Chapter 2: Cutting Nathan clean (CNC)

"The most powerful man in the Academy." Sera whispered, her eyes fixed on the screen while Evelyn gawked at her as if she were insane.

A system that attributed her and to help her strategize to survive the impending doom.

Her mind worked faster than the second-hand of a clock.

The SS-class is the highest level in Titan combat Academy. At this level, a human possesses extraordinary strength and unwavering skill with ammunition use.

If she were to find the most powerful man in the Academy, then it must be in the SS-class.

Another thought struck her mind. Nathan, her ex-boyfriend, except that he wasn't aware of it yet, is the most famous fighter in the Academy. SS-class.

"That betrayal!" Sera spat. If he were the only man left in the world, she'd choose a dog over him.

Moreover, since the system didn't indicate anyone, there must be someone else. Someone more worthy.

"I need to find him." She said and slid off the bed, pulled a black Jacker from the rung and slid it to her body. She wore a black combat pants, then a black boot.

"You're acting weird, babe." Evelyn wouldn't stop staring at her. "Nathan had been texting. He said you've not picking up.."

"He's never tired." She said, unbothered. "Block him if he's pestering. I have nothing to do with him anymore."

"You're kidding?" Evelyn raised a brow, stunned by the flatness in her tone.

"Does it look like I am?" Sera crouched to tie the lace of her boot.

"If the two of you are not cool, you can settle it later when the steam's off." Evelyn pressed on, still dismayed that Sera had spoken about Nathan without the usual priority. She was well aware of their relationship. Sera loved him in a way that was obvious to everyone. Proud. Genuine.

Sera sat straight on the edge of the bed and continued with the same flat conversational tone. "I'm cutting him loose." She said. "He threw me to the mouth of death the first time, I'd be stupid to let it happen again. He should go rot in hell!"

Evelyn's jaw parted.

"You're still talking about the apocalypse?"

Sera nodded stiffly. "And Nathan was the reason I died before. It's not happening again."

"How did you know all of this?"

"I saw it." Sera stood up.

Evelyn stared, perplexed.

"Let's assume what you saw is true," she asked, "What did you see about me?" She stared at Sera intently as though intense gaze alone would read out the answer.

Sera looked at her for two seconds. "You'll survive." She said. But in her mind, "I'll protect you."

[System Alert]

The system flashed before Sera's eyes.

[Emergency Side mission: Return Everything Nathan gave you. Cut him off right there."

[Reward: Attribute point +10]

[Failure: you'll go limp for five days]

[Time: 1hr. The time continued to count down]

"+10 point attribute point?" Sera scoffed. "He's that useless?"

This time around Sera was going to cut him loose first and use his pain to upgrade her system. No loss.

She could count the things Nathan had gifted her: The jewelry he claimed was original, the bag he brought that Evelyn called fake when they compared with the one she has, but Sera called it love, the clothes for her birthday, the one he recalled at the spur-of-the-moment before midnight when the candle had already gone out.

Everything was shoved into a duffel bag. Evelyn watched her pack up.

"You're returning everything."

"I'm cutting him clean." She said without looking at her, shoving the next item in the bag. "I don't want him blabbing around about doing everything for me. He'd try to play the victim and I'll end as the villain."

"You're intelligent." Evelyn said, an edge in her tone. "I never liked your relationship with Nathan. He's always full of himself. Like he's doing you a favor for being with you."

Sera nodded gently, a faint bitter smile forming at the corner of her lips. "I know you don't." She clipped, "but I have been blind to it all along, or I just pretend not to see the signs, judging his attitude with love sight."

"The same way I loved Jim." She said, her voice quieter, concerning.

Sera zipped the bag and clutched the slings together. Inside were everything that Nathan gifted her even as little as a hairpin.

"Jim is a good guy." Sera smiled faintly. "If he's taking time, you go after him."

Evelyn nodded gently, her cheek flushing. "Thank you, Sera." Her voice was quieter.

"That's what friends do." She walked to the door and pulled the doorknob. "I'll be back soon."

She stepped out.

The evening was usual. Normal. Almost like the impending nightmare was one cruel long illusion.

Nathan lives in a private quarters. His family is rich so he lives a comfortable and an entitled life, extravagant with his spending but buying fakes to play love except that Sera believed it then.

Sera had countless times talked him to cut his expenses, invest money into something that'll yield, but Nathan would always dismiss it under the Clause of; 'No enough time to invest'. He brags just to impress her, tell her he doesn't need to build anything when his family has everything he could use.

But none of that concerned her again: The way he lives his life, whatever he does with his existence— none of her business anymore. He killed her once, he doesn't deserve to stay.

When Sera got to his house, the door was locked. She remembered to pick the extra key Nathan gave to him before. Good. She'll just drop everything and he'll return to see them.

She won't have to see the face of the murderer.

He twisted the key in the hole and pushed open the door. The first thing that caught her nostrils was the tang of alcohol and perfume that didn't belong to him. Sera didn't react. In the past, she could have dialed Nathan instantly and they would go over the same conversation about quitting alcohol. It isn't her business anymore.

But something else on the couch made her stop. Not cold. Just noticed.

Her eyes narrowed.