Secret Genocide

It takes the villagers a moment to notice the corpse on the ground, as the shot was silent. They start running as soon as they sense danger. Shizuru... is dead.

Nebula: "I'll try to heal her, go after the killer, Sun!"

D: "I'll stay to protect Nebula."

I hesitate for a moment, but then I run out of the building and fly high into the sky. I notice a figure far away, behind a hill. I follow them. I fly faster than they run, but they quicken their pace when they realize I'm following them.

They run into the city. I slow down to avoid attracting too much attention and continue searching for the dark figure. They walk into an alley.

It's too narrow for me to fly... I still have an advantage in confined spaces.

I land in front of the alley and prepare for the worst. I enter, very aware of my surroundings. The food I ate earlier helps me sense the danger. As I turn to have a glimpse at the assassin, they quickly disappear into the shadows.

Sun: "What did Shizuru do to you?! Come on, show yourself! If she survives, I'll consider letting you live."

Suddenly, I feel a sharp but brief pain in the back of my neck. A bullet leaves my forehead. Then, darkness.

???: "Four..."

Huh...? What am I doing here?

I'm in front of the alley, moments ago.

Did I go back in time again? But why? Did I die?

I look back.

Should I go back and call Nebula and D? Wait, what if Shizuru is still alive?

Before I can move my body, a bullet comes out of my forehead. Then, darkness.

???: "Three..."

Wait, did I die again? The number is getting real low...

I walk into the alley again, trying to be as silent as possible. I hear footsteps behind me. When I turn, the figure runs out of the alley. I try to catch up to them, but I step on something small. It explodes and a bullet goes straight into my mouth and, consequently, my brain.

???: "Two..."

I walk into the alley again.

Sun: "Please, come out. I just want to talk."

Sensing an ominous presence behind me, I point my hands and feet forward and propel myself backward with maximum speed. I feel a sharp pain in my side and am thrown against a wall in the opposite direction. I look down and see a huge hole where part of my body should be.

I look up. The figure is pointing a special pistol at my head. Her back is to the sun, but I can see that it's a woman in a black suit and hat, with dark green hair tied back in a ponytail.

She fires her gun. Then, darkness.

???: "One..."

This can't keep happening! Every time I die, the number decreases, until...

I walk into the alley again.

Does it mean this is my last chance?

I close my eyes, trying to focus on my surroundings.

I can't find her with my eyes... I have to take her by surprise.

When I feel danger coming up behind me, I punch the nearest wall.

This is genocide, but it's me or the lives of people I don't even know! I don't exactly have a choice!

I unleash an explosion with my fist, destroying everything in a massive radius and possibly killing hundreds of innocent lives. In the midst of the explosion, a bullet pierces my head.

???: "Zero..."

I'm back at the front of the alley.

Zero...? So the countdown was the number of extra lives I had, not my current one... I have one last chance!

I walk into the alley, close my eyes, and focus on my surroundings again.

That explosion wasn't enough to kill her... I can't risk it again; I need to use all my power at once. I'll be sentenced to life in prison, or even death, but this is my only choice.

Before the shadow has a chance to reach me, I clap my hands with full force, triggering a nuclear explosion that levels the entire city.

I lose my hands, but I'm still alive, more or less.

I have to go home...

I fly to the village and fall to the grass, struggling to stay conscious. Nebula and D run to me.

Nebula: "Sun, what happened?!"

Sun: "Is Shizuru alive...?"

She looks away, remorseful.

Nebula: "I'm sorry, but... I tried my best..."

Sun: "I know you did, it's alright..."

D: "Sun, did you..."

Sun: "I killed millions, perhaps...? We should go home, before they come after... us..."

Slowly, I lose consciousness. After a while, I open my eyes and see a different place, unable to move my body. The only thing I can see is the sky above.

???: "No, I can't meet him yet! I'm not ready..."

Who... are you...?

???: "W-Wait just a second, I'm just making sure everything goes smoothly! Think about that moment when you wished it were different."

Shizuru...

Slowly, I lose consciousness again. 

???: "Zero..."

I wake up at the table with D, Nebula, and Shizuru.

Shizuru!

She's staring at the chicken, thinking of a way to eat it without spilling it on her clothes. I jump on top of her, knocking over a few chairs and tables in my path.

Sun: "Nebula, D, protect her!"

I get up and fly toward the window, not having time to worry about damaging the building. I increase my speed to maximum and spot the gunslinger in the distance. She notices me, but then focuses back on her target. She shoots Shizuru, probably.

Then she aims at me and fires her sniper rifle. I propel my head backward to avoid the bullet. She hits me in the shoulder, as I reach her and kick her in the head.

She stumbles to stay upright. I try to keep my balance, too, but my shoulder bleeds. I feel something spreading inside my body.

This is why Nebula couldn't heal Shizuru...

Her weapon transforms into a strange pistol. I kick the ground, blasting it into a cone-shaped area. Her body is thrown upward. She fires her pistol. I dodge the bullet, launching myself to the side, with a short range but insanely fast speed.

I grab a chunk of the flying ground and throw it at her. She shoots at one of the fragments, and the bullet ricochets, destroying each one. I fly toward her and punch her in the stomach, releasing a massive explosion.

She's thrown away, but I take advantage of the smoke and fly toward her again. I kick her in the head, which she counters with her leg, kicking my leg so hard that mine is severed.

I grab her eyes and mouth with my fingers and blow out her guts, knocking her unconscious but trying not to kill her so I can interrogate her later.