The surgical suite was a nightmare of dangling wires and rusted hydraulics. Sledge didn't use anesthesia—she said it "messed with the bio-sync." Instead, she jammed a leather strap into Jax's mouth and got to work.
"This is a Vortex-7 Overclock Rig," Sledge grunted, her mechanical fingers dancing over a glowing port in the back of Jax's neck. "It's military surplus from the old War of the Roses. It doesn't just stabilize your glitching; it forces your nervous system to operate on a higher clock speed. You'll be faster, but your heart will feel like it's trying to kick its way out of your chest."
Jax screamed into the leather as a white-hot spike of data seared through his spine.
[HARDWARE DETECTED: VORTEX-7 OVERCLOCK RIG]
[INTEGRATING... 100%]
[NEW SUB-ROUTINE: 'BURST CHRONO']
[EFFECT: 'GLITCH STEP' COOLDOWN REDUCED BY 80%.]
[WARNING: PROLONGED USE CAUSES TISSUE NECROSIS AND SYSTEM SHUTDOWN.]
Sledge pulled the wires free and stepped back, wiping black oil from her brow. "It's done. But listen to me, Jax. Your father's code is... hungry. The more you use that rig, the more it's going to eat away at your 'Humanity' stat. If that hits zero, you don't die—you just become another program in the machine."
Jax sat up, his vision sharp and terrifyingly clear. He didn't just see Sledge; he saw the heat radiating from her cybernetics, the rhythmic pulse of the power lines in the walls, and the code-ghost of Unit-01 standing guard at the door.
"How much do I owe you?" Jax asked, his voice sounding slightly metallic.
"You already paid with that soul," Sledge said, glancing at the glowing vial. "But if you survive long enough to find Valerius, do me a favor. Break his jaw for me."
Jax stood up, testing his new legs. He felt light. Dangerous.
Suddenly, the floor of the Under-Market vibrated. A low, bass-heavy thrum echoed through the cavern. The neon lights flickered and turned a blinding, holy white.
"Breach!" someone screamed in the market outside. "The Paladins! They found the frequency!"
The ceiling of the cavern groaned as a massive Thermite Drill punched through the rock. Paladin Enforcers began rappelling down on gravity-lines, their white capes fluttering like the wings of angry angels.
"They didn't find the frequency," Jax said, looking at Sledge. He realized his father's 'System' had been broadcasting a beacon the moment he plugged into Sledge's chair. "They tracked me."
Jax looked at Unit-01. The zombie raised its mag-blade.
"Sledge, get to the back," Jax commanded. He felt the Vortex-7 rig hum against his spine. "I've been running my whole life. I think it's time I saw what happens when I stop."
Jax took a breath, and the world slowed down. The searchlights froze mid-sweep. The falling dust motes hung in the air like diamonds.
[OVERCLOCK ACTIVE]
[CHRONO-SYNC: 400%
]
[TARGETS DETECTED: 12 PALADIN ENFORCERS]