, skin tearing exposing red flesh. I supported, charging kicking the mutant flying, bones breaking him collapsing; then turning to face Saulus, he fully healed, charging with an uppercut from below. I blocked with hand, arm bone shaking but healing, then slashing knife into his neck – blade severing head, head rolling, blood gushing like fountain. His minions panicked screaming: "Master!" but then, Saulus's headless body trembled, neck flesh writhing regrowing new head, skin regenerating with foul tearing sounds. The new head grew, bloodshot eyes, he laughed: "You think that's enough?" I was shocked, but charged slashing again, severing head twice – head rolling, but regrowing faster, he punching my gut, force sending me flying; thrice, I stabbed chest but he throttled me, oxygen lacking. Four times, I severed head final time, head rolling regrowing, he laughing: "You're out of breath." I exhausted, wounds healing slow, body heavy, his minions surrounding remaining resistance, Kato yelling: "Long, run!" But Saulus stomped harder, my chest caving, pain like death, vision blurring.
Pain was no longer a mere sensation, but a firestorm raging from within, spreading from the deep caved chest up to throat, down every vertebra, making me feel every millimeter of shattered rib scraping lungs. Mad Saulus's enormous foot pressed like a mountain boulder, squeezing air from chest, blood foaming from my mouth mixed with salty grit of dust and metal from cracked concrete floor. His maniacal laughter echoed throughout the hall, each syllable like a hammer on eardrums, making my mind ring. In that moment of blurring vision, memories of Saigon flooded like a breeze – mornings crammed on buses, bitter black coffee on office desk, steady keyboard tapping – all distant to absurdity. I, Nguyen Hoang Kim Long, once anonymous in life's rush, now lay under a monster's foot, nearly dead just to save strangers. But instincts from Violence Jack gene wouldn't let me surrender. It surged like hot lava, pushing consciousness back to earth. "No… can't die here," I thought, teeth gritted till gums bled. The one-month quest remained, Kanto awaited escape, and resistance – people trusting me – dying under his minions' blades.
My right hand, trembling from exhaustion, still gripped Jack Knife hilt. The giant blade lay in palm, cold and sharp as reminder of power I still held. With last vitality channeling into arm, I swung up. Blade severed Saulus's right foot at ankle, metal clashing bone screeching, mixed with wet flesh tearing. Hot foul blood gushed like fountain, splattering my face, foul stench hitting nose churning stomach. Saulus roared horrifically, sound shaking hall, making cracked concrete fragments rain from ceiling. His foot severed, thudding to floor heavily, scattering tendon bits and white bone. Pressure on my chest vanished suddenly, air rushing lungs like wave, painful but life-bringing. I rolled aside, body sliding on blood puddles, broken ribs starting to heal with small cracks, slower than usual from depletion. Each breath carried iron blood taste, but I forced standing, knees trembling, eyes fixed on staggering Saulus retreating.
His stump bled profusely, dripping to floor in dark red puddles, but ankle flesh writhing to regrow, white tendons wriggling like live worms. Giving no breath, I charged up, each step like knives in muscles. "Kato! Mika! Retreat now! I'll handle him!" my voice raspy, toward remaining resistance. Kato, thigh stabbed deep to bone and arm torn exposing red flesh, nodded weakly, eyes flashing gratitude mixed deep worry. Mika, shoulder bleeding nonstop, pulled a surviving member up, whispering through gritted teeth: "Long… don't alone… he's not human." They exhausted beyond standing, dead comrades scattered in blood pools, death stench thick making hall air suffocating. Resistance no strength to fight on, and Saulus's minions charging like black tide, machetes and clubs ready. I couldn't let them touch. I needed new power – immediately.
The system implanted info on transformation forms before vanishing, and now in desperation, I focused deep on Violence Jack gene. Will surged like river bursting dam, body changing. 2.5-meter height shrank rapidly, bones cracking repeatedly like fireworks in head, each vertebra shortening with aching but releasing new energy. Rippling muscles contracted to firm compact blocks, skin from steel-hard becoming flexible, elastic like steel rubber. Old leather clothes shrank with body, hugging new form – Kid Jack form, small like fifteen-year-old boy but containing horrifying power. Now only about 1.6 meters tall, world suddenly larger, but every movement slowed in my eyes. System info flooded clear, cold: this form maximizes reflex speed, movement speed, thinking speed, strike speed, and flexibility. Jack Knife coated invisible field, slowing opponent's recovery many times. I felt change immediately – own heartbeat echoing clear like war drum, Saulus's heavy breathing slow like distant storm. "Now it's different," I whispered, voice younger but full cold killing intent. Inner thoughts now one goal: end him before too late.
