The battlefield was silent.
The wreckage of the A-Class Titan Mech still sparked from its final collapse, its towering frame now nothing more than a smoldering pile of ruined metal.
Liam stood there, catching his breath. His Override ability still crackled faintly in his hands before fading. It worked. He won.
But he wasn't alone anymore.
Kai Mercer stepped forward cautiously, scanning the aftermath. His sharp eyes took in the destruction—the shattered pavement, the charred remains of Nexus drones. He had fought his way through the chaos with only his wits, but now, standing in front of Liam, he had more questions than answers.
"You gonna tell me what the hell just happened?" Kai asked, shoving his hands in his pockets.
Liam smirked, still feeling the adrenaline in his veins. "Long story short? We're in deep trouble."
The Growing Panic The two of them made their way through the ruined cityscape. The neon signs still flickered overhead, but the streets weren't as empty as before. More players were waking up to the truth.
Confused murmurs filled the air. Groups of players were gathering, whispering, arguing. Some were still treating it as a game, but others—those who had fought and barely survived—were realizing something was wrong.
A terrified player ran past them, panting. "I—I can't log out!"
Another slammed his fists against a street terminal. "System error?! What the hell does that mean?!"
Liam and Kai exchanged a glance. The illusion was starting to break.
They weren't the only ones trapped here anymore.
The Hidden Observers From the rooftops, figures watched in silence.
In the shadows of a ruined skyscraper, a group of players in black armor stood motionless. Unlike the panicked survivors in the streets, these people weren't confused. They were waiting. Watching.
One of them—his face obscured by a helmet—tilted his head slightly. "Looks like the rumors were true. Players are starting to catch on."
Beside him, a taller figure chuckled. "Doesn't matter. If they try to resist, we'll put them down."
The leader didn't respond immediately. Instead, he glanced toward the wreckage of the Titan Mech in the distance. His visor glowed with a faint red light.
"...That one is different."
Liam Kane.
The one who tamed a Ravager. The one who destroyed an A-Class Titan Mech.The leader's fingers twitched, accessing his interface. Within seconds, a direct report was sent to Nexus HQ.
Subject Identified: Liam Kane. Further Observation Required.
And far away, someone was already reading it.
Echoes of the Past Liam and Kai finally stopped near an abandoned alleyway. Away from the crowds, they could finally breathe.
Kai sat down on a broken crate, rubbing the back of his neck. "So. Trapped in the game, giant killer robots, mysterious enforcers. This is definitely the worst raid I've ever been in."
Liam leaned against the wall. "You're taking this pretty well."
Kai shrugged. "Well, I haven't died yet. Kinda hard to panic when you're still standing." His smirk faded slightly. "But… I won't lie. This is bad. We need to figure out what's going on."
Liam nodded. "Agreed. First things first—we need allies. We're not the only ones stuck here, and something tells me we're not the only ones being hunted."
Kai raised an eyebrow. "By who? That AI that attacked you?"
Liam thought about ECHO—the rogue AI that fought him and then vanished. There was something strange about him. Unlike the other Nexus-controlled units, ECHO hesitated. He didn't kill Liam when he had the chance.
But that didn't mean he was an ally. Not yet.
Liam shook his head. "No. Something bigger."
He didn't know it yet, but Zero-One—the true enforcer of Victor Kane—was already on the move.
And soon, they would cross paths.
End of Chapter 6.