They've dedicated their lives to the advancement of science, having never even picked up a weapon before. Furthermore, their bodies have been broken down by tragic incidents. You wouldn't expect much of such individuals when it comes to combat, but make no mistake, these two are not to underestimated. When trapped among hordes of hideous monstrosities, they improvised, adapted, and overcame, becoming just as deadly as any able-bodied warrior. They are Cynte, the one-limbed scientist amid an outbreak of parasites from Endoparasitic, and Olivia Haas, the wheelchair-bound botanist in a bloody battle royale from Fear & Hunger! Who is DEADLIEST?
Cynte[]
| “ | I'm worthy. Who, if not me? It knows I would do anything for the pursuit of science, for conviction. This is my purpose.
— Cynte
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” |
Cynte worked at a secret research facility on an asteroid where he studied a species of alien parasites. Cynte discovered the parasites intelligently chose their hosts, transforming some into monsters and endowing others with superhuman abilities. Cynte became convinced that the parasites had chosen him as their ultimate host. However, unbeknownst to Cynte, his secretary, Luce, also believed that she was to be the ultimate host of the parasites. She unleashed the parasites, who mutated the staff, turning them into monsters that slaughtered the survivors. Cynte was infected with a parasite and attacked by mutants who tore off his legs and left arm. Crawling his way through the facility, Cynte fought off the mutants and kept his infection at bay. He confronted Luce, who revealed she had indeed become the ultimate host of the parasites. Against Luce's newfound parasitic powers, Cynte failed to reach the facility's spacecraft and was stranded.
- Revolver: Cynte's first weapon was a double-action revolver, acquired from a dying security guard. The weapon's make and model are unknown, but appearances suggest that it is likely chambered for either a .32 ACP or a .380 ACP cartridge. It holds six rounds at a time that must be loaded individually. Thus, it is slow to reload - an issue worsened by Cynte's disability.
- Double-Barreled Shotgun: Cynte's over-and-under double-barreled shotgun is in the sawed-off style, featuring a shorter barrel and lacking a shoulder stock. It holds two shells at a time, one in each barrel. Although powerful, the shotgun produces heavy recoil and its shortened barrel makes it strictly a close-range weapon.
- Flare Gun: The flare gun, a single-shot break-action pistol intended for launching distress flares, was repurposed by Cynte into an incendiary weapon. The flares set enemies on fire upon contact and their design allows them to ricochet off walls and ignite multiple targets in a single shot. The ensuing inferno can cook most mutants to crisps in seconds.
- Crossbow: Cynte's final weapon is a compact one-handed crossbow ideal for precision and stealth. Unlike Cynte's other weapons, the crossbow is mostly quiet, ideal for swift and silent takedowns. It dispatches most mutants instantly with its deep-piercing bolts. However, the crossbow's string must be drawn via a small winch, making it slow to reload.
- Vaccine Syringes: To keep the parasite within him from reaching his brain and killing him, Cynte must take a dose of a specialized vaccine that slows the parasite's progress every few minutes. Physical trauma will speed up the process and require Cynte to take more frequent doses.
Olivia Haas[]
| “ | When all this is finally over, I'll retreat to nature. That's the only place where I feel at home. I've had enough of these man-made nightmares and endless concrete tunnels.
— Olivia Haas
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” |
Born into a religious family in the Bremen Empire, Olivia Haas was wheelchair-bound as a teenager. She studied botany at the same university as her sister, Reila. After graduating, Reila worked on a government project in the Eastern Union. Olivia learned that Reila was accused of treason by the Bremen government and rescued from prison by terrorists. Investigating further, Olivia discovered letters from Reila mentioning the city of Prehevil. To find her sister, Olivia headed to Prehevil. In truth, the moon god Rher lured Olivia and thirteen others to participate in the battle royale called Termina. Forming alliances to survive Prehevil's horrors, Olivia discovered Reila was the subject of a government experiment intended to create an artificial god. Finding Reila in a bunker, Olivia united with her sister in a collective consciousness. The birth of the Machine God brought Termina to an end and allowed the other contestants to escape.