Saulus, foot partially regrown with wriggling white flesh wrapping bone, roared charging with overhead smashing punch. Enormous fist like mountain aiming headtop, wind howling like demon scream. But with new speed, I dodged left by small step, punch wind lashing hair like invisible blade, fist hitting concrete floor cratering deep, debris flying scraping my skin, stinging but healing fast. I countered immediately, charging like lightning, Jack Knife swinging horizontally into gut. Blade not only cut deep into thick flesh but coated invisible field, wound not closing immediately. Blood gushing continuously, hot and foul, surrounding flesh twitching slow like frozen in invisible glue. Saulus screamed in agony, sound echoing hall, making broken glass on floor vibrate. He spun, swinging left arm horizontally at waist with force enough to crush rock. I leaped high, foot lightly stepping on his arm changing direction, impact numbing foot but no pain. Then landing behind, punching hard into spine. Force though smaller but strike speed extreme making him stagger, bone cracking clear, pain spreading from my punch to shoulder.
He turned with speed still slow in my eyes, trying stomping right foot into chest. I ducked low, slipping through gap between legs like ghost, stomp wind sweeping back carrying blood stench. Then swinging knife into Achilles tendon, blade cutting deep, field slowing regeneration, him kneeling one leg with wet flesh tearing, blood flowing dark red stream on floor. Resistance exploited rare moment. Kato, thigh oozing blood nonstop, fired shots into charging minions, explosions echoing deafening, two bikers falling with heads pulped. Mika, shoulder bleeding, slashed throat of mutant trying bite, blood gushing hot fountain. But Saulus's minions still numerous, growling surrounding like wolf pack, machetes and clubs swinging forming iron net of death.
I couldn't let them touch allies. While overwhelming Saulus, I supported resistance every second. A biker charged Mika from side, spiked club smashing down shoulder with whistling wind. I charged faster than wind, Jack Knife stabbing through back, blade piercing spine with foul tearing, then withdrawing swiftly, blood splattering my face. I kicked him into other minions, body crashing creating heavy impact. Simultaneously, Saulus stood fully, charging with double punches – right aiming head, left gut. I dodged right by tilting body inches, fist wind lashing ear like blade. Then using new flexibility, twisting body avoiding left, charging close, punching rapid three into face: first shattering nose blood gushing; second dislocating jaw, teeth flying; third swelling eye. Each strike carrying invisible field, wounds on body healing slow, blood nonstop flowing down chin. He roared madly, trying hugging crush, enormous arms squeezing carrying foul sweat and old blood stench. But I slipped from arms like slippery snake, swinging knife horizontal cutting deep neck, wound not healing, him staggering, regeneration clearly slowed, blood flowing nonstop.
The situation reversed completely in a flash. Saulus, once nightmare with freakish recovery, now couldn't touch me once. He swung makeshift iron mace from nearby minion, sweeping horizontal with storm wind force. I leaped high, flipping midair, weightless sensation fleeting, then landing on shoulder punching hard down headtop. He collapsed to floor, head cracking with dry bone shatter, blood flowing pooling red under feet. His minions panicked, bloodshot eyes revealing fear first time, some starting retreat, legs trembling on cracked concrete. Kato yelled from behind, voice raspy from blood loss: "Long! He's retreating!" Indeed, Saulus roared savage order, remaining minions – about twenty – starting withdraw north hallway of hall, dragging wounded, feet scraping floor mixed with pain moans. Saulus retreated, eyes flashing cold calculation first since encounter: "You… not normal thing. But next time different." He turned fleeing, stump foot still oozing blood slow from field, each step leaving fresh red trail on floor.
