Chapter 6: System

Marcel barely managed to dodge as the first creature lunged at him. These weren't ordinary wolves—they were shape-shifting beasts, their bodies twisting and transforming right before his eyes. One leaped from the rooftop, its paws elongating into razor-sharp claws aimed straight at his throat. Another stretched into a shadowy mist, attempting to encircle him from behind.

At the same time, Diego was surrounded by soldiers. Their armor glowed with energy, and their weapons were designed specifically to counter his power. They didn't rely on brute force alone—their attacks were precise, calculated to suppress his Nexus.

[BATTLE START!]

— Marcel: Facing the "Phantom Shapeshifter Pack"

— Diego: Facing the "Elite Dome Squad"

Diego gritted his teeth. Time slowed. He activated [Nexus: Combat Resonance], and a surge of energy coursed through his body, wrapping him in amber seals. In the same moment, golden threads flared around Marcel, linking them in a powerful combat bond.

[Effect: Battle Union]

— Marcel gains +30% Speed, +50% Reflexes, and immunity to the first three attacks.

Marcel felt his body grow lighter, his movements sharper. He took a step forward, and the world seemed to slow. A shapeshifter lunged, but Marcel was already elsewhere, dodging with perfect precision.

[Marcel uses "Rending Strike"]

— Critical Hit!

— Shapeshifter takes -200 HP

Another beast attempted to grab him from behind, but Marcel activated [Counterstrike]—a quick step backward, and his fist, charged with Diego's energy, slammed into the dark creature.

Meanwhile, Diego moved fluidly through the battlefield, arcs of lightning crackling in his hands. He raised his arm:

[Diego uses "Storm Discharge"]

— AoE attack affecting all enemies within a 10-meter radius!

— Soldiers take -150 HP

— Effect: Stun (5 seconds)

The stunned soldiers staggered. Diego activated [Shadow Dash], vanishing into the air and reappearing right in front of his nearest opponent. A punch to the gut sent the soldier flying backward, his armor cracking under the force of the blow.

But the battle was far from over. The shapeshifters were adapting to Marcel's style, their attacks becoming more unpredictable. The soldiers activated [Energy Shields], neutralizing some of Diego's strikes.

[Tactical Shift!]

Marcel and Diego exchanged glances. They had to move faster, strike harder.

They both knew—if they hesitated, the enemy would find a way to overwhelm them.

The game was only just beginning.

Marcel positioned himself between Diego and the incoming enemies, his stance shifting instinctively. His every movement felt calculated, almost pre-programmed. That's when he noticed it—the system was analyzing his actions.

A faint HUD flickered in his vision, displaying battle statistics as if he were inside.

[SYSTEM ALERT: COMBAT ANALYSIS INITIATED]

Enemy Adaptation Rate: 72%

Threat Level: Rising

Optimal Strategy: Defensive Play

Marcel clenched his fists. The game was reading him. Studying his patterns. Predicting his next moves.

"Diego!" he shouted, barely dodging a shapeshifter's claw. "The system is tracking us—it's adapting to my attacks! You need to back off before it locks onto you too."

Diego hesitated for a moment, his amber-sealed arms crackling with Nexus energy. "And let you fight alone? Not happening."

Marcel grit his teeth, slamming his palm into a shapeshifter's face and twisting mid-air to avoid another. "Listen to me! If it learns how you fight, we're screwed! Just move—now!"

Another alert flashed in his mind.

[WARNING: ENEMY SYNCHRONIZATION AT 80%]

The creatures were no longer attacking wildly. They were coordinated. A pack moving as one. If the system finished its analysis, their next assault would be unavoidable.

Marcel pushed Diego aside just as an energy blade sliced through the air where he had been standing. He turned back, eyes locked onto his friend.

"I can hold them off. Trust me. Just go."

Diego stood, staring at Marcel, his breathing becoming more and more labored. He couldn't believe what was happening. Every fiber of his being screamed to stay and fight. But Marcel, as always, was ready to go to the end.

Diego barely whispered, his voice cracking with desperation:

"I can't…"

His eyes filled with instant fear. He didn't want to leave him. He didn't want Marcel to be alone against this insane force.

Marcel noticed that look and, without wasting time on unnecessary words, turned to Diego. His face was serious, but there was a fire of determination in his eyes.

"I'll find you." he said, his voice firm despite the chaos around them. "I promise, Diego. You're not alone."

Then Marcel made a few swift movements, confidently getting into a defensive stance. He twirled his weapon in his hands, assessing the movements of the enemies.

"Run, and let this fight stay with me."

Diego froze, not knowing what to say. Marcel's words kept spinning in his head, but he couldn't just leave. Yet he forced himself to take a step back, his heart breaking. Maybe this was the right thing to do.

Marcel saw this and nodded. He knew Diego couldn't just walk away, but it was their only chance.

"Later… later we'll sort it out."

As soon as Diego left, the system, flickered to life. It hovered in front of Marcel, analyzing him with precise calculations. The hologram's data streams moved rapidly, tracking his movements and reading every subtle shift in his energy.

