The world became a blur of shadows and rain as Eli sprinted toward the silver-haired man. His battered sneakers splashed through the puddles, every step feeling heavier than the last. Behind him, Mason screamed in fury, ordering his goons to grab him.But Eli didn't look back.
[Quest Progress: Escape — 12%.]
The man didn't wait. He simply turned and walked, long strides carrying him through the side gate Eli hadn't even noticed was open. Without thinking, Eli followed, lungs burning.
"GET BACK HERE, VARGAS!" Mason's voice ripped through the rain.
Eli could hear the pounding footsteps closing in. Panic threatened to drown him — but then the system's voice hummed in his mind again.
[Skill: Endurance Boost (Temporary) — Activated.]
His legs surged with new energy. His vision sharpened despite the water in his eyes.He pushed himself harder, matching the man's pace.
They weaved through narrow alleys behind the school, puddles splashing, neon lights from far-off buildings flickering across the cracked walls.The man didn't glance back once — yet somehow, Eli knew he was being led. Protected.
Another turn. Another alley. Another—
Pain exploded in his shoulder as something heavy slammed into him from behind.
He hit the ground hard, rolling across the slick concrete. Mason's friend — one of the bigger ones — loomed over him, face twisted in rage.
"You think you can just run away?!" the thug snarled, raising a fist.
[Alert: Host Threatened. Counterattack Available.]
Before Eli could react, a prompt flashed before his eyes:
[Activate Skill: Counterstrike (Prototype)? — Y/N]
He didn't hesitate.
"YES!" he shouted aloud.
His body moved before his mind could catch up. Eli twisted, grabbed the thug's wrist mid-swing, and threw him over his shoulder with a strength that wasn't entirely his own.The thug landed with a sickening thud, groaning and not getting back up.
Eli stared at his own hands, breathing hard.
How...?
"You're wasting time," the silver-haired man's voice snapped.Eli jolted, remembering. He scrambled to his feet and bolted after him again.
[Quest Progress: Escape — 61%.]
Another alley. A chain-link fence loomed ahead. Eli's heart sank — it had to be at least ten feet high, slick with rain.
"There!" Mason's voice echoed behind them. "CUT THEM OFF!"
Eli turned desperately to the man. "What now?!"
The man smirked slightly — the first real expression he'd shown — and simply jumped, grabbing the top of the fence and hauling himself over like it was nothing.
No hesitation. No struggle.
Eli's jaw dropped. "You've gotta be kidding—"
[Temporary Buff: Parkour Boost — Activated.]
A spark of strength burst into his limbs.No time to think.
He ran.Leapt.
Fingers scraped the cold metal — and then he was climbing, pulling himself up with a wild, breathless energy he didn't know he had.
He swung his legs over the top just as Mason and his other goon skidded into view at the alley's entrance.
"There!" Mason screamed. "Get him!!"
Eli dropped down hard on the other side, landing on his feet awkwardly. His knees buckled — but he didn't fall.
[Quest Progress: Escape — 83%.]
The man was already ahead, walking calmly down another dark street lined with abandoned buildings.
"This way," he said over his shoulder.
Eli stumbled after him, barely able to breathe, barely able to think.
The rain softened into a cold drizzle now. The city around them seemed to grow quieter, emptier, darker.
Finally, the man stopped in front of a heavy steel door tucked between two forgotten warehouses. Strange symbols were etched into the rusted frame — ones Eli couldn't understand but somehow felt drawn to.
The man pressed his hand against a panel.There was a click.
The door creaked open, revealing a stairway descending into darkness.
"Inside," the man said.
Eli hesitated, chest heaving.
[Quest Progress: Escape — 98%.]
"Who are you?" Eli rasped, voice raw from the chase.
The man turned slightly, eyes gleaming like molten silver.
"You'll learn soon enough," he said. "But first — if you want to survive what's coming, you'll need to awaken properly."
"A-Awaken?"
The man stepped aside, gesturing toward the yawning stairwell.
"Your system isn't complete yet. Right now, you're half-alive, half-dead. Weak."
Eli's fists clenched at his sides.
Weak.
He was sick of that word.
He swallowed hard, nodded once — and stepped forward into the darkness.
The door slammed shut behind him.
Total blackness.
Then, a low hum — almost like chanting — began to rise from the shadows. Symbols flickered along the walls, glowing blue and silver.
[System Upgrade Process: Initiated.] [Warning: Host Compatibility Test Required.] [Success Rate: 17%.]
Eli's heart froze.
Seventeen percent...?
Before he could react, a shockwave of energy slammed into his chest, knocking him backward into a cold, invisible abyss.The world tore itself apart around him.
And a new voice — different from the system's, deeper, darker — whispered in his ear:
"Prove yourself... or be consumed."