A Guide to Humanity’s Extinction

”How is this possible...” Flame Wing said hoarsely, clutching his chest. The flames floating above his head flickered in and out of existence.

White Jack looked up and grinned at Flame Wing, who was struggling to his feet in the distance. ”Friendly reminder: this isn’t a video game. There are no revive tokens to use here.”

With that, he transformed into a beam of blue lightning and shot straight forward.

”Damn it!”

Flame Wing gritted his teeth and turned around. Pillars of fire erupted from his palms; riding the thrust, he shot over ten meters away in an instant.

But right then, the little paper figure in White Jack’s palm spoke again in a low voice:

”Eternal Return.”

As the paper figure’s voice faded, a system prompt flashed across White Jack’s eyes.

[Activated the Philosopher ”Nietzsche”’s skill—”Eternal Return” (Returns you or a surrounding target to the position occupied 1.5 seconds ago)]

And in this exact second, the skill target White Jack designated was naturally none other than the fleeing Flame Wing.

In the very next instant, Flame Wing was enveloped by a burst of blue light and pulled back to where he had been 1.5 seconds ago.

He returned to his original spot, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with White Jack on the street.

White Jack was somewhat sheepishly humming the tune to ”Hotel California.”

Holding his cane, he twisted his body with eager anticipation, as if doing warm-up stretches for a game of golf.

Flame Wing stood frozen in place, his face filled with deep confusion and shock. A moment later, he turned his stiff neck, and White Jack’s bloodcurdling face was reflected in his eyes.

They were mere inches apart.

White Jack first waved at him, then swung his magic cane, smashing it into Flame Wing’s head like a golf club.

The strike immediately caved in a corner of Flame Wing’s head, sending brain matter spraying outward. At the same time, deep blue electricity channeled from White Jack’s palm to the tip of the cane.

Then, it conducted unreservedly into Flame Wing’s entire body.

Flame Wing roared at the sky. His entire body convulsed amidst countless deep blue arcs of lightning, as if a serpent made of electricity were licking every corner of his body.

He rolled two or three times on the ground before finally coming to a stop, his eyes rolling back into his head as he lost all movement.

”Done.”

White Jack tilted his head and stretched lazily. The electricity wreathing his body faded instantly, and the three little paper figures on his hand turned into wisps of smoke and dissipated.

Resting one hand on his hip, he glanced at the collapsed Flame Wing, then looked at Water Snake.

”Which one should I butcher first?” White Jack asked, resting a hand against his chin.

He tucked his magic cane under his arm, grabbed the unconscious Flame Wing with one hand and the comatose Water Snake with the other, and walked into the alleyway.

Then he dropped them both and took the cane from under his arm.

Humming ”London Bridge Is Falling Down,” he gripped the magic cane with both hands and, like a butcher in a slaughterhouse, smashed it down onto Flame Wing’s head over and over again.

”Splat—!”

Within the cramped and dimly lit alleyway, brain matter constantly sprayed outward. Blood splattered across White Jack’s face, adding a touch of grisly crimson to his pallid complexion.

”Are the skulls of super-human species always this hard? Or is my strength attribute still too low?”

A moment later, he exhaled and raised a hand to wipe his sweat. Finally, a notification panel reflected in his eyes.

[Detected that the player has completed Weekly Mission 2 — ”Kill a super-human species”.]

[Congratulations, you have received the reward for Weekly Mission 2: One use of the Item Roulette.]

[Detected the kill of a D-Rank super-human species. As this is your ”first” time killing a D-Rank super-human species, you have been rewarded with 1000 superhuman coins and 200 EXP.]

[Current superhuman coin balance: 1500.]

”This stingy?”

White Jack curled his lip. He carried his cane over to Water Snake, the tip of the cane suddenly igniting with deep blue flames.

He pressed the cane against Water Snake’s tail. Soon, the flames blazed up, spreading along the tail to engulf Water Snake’s entire body. Before long, Water Snake was burned into a scorched, blackened corpse.

[Prompt: Killed one ”D-Rank super-human species”. Gained 200 EXP.]

[Current Level Progress: Lv.05 (2400/2500 EXP) (↑400 points)]

White Jack was just about to complain that this system was stingy to the extreme when he heard a cold shout from behind:

”Stop.”

White Jack froze for a moment, then turned his head. A girl in a gothic dress was hovering in midair, her feet gently touching down onto the alleyway floor.

The girl raised her umbrella, aiming its tip straight at White Jack’s head.

”Now what, my Miss Ember?”

White Jack tossed away his bloodstained cane and raised both arms in surrender. ”You’re allowed to kill criminals, but I’m not?”

Magical Girl Ember remained silent. She glanced at the alleyway painted red with blood and brain matter, then looked up at White Jack’s blood-covered face.

A teasing smile still hung on the corners of his mouth, his eyes perfectly composed.

”You really didn’t die...” Ember said.

”Of course not. Didn’t I say I’d be back?”

White Jack said this as he walked toward the gothic-dressed girl, step by step.

”Don’t come any closer. Take another step and I’ll shoot,” Ember said coldly, emphasizing every word.

”Oh, sure, I wasn’t planning on it.” White Jack scratched his head. ”Actually, I originally wanted to give you a big hug, but I’m covered in blood right now. What if I get you all dirty?”

As he spoke, he hunched his back like a puppy drenched in the rain. Looking pathetic, he took off his top hat and reached inside, searching for something.

”Don’t move.”

But White Jack ignored her warning. In that moment, Ember pulled the trigger, hitting him in the shoulder.

The magic missile packed massive power. A chunk of White Jack’s shoulder was blasted away, spraying blood. Yet, he continued to relentlessly dig around inside his top hat.

Before long, he pulled what he was looking for out of the hat with his right hand.

Ember froze.

What appeared in White Jack’s hand was a lily.

He grinned broadly, staggering closer to the stunned gothic-dressed girl.

With every step, his body spilled more blood. Trailing a line of crimson behind him, he approached the girl, bowed slightly, and offered the snow-white, flawless little flower to Ember.

But Ember did not take the flower.

She just stared at him blankly, her fingertip still resting on the umbrella handle’s trigger.

”Who... exactly are you?” she asked in a low voice after a moment.

”You’ll know one day.” White Jack’s smile split even wider. ”One day, you will...” As he spoke, White Jack reached his bloodied right hand toward her cheek, only to pull it back.

”My lovely Miss Ember, I hope you remain this innocent forever.”

With those words, White Jack’s figure began to melt away. Soon after, he dissipated into a wisp of snow-white smoke, leaving behind a single trail of white vapor that formed the shape of a smiling face in midair.

Magical Girl Ember watched this in silence, remaining motionless for a long time.

Meanwhile, directly above the alleyway, a figure draped in a red and black metallic trench coat hovered in midair, their feet resting on Wind and Fire Wheels.

Beneath the pitch-black canopy of the night sky, Red Lotus looked down from above, silently watching Magical Girl Ember’s figure.

Her eyes wavered slightly, and her lips parted as she softly murmured:

”It really is you... Little Li.”