Kill or be Killed

The setting was a corporate office building nestled in the heart of the bustling city.

Sarah stirred, her head throbbing as she regained consciousness upon the frigid concrete floor. Slowly, she sat upright, surveying her stark surroundings.

The room lay barren, illuminated by harsh fluorescent lights casting a pallid glow against the dreary gray walls. In the distance, faint murmurs of voices mingled with the mechanical hum of unseen machinery.

"Where am I?" Sarah muttered to herself, grappling with fragmented memories. The abyss of darkness from her previous existence lingered in her mind.

In the previous timeline, Sarah was a merciless assassin, she was dubbed the queen of the night. Beautiful, fast and blessed with an Overpowered skill, Sarah was nearly invincible.

She had an unbeaten record in 1v1's... That was until she encountered Tyler.

He was the first person to defeat her in a fight that too during the night when her powers were at their peak. After that, Sarah fell for Tyler and decided to join his party.

But eventually, she faced and untimely death alongside the other members of Tyler's team all thanks to Merrick's betrayal.

And now, here she was, inexplicably alive, within the confines of a corporate edifice.

"How am I still breathing?" The words escaped her lips in disbelief as a system window materialized before her.

"Welcome to the trial," it proclaimed ominously. "You have been selected to partake in a lethal game. The building is sealed, and only one survivor will emerge as the timer ticks down. Prove your mettle by claiming a life, or face your demise."

Sarah furrowed her brow in perplexity. "Have I somehow journeyed back in time?" she pondered aloud, brushing off the dust clinging to her attire.

Approaching the window, she pressed her palm against the glass, encountering an impenetrable barrier. The sealed doors and solid walls offered no means of escape, leaving obedience to the system as the sole path to survival.

"A trial of death? It reeks of familiarity from my previous world," Sarah mused with a bitter chuckle.

Suddenly, the echo of approaching footsteps shattered the silence, prompting Sarah to seek cover behind a massive pillar. Peering cautiously around its edge, she observed the arrival of a new Streaming Imp—a figure exuding an aura of solemn authority.

The system window appeared in front of her and the other players inside the building.

"COMMENCING THE SPECIAL WILDCARD REGRESSOR TRIAL..."

"ONLY ONE CAN BE CHOSEN, KILL OR BE KILL, THE LAST ONE STANDING WILL RECEIVE A SPECIAL GIFT."

Sarah sighed.

"Do I have to go through these trials again? Do I have to slaughter people again? I just want to see my Tyler again... Nothing more nothing less."

Suddenly a tall, muscular man approached her, his smile disarming but his eyes a bit too eager.

"Hey, you look like you could use some help," he said smoothly, his voice low and friendly.

 "We should stick together, watch each other's backs. It's safer that way, don't you think?"

Sarah felt a chill run down her spine. The way he said "help" sounded more like a threat than an offer.

She could see the way his eyes roamed over her, and it made her skin crawl.

"Thanks, but I'm fine on my own," she replied, keeping her voice steady. "Besides, only Tyler can touch me. He'll be here soon."

"Tyler?" The man's smile faltered for a moment, and a flicker of anger crossed his face.

He quickly hid it behind another grin, but it was clear he didn't like her refusal.

"Suit yourself," he said, shrugging as if it didn't matter. "

Sarah nodded firmly. "I can handle it," she said, her eyes narrowing. "You just worry about yourself."

The man's smile disappeared, replaced by a cold expression. "We'll see about that," he muttered, turning away.

The players scattered throughout the building. Sarah decided to keep a low profile, she moved silently through the corridors, listening for any signs of danger.

She didn't trust the man who had approached her, the only person she trusted was Tyler but alas, he was no where to be seen.

It didn't take long for chaos to erupt. Screams and sounds of fighting echoed through the building.

The building was overcame with chaos, the sounds of objects being crashed and metals clashing filled the place.

"I have to act fast," she made up her mind. "After all, it's kill or be killed."

She couldn't stay hidden forever. She grabbed a metal pipe from a nearby pile of debris, her grip tightening as she prepared to defend herself.

The man who had offered protection earlier was nowhere to be seen, but Sarah knew he was out there, she figured he would come out to her so she heightened her senses.

"I will survive this stupid trial and reunite with my Tyler."

A few hours past and the number of players was cut in half. The man from earlier finally revealed himself, he lunged at her from behind with a  knife in his hand.

Sarah spun around just in time, she parried the blow with her metal pipe catching the man off guard, she then countersr with a swift strike to his ribs, knocking the wind out of him.

The man staggered backward, clutching his injured side, but his determination remained unyielding. "Bitch, I'll end you!" he spat, launching himself forward once more, his aim fixed on Sarah's throat.

Sarah swiftly evaded his attack, ducking under his swing, and retaliated with a powerful strike from her pipe. With a sickening thud, the metal connected with his face, spraying blood against the nearby wall as he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Standing over him, Sarah's chest heaved with exertion, the rush of adrenaline coursing through her veins palpable.

"These posers are merely wasting my time.," she muttered under her breath.

With practiced efficiency, Sarah dispatched her remaining adversaries with ease and precision, displaying a deadly skill that marked her as nothing less than a seasoned professional in the art of combat and elimination..

"CONGRATULATIONS PLAYER SARAH FOR BEING THE SOLE SURVIVOR"

"Tyler... I'll find you," she said, her voice steady despite the blood on her hands.

"I won't let anything keep us apart." She finished with a twisted smile.

.