consequences

[Viewpoint Activated]

The 3D character read out as one of the men came charging at Duke. Duke dodged him swiftly.

Duke's search for a weapon had him on edge, and the lack of one made him feel uneasy. He couldn't help but question whether choosing the viewpoint was the right call.

Duke skillfully evaded yet another attack from his adversaries, all the while eagerly anticipating the emergence of the viewpoint weapon. The screen clearly indicated its activation, so the question remained: where could it possibly be?

"Viewpoint? View. point?" Duke mumbled aloud, barely breathing fine at this point.

"What the heck are you, man? How the heck are you dodging my attacks like that?" The man shouted, his voice dripping with frustration.

Duke's realization hit him like a ton of bricks! "Ah! Viewpoint!" He exclaimed, feeling a mix of excitement and frustration at himself for not catching on sooner. He couldn't help but almost face-palm at his own oversight. Maybe he didn't get it sooner because his attention wasn't fully on his opponent.

Duke swiftly ducked, narrowly avoiding a blow aimed at his face. Seizing the opportunity, he retaliated with a powerful strike to the guy's throat.

Duke got it now! He went all out, brutally taking down the man so he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. It was as if Duke could anticipate his every move, almost like he could read his mind. The level of control he had over the situation was oddly satisfying to Duke.

[Thirty seconds left]

Duke's gaze shifted away from the fallen man on the floor, his attention sharpened on the remaining criminal, who still held onto the young girl tightly. With a keen sense of intuition, Duke's instincts guided him, even without the aid of the system. Swiftly as he could, he maneuvered his feet, snatching up the discarded weapon left behind by the incapacitated assailant.

Time seemed to slow down as Duke aimed, his finger caressing the trigger with a steady resolve. A single shot rang out, slicing through the air like a thunderclap. The second guy's hand jerked back in pain, forfeiting his grip on the concealed item he had been reaching for. It clattered to the ground, a metallic echo reverberating through the narrow alley.

Duke wasted no time. With his reflexes honed to perfection, he swiftly retrieved the fallen object, his fingers closing around it with a determined grip.

As the tense situation unfolded, the teenager seized the opportunity and sank her teeth into the second guy's hand, causing him to recoil in pain. With a burst of adrenaline, she broke free from his grip and sprinted towards Duke, her heart pounding loudly in her chest. The alleyway became a blur as she raced towards her newfound ally, her determination shining through her eyes. Duke's gaze locked onto her, a mix of surprise and admiration crossing his face. At that moment, a silent understanding passed between them, a bond forged in the crucible of danger.

He quickly sized up the situation and positioned himself in front of the teenager, protecting her from any potential harm. With both weapons in hand, he took charge of the scene, pointing one at the guy on the floor and the other at the man standing a few meters away.

[Ten seconds left]

"Listen up, you two," Duke's voice cut through the air like a blade. His gaze pierced into their souls, leaving no room for doubt. "You've got exactly five seconds to make a run for it before I change my mind."

"What?" The men questioned him in shock, including the teenager.

"Five-"

[Five seconds left]

The seconds ticked away, the tension thickened, and the choice hung in the balance.

"Three," Duke counted, cocking the weapon in preparation to shoot.

Without wasting a single moment, the men quickly rose to their feet and bolted in the opposite direction. The injured man, driven by sheer terror, found a surge of newfound strength as he pushed through the pain.

Duke slowly lowered his weapons as the timer came to a halt. The tension in the air eased, replaced by a momentary calm. It was as if time itself held its breath, waiting to see what would unfold next.

The screen in Duke's vision suddenly buzzed as Duke headed towards his bike.

[You have failed to complete the quest, prepare to face the penalty]

Without warning, Duke's vision suddenly went dark. He couldn't see anything, not even a blur of light like he usually would when his glasses weren't on. The world around him became a black void, engulfing him in a disorienting haze. It was as if someone had cast a sinister spell, robbing him of his sight and leaving him vulnerable in the midst of nowhere.

"Appropriate penalty? Do you call this appropriate? You took away the vision I had when you met me!" Duke yelled out at the system, but no response was given to him.

"Mister? Are you alright?" He heard a feminine voice question him.

'Right,' Duke thought to himself. He was still here with the teenager. Maybe she could help him navigate his way home as a favor in return.

"Hey," Duke began to say, but his words were abruptly cut off as his ears perked up, catching the sound of approaching footsteps. His instincts kicked in, urging him to act quickly.

"You... you girl," he whispered urgently, his voice laced with concern. "You need to go."

The girl looked at him, her eyes wide with fear. "I was hoping you could give me a ride," she mumbled, her voice barely audible. But Duke's keen hearing caught every word.

"They're coming back... and there's more of them," Duke warned, his voice filled with urgency. "You need to take the alley you saw me come in and run. And don't look back."

Without waiting for a response, Duke listened as the girl's footsteps echoed on the gravel, fading into the distance. She didn't even let him finish his sentence. He hoped she would make it to safety.

Crouching down, Duke frantically searched for the weapons he had tossed aside earlier. His heart raced as he struggled to locate them amidst the chaos. Time seemed to slip through his fingers like sand.

Just as his hand closed around a weapon, the new group made their grand entrance, bursting onto the scene with a menacing presence. Duke's heart pounded in his chest as he prepared himself for the forthcoming battle.