The numbers began to glitch, the data struggling to keep up with the force Marcel was exuding. Suddenly, with a brief flicker, the system recalibrated itself. The numbers shot up, stabilizing quickly on the new value.

5930 FB.

The holographic display showed the "Fixed Base" — the baseline of Marcel's power — now at an astonishing 5930. This was far beyond what the system had ever recorded before. The display lingered for a moment, the numbers hovering in the air, almost as if the system itself was questioning how such an increase was possible.

Marcel could feel the surge of power coursing through him, the weight of the new strength settling into his bones. He wasn't just the same person anymore. Something had shifted, and the system's own readings confirmed it: he was now far stronger than before.

Marcel stood, breathing heavily, his body still pulsing with the raw energy from the system's sudden recalibration. The battlefield had shifted—most of the soldiers had retreated, leaving only the few remaining of Alex's werewolf pack, those who had survived the devastating onslaught of the Dakr Mode. They growled low, their eyes glinting with a predatory fire, but they were weakened, and the odds were no longer in their favor.

In the distance, Alex stood tall and calm, watching the aftermath unfold. He hadn't moved during the entire battle, his focus unwavering. It was clear now—he had been playing a much larger game. His eyes locked onto Marcel, a knowing look passing between them.

"This is what you wanted," Marcel muttered under his breath, stepping forward. The remaining werewolves snarled, circling, but they lacked the strength to challenge him. The air was thick with tension as Alex slowly approached, the silent orchestrator of this chaos.

Alex's lips curled into a small, almost imperceptible smile. "You've finally realized, haven't you?"

Marcel narrowed his eyes. "You always planned for this, didn't you?"

Alex nodded, his voice low, filled with a strange satisfaction. "Everything was always in place. I knew what I was doing… manipulating the pieces, testing you… pushing you beyond your limits. And now, you see the result."

Marcel's grip tightened around his weapon, the raw power now at his disposal thrumming through his muscles. But even with his newfound strength, he knew this was a different kind of battle. Alex wasn't just a physical threat—he was playing with the very foundations of their world.

The remaining werewolves, their forms flickering between human and beast, eyed the two men cautiously. They were waiting for the final strike, the order from Alex.

But Marcel wasn't about to give him the satisfaction. He stepped forward, his voice steady despite the weight of the situation. "This ends now, Alex."

Alex's grin widened, an unsettling gleam in his eyes. "You're right. It does. But not how you think."

With that, Alex raised his hand, the last of his werewolves charging forward, their bodies shifting and snarling in anticipation. The battle wasn't over—it was only just beginning.

Alex stood at the center of the battlefield, his eyes cold and full of determination. He watched every move Marcel made, but there was something different in his words—confidence and ruthlessness that he didn't try to hide. As the battle raged on, Alex began to speak, his voice deep and sharp, as though he was part of the game itself, part of the very thing he controlled.

"You know, I'm not like those who came before me," Alex said, looking directly at Marcel, not distracted by the remaining werewolves still attacking. "I manipulated them all, even the one who was me before. Do you remember him? The guy who was the Alex before me? He was naïve. He thought it was just a game, that the consequences would be minimal, that nothing would really happen. But he was wrong. He didn't account for me."

Alex paused, as if savoring the moment, enjoying every word he spoke. "I knew exactly what he would do. I knew his plans, his attempts. But what he didn't realize is that I was always right there. I was watching him, knowing exactly what he would do, and I used every one of his mistakes against him."

He stepped forward, not attacking but continuing his monologue, his voice becoming colder. "All his attempts were in vain because I was always one step ahead. I understood how everything worked, how the system functioned. He was just a pawn, and I was the king on the chessboard. He was weak, but I was strong."

Alex paused again, seemingly enjoying the power he held in the moment. "And now you're here, understand? You're here because I allowed you to be. You were part of my plan, and you never even realized it. Your moves were predictable, just like all your previous ones. You are nothing but a tool, and now you will become part of this world, just like everyone else."

Marcel didn't break his gaze, feeling the tension rising. Alex continued, "You never had a chance. You never understood the game like I do. All the chaos, all the fighting—it was all just to bring you to this moment."

Marcel's grip tightened, his fury mounting. Alex reveled in his words, enjoying the manipulation, but now Marcel knew that this game had gone too far. Alex wanted control, but it was time for someone to take it away from him.

The battle had reached a fever pitch, and the tension was palpable. The sky above crackled with energy, the remnants of the devastating battles earlier still echoing through the air. As the remaining werewolves surged toward Marcel, their eyes burning with ferocity, he didn't flinch.

His stance was steady, his body brimming with power, and his focus sharpened. The world around him felt like it was slowing down as he tapped into his strength, his abilities coursing through him like an unstoppable force. He wasn't just reacting to the chaos—he was becoming a part of it.

Marcel, his heart pounding in rhythm with the chaos, moved with the grace of a predator. The first werewolf lunged at him, claws bared, teeth gnashing. But before it could reach him, Marcel's foot shot out, kicking the beast away with a sickening thud. The creature flew through the air, landing hard against the nearby ruins of a building, barely able to get up. The shockwave from his kick seemed to reverberate through the battlefield, knocking several more enemies off balance.

