Oliver suddenly found himself awake. The sound of a war drum-like pounding in his head sent shock waves through his already-chaotic mind. Leaning back against the cold, hard concrete, he realized his wrists had been tied. The coarse cords bitten into his skin causing him pain.Where the hell was he?He blinked, trying to focus in the dim environment, with a shattered moonlight illumining the area through broken windows, while dust particles danced in the weaving air currents. The place reeked of mildew and rust. But that didn't matter; it was void of any other presence. No guards, no Iris.“Iris!” he croaked. His voice sounded cracked and weak. A vice-like grip constricted his chest with panic now.[New Objective]Like a brand with searing heat, the sudden appearance of the System's message imprinted itself on his mind: ["Clear the downtown hideout within one hour. Reward: $1,000,000; Failure: You will lose a limb."]His heart raced, the adrenaline rushing into his system. This was n

The pistol was gripped in Oliver's shaking hands. His fingers were slick with sweat, but he could not afford to lose the grip. Pain pierced through his body like hundreds of sharp little needles. Pain was here, but he couldn't fall. Fear and anger forced him to remain standing."Iris, get back!" he yelled, rasping like glass. He did not look back. He clamped his gaze upon the men streaming inside the warehouse. The boot of the men stepped on the shattered glass and sharp metallic remains, eyes glinting with cold precision. These weren't mere thugs. They moved like an army, with every step careful and with the gun firmly held. He pulled the trigger. The gun roared in his hands, and he felt the painful kick against his wrist. Then he didn't care. He aimed again and fired. One of the assailants hit the ground, the blood pooling around him. The gunshot was a sound ringing deafeningly within Oliver's ears, mixing with the wild pulse of his heart.Bullets zinged by his head, so close he co

Oliver’s heart sounded in his own ears, pounding like a great drum, and he fled through the dark night as fast as his legs would carry him. He clutched Iris's little trembling hand tightly and was scared to let go. All around them, sounds of guns firing, angry voices, and the sharp clanging of metal were heard. The city below was crawling with every danger imaginable, and every sound reminded Oliver that they were hunted by death. The rebels were in a bloody battle, holding the enemy at bay. But Oliver knew their time was drawing nigh. The rebels would hold the enemies for a short time. They had to keep moving. Above them lay a sky blackened and cruel; not even a single speck of star would lend them its comfort. The city air was thick, dirty, and blanketing much like a heavy blanket."Iris, keep moving! Don't look back!" Oliver shouted, tight and petrified. He was almost dragging her along, eyes ever-searching their surroundings."But Oliver—""No buts! Just keep running!"Over the

Oliver's world turned fuzzy. A part of him urged him to move; to run. Yet, his mind physically moved even before his thoughts could catch up. His legs pumped with sheer terror, but there was something deeper, something colder, something stronger fueling him.He came up short when he took two breaths, but his heart remained steady in its beat drumming a furious rhythm in his chest. Every sense was awake-his ears picked the scuff of boots on stone, the heavy breathing of his enemy, the faint whimper from Iris who stood frozen in horror."O-Iris! Move!" Oliver commanded, steel cutting the air with his voice. But Iris did not move. It could not move-an unmoving body, wide eyes of horror, locked on a monstrous man probably headed towards her.Reaper's face twisted into a cruel smile, gleaming with malicious excitement in his eyes. His fingers were clawed, ready to tear through anyone who stood in his way. He looked like a beast in human skin, and that twisted grin only made him seem more u

Oliver’s whole body ached, every nerve burning like fire. His arms felt heavy, and his legs trembled. Pain tore through him with every breath he took. But even with all that pain, a voice echoed in his mind. It was the System’s voice, sharp and cold, cutting through the agony.[Emergency Protocol: Killswitch Activation Imminent.][Objective: Terminate Target: Reaper. Time Limit: 30 minutes.]A chill colder than ice stabbed deep into Oliver’s chest. The Killswitch... the very thing he feared the most. The System had warned him about it before. It was a horrible, last-resort mechanism that would destroy him if he failed a mission that was too important to fail.And now, it was counting down. His time was running out.He couldn’t let that happen. Not now. Not ever.He pushed off the ground with a loud groan, muscles twitching painfully, blood dripping from his mouth in thick and metallic strands. The world swirled around him, blurring and swaying as if trying to tear itself apart. But be