Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

Before Brian could even put up his guard, I enveloped his whole body with my killing intent as I condensed the release into the area around us. For some reason, it tends to hamper anyone's movements by a few seconds—more or even incapacitation when they weren't used to it—but yeah, this guy's fucked.

And of course, I wouldn't be able to use that move since I need to have that set of eyes and be in that clan in order for that technique to be passed down so I turned it into my own version which was the eight seconds of a sixty-four-hit combo.

"HYUP!"

Right as I took in some air, I sent a nasty hook to where his liver was located before keeping him up with a kick to his left torso. His body hadn't even recoiled yet as I aimed for specific joints in his body to make him dance in place—and the only saving grace from this was the hits were more quantitative than qualitative.

If anything, I was a proponent for ending things with a single blow, but this time, I would've juggled this motherfucker in the air with combos if I could but I'll make do with something shorter than a 30-second massacre if someone was to join a fraternity in a shoddy neighborhood.

But yeah, each "educational" spar should've lasted at least three to five minutes but I ended it in eight seconds.

In any case, Brian was still conscious but he getting enveloped with all my negative thoughts racing was akin to taking on several G's of force—just a metaphor—and he definitely threw up his breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The dumbass wasn't even able to fight dirty but he couldn't believe his ears when these words came out of my mouth:

"We still have four minutes and some change, get up."

"H-HAAAH?! IT'S ONLY BEEN— IT FELT LIKE AN HOUR! I THOUGHT I DIED A MILLION TIMES! IT'S THE INFINITE TSUP-TSUP— WHATEVER OR SOMETHING! I'M NOT GETTING UP!"

I shrugged my shoulders, "Well, I'm not that good at it but we can do ground work—"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

With that said, after four minutes or so, I stood up and smiled at my next victim who was JP.

"Ah, fuck."

I chuckled, "Come on! Insult my wife too! Say something better!"

"Fuck, no— I'll wait for Marvin to finish with Tatiana—"

"Ah… you're fucked…"

"W-What did I say?!"

I snorted as I pointed at Tatiana who was now smiling at her while putting Marvin on a nasty lock, "You didn't say shit to me, you said fucking shit to her…"

Tatiana released her own brand of killing intent, "That bitch-boy's mine, alright?! He's next after this…"

Marvin could only forfeit early to save himself, "H-Help… Help… I give— I yield! Fuck you, JP!"

I turned to JP, "See that? Marvin never curses and see where it got you—" I turned to the rest of the people on death row, "Who's next?! I'll take on anyone!"

"FUCK! FUCK! FUCK!"

"Don't look him in the eye! He'll pick you!"

"DON'T EVEN MOVE! HE WON'T NOTICE US IF WE DON'T MOVE!"

"You're practically moving your mouth when you talk, jackass!"

"NOOOOOO! HE SAW ME! TAKE ISAAC INSTEAD!"

"I'LL GO! I'LL GO IF ANYONE DOESN'T!"

"YEAH! TAKE CHRIS! HE'S BEEN PESTERING US NONSTOP IF HE COULD JOIN! JUST BE A DECOY GO! GO!"

"WHAT A BUNCH OF PUSSIES!"

Admirably enough, Chris still tried to wiggle in even if he wasn't actually in Hell Week, and let's just say he improved as much as everyone else—maybe even a bit more. He'd do as he's told and dig deep into the tasks anyone would give him—and as long as he trusted the process and continued improving, he'd be someone I could trust my back to.

There was nothing wrong with being an honest kid like him, and even if there was a thing that's called being too honest, he didn't need to cross to the dark side because a dip and some glimpses were enough so he'd be aware of the possibilities or things to watch out for.

But yeah, as much as I would've wanted to reward him by letting his crisper jabs in, it'd just be an insult to his hard work for reaching this far. So yeah, I definitely sent him off with a bloody nose just like last time, but this time, he didn't get knocked out silly—though I definitely held back.

Getting punch drunk was still a thing so a little less power on headshots would prove useful in the future if they really had to take them.

'That's much better and more believable, at least… I think it's still a good boost for his confidence too…'

With that said, training looped three more times before we called it a night because again, there was a thing called overtraining, and breaking their bodies down just the right amount was the fucking sweet spot.

Sure, everyone had varying degrees of recovery but aside from the Death Squad that recently joined us, Tatiana and I were fairly familiar with everyone else's since we've been with everyone else even before Hell Week started.

But yeah, as we left the gym open for the rest of the people still trying to sneak in a little workout, I found out that the lights to the indoor gym were still on.

'They're still there?'

So yeah, excusing myself from the main group, I made my way across the street. And of course, we had a small area where there were spare eyes and ear protection, but since I always bring my gear with me in the form of my backpack where my war belt was draped on, I put on my own set as I entered the premises.

And surely enough, Kaley and her group had run through several hundred rounds of ammo by putting them through the randomizer a special someone—me, of course—developed for more dynamic targets but never did I think that someone with a unique fashion choice who supposedly had no knowledge of using firearms be this fucking good.

'Whaddayouknow?'