The sirens came before the sun fully rose — shrill, mechanical screams that sliced through the smog-choked air of the Ashen District. From their vantage point atop the broken overpass, Lucien and Kira watched as armored vehicles rolled into Sector 9, their headlights cutting white scars through the haze.
Each vehicle bore the symbol of the Ashen Wardens — a steel serpent wrapped around a tower. Behind them marched the enforcers: black exosuits, tinted visors, and rifles designed to make a point before they made a corpse.
"They're moving faster than expected," Kira muttered, crouching beside a pile of concrete rubble. "Usually takes them half a day to respond."
Lucien's eyes tracked the lead vehicle. "They're not here for a sweep. They're hunting."
"For you," she said. "And they'll tear through anyone in their way."
Lucien said nothing. He could feel the system humming faintly in his chest — not a sound, but a vibration that synced with his heartbeat. The holographic interface flickered into view, faintly visible even through the growing daylight.
[Warning: Hostile Entities Approaching]
Suggested Action: Engage or Evade.
Bonus Reward Available — First Combat Encounter (Multi-Entity).
Lucien flexed his fingers. "System wants me to fight."
Kira shot him a sharp look. "You're not suicidal, are you?"
He gave a faint, almost reckless smile. "Not yet."
Below them, the Wardens spread out, scanning the ruins with drones that whirred like metallic hornets. The air filled with static crackles and the faint hum of energy weapons charging.
Lucien crouched beside Kira. "We hit them before they fan out. Small unit, quick strike, vanish before backup arrives."
She studied him, then nodded reluctantly. "You're crazy. But I like it."
He smirked. "Good. Let's move."
They descended through the skeleton of a half-collapsed stairwell, boots crunching on glass and ash. The Wardens' searchlights swept over the street below, catching glimpses of broken cars, collapsed billboards, and the ghosts of a world that had stopped caring.
Lucien's pulse quickened as they reached the ground. Every sense felt sharpened — every echo distinct, every movement mapped in his mind. He wasn't the same man who'd crawled through this district weeks ago. The system had refined him.
Kira crouched beside an overturned truck. "Two on the left, one drone overhead. I can jam their signal for fifteen seconds."
"Make it ten," Lucien said. "I only need five."
She frowned. "You're sure?"
Lucien didn't answer. He simply waited until the nearest Warden turned his back, then moved.
It wasn't speed in the normal sense — it was precision. Every step flowed into the next, every breath perfectly timed. He closed the distance silently, like a shadow come alive.
The first Warden didn't even realize he was under attack until Lucien's elbow smashed into his visor. The crack of shattering glass echoed across the ruins. Lucien twisted, using the man's own rifle strap to flip him over and drive his head into the ground. The helmet split, sparks flying.
Kira moved at the same moment, vaulting over the truck with inhuman grace. Her palm lit with faint circuitry as she drove her blade into the second enforcer's armor seam. Electricity hissed; the man convulsed and went limp.
"Two down," she hissed. "Drone incoming!"
Lucien grabbed the fallen rifle and aimed skyward. The drone pivoted, red lens glowing as it prepared to fire — but he was faster. One controlled burst, three shots — metal fragments rained down.
The street fell silent.
Then, the system chimed.
[Combat Complete]
Efficiency: 92% | Style Rating: B+
Reward: Combat EXP +25 | Stamina Regeneration Boost (Minor)
Lucien felt the energy surge again, refreshing him like a rush of oxygen after drowning. But before he could catch his breath, Kira cursed.
"They've got backup — east alley!"
From the smoke emerged more Wardens — six, maybe seven — their heavy boots thudding like thunder. One raised his comm.
"Visual confirmed — Subject Morningstar, apprehend alive!"
Lucien's blood turned to ice for half a second. They knew his name.
Kira grabbed his arm. "We can't take them all!"
Lucien looked toward the rising sun. "We don't have to."
He reached into his jacket and tapped the device. The holographic screen exploded to life before him.
[Command Function Detected: Influence Path Compatible]
Skill Unlocked — Command Resonance (Tier I).
Effect: Issue Directives. Affects allies within range. Temporary combat boost scales with charisma and trust.
Lucien turned to Kira. "Trust me."
She hesitated — then nodded once.
Lucien's voice dropped, calm but carrying a strange force. "Kira — move with me. Hit them from the side. I'll draw their aim."
The system responded instantly.
[Directive Received: Synchronization Active]
Combat Synergy Boost +25%.
And then they were in motion.
Lucien charged forward, the rifle in his hands roaring as he fired suppressive bursts. The Wardens responded with plasma fire, scorching holes through the walls behind him. The air smelled of ozone and burning metal.
Kira leapt from the shadows, her blade slicing through the joint of a Warden's armor. Lucien moved in tandem, smashing another with a rifle butt and following up with a kick that sent the man sprawling into a wall.
The rhythm between them was unnatural — perfect, almost preordained. The system had synced them, weaving their movements like two halves of a single intention.
Within seconds, four Wardens lay unconscious or worse. The remaining two backed away, shouting into their comms.
"Requesting reinforcements! Code Red! Target is—"
Lucien grabbed one by the collar and slammed him into a wall. "Who sent you?"
The man's visor flickered, static filling the glass. "All orders… from above. Directly from the Core… they know… about your system."
Lucien's stomach dropped. "The Core?"
Before the Warden could say more, his body convulsed. Sparks erupted from his helmet, and the scent of burned circuitry filled the air.
Lucien stepped back, stunned. "They just—"
"Remote kill-switch," Kira said grimly. "Wardens don't get to talk."
The remaining soldier fled into the smoke, his panic echoing through the ruins. Lucien didn't follow. His mind was already racing.
The Core.
Someone higher up — someone with resources — knew about the Lifestyle Sign-In System. That changed everything.
He turned to Kira. "We need to move. Now."
She nodded, wiping blood from her blade. "Where?"
Lucien stared at the horizon, where the gleaming towers of the Upper District pierced the clouds. "Up."
Kira frowned. "You mean there? The Core controls everything above the fog line."
"Exactly," Lucien said quietly. "If they're watching me, that's where the signal's coming from."
She hesitated, then smiled bitterly. "You're insane."
Lucien smiled back. "Probably."
The system chimed again.
[New Objective Unlocked: Trace the Source.]
Hint: The path upward begins beneath the streets. Seek the hidden relay network.
Secondary Condition: Maintain Daily Sign-In Streak.
Penalty for Failure: Regression (Severe).
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Looks like the system wants us underground first."
Kira stared at him. "You realize that's suicide, right? The undernet's crawling with ferals, scavvers, and worse."
Lucien's gaze hardened. "Then we'll burn our own path through."
By midday, the Wardens had sealed the sector. Smoke rose from the ruins like black banners. But by then, Lucien and Kira were gone — swallowed by the maze beneath the city, where the air was colder, the echoes stranger, and the faint hum of unseen machinery vibrated through the stone.
Lucien stopped at the threshold of a massive tunnel, walls lined with corroded cables and flickering lights. Somewhere deep below, something mechanical was breathing — slow, deliberate, alive.
Kira looked uneasy. "You sure this is the right way?"
Lucien nodded. "No. But it's the only way."
He opened the interface one last time before descending.
[Daily Progress Logged.]
System Integrity: Stable. Observation Protocol: Intensifying.]
Lucien frowned. "Observation protocol?"
The screen flickered once — then a new message appeared, written in glowing crimson text.
Lucien Morningstar. You are not the only one signing in.
The screen went black.