[Day 19 — 5 days remaining]
It was 11:45 p.m.
The night had been quiet—too quiet—until Charlie dragged herself out of the sea and onto the shore.
Her body was a ruin.
Blood clung to her skin. Cuts and bruises carved across her flesh. Her ribs were fractured, each breath shallow and jagged. A thin stream of blood slipped from her ears as she staggered forward, only to collapse onto the sand, gasping.
Charlie: I… I finally killed him. Ha… haha… I did it.
Her voice trembled between relief and something far less certain.
Ahead of her, the city burned.
Flames devoured what remained of civilization. The Burj Khalifa lay split in half, its broken remains scattered across the ground like a fallen monument to arrogance.
Bodies littered the streets—some buried beneath rubble, others left in the open, abandoned to the fire and smoke.
Victory had come.
But it had taken everything.
To understand how it came to this—
we go back exactly forty-five minutes.
11:00 p.m.
The city still stood.
Michael and Charlie moved through the streets, searching for a place to settle for the night, unaware that within the hour… everything would be reduced to ash.
Michael:(Thought) It's been a few days since we got separated from the others… and Charlie hasn't said a word to me. I guess she's still upset about meeting her… mother. Either way, we need to find a way to contact HQ. Our watches were destroyed in the last fight.
They had already gone to multiple places—police stations, hospitals, anywhere that might help them establish contact with HQ—but every attempt ended the same way.
Confusion.
No one understood what they were talking about. Some even scolded them, assuming it was nothing more than a tasteless prank.
It made no sense.
And yet, one thing became undeniably clear—
The city was both alive… and dead.
At the same time.
Everything looked real. Functioning.
Normal.
But it wasn't.
To recreate a city this flawlessly, this convincingly alive… it had to be something more than coincidence.
An ability.
Or something far worse.
In the distance, the Burj Khalifa stood tall against the night sky—the skyscraper that once held the title of the tallest building in the world before its destruction.
Yet that same ruined structure now stood intact—right before their eyes.
———————————————————
The Burj Khalifa rose into the night sky, impossibly whole.
828 meters of steel and glass.
A giant that should have been broken… standing as if nothing had ever happened.
Its towering frame stretched upward with terrifying elegance, its sleek, tapering form cutting through the darkness. At night, it glowed like a beacon, casting light across the skyline—as if the city itself refused to acknowledge its own demise.
———————————————————
As they continued walking, Charlie suddenly stopped.
Michael, caught off guard, bumped into her.
Michael: What's wrong, Charlie? Why'd you stop?
She didn't answer.
Instead, she slowly raised her hand and pointed toward the side of a nearby building.
Michael followed her gaze.
And there—
Susan.
Standing still.
Waiting.
Neither of them moved immediately.
Then, cautiously, they began to approach—every step measured, every instinct on edge.
Charlie: You came here to fight us?
Susan: No. Just to talk.(pauses, then softer)
Strand Cord… could you give us a moment? I need to speak with my daughter. Alone.
Michael glanced at Charlie.
She gave a small nod.
Michael: I'll keep watch.
He stepped away, leaving the two of them standing in uneasy silence.
Susan: Charlie—
Charlie: What, mom?
Susan: (Sighs) I'm sorry… I'm sorry I left you. For everything.
Charlie:(a hollow laugh) You think 'sorry' fixes anything? I lived through hell because of you. I was lucky I got out before things got worse… but now—
She stared straight at her.
Charlie: Now you're joining him?
Susan: No. You're misunderstanding this. I didn't even know he'd be there with us.
Charlie: Oh, now there's a 'us'?(scoffs)
What exactly are you to Zerathos?
Susan hesitated.
Susan: We're…
As Susan and Charlie spoke, Michael stood near an alley, flicking his lighter, trying to spark a flame. It refused to catch. He exhaled in frustration—then froze. A flicker of movement. At the far end of the alley, a man's silhouette darted past, too fast, too deliberate.
Michael frowned.
Something about it felt… wrong. A pull—subtle, but undeniable. Before he could question it, his feet were already moving. He followed.
The alley was empty. Silent. Nothing out of place.
Michael let out a breath, rubbing his eyes. "Lack of sleep…" he muttered. Paranoia. That had to be it. He turned—
—and saw it.
Something that made his blood run cold.
Charlie: So… you're in love? Both of you?
Susan: I know it's wrong, but… I can't help it. I knew you'd hate me for it—maybe even resent me. But now that you know… we can—
Charlie: Stop.(Sighs) I'm happy for you. I really am. But I'm also… perfectly fine with the life I have now.
Susan lowered her gaze.
Susan: I see…
Charlie turned her back.
Charlie: Have a nice life.
She took a step forward—and something warm splattered across her neck and arm. Blood. Fresh. Sudden. Enough to stop her in place.
A pile of bodies lay in one corner, drained dry—like empty vessels, hollowed out of everything that once made them human. The sight alone was enough. Michael didn't hesitate. He turned and sprinted back.
Charlie turned—
—and saw Adam.
His arm was already driven through Susan from behind, his fist piercing her lower body. Blood poured out, dark and relentless.
Susan tried to activate her ability—to erase time—but before she could, Adam ripped out her ability card.
Charlie moved.
In a blur, she closed the distance and drove her fist into Adam's face, sending him crashing through the wall of a nearby apartment.
