Liam Crest adjusted the drone hovering over his shoulder—Eye of the Apocalypse—its lens glinting in the pale sunlight. The Solar Core Battery hummed reassuringly, its infinite charge a small comfort in a world where comfort was extinct.
Aria Thorn walked a few paces ahead, her collapsible staff resting against her shoulder. Her ice-blue eyes scanned the skeletal remains of skyscrapers, her jaw set in a permanent scowl. "We're being watched," she muttered.
Liam grinned. "Relax. It's probably just chat."
[Audience: 1,250]
A notification flickered:
[Fan Message: "Behind you, idiot."]
Liam spun just as the bullet whizzed past his ear, embedding itself in the rusted car behind him.
"Down!" Aria yanked him behind a crumbling wall as another shot rang out, kicking up dust where his head had been.
Liam's heart pounded. "Okay, not chat."
Aria peered around the edge of the wall, her grip tightening on her staff. "Sniper. Northeast. Rooftop."
Liam's drone zoomed in, capturing a lone figure perched atop a gutted office building. The sunlight glinted off a sleek, modified rifle—and the smirk of the man holding it.
[Player Identified: Kane — Level 8]
[Stream Title: Brutality Unfiltered]
[Audience: 2,000+]
Kane's voice crackled through a nearby abandoned PA system, distorted by static. "Miss me, Level Zero?"
Liam exhaled. "Oh, great. The edgelord's back."
Aria's glare could've melted steel. "You pissed him off. Now he's here to finish it."
Another shot. This one ricocheted off the wall inches from Liam's face.
[Fan Gift Incoming: Smoke Bomb (D-Rank)]
A small orb materialized in Liam's palm. He didn't hesitate. He hurled it into the street, and thick gray smoke billowed outward, obscuring their position.
"Go!" Aria hissed.
They bolted, weaving through the ruins as Kane's laughter echoed behind them.
The smoke didn't last long.
Kane had the high ground, and worse—he knew the terrain. Every alley they ducked into seemed to lead to a dead end. Every rooftop they climbed offered no cover.
Liam's breath came in ragged gasps as they sprinted through a hollowed-out department store, mannequins staring with hollow eyes. "We can't keep running!"
Aria vaulted over a toppled shelf. "Then fight!"
"With what? He's got a sniper rifle!"
Aria skidded to a halt, grabbing Liam's arm. "Then we make him come to us."
A slow grin spread across Liam's face. He tapped his drone. "Oh, I like the way you think."
[Livestream: Active]
[Title: Level Zero vs. Level 8: Who Dies First?]
Liam stepped into the open, arms spread. "Hey, Kane! You really gonna shoot me like this? No monologue? No villain speech? Chat's gonna be so disappointed."
Silence.
Then—
A bullet grazed his shoulder.
Liam winced but didn't move. "Ouch. Rude."
Kane's voice dripped with disdain. "You're not worth the bullets, Crest."
A shadow moved on the rooftop. Kane leaped down, landing in a crouch, his rifle slung across his back. Up close, he was taller than Liam remembered, his scarred lip curled in a permanent sneer. His armor was sleek, reinforced with Astral tech, and his drone—smaller, deadlier—hovered like a wasp ready to sting.
Aria stepped forward, her staff extending with a click. "Let's make this quick."
Kane chuckled. "You really think you can take me? A Level Zero and his guard dog?"
Liam's grin didn't waver. "Nah. But they can."
He pointed upward.
Kane's eyes flicked to the sky—just as a swarm of winged monstrosities descended, drawn by the gunfire.
[Monster Alert: Harpy Screechers (Level 5-7)]
Kane's smirk vanished. "You bastard."
Liam winked. "Improvisation, baby."
The Harpies dove, their talons glinting. Kane swore, unslinging his rifle, but the creatures were too fast. One slammed into him, sending him crashing through a storefront window.
Aria didn't waste the distraction. "Move!"
They ran, but Liam's drone lingered, capturing Kane's furious snarl as he fought off the Harpies.
[Audience: 3,000]
[Fan Messages: "LOL GET REKT KANE" "LEVEL ZERO FOR THE WIN"]
Liam laughed—until a hand grabbed his ankle.
He yelped as Kane yanked him through the floor, into the store's basement. The world spun, and then.
CRACK.
Pain exploded across Liam's ribs as Kane slammed him into a concrete pillar.
"Clever," Kane spat. "But not clever enough."
Aria dropped down after them, but Kane's drone zapped her with a shock pulse. She crumpled, gasping.
Liam struggled, but Kane's grip was iron. "You're nothing, Crest. A gimmick. The Astrals only watch you because you're a freak—a Level Zero who should've died in the tutorial."
Liam's vision swam, but his grin stayed sharp. "And yet… here I am."
Kane's fist drew back—
[Fan Gift Activated: Barrier Pulse (B-Rank)]
A golden shield erupted around Liam, throwing Kane backward. He hit the opposite wall with a grunt, his rifle clattering away.
Liam staggered to his feet, wiping blood from his lip. "See, Kane? That's the difference between you and me."
Kane sneered. "And what's that?"
Liam's drone zoomed in, capturing every second.
"I've got fans."
Then Aria struck.
Her staff cracked against Kane's temple, sending him sprawling. He groaned, dazed, but his fingers twitched toward a hidden knife.
Aria stepped on his wrist. "Don't."
Kane's glare was venomous. "This isn't over."
Liam crouched beside him, his smile fading. "Yeah. It is."
He tapped Kane's drone. **[Terminate Stream]**
The device sparked, then died.
Kane's face twisted in rage. "You—!"
Liam stood, dusting himself off. "Tell your Astral buddies this: if they want a show, they'll get one. But I choose the script."
Aria yanked him toward the exit. "We're leaving."
Behind them, Kane's laughter echoed, raw and unhinged.
"You'll regret this, Level Zero."
Outside, the Harpies had dispersed, leaving the ruins eerily quiet. Liam's ribs ached, but the adrenaline kept him moving.
Aria's voice was tight. "He won't stop."
Liam exhaled. "I know."
[New Message: Anonymous Viewer]
"You've made an enemy. Good. Conflict breeds entertainment."
Liam's jaw clenched. "They're enjoying this."
Aria's grip on her staff tightened. "Then we give them a finale they won't forget."
A notification flashed:
[Sponsor Request: Eliminate Kane. Reward: SS-Rank Skill.]
Liam stared at it. Then he grinned.
"Game on."
[Livestream: Active]
[Viewers: 5,000 and climbing…]