(Sword of Tintinaru – Occupation: Fools/Lit) (Zero)

  Two Days Later

  The sound of metal clashing resonates as two hybrids, nearing Zero's level, pursue him. They maintain a steady pace, zigzagging along rocky outcrops. Despite their efforts, Zero gains enough momentum that the rocks feel like mere stepping stones, allowing him to hop and maneuver effortlessly.

  As he lands from a jump, one of the hybrids casts a tier-three Ice Glacier spell at his feet, momentarily freezing him in place just as the other hybrid swings his sword down toward Zero's head.

  Zero activates his melee protection Syndesis an instant before the steel blade strikes his skull. In a flash, the hybrid's sword disappears, replaced by a compound bow. But before he can draw the string, Zero breaks free from the ice and slams his warhammer into the man's helmet. Blood spills as the hybrid collapses, twitching on the ground.

  The second hybrid disregards his fallen comrade and charges at Zero, casting a tier-three Fire Bolt before switching to his sword. Zero sidesteps the fire spell, luring the man into a vulnerable position, then unleashes a brutal five-hit combo. Bones crack as the hybrid is dragged along the sandy ground. Gasping for breath, Zero feels the toll of battling lesser foes.

  The first hybrid weakly removes his helmet, revealing mangled teeth clinging to his gums like shrapnel. Despite his injuries, he attempts to crawl away.

  Zero steps on him, crushing his head underfoot. Blood splatters everywhere. He is almost accustomed to the gruesome aftermath… almost. The smell, however, remains unsettling.

  Zero sighs as cannon fire erupts in unison behind him. The trenches a mile north of Sword of Tintinaru are filled with Lit members, while beyond them lies Fool’s defensive trench line. Though their cannons are fewer, they suffice to protect the city for a while longer.

  The two hybrids Zero just defeated were General Mamer’s trench-tent guards. After days of travel, Zero has finally reached one of the men responsible for signing WAL’s death warrant. It feels surreal, almost like a fever dream, as he enters the tent, his warhammer concealed beneath his clan's cape.

  General Mamer stands at a war table, a model of the city before him. He glances up, momentarily startled as he recognizes Zero. Mamer’s assistant steps back a few feet before Mamer extends his arm. “Get Kure and Alocity… and Squad Yankers.”

  “Right!” the assistant replies, retreating before turning and sprinting out of the tent.

  Zero raises an eyebrow; he hasn’t fought Kure and Alocity in a long time. Their reputations for curses are well-known—not necessarily for being dangerous, but for being overpowered. “You look surprised to see me…” Zero says, laying his warhammer across the table between them.

  “After what happened to Amos… and what about my…”

  “They're dead,” Zero interrupts bluntly.

  Mamer’s expression turns serious. “Do you realize what this could mean for relations between our clans?”

  “I am no longer affiliated with WAL,” Zero asserts, though with each passing moment, it feels it might as well be true. A file materializes in his hand as he tosses it onto the table. “Do you recognize this?”

  Mamer takes a shaky breath. “Who provided this to you?”

  “Kang,” Zero replies. “The entirety of WAL is aware of it.”

  “For how long?”

  “Two months,” Zero states.

  Mamer grits his teeth, yet a sly smile gradually forms. “So, why bring it to me?”

  Zero meets Mamer's gaze. “I wanted to understand why you consented to this.” He recalls Mamer’s unsettling smile and how it lingered in his memory upon realizing Mamer sought WAL's downfall. “Couldn’t you have simply voted us out like Sisbis?”

  Mamer's grin broadens. “Coward? Are you referring to how you ambushed Dulman? The one clan that could have prevented a full-scale war among us four in the east?”

  “Who initiated the attack first?”

  Mamer opens his arms. “We did.”

  “And…”

  “And it was our best chance for survival!” Mamer retorts, leaning forward. “We possessed the cannon advantage and utilized it to secure a victory.”

  “You recognize how you sound, right? You appear paranoid.”

  Mamer tilts his head. “And you weren’t?”

  Zero falls silent, the impact of Mamer’s words resonating deeply.

  “In fact, Zero, you were never paranoid—until that moment. Unlike us…”

  “Please elaborate.”