She caught Susan before she could fall, lowering her to the ground, hands trembling as she pressed against the wound.
Charlie: No… no, no, no—Mom, stay with me…
Michael arrived seconds later. One look was enough. He unraveled his strings and stitched the wound shut as fast as he could—but it wasn't enough.
The damage ran too deep.
Susan knew it.
And worse—
she knew she didn't have time.
She looked at Charlie, her vision already fading, yet her voice steadied by sheer will.
Susan: Listen to me carefully. My ability… it erases time. Eight seconds. You need to avoid him at all costs. I'm sorry I couldn't be with you… I love you, my little star.
Her hand slipped from Charlie's grasp.
Her eyes lost their light.
And her breathing stopped.
Michael: Charlie… she's—
Charlie:(bitter) No. Don't finish that sentence.
From the debris, Adam stepped out—completely healed, a new aura surrounding him.
A dark one.
Michael knew Charlie needed time—just a few seconds to pull herself together.
So he moved first, approaching Adam.
Michael: Round two.
Adam: Not this time. This is suicide for you.
Michael charged.
But the moment he got close—
Pain.
A sudden, violent tear ripped from his left shoulder down to his stomach. Before he could even react, he was already on the ground.
Blood poured out.
The wound was deep—too deep.
Michael:(Thought) What the hell was that…? What just happened?
Charlie saw him fall.
Her tears stopped.
She gently lowered her mother's body to the ground and gently closed her mother's eyes.
Charlie stood up, her gaze locking onto Adam—fierce, unblinking. The sadness in her eyes vanished, replaced by something colder. Rage. Sharper than before. More focused.
She began walking toward him.
Charlie: Stay right there, you bastard.
Adam: Oh? And you dare call your father that way? How dare you even approach me?
Charlie: I can't beat the shit out of you without getting close.
Adam: Then you'll choke on those words.
They closed the distance.
Closer.
Closer.
At exactly one meter—
Charlie threw a right hook.
Adam leaned back, the punch slicing past his face, and swept low in one smooth motion. His leg struck her shin.
Charlie flinched—but only slightly. She stepped through it, brushing it off like it was nothing more than a nuisance, a faint bruise forming along her left shin.
Adam: Too slow. Far too slow. Your mother's strength and speed far surpass yours—even without her ability to skip time. Unlike your… inferior imitation.
Charlie: So we share the same type of ability, huh? Short range—but fast. Powerful up close. And don't get too cocky. All you managed was a scratch on my shin.
Adam:(Frustrated) Hmm… stubborn, just like your mother. Fine. I'll give it one more try.
Adam stepped in first—throwing a rapid series of straight punches.
Charlie met them head-on, deflecting with her elbows, each impact snapping through her guard with sharp precision.
They moved in sync.
Strike—block—counter.
Both launched a straight kick at the same time.
Impact.
They were thrown back a step.
Adam: Shall we compare the speed of our rush attacks?
Charlie: Be my guest.
And then—
They vanished into motion.
A relentless barrage. Punches collided again and again, each connection sending small shockwaves rippling through the air.
Fast. Brutal. Unforgiving.
Neither gave ground.
Until—
Adam changed.
He caught her punch mid-strike.
Pulled her in.
And drove his fist straight into her chest.
The impact blasted her backward.
Adam: I've had my fill. Time to end this.
Charlie hit the ground—
and immediately surged forward again, forcing her way back into the fight.
Adam: I'll now use your mother's ability… and finish you. Consider it mercy.
Charlie barrages with a rageful and murderous intent, driving her fists at blinding speed.
Adam: Time… begin to erase.
Time fractured.
Or rather—
it skipped.
Under Adam's command, everything continued along its destined path—except him.
He remained aware.
Untouched.
Charlie's punches passed straight through him, like striking a ghost.
In the same instant, he repositioned—appearing at her left.
Adam: I thought you'd understand. I was wrong. You only lived long enough to witness this world crumble to dust.
He stepped closer.
Adam: Once I'm done with you… I'll kill Zerathos. And then—this world will be mine.
He raised his hand.
Calm.
Certain.
A single motion—enough to take her head.
Adam: Off with your head.
But just as he moved—
Charlie looked at him.
Adam froze.
For the first time—his expression cracked.
Adam: Wh… what?
Charlie moved.
But not randomly.
Every punch—every step—shifted direction with precision, as if she could see him… even within the erased time.
Adam pulled back immediately, creating distance.
Adam: Impossible. She just moved her entire body toward me… it shouldn't be possible.
His mind raced.
He recalled her words.
Short range. Fast. Powerful up close.
Adam: The same type of ability…? Both of them—Astra and Lady Marmalade...
He narrowed his eyes, studying her.
Trying to understand.
Trying to find the trick.
But there was none.
Adam: Are you… conscious right now? Or are you just following a predetermined fate?
A pause.
Then—
Time snapped back into place.
The world resumed.
Charlie stood still for a moment… then slowly lifted her head.
Her eyes locked onto him.
Adam: Can you… see me?
Charlie didn't answer.
She just stared at Adam—fierce, unblinking.
Her fists clenched.
Then she moved.
A barrage of punches, relentless, driving straight at him without pause.
Adam weaved through them, dodging with measured precision, waiting—
waiting for the moment to erase time again.
Adam: Fine… you won't tell me? Then I'll find out myself. Time, begin to erase!
