00:04:35
00:04:34
00:04:33…
Ethan ran down the street, lungs burning. The city felt different now—sharper, darker, filled with invisible threats.
The convenience store wasn't far.
He just hoped she hadn't gone home yet.
As he sprinted past a bus stop, his phone vibrated.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
Are you the guy from the alley?
Ethan nearly tripped.
He opened the message.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
The police let me go. I'm walking home. Are you… okay? You looked really pale before you left.
His breath caught.
It was definitely her.
Ethan typed so fast his fingers shook:
Ethan:
Where are you now? Don't go home. Stay in a bright area. Don't be alone.
There were three long dots…
She was typing.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
Is something wrong?
He gritted his teeth.
He couldn't tell her the truth—not without sounding insane.
But he also couldn't let her keep walking.
00:02:11
00:02:10
00:02:09—
The mission timer ticked down.
"Come on… come on…"
He finally spotted the familiar glow of the convenience store.
But she wasn't there.
This time, his phone buzzed again.
UNKNOWN NUMBER:
I'm at the intersection near the bakery. Two blocks from the store.
Ethan turned sharply and sprinted.
His chest ached.
His legs felt like fire.
Every second felt like someone tugging the thread of his life shorter and shorter.
When he finally reached the intersection, he yelled her name.
She turned.
And relief crashed through him.
She was standing under a streetlight, hugging her bag, confused and worried when she saw him.
"You ran here?" she asked, eyes widening. "What—"
Ethan grabbed her wrist.
"Someone's coming."
Her face went pale instantly. "The men from earlier?"
"I don't know. But you can't stay outside."
She nodded shakily.
Before they could move, the system chimed.
DING.
[THREAT APPROACHING.]
[DISTANCE: 120 meters.]
Ethan spun toward the street.
Footsteps echoed.
Heavy ones.
Shadows moved beyond the corner.
"Run!" Ethan shouted.
They dashed across the intersection. She struggled to keep up, breath uneven.
Behind them—
A voice roared:
"HEY! YOU THINK YOU CAN CALL THE COPS ON US AND WALK AWAY?!"
It was the smaller guy from the alley—blood on his lip, furious. And with him—
Two more men.
Ethan's heart dropped.
"They brought backup," he whispered.
The girl choked out: "I—I can't run fast—"
Ethan grabbed her hand.
"Then hold on."
DING.
[Skill: Adrenaline Rush Lv.1 — Ready.]
[Activate? Y/N]
"Yes!"
Heat erupted through his limbs.
His speed doubled.
He pulled her with him, guiding, half-dragging, weaving through narrow alleys he barely recognized. She stumbled but didn't fall.
00:01:12
00:01:11
00:01:10…
The mission timer kept dropping.
If the danger reached her before the mission formally started—
He failed.
And he'd lose ten hours.
Ethan pushed harder.
Behind them, footsteps thundered closer.
The men were gaining.
"Left!" Ethan shouted.
They turned.
"Another left!"
They sprinted into an alley behind a row of shuttered shops.
But that's when Ethan realized—
Dead end.
The adrenaline faded.
And the men arrived.
Three of them.
Blocking the exit.
The girl trembled beside him.
The smaller thug pointed at Ethan.
"You shouldn't have gotten involved, hero."
Ethan stepped in front of her.
The thug spat blood.
"Break him."
The biggest man lunged.
Ethan dodged—but his speed was normal now. The man clipped his shoulder, sending him crashing into the wall.
White-hot pain shot up his arm.
The girl screamed.
Ethan forced himself up, vision spinning.
00:00:07
00:00:06
00:00:05—
The mission timer hit the final seconds.
And just before the largest man grabbed him again, the system chimed:
DING.
[OBJECTIVE #2: PROTECTIVE SHADOW — STARTED.]
[Protect the target from harm.]
The countdown switched to the mission timer:
02:59:59
02:59:58
02:59:57…
Ethan exhaled shakily.
"Three hours…" he whispered. "I just have to keep her alive for three hours."
The men advanced.
The alley felt cold, narrow, and airless.
Three against one.
No skills left.
No weapons.
Only time—and even that was slipping.
Ethan stepped forward, spreading his arms protectively in front of her.
"I don't care who you brought," he said, voice hoarse but steady. "You're not touching her."
The men laughed.
But Ethan didn't move.
Because for the first time since the system appeared—
Fear wasn't the only thing driving him.
Something else was.
And he was willing to fight for it.
Even if it cost him every second he had left.