Endzone: Simulated Apocalypse

As throwing knives came at Cyanide one after another, he evaded them with ease. The first one had been camouflaged by the sound of the metal can rolling on the ground, but these ones were all easy to avoid.

Still, this strategy was not going to work in the long run. Cyanide's aura reading and Radar both were still not picking up on any energy signatures on this floor, and yet these throwing knives seemed to be following him around as he maneuvered.

He needed to move somewhere else, fast. Somewhere without this utter darkness.

There was no way to make anything out in the dark, such as a staircase or the like, so he was forced to go up another way—from the outside. Sliding just barely outside the shadow of the parking garage building and back into the sunlight, he kicked off from one of the supporting pillars of the structure and grabbed onto the ledge one story up before flipping himself onto it. However, the instant he did so, another throwing knife came flying straight for his forehead…

… If only he didn't predict that.

BANG!

Hitting the knife aside with a bullet, he continued his journey up, each time preparing to dodge as he went up to a new floor. Whoever this presence belonged to, they were able to match Cyanide's speed and reaction times, and also specialized in stealth as well, it seems.

Soon, he reached the rooftop, but no flying knives came at him this time. In fact, it was completely empty. It would seem that the presence didn't want to fight up here, where stealth could hardly be used. Cyanide concluded they weren't dumb either, if that was the case.

However… reaching the rooftop wasn't exactly his goal in the first place. His aim was the highest floor that wasn't the roof, where a portion of the ceiling had caved in due to the apocalypse. As such, the sunlight provided some illumination on this floor, and would make things easier for him.

The presence realized this too, and thus did not make any sudden moves even as Cyanide descended from the rooftop onto this floor. It was eerily quiet, and both parties were waiting for the other to make the first move. Cyanide still could not pick up on an exact location for his target through aura reading or the [Radar] skill, but he could feel their dangerous presence coating this entire floor. They were here—he was sure of it.

Suddenly, he heard a sound behind him where the sunlight was coming in from, and immediately turned around and fired just after the figure ducked back into the shadowy areas of the floor like an agile cat.

"Fufufu… zero hesitation, hm~?" She gave a giggle. "Not bad. However…"

All of a sudden, the rest of the ceiling there caved in as well, creating a huge noise as the sunlight was blockaded by all the debris, plunging the floor back into darkness along with the rest of this building.

"… My job is already done."

With a smug grin, the figure dashed towards Cyanide behind him, utilizing the noise of the collapse to cover up her own tracks. But-

"—?!"

Her wrist was grabbed by Cyanide's hand right before she could use her metal claws to slice him to pieces, and without even turning around, Cyanide spoke quietly like the Grim Reaper himself.

"… Rule number seven of survival. Against a skilled opponent… never use the same trick twice."

With a devastating elbow to the abdomen, followed by a kick straight in the gut, the woman was sent flying backwards. But right before crashing into the wall, she stopped herself by clawing her sharp metal talons on the ground, mitigating impact damage.

Then, slowly, she straightened her back and stood up properly, before gently touching her own face with her metal claws.

"Fufu~ that's the first time someone's managed to land a hit on me since becoming a mutant. You truly are an interesting one… my instinct did not deceive me, back then."

"Interesting?" Cyanide arched an eyebrow. "No, that's not it. You're just stupid, trying to use stealth against a former assassin. That's all."

"Hm… you're right. I had suspected as much from your movements, and that 'rule of survival', but… are you related to a man named Anthrax, by any chance?"

At this, Cyanide froze, and his eyes widened slightly.

"… Who are you?"

"… Fufu."

With a soft and gentle laugh, the woman pressed on a button on her remote controller, and instantly, the lights within the entire parking garage lit up one-by-one, each with a 'pang' sound. The shadowy woman's true appearance was revealed, and she smiled at Cyanide alluringly, who faced her with caution.

She was beautiful.

One could compare her to Luna, and she would be on par with her if not better depending on the person's tastes. She had a mature, voluptuous body, with a busty bosom and butt that was only highlighted by the tight one-piece jumpsuit she was wearing, but her light skin looked very young—slightly older than Cyanide at best. Her long, blond hair revealed that she was most likely of Western descent, but when mixed with those dazzling red eyes that shone like rubies, it was clear she was not completely human.

That was no makeup—they were genuine, bright red eyes like a vampire, which theoretically should be impossible for a human. And as Cyanide used [Inspect] on her, that was only confirmed further.

[Name: ??? Motorcyclist Mutant (Stage Five)]

[Level: 35]

[HP: 340/350]

[Class: Humanoid]

Cyanide narrowed his eyes. Being a Stage Five Mutant was one thing, but… to know about Anthrax, his former teacher?

Slowly raising his gun at the woman, not caring how beautiful and alluring her body was, Cyanide cocked it back.

"… Answer me. Who are you, and why do you know about Anthrax?"

"Fufu… can't you tell from my appearance?" The woman asked with a seductive smile, tilting her head slightly and playing with her long hair.

Cyanide was confused. What did she mean? All Cyanide could see from her appearance was that she was very beautiful, sexy, and…

… Wait.

In his final, dying breaths, Anthrax had given Cyanide something. A pendant—one he never wore on missions, but would always look at in his spare time. Cyanide had always been confused about that back in the day, but on the day of Anthrax's death, he revealed to his student that inside the pendant was a picture.

A picture… of his wife and his daughter, when the latter was still but a mere child.

And that picture… it was hard to believe, but… Cyanide could see the resemblance.

"You're…" He began, but was interrupted by the woman's own words.

"It seems you've figured it out," she said with a slight smile.. "Yes…I am Anthrax's daughter, Dianna Vittori."