Code Zulu Alpha: Nerd in the Apocalypse!

If I didn't sign up for a beating already, I didn't even notice how the final-final event would be conducted. I was 100% sure that it'd be the same tournament-style ladder match but the one I was reading on the big screen was 100% different.

[King of the Hill: Battle Royale! All or Nothing!]

I wasn't sure if it was done to save time—because it was really close to sunrise—but as long as we wouldn't get dropped on an island to scavenge weapons and avoid the storm, I'd be happy to take part in it.

'Not to throw shade at Mr. Cuervo but this arc— err, game night is too fucking long! Almost 100 chapters— err, I mean, if it's a novel, it would probably take about that long to conclude… right… that's it… right…'

It's just that after my little outburst, I had an inkling that everyone else would start gunning for me, but I have a few allies that might have had my back: Ilya, Nikolas, and Alexei.

From the time I've been here up to this point, I never did dictate what they can or cannot do because their actual CO, Artem, was present. However, Artem didn't do as much CO'ing as I thought he would as well and left the three to their own devices—aside from a few games.

And now since they were required to join the final game, if they wanted it, they could gang up on me as well.

I wouldn't take it against them—because it was all within the scope of the rules—but I'm sure as hell wouldn't let them off as easily.

But surprisingly enough, the three approached me to discuss strategy.

Nikolas spoke up, "Hey. Ilya and I decided to hover a few feet in front of you to receive the initial wave while Alexei acts as your backup. You're good in a fight as anyone but you'll tire out faster than you can imagine. So, we three decided to act as your shield so you could conserve your energy for the stronger ones but I'm sure a few would slip past us."

Ilya continued, "From what you said earlier, everyone will definitely be gunning for you—especially the ones from the Castillo and the Alvarez Family, but I couldn't say for the other participants. You seem to have made a good impression on them. I was actually worried about Benjie but since you took him out, we'll have less trouble with his followers."

Alexei sighed heavily, "I'll be honest here. I've been too cold for far too long and I'm only gonna be a little help… I shouldn't have won that last game… being a champion is too troublesome."

Ilya scoffed, "Shut up. Aren't you the one who keeps requesting girls that looks like Vera—"

"SHUT UP! WHO TOLD YOU THAT?! MICHELLE?! KAORI?! KATE?!"

"Everyone, dude. Everyone told on ya… you're weirding them out."

Riri and Ruru suddenly had a realization, "Oh~ So, you're that guy? Really weird, dude…"

"WHA— FUCK ALL OF YOU! CAN'T WE JUST FUCK 'EM ALL UP?! THIS PLAN WOULD JUST FLY OUT THE WINDOW THE MOMENT WE GET HIT!"

I finally joined in, "I agree with that, actually."

"Huh?"

"HUH?!"

"Told ya, two. He gets it."

"I'm getting pretty tired, actually. I wanna end this as quickly as I can. If we win, cool. But if we lose, that's cool too. But if any of us are in the last batch, either tap out or fight with all you got, because I will."

From that point on, the three were actually in agreement in my decision because at the end of the day, the games were just a means to have some fun—bashing heads and cracking bones kind of fun.

It didn't take long before every male champion in existence—except for Benjie and a few others that were too injured—were now inside the play area, and the majority was looking directly at me.

And to pour some jet fuel into the blaze, I smirked before I threw them double-birds in the air for everyone to see.

[WE'RE TAKING HIM DOWN FIRST, RIGHT?! RIGHT?!]

[HE'S DEFINITELY GOING DOWN!]

[FUCK IT, LET'S BRING THE STRONGEST GUY DOWN!]

[HE'S NOT THE FUCKING STRONGEST! I AM!]

[WHA— FUCK YOU! I BEAT YOU LAST TIME!]

[SHADDAP! I CAN BEAT ALL OF YOU WITH ONE HAND! NO HOMO!]

[WHAT THE FUCK— ARE WE FUCKING HIM OR NOT?!]

[Dude… That sounds so wrong…]

[WANNA FUCKING PIECE OF ME?! LET'S FUCKING GO RIGHT NOW?!]

'The fuck is going on?'

For the life of me, I can't believe how some of these folks became champions but I've seen footage from way, way back. It could be a case of being in the right place and in the right time though there were still a handful I was wary of.

Them being the head of the Alvarez Family and the de Leon Family, Mr. Ongkiko Alvarez and Mr. Mauro "No. 3" de Leon.

'It'll be on him to get injured on his wedding day…'

I actually thought that I was the only head that participated in the games but it seemed that these two were champions in their own right. Granted the footage of them claiming their title was probably non-existent or wasn't recorded, their fists would probably do the talking.

It's just that it felt weird imagining a budget or should I say another Mr. Cuervo and a male version of Quinn—but a little shorter—having a fist fight with me.

With that said, the moment the signal was given, the majority just rushed at us four and it almost felt like the three martial artists who fended off this axe gang from this certain movie. But much to my team's surprise, I actually advanced and flicked my body forward to receive the first few offerings and the rush was just unbelievable.

The first one went head-first into my knee while the second one ate a right and left hook with his jaw.

I didn't even care if I knocked them out or not because the downpour was almost like getting surrounded by ferals left, right, and center.

My main focus in this skirmish was to be in a position where I could slip in and out while giving knockout blows and a bunch of people that were red in the face, bodies 'roided up, and eager to send a punch to my face weren't exactly the ones that could easily work together.

This was almost like the same scenario with me and Mikhail on the de Leon Family's turn but this time, the blows that I might receive could actually end me.

However, the most effective way in handling a swarm of people was a direct showing of overwhelming brute force.

Not everyone was actually aiming for me—like the Garcia Family and the Cuervo Family sneaking in shots toward distracted participants but the ones that did were now thinking of backing out.

What happened was after I took down my first two victims, I then grabbed onto a poor champion's arm before twisting it and pushing it forward a certain way, making his elbow and shoulder pop from its socket in succession.

The guy was just screaming in pain, trying his best to get out of my hold but before I did, I sent the 'wrong' kick to the one that was about to perform a rear-naked choke from behind me—lucky for him because I was still wearing my shoe, but it still left a deep and bruised mark on his torso.

I actually felt one of his ribs cracking but I was too caught up by everyone else as I dislodged his jaw by a quick change-up kick by using my other foot.

All I had to do was nestle my right foot into his torso for a second longer as I used it as a stepping ladder, lifting myself up in the air and hitting the left side of his jaw.

Yes, keeping low in the ground to stay mobile was the best course of action in fighting a bunch of people but doing that made everyone else grimace and stop in their tracks.

Everyone knew the pain of getting an injury and it also equaled not getting a lot of work or "action", so it made everyone else question if going against me was even fucking worth it? At the end of this event, after whoever was crowned the Champion of Champions, everyone that survived was expected to have a good time, but what could they say about the injured fighters?

At most, the only good thing that they'd experience was probably the quietness of the infirmary, probably a dose of morphine, and if they're lucky, have a nurse give them a little "hand", but the afterparty was actually the wildest thing I've ever witnessed and I wasn't even part of it last time.

And to actually send my point across, another victim came at the right time and I kicked his dick and balls like I was aiming for a field goal.