CHAPTER 118 — Hold on Love
IKIRO VS SMITH
The blue barrier flickered.
Its light slowly weakened.
Ikiro stood in the center of the battlefield, breathing heavily.
Smith had finally solved his teleportation pattern.
Smith slowly approached him.
"Ikiro Sanim..."
His sword rested against his shoulder.
"You are dead now."
Ikiro looked up.
"How did you catch me?"
His breathing was heavy.
"How did you calculate all of this?"
Smith gave a small smile.
"You seriously were trying too hard on me."
He stepped closer.
"I only had to watch you."
Smith suddenly drew his sword.
Ikiro's eyes widened.
The blade struck him.
"AHH!"
Ikiro fell backward.
His blue energy began fading.
The barrier around them flickered—
Then disappeared completely.
Smith stepped away and sat on a broken piece of stone.
"Time."
Ikiro looked toward him.
Smith stared into the distance.
"Time is a great thing."
He lowered his head.
"It teaches us things."
"It gives us lessons."
"And sometimes..."
His voice became quieter.
"It makes us better people."
Ikiro stared at him.
"Why are you telling me this?"
Smith looked at the sky.
"Those were the words of my mom."
A pause.
"She told me that before she died."
Ikiro's expression changed.
"Which attack?"
Smith's eyes hardened.
"The Monster Leak of the City of Dead."
Ikiro froze.
His eyes slowly widened.
Smith stood.
"You know that place?"
Ikiro didn't answer.
Smith walked toward him.
"You fucking bastard."
He grabbed Ikiro by the clothes.
"You made her die."
Smith struck him.
Ikiro's vision blurred.
The battlefield disappeared.
The sound of Smith's voice faded.
And suddenly—
Ikiro remembered.
YEARS AGOTHE CITY OF DEAD
The city stretched across the horizon.
Tower after tower reached into the clouds.
Massive holographic advertisements floated between skyscrapers.
Flying vehicles moved between enormous buildings.
Hundreds of bridges connected the different districts.
Neon lights covered the streets.
And beneath all of it—
Millions of people moved through the endless city.
Ikiro stepped through the gates for the first time.
He looked around.
"What is this place?"
He pulled out the newspaper.
"They said it was going to be some kind of zombie thing."
He looked up at the futuristic towers.
"But this looks like a high-tech future world."
He folded the newspaper.
"I have one mission."
His eyes became serious.
"I have to spy on and defeat Zalra."
"And obtain the Serum of God."
Ikiro looked across the massive city.
"First..."
"I need a hideout."
THE NURSING HOME
After wandering through several districts, Ikiro eventually found a small building hidden between two massive towers.
A nursing home for abandoned children.
He looked at the entrance.
"Looks like I'm sleeping here."
Ikiro entered.
The woman at the desk looked at him.
"How much money do you have?"
Ikiro counted his NIT shards.
"Ten."
She sighed.
"Alright."
"You'll get a bed."
Ikiro walked toward the room.
He placed his things down.
Then a girl looked at him.
"So you're my new bed-mate?"
Ikiro stared at her.
"What the fuck is a bed-mate?"
She pointed at the bed.
"We both have nowhere else to sleep."
She shrugged.
"I've been sleeping here for months."
Ikiro sighed.
"For God's sake..."
He looked at the tiny bed.
"I guess I have to share."
The girl smiled slightly.
"What's your name?"
Ikiro asked.
She answered simply.
"Love."
Ikiro paused.
"Is that actually your name?"
"Yes."
"Interesting name, honestly."
Ikiro chuckled.
Love stared at him.
"What?"
"Nothing."
They both eventually lay down.
The room was tiny.
There was barely enough space for two people.
As they slept, they shifted around during the night without realizing it.
By morning—
Sunlight poured through the window.
Ikiro opened his eyes.
Love opened hers.
They both froze.
"WHAT?!"
Ikiro immediately jumped out of bed.
Love sat up.
"What are you doing?!"
"You were the one moving!"
"No, you were!"
Ikiro pointed at her.
"What potion did you drink?"
Love stared at him.
"Potion?"
Ikiro sighed.
"Forget it."
He grabbed his things.
"I have to go."
Love turned away.
"Fine. Leave. I don't care."
Ikiro stopped for a moment.
Then walked out.
THE CITY
Days passed.
Then weeks.
Then months.
Ikiro searched district after district.
He entered underground markets.
He investigated abandoned laboratories.
He followed rumors through crowded streets.
But Zalra was nowhere.
And every night—
Ikiro returned to the nursing home.
Love was always there.
They talked.
They ate together.
They shared stories.
Sometimes they argued over the smallest things.
Sometimes they simply sat together without speaking.
The enormous City of Dead continued moving outside their window.
But inside that tiny room—
everything felt quieter.
Their friendship slowly became something neither of them completely understood.
