Eva: We’re in. Tracing.

  That was all I needed to hear. I crawled under a bleacher and just lay there for a second, letting the warmth of the healing potion flood through me. I needed a moment to regain my bearings before diving back into the chaos.

  When we planned for today, several things had to fall into place. First, we needed to get the Temple champion out of the fight. That would cause their other members to break the deal and attack either me or the Rebel champion.

  That would lead to the second thing: a riot, turning this into a three-sided battlefield.

  And that would lead to the third: mobs. I’d learned over the last few weeks that any time there was a conflict between factions, mobs would be generated and sent into the fight. With the number of combatants on this field, I knew the mobs would be overwhelming.

  All of this was just a distraction for the real objective. Eva and Eric. They were tracing the source of the Temple’s upgrades and power. Once they found it, Eric would need to get his hands on it and initiate the shutdown, just like he had with that poor bastard without arms back at our camp.

  We needed the Temple fighters too busy fighting us, the Rebels, and the mobs to respond to any countermeasures once the system realized Eva and Eric had hacked into it. I wanted them distracted, but for security, we had Shaheerah’s squad of Magus and fighters protecting Eric’s team. They, in turn, were being shielded by Farah’s team of Wizards, all armed with countless [Fireball] scrolls to keep anyone at bay.

  So far, everything was going as planned.

  And yet, I could feel the weight of it. How many were going to die by the end of today? How many would be maimed? What had the system turned us into? It was impossible to think about that for long. A mob landed right in front of me, snapping me out of my thoughts. It was a flying velociraptor thing.

  Instinct kicked in as I shot two arrows through its eyes, and it dropped to the ground in a heap, thrashing around.

  Time to move.

  The entire stadium had turned into a warzone. There were fights in the stands, on the field, and even at the exits heading to the school. I didn’t have the luxury of thinking too much about it. I picked my targets, clearing mobs off people rather than focusing on the Temple or Rebel fighters.

  I took out flying velociraptors, and even a Minotaur that looked more like the wrestler “Mantaur” than the fabled beast. A [Flame] arrow took it down easily.

  As I made my way through the stands, clearing mobs, I spotted my old nemesis. PMDs, those damn machines were revving up and down the field and the surrounding track, mowing down anyone in their path with long lances like a modern jousting competition.

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  I took aim and shot down a couple with headshots, but something caught my eye: a blur, zipping around the field, not attacking mobs, but attacking Rebels and my people.

  Marcus.

  I activated my speed boots and ran after him, catching up with a burst of speed. I punched him through a wall with the impact of my momentum. He wiped the blood off his lips, sneering, and lunged at me again.

  I dodged his knife attacks, weaving under his swings and landing quick punches to his body. He was faster than me, and he didn’t need mana to keep up, but I had something he didn’t. Experience.

  I led him on a chase up the stairs, out of the stadium, hoping to rile him up. His dashes became more erratic, more desperate. We ran all the way to the top floor of a school building, trading blows and knife strikes.

  And then, in a move he never expected, I waited for him to lunge. Instead of dodging, I grabbed him and threw us both off the tenth floor.

  I activated a [Feather Fall] potion mid-fall and pushed off him, instantly drawing my bow. Two arrows flew from my hand, piercing his skull as we fell. He hit the ground with a sickening thud.

  I landed gracefully next to his corpse, grabbed his swords, and stashed them in my inventory before running back to the stadium.

  As I neared the field, I got the news I’d been waiting for.

  Eric: It’s where you’re at. We’re on our way.

  Chris: What? Where?

  Eva: The watchtower.

  I froze. It was here all along.

  Chris: Hang on, how about I just blow it up with something?

  Eric: That wouldn’t work. The system would still be online. All you’re doing is blowing up its housing. It needs to be DEACTIVATED. Not blown up.

  Eva: He is correct.

  Shaheerah: Enroute with the truck.

  Fuck.

  I didn’t have time to dwell on it. More chats pinged in my HUD. I opened a few and saw that more mobs were coming in, and the human forces, regardless of faction, were slowly being overwhelmed.

  I activated my boots again and sprinted back toward the stadium, the battlefield alive with fighting and bloodshed. Jess was leading a team of healers, picking up survivors and bringing them to safety. I was momentarily distracted when a giant snake with spider legs lunged at me. It was cut in two with a single strike before I could act.

  Shawn had cleaved through it, landing beside me, covered in its gore. He started to reach for me but stopped when he saw the glitter coating me. Instead, he grinned.

  We stood back to back, fending off creatures. I began to feel stronger as my heartbeat quickened, my pulse rising. Something was happening, and that’s when I realized I was hearing music.

  I looked up across the stadium. Guitar-guy and his crew were set up in the VIP seats, as if they were preparing for a concert. Heavy brass notes drifted through the air, and I watched as a small gerbil-like creature bounced off Shawn, trying to attack him but failing.

  Shawn glanced at the source of the music, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What the fuck song is that? Transylvanian music?"

  I shook my head, recognizing the tune. "No. It’s not. I know that one."

  Shawn's face lit up in sudden realization. "Oh, fuck! It’s K-Pop time!" he yelled, swinging his weapon with a wild grin as he cleaved through a shambling monkey with robot arms. He’d spotted the three girls that joined the band on the stage.

  I rolled my eyes, a smirk tugging at my lips. "No. It’s not."

  Then the unmistakable refrain of Headbanger by Baby Metal blasted through the stadium, and suddenly, a golden aura enveloped us both, healing us instantly. The beat of the double bass drums sending my heart racing. I felt energized.

  I threw my head back, feeling the rush. "Let’s fucking go!" I shouted, charging into the fray, our auras giving us a shield as we plowed through the creatures.