The night stretched endlessly across the city — a sky of broken stars and dying lights. The once-bustling metropolis now pulsed with unease, every shadow whispering stories of chaos and rebirth.
Haruto stood atop a tilted skyscraper, the wind thrashing his coat as he looked down at the streets below. His eyes glowed faintly, activated by his World Observation skill. The world unfolded before him — every heartbeat, every shifting shadow, every creature lurking in the dark corners of this twisted reality.
> "So this is what freedom feels like,"
he muttered, a bitter smile curving his lips.
"Heavy… and lonely."
The Codex hovered beside him, its pages flipping on their own, humming softly as if sensing his unrest. The words shimmered — not commands this time, but possibilities. Paths. Choices.
He ignored them.
He wasn't going to let a book dictate him again. Not after everything it — or the one behind it — had done.
A sound broke through the silence — distant, metallic footsteps. His skill flared, outlining a faint figure several blocks away. Not a monster. Not Reick. Something… familiar.
An aware being. Another like him.
But this one didn't hide. It walked openly, fearlessly, almost inviting confrontation.
Haruto leapt down from the skyscraper, his landing shaking the cracked pavement. Shadows twisted around him, reacting to his presence. He moved quickly, silently, until he stood only meters away from the figure.
It was a woman — long black hair, cold amber eyes, her clothes torn but her gaze unwavering.
> "You're Haruto," she said flatly. "The one who defied the story."
He froze. "And you are?"
> "Someone who should have been erased," she replied. "But because of you, the world's balance broke. Now, the story is collapsing… and it's hunting us all."
Haruto's expression darkened. "Then it can try."
> "You don't get it," she said sharply. "That creator you want to kill — it's not a person anymore. It's the story itself. The more you fight, the stronger it becomes."
For a moment, silence hung heavy between them. The wind howled through the ruins.
Then Haruto's lips twisted into a faint smirk.
> "Then I'll kill the story too."
Her eyes widened — disbelief mixed with something like fear. But before she could speak again, his World Observation skill flickered, flashing danger. A horde of monsters emerged from the collapsing alleyways — dozens, maybe hundreds — eyes glowing like coals.
Haruto turned toward them, his voice low, calm, certain.
> "Stay behind me."
The woman hesitated. "Wait, what are you—"
> "Insta Kill."
The words echoed like thunder.
In an instant, the entire horde vanished — bodies erased, air crackling from the sudden void left behind. Silence reigned once more.
He stood there, breathing steadily, eyes cold as steel.
> "Tell me your name," he said without looking back.
> "…Yuri," she replied softly. "I used to be the story's villain."
Haruto finally turned toward her, a faint grin forming.
> "Then maybe it's time villains and broken protagonists join forces."
The Codex flickered beside them, almost hesitating — as if aware that something entirely unpredictable had just begun.
Far away, atop another rooftop, Reick watched them through narrowed eyes. His hand rested on his sword's hilt.
> "So… you're gathering allies now, Haruto?"
He smirked.
"Let's see how long you last before the story consumes you."
The night deepened, the city trembled — and the hunt truly began.
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