Baddie Distribution System

’Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! Of all people, I had to bump into Jack?! How cursed can my luck be?!’ Dapper cursed inwardly, running with everything he had. Shinro and Riley followed close behind, barely keeping up. "Why are we running, bro? Do you know him or something?" Shinro asked while catching up, panting hard.

"Yes. He’s a menace, one you absolutely don’t want to cross," Dapper replied, his voice tight with urgency. That was enough for Shinro to realize they were in deeper trouble than he thought. Despite knowing Dapper for just a short time, he could tell he wasn’t the type to run away without good reason.

"Water Blade!" Riley yelled, swinging her staff as several wind-laced water blades shot toward Jack. They sliced through the air and landed but Jack didn’t even flinch. He kept walking, still unfazed, still closing the distance.

’What the hell? That didn’t even scratch him?’ Riley thought, pushing herself to run harder, until her foot caught a rock.

She tripped.

Before she could recover, Jack was already on her. He stomped her into the ground, his boot pressing down on her head.

"I got you. You’re the noisy one. I’ll deal with you first," Jack said with a grin, grabbing Riley by the neck and lifting her off the ground.

"URGH! HELP ME!" Riley choked out, her limbs thrashing as Jack’s grip tightened and her eyes bulged from the pressure.

Hearing her cry, Dapper stopped in his tracks and turned. He saw Riley dangling, struggling to breathe. A part of him screamed to keep running, just like he would’ve in the past. But another part, the one that remembered how she stalled Jack for him earlier, couldn’t just leave her behind.

’This is why I hate getting attached,’ Dapper grit his teeth, pulling a dagger from his inventory as he turned back and advanced.