Resistance completely exhausted, Kato panting leaning cracked concrete pillar, blood from thigh dripping steadily. Mika, shoulder bleeding, bandaging surviving comrade temporarily, hands trembling from depletion. "We… can't pursue anymore," Kato said weakly, voice full regret. I nodded, voice maintaining young Kid Jack but full determination: "You rest here. I'll pursue alone. Must end him before he prepares." Without waiting objection, I charged after, new speed making body like blurred shadow through dark Evil Town hallways. Wind whistling ears, heavy footsteps of Saulus and minions echoing ahead. I raced through rooms full dead bodies, blood foul stench hitting nose mixed decay from scattered corpses, churning stomach but suppressed. He led minions deeper into underground maze, toward area I hadn't set foot – long hallway with twisted metal doors, walls full blood graffiti of skull symbols and gamma rays, dim light from remaining torches casting long shadows like watching ghosts.
After ten minutes fierce pursuit, my footsteps echoing cold concrete floor, breath steady thanks new speed, we reached old laboratory, once secret research area deep under shopping center. Room door shattered with bent metal fragments, inside ruined lab tables, shattered test tubes rolling floor, large metal barrels with clear yellow-black radiation symbols under flickering green light from leaking chemical jars. Saulus stopped middle room, panting, remaining minions kneeling around in exhausted pose. He laughed savagely, voice raspy full madness: "You think you won, kid? This is origin my true power!" They charged barrels, opening lids with screeching metal clash, pouring glowing green liquid over themselves. Viscous fluid, emitting acrid chemical and radiation stench, lightly smoking on skin, sizzling like seared flesh. Saulus poured first, liquid flowing down head, shoulders, chest, skin boiling, writhing like alive, flesh cracking ghastly. Minions followed, each pouring over head, body, pain moans mixed mad laughter echoing room, charred skin and chemical smell spreading making air suffocating hard breathe.
Saulus's body transformed beyond humanity right before eyes. Height increasing half meter, skin blistering into grotesque muscle lumps rough, spine protruding long sharp spines, eyes bulging two red glowing orbs like hell flashlights. Mouth gaping full long fangs, green drool dripping floor. His roar no longer human, like beast from hell depths, echoing shaking lab walls, remaining test tubes falling shattering clattering. Minions transformed similarly: skin cracking exposing raw red flesh, limbs growing extra freakish joints, some sprouting long tails whipping strong wind whistles, mouths gaping spewing smoking green pus. They became completely mad, eyes losing last sanity, only pure killing instinct, savage laughter mixed pain moans echoing everywhere. Saulus – now true monster with taller body, bristling spines and glowing bloodshot eyes – turned toward me, laughing with distorted voice, twisted like bent metal: "Now… let's continue, kid. I'll crush you to powder!"
I gripped Jack Knife tightly, invisible field still coating blade, cold sensation spreading up arm. Kid Jack form still gave overwhelming speed, but these radiation monsters no longer old Saulus – faster, stronger, madder, with acrid radiation stench hitting nose dizzing head. Lab sunk in flickering green light from remaining fluid, ceaseless roars echoing, I charged again, ready face new nightmare. Saulus charged first, new tail spine whipping toward me like iron lash, wind tearing ear. I dodged right by small step, tail hitting lab table shattering, glass shards flying scraping my shoulder, stinging but healing fast. I countered immediately, charging like lightning, Jack Knife stabbing straight gut – blade piercing deep into muscle lump, field making wound not close, thick green blood gushing hot, chemical charred stench rising. Saulus roared, spewing green pus from mouth toward me, fluid smoking whizzing. I leaped high, flipping midair, green pus hitting wall behind, wall boiling corroding concrete with ghastly sizzle.
Minions transformed charged sides, one with freakish extra limbs swinging spiked fist aiming chest. I slipped through gap, punching rapid into jaw, bone shattering, then slashing Jack Knife severing extra arm, green blood splattering my face, bitter radiation taste numbing tongue. Another spewed pus from mouth, I dodged twisting body, then kicked flying into shattered barrel, barrel collapsing, green liquid spilling floor. Saulus exploited smashing enormous fist down, force shaking floor. I rolled right dodging, fist hitting lab table shattering, debris flying into eyes stinging. I surged up, swinging knife into leg, cut deep to bone, field slowing regeneration, him kneeling one leg with wet flesh tearing, green blood flowing nonstop. I didn't stop, charging close, punching rapid three into face – nose pulping blood gushing; eye swelling; jaw dislocating fangs flying. Each strike carrying invisible field, wounds healing slow, green blood nonstop flowing down chin. He roared madly, trying hugging crush, spiny arms squeezing, spines tearing back skin like needles, my blood flowing mixed his green. I twisted escaping, swinging knife horizontal cutting deep neck, wound not healing, him staggering, regeneration clearly slowed, blood flowing nonstop.