  “Six, maybe seven years ago,” Mamer begins, “RoT lost the majority of their control and retreated northeast, triggering a surge of new clans. The battles were relentless, but a few strong ones prevailed, WAL among them. WAL was distinct, with powerful players and superior equipment. They had a ruthless reputation, demonstrating neither empathy nor mercy, except during the so-called ‘revolutionary era.’ They disregarded all rules, destroying settlements, looting, and attacking anyone who did not align with their ideals.”

  A distant cannon blast briefly diverts Zero’s attention, but he quickly refocuses on Mamer.

  “Clans vastly larger than WAL lived in fear because borders did not confine them. Paranoia ran deep. WAL’s stories spread far and wide, and even after things stabilized, the attacks persisted. Dulman was the only clan that stood up to you, akin to WAL but with morals, unafraid to reveal their true names.”

  Zero begins to grasp the direction of Mamer’s argument. “But is doxxing truly justified?”

  “I will concede that was a step too far…”

  “One of our members was SWATed!” Zero exclaims.

  Mamer chuckles darkly. “We all felt the repercussions of that, but when they sought peace, you chose violence. Two wrongs do not make a right, especially when lives are at stake.”

  Kure and Alocity enter the tent. Kure is clad in leather armor with a bandana tied around his right arm, while Alocity is barely recognizable, missing an eye and a right arm—a grim reminder of the curses he bears.

  Mamer raises a hand to halt them. “I understand. Our enemies perceive us as villains while believing themselves to be righteous. But you and WAL? I cannot, for the life of me, see any good in you—either here or in the real world.”

  Zero clenches his fists, anger rising within him. He knows Mamer is right. WAL played the villain role effectively—too effectively—until it bled into their real lives. They were the reason Dulman was formed, yet they ultimately destroyed it out of paranoia.

  “Trust me, Zero,” Mamer says, leaning in with a piercing gaze. “I tried to find the good in WAL. But I could not.” He tilts his head. “Give me one reason why I should.”

  “I…” Zero lowers his head. “I-I’m just as bad as you say I am…” His demeanor grows cold. No matter how he rationalizes it, the truth will hurt him unless he confronts it. He is what the general claims he is and will follow through. If he is this evil, then what is stopping him from harming those around him? What prevents him from eradicating all evil before his own death? This brings him back to his mother’s words: “People are both evil and good; the world is fifty-fifty. You will one day understand the difference.” He begins to grasp the concept, though not her reasoning. It doesn’t matter.

  “And the seven who attempted to take your lives thought the same,” Mamer responds. “It’s a shame they passed... I’d wish you shalom, but go away, Zero.”

  Kure steps forward. “Do you want us to escort him out?”

  Mamer shakes his head. “He killed a few of our men, so eliminate him.”

  A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

  “Understood.” Kure nods. “Zero, please exit the tent and follow us. We’d prefer not to create a mess here.”

  Zero turns to the entrance, exits the tent, and follows the others a fair distance. They cross a slight hill to a staging ground; the sight of twenty men surrounding the trenches captures Zero's attention.

  All are silent, swords drawn and waiting.

  “Alright, Zero…” Kure says right before his head and neck snap back.

  Zero wastes no time using the man's curse as his body spins, swinging the warhammer.

  The man stands despite his neck and head being forcibly slammed against his spine. His head straightens out and his neck reforms, defying the threat that would end an average human. The main character’s plot armor. It is a curse that can only be activated once to prevent the user from dying when their Syndesis is full. After activation, all Syndesis will drain, leaving the user fatigued and unable to utilize protection for weeks. Once Kure’s head returns to normal, he drops to a knee, exhaling heavily from exhaustion. “You…”

  A scimitar appears out of thin air as Alocity lunges for Zero.

  Dodging the initial stab, Zero leans back and delivers a kick to Kure's face. Within seconds, he is propelled backward as his warhammer collides with the scimitar. In this high-stakes confrontation, timing is crucial; a single misstep can prove fatal. Zero deflects Alocity’s sword, leaving his torso exposed. A fist connects with his abdomen before Alocity seizes his hair. Just as Zero prepares to raise his warhammer, two men charge at him from either side, brandishing spears. He is forced to relinquish his weapon, but they are no longer a threat.

  Moments after Zero drops to one knee, he leaps aside as arrows begin to rain down. One arrow embeds itself in his arm as he crashes through the ranks of fifteen rangers, halted only by Kure at the seventh.

  Regaining his composure, Kure dual-wields curved daggers and advances toward Zero. Sand kicks up as they engage in combat just meters from their next position.