With the werewolf knocked aside, Marcel immediately shifted his attention to the next one. He leaped into action, spinning and delivering a devastating roundhouse kick, knocking another werewolf off its feet and sending it sprawling into a wall. His body was a blur of motion, his attacks fluid and almost unnatural in their speed and precision. His every strike felt like it was in perfect harmony with the world around him, and he reveled in the chaos.

Each blow from Marcel sent shockwaves through the ground beneath him. His character was more than just a fighter; he was a force of nature. His moves were efficient and ruthless, his strikes leaving craters in the ground as his enemies crumpled one after another.

But then, he saw Alex.

Alex stood a distance away, his cold gaze locked on Marcel. His presence seemed to warp the air around him, his aura a dark, menacing force. He wasn't the same as the others. He wasn't a mere beast. He was a player—a calculated, dangerous entity who knew how to manipulate everything around him.

Marcel's eyes narrowed. He had reached him.

The battle shifted from brutal skirmishes to a one-on-one showdown.

Marcel moved with the precision of a trained fighter, his every step purposeful. The ground beneath him cracked as he closed the distance between himself and Alex. As he approached, the air around him seemed to ripple, charged with the energy of battle.

Alex, with a swift motion, extended his arms. A shield of black energy flickered into existence, blocking Marcel's first punch. The force of the strike caused an explosion of sparks to fly off the shield. Alex, standing tall, smirked and cracked his knuckles, clearly prepared for the oncoming battle.

"You think you can beat me?" Alex sneered, his voice dripping with arrogance. "You're just another pawn in the game. Just like everyone else who's ever tried."

But Marcel didn't hesitate. He dodged Alex's attack, rolling to the side and coming up with a powerful elbow strike aimed straight at his opponent's torso. Alex grunted, barely managing to parry the blow, and countered with a series of high-speed punches.

Marcel blocked, feeling the immense power of each strike. His body moved almost instinctively, avoiding damage but not without effort. His reflexes were honed to perfection. Every punch Alex threw, every energy blast, Marcel seemed to predict. It was as though the world around them was part of the game, the two locked in a battle that felt like a deadly RPG boss fight.

Alex, furious now, activated his own abilities. He summoned tendrils of dark energy from the ground, twisting and writhing like serpents. The tendrils lunged at Marcel, seeking to constrict and bind him, but Marcel was too fast. He leaped into the air, twisting mid-flight to avoid the tendrils, and slammed his fist down onto the ground with all his force, causing an explosion of dirt and debris. The impact shockwave sent the tendrils scattering, and Alex was left momentarily exposed.

This was the moment Marcel had been waiting for. With a roar, he surged forward, his fists flying like meteors, each blow landing with the force of a crashing wave. Alex tried to block, but his defense faltered, and Marcel's final strike hit him square in the chest, sending him stumbling backward.

The ground beneath Alex cracked, and he tumbled to the ground, gasping for breath.

"Life isn't a chess game, Alex," Marcel said, breathing heavily, his eyes filled with determination. "You play your little games, but life—Life starts playing football with you when all the chess pieces are in the right place for you."

But even as Alex staggered to his feet, the battle was far from over. The world around them was alive, filled with chaos, and no one knew who would come out victorious.

Marcel stood over the fallen Alex, his eyes flashing with cold light. He felt the pulse in his temples, his breath quickening. The battle had reached its climax, and now there was only one thing left to do: finish it. Alex, despite his strength, was still just a game character, nothing more than a set of algorithms and data. Now, it was time for that part of his existence to come to an end.

The system immediately reacted to the change, its holographic panel flaring with bright light.

"System confirms level completion: Alex – character eliminated."

A moment later, the system continued:

Marcel didn't hesitate. He saw Alex attempting to rise, but his movements were sluggish, his energy shield barely holding him together. He was on the verge of destruction, his abilities running out.

Marcel stepped forward, activating his final move. He focused all his power into one devastating strike, like a lightning bolt, and suddenly his fist cut through the air, directly into Alex's heart. In the moment of impact, with overwhelming force, Alex's body began to break apart, as if it were just lines of code compressing under immense power.

Sparks flew around, and Alex vanished, like a character, his final words dissolving into emptiness. He was no longer a threat. His data and energy evaporated into the system, and all that remained was the empty space filled with the system's holographic data.

"Alex eliminated." — the final line on the system's screen.

Marcel glanced at the holographic tablet with disbelief, the message "Alex eliminated" flashing brightly on the screen. He furrowed his brows, not quite understanding what had just happened. Even though the numbers and notifications on the display seemed final, inside he didn't feel like a victor.

Felix, Kyle, and Jake stood before the main tower of the Circle, watching from a distance. Against the backdrop of buzzing mechanisms and the light reflecting off the sky, they felt the tension building with every passing minute. The building before them was imposing, with tall glass walls covered in strange symbols and protective barriers that pierced the surroundings. It seemed like everything was under control — or at least, they hoped so.

To be continued...