Battle lasted nonstop, each second chain actions. I leaped ruined lab table, using as springboard charging Saulus, punching continuous into chest, each making him retreat step, flesh impact wet echoing like war drum. A minion charged below, I kicked flying wall, wall cracking, then turning slashing severing Saulus's reaching arm. He roared, stump arm regrowing slow from field, I exploited stabbing three more into gut. Green pus from mouth spewing continuous, I dodged one after another, pus hitting walls corroding metal sizzle, chemical stench nose making cough choke. I surged, slashing across bisecting one, green guts spilling floor, then charging Saulus again, uppercut into lower jaw, jaw fully dislocating, fangs scattering. He countered with sky-smashing punch, I ducked low, fist sweeping head inches, wind strong hair flying back. I slipped in, stabbing knife into thigh, withdrawing fast, green blood nonstop flowing.
Fight in lab lasted tens minutes, no second pause. I jumped lab table ruined, using pedal charge Saulus, punch series into chest, each him back step, impact sound wet echo drum battle. Minion charge under, I kick fly wall, wall crack, then turn slash cut Saulus reach arm. He roar, cut arm grow slow cause field, I use stab more three gut. Pus green mouth spray continuous, I dodge each, pus hit wall eat metal sizzle, smell chem nose make cough. I rise, slash horizontal cut two minion, mutate flesh spill yellow foul; kick other neck snap dry crack. Large freak charge, bite shoulder, teeth pierce skin but I clench neck, twist snap terror force, hurl rest like stone. Group cheer, leader – mid age man gray beard chin, eye sharp, name Kato – thank: "Who you? Power that… like demon." I intro brief: "Long, wander south." They claim resist, remnant Section A C, once try keep human, now over throw Mad Saulus sabotage supply. Kato detail history: Section B under Saulus rule violence, eat rape like animal, mutate quake radi make strong, skin thick armor, endure amaze. I join temp, go deep them, share bag food info surface exit, they tell secret tunnel trap.
With resist, we advance center, witness more hell: room full torture prisoner, skin peel strip hot knife, scream echo; group eat same kind, chew raw bone like bread; gang rape, victim cry like knife cut heart. We attack guard squad, I lead slash two head off, punch three chest pulp; group shoot rest bullet resound. Final, to center – large hall full flicker torch, red light illuminate horror scene. Middle, I see giant sit pile woman corpse like throne, naked flesh full old new wound, dry blood stain like grotes pattern. Mad Saulus – over three meter tall, ripple muscle carve granite, each fiber like steel cable under thick rough skin, cross scar battle, some ooze fresh blood. Face night master: square jaw shark point teeth, some yellow crust flesh bit; blood shot eye ember, pupil abnormal dilate radi, bush brow shade part, create shadow mad eye; broad flat nose wide nostril, heavy breath howl wind; long dishevel black hair mat blood pus, drape broad boulder shoulder; one ear stub, jag cut like bite off. Whole body cover grotes tattoo: laugh skull, snake coil fist, Section B symbol – torn heart. Skin uneven, pale white patch, red raw mutate, vein prom like blood river under skin. Hand enormous, finger curl beast claw, long black nail; leg sturdy pillar, thigh muscle ripple, ready crush any. Around, count minion kneel worship, blood shot eye full fear adore. Kato whisper: "That Mad Saulus." He raise head, laugh maniac, power eman make air heavy, like death incarn, breath carry corpse blood stench, eye lock me like dead challenge.
The lab now a battlefield stained green and red blood, corroded walls, shattered lab tables, Saulus's final moans echoing weakly. I stood there, panting, Kid Jack form maintained, Jack Knife still sticky green pus, but mind one thought: "He not dead yet… but I did it." Battle not ended, but least I alive continue journey leave Kanto.