The Hunt Begins

Lin Wei ran, his muscles screaming in protest as he struggled to keep up with Kael. The echoes of their footsteps bounced off the alley walls, drowned only by the distant roar of hovercrafts patrolling overhead. The cold night air did little to soothe his burning lungs, and the persistent System notifications flashing in his vision only made it worse.

[System Alert: Neural Strain at 72%] [Warning: Further use of Time Manipulation may result in cognitive degradation.]

He clenched his jaw. He couldn't afford to stop now.

Kael led him through a hidden pathway between two abandoned buildings, the narrow corridor barely wide enough for them to squeeze through. The smell of rust and decay filled his nostrils as he pressed against the damp walls, every fiber of his being on high alert.

"They'll be deploying hunters soon," Kael whispered, her voice just loud enough for him to hear.

Lin Wei shot her a questioning glance. "Hunters?"

Kael didn't slow down as she spoke. "Not enforcers. These are specialists. The kind that don't take prisoners."

Lin Wei swallowed hard. He had barely survived the enforcers—what chance did he stand against something worse?

They emerged into a wider street lined with the remnants of a long-forgotten marketplace. Broken stalls and rusting signs hinted at the past life of the city, before the System took full control. Kael paused, scanning the rooftops with practiced precision.

"We need to keep moving," she said, her tone urgent. "If we stop for even a second, they'll—"

A low hum filled the air, sending a shiver down Lin Wei's spine.

Kael cursed under her breath. "Too late."

From the darkness above, three figures descended in unison, their movements eerily fluid. They wore sleek, black exo-suits, their faces obscured by reflective visors. Unlike the enforcers, these figures carried no visible weapons. They didn't need them.

[System Alert: Unknown Elite Units Detected.] [Warning: Threat Level – Lethal.]

The closest hunter moved first, closing the distance between them in a blink. Lin Wei barely had time to react before Kael shoved him aside, drawing a sleek energy blade from her belt. The weapon hummed to life, crackling with a faint blue glow.

"Run!" she commanded, slashing at the attacker. Sparks flew as her blade met reinforced armor, but the hunter barely flinched.

Lin Wei's instincts screamed at him to obey, but something in him refused. He wasn't about to leave Kael to fight alone. Not when he had the one advantage that might make a difference.

Ignoring the System's warnings, he focused, reaching deep into the frayed edges of his ability.

[Time Manipulation Activated: Partial Acceleration.]

The world around him blurred. The raindrops hung suspended midair, the neon lights stretched into streaks of color. His muscles moved faster than his mind could process, and before he knew it, he was behind one of the hunters, his fist colliding with their armored spine.

The impact sent a shockwave up his arm, pain lancing through his bones. The hunter staggered, but only for a moment. Lin Wei barely had time to process what happened before the hunter twisted with unnatural speed, its hand clamping around his throat.

A surge of electricity coursed through his body, sending him crashing to the ground, his vision flickering. His limbs refused to respond.

[System Alert: Neural Strain at 89%.] [Critical Overload Imminent.]

Kael was still fighting, her blade a blur as she parried two hunters at once. But she was losing ground. They were too fast. Too coordinated.

Lin Wei gritted his teeth. He had one shot at this.

Summoning every ounce of strength left in his body, he reached into the depths of his ability once more. But this time, he didn't just accelerate time.

He broke it.

The world shattered like glass, fragments of reality twisting and reforming in chaotic patterns. The hunters froze mid-motion, their figures distorted as if caught between moments. Kael, too, was suspended in place, her eyes wide with shock.

Lin Wei felt himself slipping, his mind unraveling under the strain. But he forced himself to focus. He had seconds—maybe less.

His body moved through the fractured space, past the hunters, past Kael, until he reached the edge of the street. Then, with a final burst of effort, he released the hold on time.

Reality snapped back into place.

The hunters staggered as their momentum was thrown off balance. Kael wasted no time. She struck with deadly precision, driving her blade through the nearest enemy's visor. The hunter collapsed instantly.

The remaining two hesitated just long enough for her to grab Lin Wei and pull him to his feet. "We're leaving. Now."

He didn't argue.

As they sprinted away, Lin Wei cast one last glance over his shoulder. The hunters weren't following. They were standing still, as if recalibrating.

And then, in eerie unison, they turned their heads toward him.

Their visors flickered, revealing a message written in blood-red text.

[Target Acquired: Lin Wei]

A cold dread settled in his stomach.

The hunt had only just begun.