  Alocity joins shortly thereafter, striving to keep pace.

  Zero recognizes his disadvantage; even the wind seems to conspire against him. Lacking his crystal ring and brazier warhammer, he realizes he must separate his opponents. The rocks…

  Zero retreats from Kure and sprints toward the nearby rock formations. Sand kicks up as he propels himself laterally against a pillar-like rock. Looking back, he sees Kure closing in. Launching off the rock, he and Kure exchange blows mid-air.

  One dagger snaps but is swiftly replaced by a short sword.

  Zero conjures a tier-four Fire Bolt in one hand while swinging his warhammer with the other.

  Kure deftly zigzags to evade the fiery spell before narrowly dodging the strike.

  Undeterred, Zero activates his warhammer-charged attack. Striking the ground, he fractures the three towering rocks surrounding him.

  Kure vaults off another rock, lunging forward with his short sword aimed at Zero.

  Drawing back his warhammer, Zero braces himself and activates melee protection Syndesis just as the short sword makes contact. Their feet drag against the ground, and his Syndesis drains as the blade pierces his chest. Before he collapses, he strikes Kure on the shoulder, sending him crashing into the crumbling rock tower.

  Debris scatters around him, through the pillar, and onto the other side as he catches himself, sliding on his knees and elbows. He comes to a stop as large stones begin to fall. Rising to his feet, he attempts to evade the cascade and notices his shoulder is shattered and bloodied, with blood trickling down his forehead.

  The rock pillar crumbles as Zero drops to one knee despite being pelted by small stones. The draining Syndesis weakens him, though he anticipates a quick recovery.

  Alocity swoops through the air and brings his sword down into Zero's back, dislodging a rib from his kidney—this is dire. Zero pushes himself up, only for Alocity to kick him at the back of the knee, forcing him back down. “KURE!” Alocity exclaims.

  Some of Zero's strength returns for a brief moment, but Alocity continues to overpower him. A gut-wrenching pain seizes Zero as the sword penetrates deeper into him. As he glances up, Kure emerges from the dust and sand surrounding the area. In an instant, Zero conjures a Mud Wall from beneath him, propelling Kure back into the sword as the blade exits Zero's abdomen, and both men fall back against the rock tower.

  Kure lunges at Zero but is sent crashing through the mud wall, colliding violently with the pillar.

  Zero attempts to move forward, but Alocity restrains him firmly. A steel dagger materializes in Alocity's free hand as he spins the blade downward, stabbing Zero in the neck.

  Blood spurts from Zero’s mouth, yet he refuses to relinquish his grip. It is not until the eighth stab to his chest and neck that he finally collapses against the stone.

  Zero stumbles forward, falling to his knees. He must extract the sword and heal as swiftly as possible before…

  Kure rises unsteadily to his feet and charges at Zero.

  In a reflexive motion, Zero leaps up and wrenches the swords from his back. A curved dagger in his hand grants him control as he swings the scimitar towards Kure’s injured shoulder.

  “DIAL SET!” Alocity shouts. As the world freezes, a bubble envelops a mile radius, granting all humans the gift of memory. Time resumes, but in reverse, replaying each moment: Zero being stabbed, the rock tower collapsing, all injuries sustained, and finally returning to the moment before Zero made his initial move. Dial Set, a curse that can rewind time within a ten-minute window. While it can heal injuries, it cannot resurrect the dead. Everyone within the bubble will retain memories of everything that occurred. The risk of using this curse costs the user a random part of their body, sacrificing that limb. Just before time resumes, the bubble constricts around Alocity’s left leg, causing it to vanish.

  Blood gushes from the stump, and Alocity collapses onto the sand, screaming and cradling the wound, surrounded by various Lit members, save for those already killed. This presents a better opportunity.

  Without hesitation, a fully healed Kure leaps toward Zero, both blades striking the warhammer. A shockwave disperses the sand around them before they engage in rapid clashes and spellcasting. However, without Alocity’s support, Kure is quickly brought to his knees, his skull cracked.

  Zero strikes down three more Lit members before raising his warhammer against Kure.

  “DIAL SET!” Alocity cries out as time once again slows to a halt before rewinding the minute that has just passed. The circle contracts to his chest, as a significant section of his torso vanishes, leaving most of his lungs exposed.

