The Hunt Begins

The air in the alley thickened, pressing against my skin like an invisible weight. The figures at the alley's mouth didn't move right away, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. They were waiting, watching—studying me as if I were an animal backed into a corner.

I wasn't an idiot. The men Kalos worked for didn't send amateurs. These people weren't here to threaten me or make a show of force. They were here to eliminate me.

[Warning: Hostiles detected.]

The message flashed in the corner of my vision, cold and impersonal. My pulse quickened, but my body felt strangely steady, the residual effects of the System still humming beneath my skin. I wasn't in peak condition—far from it—but I was better than I had been minutes ago.

And right now, that had to be enough.

I took a slow step back, my boots scraping against the damp pavement. The moment I moved, the leader of the group took a step forward, closing the distance with practiced ease. His suit was dark, almost blending into the shadows, but his posture was unmistakable—he was the one in charge.

Kalos let out a weak chuckle behind me. "You're screwed, Ash," he rasped. "They don't leave loose ends."

I ignored him. My focus was on the man in front of me.

The leader tilted his head slightly, eyes sharp. "Ash Renford." His voice was smooth, almost polite. "You should be dead."

I didn't respond. I wasn't about to confirm or deny anything.

His gaze flicked to Kalos, then back to me. "We had reports of your body in an alleyway, bleeding out. And yet, here you are. Standing."

I remained silent, tensing slightly.

The man studied me for another second, then exhaled. "No matter. This will be quick."

He raised his hand. A signal.

The others moved instantly.

Two men rushed forward, their footsteps barely making a sound against the wet pavement. I tensed, forcing my battered body into motion. The first one threw a punch aimed at my ribs—fast, controlled. I barely managed to twist out of the way, but the second was already there, driving a knee toward my stomach.

I blocked it, but the impact sent a jolt of pain through my arms. These guys were trained. And I was still weak.

[System function activated: Adaptation Protocol (Lv.1).]

A chill ran through me, but I didn't have time to process it. The first man came at me again, this time with a knife flashing in his grip.

I barely dodged in time, stumbling back as the blade sliced through the air where my throat had been. My heartbeat pounded in my ears. Too fast. Too precise.

I wasn't strong enough to take them all head-on. Not yet.

I needed to level up.

Gritting my teeth, I let my instincts take over. I feinted a retreat, drawing them in. The knife-wielder took the bait, stepping forward to press the attack. I moved—low and fast—grabbing his wrist and twisting hard. He grunted, the blade slipping from his grasp.

[+5 Experience Gained.]

I barely registered the message as I slammed my elbow into his ribs. He staggered, but his partner was already swinging. I ducked, but not fast enough—a fist clipped my shoulder, sending a sharp burst of pain down my arm.

[Health: 87/100]

I gritted my teeth. I can't keep taking hits like this.

Another one came at me, but I managed to sidestep, driving my knee into his stomach. He gasped, doubling over. I followed up with a wild punch that caught him across the jaw, sending him sprawling.

[+10 Experience Gained.]

A sudden movement—

I barely turned in time to see the leader fire a gun.

The shot rang out, deafening in the alley's tight space.

I moved purely on instinct. My body twisted, the bullet grazing past my side instead of burying itself in my ribs. Pain flared, but it was shallow—nothing vital.

[Health: 79/100]

The leader lowered his gun slightly, eyes narrowing. "Still alive?"

I forced a grin. "Yeah. Annoying, isn't it?"

He didn't react. He simply raised the gun again, ready to fire.

My stomach clenched. I couldn't dodge another one—not in this condition.

Then—

[Level Up! You are now Level 2.]

A rush of something flooded my system. Strength. Clarity. I could feel my muscles responding faster, my body adjusting instinctively.

[New Skill Unlocked: Survivor's Edge (Lv.1) – Slightly increases reaction speed and pain resistance.]

The moment the trigger was about to pull, I moved.

Faster than before.

I lunged sideways, my body responding more smoothly than it should have. The gun fired, but I was already out of the way. Before the leader could recover, I grabbed the fallen knife from the ground and flung it.

It wasn't a perfect throw. It didn't hit anything vital.

But it did slice across his arm, forcing him to drop the gun.

He hissed in pain, clutching his wound. His expression darkened. "You're more trouble than you're worth."

I didn't give him time to recover. I sprinted forward, ignoring the burning ache in my limbs. He threw a punch, but I ducked, driving my shoulder into his chest and knocking him back against the alley wall.

For a second, he just stared at me. Not with fear. Not with anger.

With calculation.

Then, he let out a slow breath. "This isn't over."

Before I could stop him, he twisted something on his wrist—a small device, barely visible in the dim light. A second later, a sharp, high-pitched noise filled the air.

An emergency signal. A distress call.

Reinforcements.

I cursed under my breath. I couldn't fight another squad, not now.

The leader smirked. "Run, Ash Renford. Run while you still can."

I hesitated. A part of me wanted to finish this. But my body ached, my stamina was running low, and I wasn't foolish enough to think I could take on an entire strike team yet.

So I did the smart thing.

I ran.

I bolted out of the alley, feet pounding against the wet pavement. Behind me, the leader didn't give chase—he didn't need to. He had already called for backup.

I only had minutes before they found me again.

As I sprinted through the twisting streets, my mind raced just as fast. I had survived. I had leveled up. But I was still weak. If I wanted to stay alive, if I wanted to win, I needed to grow stronger.

And for that—

I needed to understand everything the Apex System had to offer.