- Kassara: Olivia repurposed a kassara, a billhook used to clear shrubs and tree branches, into a weapon. It chops through human bones as easily as brushwood and is coated in poison extracted from local plant life.
- Lugr Pistol: The Lugr Pistol is the standard sidearm for Bremen Army officers. It is a semi-automatic pistol that accepts 9mm cartridges. It is based on the real Luger P08 of the German Army, which uses an eight-round detachable magazine.
- .303 Rifle Mark I: The .303 Rifle is a bolt-action, magazine-fed rifle used in the First Great War. It uses cartridges of the titular caliber, each with full metal jacket bullets. The .303 Rifle is inspired by several real WWI-era rifles, but it most closely resembles the M1903 Springfield, which has a five-round integral magazine.
- Condensed Nettle: Olivia's botanical knowledge allows her to condense toxic plant matter into compact throwable balls with enhanced effects. Condensed spheres of stinging nettle leaves induce intense irritation upon skin contact. While they don't inflict serious damage, an enemy struck by one of these toxic projectiles would be hard-pressed to counterattack amid their agony.
- Condensed Hemlock: Olivia also fashioned balls of poison hemlock. While hemlock is generally only dangerous if consumed, its toxicity is enhanced when condensed. Skin contact with these balls induces respiratory paralysis and, eventually, death. Olivia can handle these spheres safely due to her expertise.
- Foldable Wheelchair: Olivia gets around in a collapsible and lightweight wheelchair. Its compact design allows her to quickly fold it into a manageable size and carry it as she crawls up staircases. Despite its light construction, the wheelchair is quite durable.
X-Factors[]
Experience
Being a man of science, Cynte was a total stranger to combat when he was caught up in the outbreak, but he took to fighting and surviving like a duck to water. He traversed the facility's winding corridors while avoiding and killing the zombie-like mutated scientists and the frighteningly quick mutant rats, all while collecting the vaccine doses needed to keep the parasite within him at bay. He cleverly snuck around the unkillable corpse traps and mutated monkeys. Ultimately, he fought and destroyed the mass of biomass that controlled the teleporting Hunter while maneuvering around its body on a slick bloody floor.
Having been restricted to the world of academia, Olivia was unacquainted with combat prior to her three days in Prehevil. However, when forced to fight for her life, Olivia discovered her natural talent for taking life. Although she's smart enough to avoid combat whenever possible, she fought and defeated hordes of moonscorched - beings made grotesque and violent via eldritch influence - including firearm-wielding villagers and monstrous animals. She and her allies even fought off professional soldiers of the Bremen Empire. Most impressively, her party managed to overcome both an enormous living tank and the Kaiser, the magic-wielding ruler of the Bremen Empire, in quick succession.
Physicality
At the start of the outbreak, Cynte had his legs and left arm ripped off, leaving him with only his right arm. Cynte adapted and learned to move around by dragging himself. He proved agile enough to outmaneuver shambling mutants and even the Hunter, a mutant with teleportation powers. Cynte is nimble enough to quickly switch between moving, shooting, and reloading. He has high pain tolerance, having cauterized his bleeding stumps without much trouble and sounding more annoyed than anything when wounded. He can also be quite stealthy, as he demonstrated by sneaking past corpse traps and mutated lab monkeys, who possess enhanced hearing.
Five years before her trip to Prehevil, Olivia developed vascular myelopathy, a spinal cord condition that rendered her legs too weak to support her weight. Despite this challenge, Olivia has developed remarkable upper body strength. She can skillfully propel her wheelchair at impressive speeds, enabling her to outmaneuver pursuing monsters over rough terrain, and can contend with able-bodied and even superhuman adversaries in melee combat. She can quickly collapse her wheelchair and climb staircases and even ladders with only the strength of her arms, leaving her just as capable of traversing her environment as an able-bodied person.
Notes[]
- The battle takes place in a run-down building, with lots of tight corridors and maintenance shafts.
- Olivia is as she is just before the final boss battle of Ending A in Fear & Hunger 2: Termina.
- Voting ends whenever.