  Kure hesitates, glancing back at his friend. “Alocity…” Horror spreads across his face before he turns back to Zero and charges once more. Their speed nearly reaches two hundred miles per hour before Zero sweeps Kure off his feet and strikes his chest with his warhammer. Blood spurts from Kure's mouth.

  Zero turns to Alocity as he casts a tier-four Fire Bolt at him.

  As the fiery spell travels halfway between them, Alocity screams again. “DIAL SET!” This time, his left forearm vanishes, causing him to fall on his side. As his friend falters once more, he utters those words again, costing him his right foot.

  After resetting time multiple times, Zero manages to reduce his enemies to just four men. He studies his opponents: one hybrid, one archer, Kure, and now an immobile Alocity. He has already secured victory; it’s merely a matter of time.

  Kure slips and is struck by a chunk of steel. His body is air-lifted, and his head heals, depleting his Syndesis. Zero zips through the air before descending upon Kure, his warhammer shattering Kure's ribs and spine. Seconds before he falls, Kure's curse saves him.

  “DIAL SET!” Alocity’s eye trembles as anyone can see his life flashing before him as the circle constricts around his remaining eye. Time resumes as blood spurts from the now-blind socket. Tossing and turning on the ground, his screams echo. Kure glances at his friend before being forced to focus on Zero, who is only a few feet away.

  Zero knocks Kure back as he dispatches the last two Lit members in mere seconds.

  Kure slides to a stop before launching himself at Zero. In the next twenty seconds, Kure’s shoulder is blown apart, only to reform and be blown apart again. Kicked into a dirty pile off the side of the trenches, Zero finishes him off with a blow to the head. Kure's arms soon drop.

  Zero inhales and exhales heavily as he stumbles back from the lifeless body. His warhammer drips with blood and brain matter as he raises it. He has just accomplished this…

  And what would this be?

  That voice… It’s back, but different.

  “Hello!” Alocity yells. “He… Hello! Someone!”

  The warhammer disappears as Zero approaches, his shadow looming over the living mass. He says nothing; he merely stares.

  Trembling, Alocity turns toward the sound of footsteps on the sand. His expression shifts as he realizes what has transpired. “Zero, is he dead?”

  Zero does not respond.

  Alocity knocks his head against the sand a few times as bloody tears stream down his face. “Please just get it over with!”

  Without hesitation, Zero reaches for Alocity’s head but stops as flashes of Amos in the rain overwhelm him. Breathing heavily again, he withdraws his arm.

  We now understand your intentions.

  Allow us to assist you.

  Once you do, you will no longer feel this way.

  Embrace it in your white room.

  Goosebumps run across Zero’s arm as he turns toward the tent, leaving Alocity alone.

  “Hello!” Alocity yells. “Someone! Please, someone! Someone, please… KILL ME!”

  As Zero opens the tent curtains, he locks eyes with Mamer. “You don’t seem surprised.”

  “After being reversed in time three times, I realized it was too late,” Mamer replies. “If only Yanker’s squad had arrived… So, what are you waiting for?” He seems to have accepted his fate, knowing he cannot fight Zero.

  “I need to confirm something first,” Zero says as he approaches Mamer. “If I am evil, would you say the same about yourself?”

  Mamer sighs. “I never used the word evil.”

  “You didn’t have to. Now answer me.”

  “Sure…” Mamer closes his eyes and exhales. “If you think about it, humans are inherently flawed. It only takes one switch, change, or thought to pass through their minds at a young age. However, if they are confronted with that matter first, they realize the world doesn’t revolve around them.” He steps closer to Zero. “So what are you going to do about it?”

  If Zero is indeed flawed, what is stopping him from eliminating the other flaws in the world? After all, his mother did say it was fifty-fifty. A steel dagger materializes as Zero jabs it into Mamer. “I’m going to end it all, starting with you.” He pulls another dagger from his inventory and drives it up Mamer's chin into his skull.

  As the daggers vanish, Mamer’s lifeless body drops to the ground.

  Zero stands there for a few moments, watching the body, realizing he cannot do this alone. He will need assistance to get Zul, a pawn—perhaps one who owes him. Zero holds out a teleport scroll with "Durmax" written on it. He might use the folder as a backup to turn RoT against Lit. He moves to the table as the folder vanishes into his inventory. There’s no time to waste as Zero tears the scroll.

  We are the forty-six in one.