The heavy metallic doors groaned as they slid open, revealing the dim and oppressive atmosphere of the thirteenth floor. A cold wind rushed out, carrying with it a strange, suffocating pressure.
Zak stepped forward first.
His boots echoed against the stone floor as he crossed the threshold. His expression was calm, but his eyes carried a sharp awareness—like a predator entering unfamiliar territory.
Behind him, Maria's voice cut through the silence.
"These monsters ahead… they're not like the government soldiers," she said, her tone serious. "They're stronger. Much stronger."
Zak paused for a brief moment, then smirked faintly.
"Hearing that… brings back old memories."
His words triggered something deeper.
And suddenly—
The present faded.
Seven Years Ago
The sky was gray. The air smelled of dust and fear.
A group of government soldiers stood in a narrow alley. In front of them, a small, starving child trembled on the ground.
"I just asked for food…" the child whispered weakly.
A soldier kicked him harshly.
"You don't get to ask anything."
Before the next blow could land—
A voice interrupted.
"Stop."
Young Zak stood there, barely seven years old, but his gaze held no fear. Beside him were Maria, Dook, and Querry. Even at that age, there was something unusual about them.
The soldier laughed. "Kids? You think you can interfere?"
Zak clenched his fists.
"He didn't do anything wrong."
That day—
They fought.
Four children against trained government soldiers.
They were weaker. Smaller. Inexperienced.
But they had something the soldiers didn't.
A reason.
Present Time
Zak's eyes sharpened as the memory faded.
Without hesitation, he stepped forward and pushed open the gate to the fourteenth floor.
The doors slammed shut behind him.
Elsewhere – Government Headquarters
Inside a grand chamber filled with screens and reports, Captain Zarko stood frozen.
A soldier had just finished delivering urgent news.
"Zak Zee Zed… has destroyed the government base at Cyclon Mountain. Both heads—A and B—have been defeated."
Zarko's hands trembled.
"…Impossible."
"He has also formed a new team," the soldier continued. "Members include Pirate Querry, the healer Maria—considered one of the best in Cyclon Mountain—and Dook, the second-best shooter from the East."
Zarko's breathing grew heavier.
"And Querry?" he asked sharply.
"…Missing. He hasn't been seen."
Something inside Zarko snapped.
His eyes widened, rage consuming his expression.
At that moment, the door opened.
A tall man stepped in.
"Captain Zarko."
Zarko turned. "Gain."
The commander's face was unreadable.
"From today, you are officially a member of GSG—Government Savior Guards."
Zarko's expression shifted.
The most powerful force within the government.
"You now have authority over the East," Gain continued. "You can alter bounties, destroy islands, form alliances… as long as they are not criminals."
Zarko's mind began racing.
"…Can I collaborate with a warrior?"
"Yes," Gain replied calmly. "But if they have a bounty, it must be cleared first. They will need to seek forgiveness from the government commanders."
Silence filled the room.
Zarko slowly smiled.
A dangerous, calculated smile.
Back to the Fourteenth Floor
The atmosphere here was even heavier.
Maria looked around carefully.
"The boss of this floor… is called Golop Beast," she said. "It possesses the Earth Creation element."
Zak tilted his head slightly.
"So… another beast."
His tone hardened.
He stepped forward—
But suddenly—
Growls echoed from every direction.
A pack of wolves emerged from the shadows, surrounding them completely.
Zak exhaled slowly.
"Let's show them… the power of the Red Wolf."
Before the wolves could attack—
Dook moved.
Three wolves dropped instantly, their bodies hitting the ground in a single second.
Maria followed, eliminating two more with precision.
Zak stepped forward, his hands glowing faintly.
He used his travel laser and limited punch—
Three more wolves collapsed.
Dook smirked. "That was easy."
Zak didn't smile.
"Don't celebrate victory… before it's complete."
And then—
The ground trembled.
More growls.
More shadows.
From the darkness, a massive pack emerged.
Not ten.
Not twenty.
One hundred and fifty wolf beasts.
And these were different.
Stronger.
Faster.
More dangerous.
Maria's voice turned tense.
"There are types… normal wolves, blue wolves… and white wolves."
She pointed ahead.
"The white one… can defeat all the others alone."
Zak's gaze locked onto the battlefield.
This wasn't going to be easy.
The wolves attacked.
Chaos erupted.
Zak charged forward, clashing directly with the blue wolves. Their strength was overwhelming—far beyond the earlier group.
Dook moved to the backline, firing with deadly accuracy.
Maria stayed behind, healing constantly.
But even then—
It wasn't enough.
Zak stepped back briefly.
"I have a plan," he said quickly. "Dook—protect Maria. Maria—focus only on healing. Don't stop."
"And you?" Dook asked.
Zak's eyes narrowed.
"I'll create a barrier."
Energy surged from his body.
A glowing laser barrier formed around Maria, shielding her completely.
Zak understood something critical—
If Maria fell…
They would lose.
But if she survived…
They could endure.
The battle stretched on.
Minutes felt like hours.
Wolves kept coming.
Even after intense fighting—
Eighty-nine wolves remained.
Maria's breathing became unstable.
Her energy was nearly gone.
And then—
She collapsed.
"Maria!" Dook shouted.
Zak turned immediately.
His expression changed.
"Dook… can you hold them for one minute?"
Dook didn't hesitate.
"…One minute. That's all I can give."
Zak nodded.
"That's enough."
He closed his eyes.
Something inside him began to awaken.
Energy surged through his body—wild, unstable, powerful.
"This is only the second time…" he muttered.
His muscles tightened. His aura intensified.
"I call this… Strong Man Body."
In an instant—
He activated it.
His presence alone shook the battlefield.
Meanwhile, Dook pushed himself to the limit, holding back the wolves.
One minute.
That was all Zak needed.
His eyes snapped open.
And then—
He moved.
What followed wasn't a fight.
It was destruction.
With a single attack—
Half the wolves were annihilated.
Before the rest could react—
Zak raised his hand.
Energy gathered.
Condensed.
Expanded.
"Super Laser."
A beam erupted forward—
Thirty times larger than his finger laser.
Everything in its path was erased.
Silence followed.
All the wolves were gone.
Zak stood still for a moment.
Breathing heavily.
"Strong… monsters," he muttered.
Then a faint smirk appeared.
"But not stronger than me."
The energy faded.
His body gave out.
He collapsed beside a nearby tree.
Dook dropped to one knee, exhausted.
Minutes passed.
Then—
Maria slowly opened her eyes.
She looked around… confused.
Then she saw the battlefield.
All the wolves… defeated.
She looked at Zak and Dook.
"…They did this?"
Without wasting time, she began healing them.
Her energy stabilized their condition.
The tension in the air finally faded.
Maria exhaled softly.
"They actually… won."
The camera of this moment—this silence after chaos—felt heavy with meaning.
Because this wasn't just a victory.
It was proof.
They were becoming something far greater.
To be continued…