"Enemy detected: %^@& Confirmed — Great Boar."
"Wait, what? I just got outside!" South shouted in frustration.
"Exoskeleton engaged. Boosting running speed."
"But where is it?" South glanced around in confusion. Then he turned—and froze.
A massive, eyeless boar with a long, twitching snout was charging straight toward him.
"Fuck..."
Without thinking, South bolted. The exoskeleton kicked in, transforming his average pace into the sprint of a trained athlete.
"FUCK, THE BOAR IS COMING EVEN FASTER!"
"Activating magnet function."
"What—?"
Before he could react, the exoskeleton's spine unit latched onto a steel beam protruding from the remains of a collapsed building. With a metallic CLANG, it yanked him sideways, out of the boar's path.
The wall crumbled further under the force, but South landed roughly in a pile of twisted steel.
Groaning, he got to his feet and started walking toward the broken wall.
"Item location: 20 meters ahead."
"Lucky break... the item's here."
"%$&&&—new signal, 100 meters away."
"Huh?" South muttered, glancing over his shoulder.
"Sword of Kaelis is moving east at 80 meters per second."
"Huh?"
South's eyes darted around the ruins of the city. In the distance—southward—a blur dashed through the rubble: a cheetah, a massive blade impaled through its skull.
'How the hell am I supposed to get that thing when I don't even have powers yet?'
"Warning. Danger approaching fast within—"
The drone eye sparked violently as a paw smashed through it. South was ejected from the exoskeleton just before the impact landed.
"What the—!"
"Activating manual mode. Switching to auto-lock sniper."
The remnants of the exoskeleton reshaped themselves into a sniper rifle with a glowing holographic scope. It launched toward South—he caught it awkwardly, staring down the scope just as a tiger stepped into view.
Its head was pierced with a sword, red eyes glowing with rage. Thin, blade-like legs dug into the cracked asphalt. A long scar traced its back like a forgotten war story.
"Agh! How do I use this thing?!"
The tiger lunged.
South flinched and squeezed the trigger. A pulse shot out.
The tiger dropped instantly.
"Damn... it really is auto-lock."
The sniper split apart, collapsing into several sleek metal pieces before folding itself into a compact briefcase.
"Grab me, South."
"Uhh... what are you doing now?"
"Self-repair protocol initiated. I said grab ME."
South scooped up the briefcase. The tiny bee drone, now hovering beside him, buzzed over to the fallen tiger and started bashing its head against the embedded sword.
The briefcase hissed, its mechanical locks releasing with a soft click. A robotic arm extended outward, clamping onto the sword embedded in the tiger's head. The moment the hand gripped it, the sword shimmered—morphing seamlessly into a smartphone. It was gently placed back into the open briefcase.
"Two more, South. Then you can go back," KV-45 stated, its voice calm, metallic.
"Wait... can I check my radiation levels?"
Without hesitation, the robotic hand shifted. One of its fingers reconfigured into a sharp needle and stabbed into South's index finger.
"Neck... calculating. You have thirty minutes before radiation reaches your brain."
South winced. "Ah... I have a question." He made his way to the only intact staircase leading downward. From the broken layout and collapsed ceiling above, he figured he was currently on the third floor.
"Ask me, South."
"Is this radiation dangerous?"
"To most people—yes. But not to someone like you. You have radiation adaptability. To put it simply: your body possesses special genes that allow you to adapt to radiation... and sickness. Tell me, South—have you ever been sick? Caught a virus?"
South frowned, stepping down slowly. "Now that you mention it... No. I've never been sick. Not once in twenty-three years."
"Exactly. The genes you carry are extremely rare."
"Wait, so... this isn't natural?"
"Correct. Those genes were injected—by the radiation itself."
South paused midway down the staircase, one hand clutching the rusted rail.
"Wait, what?"
"You were chosen by the radiation. Somehow... it can implant itself into living organisms—altering them, helping them adapt. Turning them into something new."
South's eyes widened. "Then... my world had radiation too?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Nothing. Let's just keep going."
He kept walking—but slower now, a tight knot of fear creeping into his chest.
After a moment of silence, he spoke again. "How did the radiation start? And how do people even get powers from it?"
"Incorrect assumption. People didn't gain powers the moment radiation appeared. It began with the next generation. Let me explain: the radiation emerged in the year 2066. At first, it wasn't lethal. But two years later, something changed. A newborn was born—exposed and mutated by the radiation. That child adapted. And from there... chaos followed.
"If a newborn couldn't adapt, it became a monster. But if it did—powers awakened. Animals mutated when touched by corrupted humans, who acted as viral carriers of radiation. But you—those with adaptability—don't mutate. You erase the infection."
"What about people born before the radiation?"
"Simple. They're just... normal. Normies."
South blinked.
"Ah! Wait—I didn't scan the sword yet! WHERE'S THE SCANNER?!"
"Relax, South. The scanner's built into the briefcase. I already scanned it."
"When?!"
"You let your left pocket go unguarded."
South stared, deadpan. "...You're not Romanian, are you?"
"One of my parts was manufactured in Sector-134. Formerly known as Romania."
South blinked again. "Wait, they changed country names too? Hold on—are we in China now?"
"Incorrect. Current location: Taiwan."
South tilted his head, brows furrowing. He walked over to the cracked window, shoved it open, and leaned out.
There it stood—impossibly intact amid the chaos: Taipei 101, towering above the ruins.
"Oh shit... How the hell—"
"Dimensional gate. You were transported through one. It was invented two years ago by a Radiar named Mete—his power is dimensional space manipulation."
South leaned against the wall, stunned. "So that wasn't a dream..."
He shook his head, trying to refocus.
"Is there a safe zone here in Taiwan?"
"Affirmative. But it is centralized—located near the heart of the island."
"I see..."
He exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face.
"What's next on the list?" South asked, eyes locked on the shattered skyline. The sky above was a haunting red, choked with gray clouds that hung like smoke.
"Hyper Drone—one kilometer north. Highbach Heavy Drone Package—three kilometers south."
South narrowed his eyes. "Hmm... Are you, like... permanent now? Stuck with me, KV?"
"Hell no," KV answered instantly, without hesitation.
South smirked and stepped through the broken doorway, heading north through the crumbling streets.
"Wait, South. My repairs are complete."
The briefcase snapped open with a hiss, parts unfolding and reconfiguring in a mechanical blur. It launched out and grabbed scrap from nearby—old wheels, metal rods, steel plates, and what looked like the mangled frame of a motorbike. KV scanned each piece, reshaped them, and within seconds, a sleek, patched-up motorbike roared to life.
"Get on, South."
South raised an eyebrow. "You could've done this from the start, you know."
"I forgot I had this feature."
South climbed onto the seat, exhaling. "What a great AI..."
"I try," KV replied, deadpan.