One night, Love stared out the window.
I don't want to admit it...
But why am I starting to like that idiot Ikiro?
The door opened.
Ikiro walked in.
"Hey, Love."
Love immediately turned away.
"What?"
"What are you doing?"
"Nothing."
Ikiro stared at her.
"Say something."
"Why are you waiting?"
"LOVE?"
Love finally looked at him.
"Yeah, Ikiro!"
"Why are you shouting, you idiot?"
Ikiro noticed her face.
"Why are you blushing?"
Love froze.
Before she could answer—
Someone from another bed called out:
"You idiot! Isn't it obvious?"
Ikiro turned.
"What?"
"She likes you."
Ikiro's eyes widened.
"No way."
He looked toward Love.
But she was already gone.
Ikiro stood there.
"Does she actually...?"
He immediately ran outside.
"I have to find her."
THE SECRET PASSAGE
Ikiro searched through several streets.
Then—
He noticed something strange.
A hidden entrance beneath one of the buildings.
He stepped inside.
The passage stretched underground.
Lights activated as he walked.
The walls opened into a gigantic hidden facility.
Ikiro stopped.
His eyes widened.
A completely different world existed beneath the city.
Massive laboratories.
Machines.
Energy chambers.
And at the end—
A giant door.
Ikiro smiled.
"Zalra."
"I finally found you."
IKIRO VS ZALRA
Zalra stood in front of him.
"Ikiro Sanim."
"The left hand of Monukovic."
Zalra smiled.
"I knew you were searching for me."
"I just didn't expect it to take you this long."
Ikiro stepped forward.
"Zalra."
"I need the Serum of God."
Zalra laughed.
"Go to hell."
The battle began.
Energy filled the underground facility.
The two fought across the laboratory.
Machines shattered.
Walls cracked.
The battle continued until—
Zalra finally fell.
Ikiro stood over him.
Zalra struggled to rise.
Ikiro grabbed the Serum of God.
Zalra smiled.
"Open the monsters."
Ikiro froze.
"What?"
Zalra whispered:
"Open them."
Suddenly—
Every alarm in the City of Dead activated.
Across the enormous city, underground gates opened.
The streets shook.
Monsters began emerging from hidden facilities.
People screamed.
The peaceful futuristic city transformed into chaos.
Ikiro looked across the skyline.
"This city..."
His fists tightened.
"...will die if I don't do something."
He looked at the Serum.
There was only one option.
Ikiro drank it.
THE GOD OF SERUM
Energy exploded from Ikiro.
His blue flames became enormous.
His strength rose beyond anything he had experienced before.
For several minutes—
Ikiro fought like a god.
He moved through the city at incredible speed.
He protected civilians.
He stopped monsters from reaching the central districts.
He crossed entire streets in seconds.
But then—
He saw her.
Love.
She was standing in the middle of the chaos.
Ikiro's eyes widened.
"LOVE!"
A monster moved toward her.
Ikiro instantly rushed forward.
His energy surged.
He attacked—
But his power went out of control.
The attack missed its intended target.
Love was caught in the impact.
Ikiro froze.
"LOVE!"
Everything became silent.
Love fell to the ground.
Ikiro rushed toward her.
"LOVE!"
He dropped beside her.
His hands trembled.
"Stay with me."
Love looked at him.
Her voice was weak.
"Ikiro..."
"It's not your fault."
Ikiro shook his head.
"No."
"I was trying to save you."
Love gave him a faint smile.
"You were trying to save everyone."
She struggled to speak.
"I know you."
"You always do that."
Ikiro's eyes filled with tears.
Love looked at him.
"I love..."
She paused.
"...that you never stopped trying to protect people."
Her eyes slowly closed.
"Ikiro..."
He held her hand.
"Stay with me."
But there was no answer.
The city continued burning around them.
And for Ikiro—
everything stopped.
THE AFTERMATH
The Serum's power continued surging through Ikiro.
His emotions overwhelmed him.
His energy exploded outward.
The monsters were destroyed one after another.
Buildings shook.
The streets were filled with blue light.
But Ikiro wasn't thinking anymore.
He didn't even notice the people around him.
He didn't notice the old woman caught in the chaos.
He didn't realize she was Smith's mother.
He only remembered one thing.
Love.
Eventually, Ikiro escaped the City of Dead.
He never returned to Monukovic.
He never returned to that city.
And on his body—
he created a tattoo.
One word.
LOVE.
A reminder.
A punishment.
A memory.
Years later, even after everything he had experienced—
Ikiro could still remember the final words he said to her.
His eyes opened.
Back in the present.
Smith stood over him.
Ikiro's breathing became unsteady.
His mind returned to the battlefield.
His fingers tightened against the ground.
The only words that remained in his memory were—
"HOLD ON, LOVE."
And for the first time in years—
Ikiro's eyes filled with tears.