The Dance Before Dismemberment

LOCATION: TRAIN YARD BUNKER – 1 HOUR BEFORE SYSTEM BUILD LOCK

My heart wouldn't stop hammering.

Not from fear. Not anymore.

From choice.

> 🔔 "SYSTEM EVOLUTION NODE UNLOCKED" You must choose a Combat Path:

[1] Ghost Protocol – "Disappear. Kill. Repeat."

Unlocks: Stealth Cloak (Permanent Passive), Silent Execution, Wall Phase (Cooldown: 3 mins)

[2] Gunstorm – "You are the bullet."

Unlocks: Dual-Wield, Recoil Nullifier, Bullet Chain (x2 Ricochet Bonus)

[3] Proxy Split – "Two minds. One body. One may not be yours."

Unlocks: Wick Clone (Glitched), Mind-Shunt, Mirror Sync Combat

Marcus paced like a guy who'd seen these screens one too many times. "Pick fast. Once the Red Witch sends the cullers, you won't get a second chance."

I hesitated.

I wanted to vanish. I wanted to blast. I wanted... both.

But the Mirror. That creepy Wick reflection. That wasn't gone.

It was waiting.

Watching.

And deep down, I knew…

> ✅ Selection: Proxy Split – Embrace the Glitch

> 🎖️ "PATH ACCEPTED: You are now bound to the Mirror Logic." Skill Tree Unlocked: Glitch-Wick Combat Style Initial Skill: Mirror Sync (Lv. 0)

— Occasionally, your reflection will act faster than you. Pray it's on your side.

Marcus stared at the prompt over my shoulder. "You picked the creepy one."

"Feels on-brand."

---

LOCATION SHIFT: CITY OUTSKIRTS — SYSTEM DESIGNATED ZONE 19 ("THE SLAUGHTER LOOP")

Time Left in Tutorial Phase: 00:59:52

The Red Witch didn't waste time.

The ground trembled as her next wave arrived.

Three silhouettes.

Each one more terrifying than the last.

> 🔻 SYSTEM IDENTIFIED MINI-BOSSES:

⚔️ AGENT HOLLOWPOINT – dual SMGs, 3x speed boost, bullet-time resister

💀 MARA – cloaked assassin, silent dash, bone knives

🪞 GLITCH-WICK – mirrored version of you; Level: ???

I backed up. "Uh, Marcus?"

He was gone.

Just a note.

> "You've got to learn to dance on your own, kid. – M."

---

THE FIGHT BEGINS

AGENT HOLLOWPOINT opened with a flurry, firing so many bullets the air turned into lead soup. I dove into a crashed truck, sliding under gunfire like a movie extra who was not paid enough for this scene.

> ⚠️ "Warning: You are outgunned." 💡 "Tactical Suggestion: Use Mirror Sync"

I peeked into the truck's rearview mirror—

And my reflection smiled.

No joke.

It moved before me. Lifted my hand. Aimed. Fired.

BANG.

BANG.

CLINK.

Two perfect ricochets.

Hollowpoint's helmet snapped sideways.

> ☠️ "Critical Hit: Headshot via Mirror Sync – 2x XP Bonus"

I gasped. "Okay… that was sick."

---

MARA came next. I didn't see her, but I felt the blade before it reached my ribs. I twisted just in time—her face was pale, mask-like. Her body flickered, fast as bad WiFi.

She hissed.

I kicked her into a shattered signboard.

> ⚔️ "Environmental Damage Applied." 🆙 "Reflex XP +1. Mirror Sync Cooling…"

But before I could chase her—

GLITCH-WICK stepped through the mirror of a broken storefront.

Wearing my face.

But his suit was cleaner. His stance sharper. His eyes? Glowing blue.

> 💀 "WARNING: SYSTEM CLONE ACTIVE – Instability Detected"

"You're me," I said.

He tilted his head.

"No. I'm what you'll become. If you survive."

---

BATTLE SEQUENCE: YOU VS YOU

Glitch-Wick moved like death dipped in choreography. Every step was a feint, every punch came with precision. I blocked one, took two. Dodged left, ate a knee to the gut.

> ⚠️ "Health Dropping – Mirror Sync Offline"

No tricks left. Just me. Human me.

I pulled my crowbar. He pulled twin pistols.

And just before he could shoot—

BANG.

A sniper round shattered the side mirror beside us. Light fractured across both our bodies.

> 💥 MIRROR SYNC SURGE TRIGGERED "Skill Leveled: Wick Split – Lv. 1" Clone Phase: 5 seconds

My reflection stepped out.

Two of us now.

He blinked.

I smiled. "Yeah. We glitch too."

We both dove at him—

One grabbed the gun.

One cracked his jaw.

And me?

I said the line.

"Delete this."

> ☠️ "Glitch-Wick Defeated" 🆙 "Skill Tree Updated" 🎖️ "New Path Trait Acquired: Echo Reflex"

---

POST-BATTLE

I dropped to my knees. Breathing. Bleeding. But alive.

System notifications poured in like spam mail.

> ✅ Tutorial Phase Complete.

🔓 Wick Proxy Status: ACTIVE.

🎮 The game has begun.

📡 Incoming call: RED WITCH

She appeared again. Not angry. Impressed.

"You're glitching well, Proxy. But be careful..."

She leaned closer. Eyes colder than zeroes.

"…glitches are errors. And all errors are purged."

Screen flickered out.

---

TO BE CONTINUED.