A Second Chance by the System

Chapter 70: Shadows of Resistance

The faint figure watched from the shadows as Ethan, Lila, Jaxon, Aisha, and Jared walked away from the burning facility, unaware of the eyes upon them. The insignia gleamed ominously on the stranger's arm—a mark Ethan and his crew thought had been erased along with the System. But here it was, defiant and alive.

The group’s breaths came heavy as they staggered further from the crumbling remnants of the System’s last stronghold, exhaustion etched into every step. They had won—or so they believed—but as Ethan led them down the dimly lit street, he couldn’t shake the unsettling feeling creeping over him.

“I thought… this was it,” Aisha muttered, glancing back. “That the System’s fall would finally bring peace.”

“It’s just the beginning,” Lila said softly, her voice weighted with understanding. “There’s always someone else waiting in the shadows, looking to pick up the pieces. Someone like Trent… or worse.”

They continued onward, their silence heavy with the realization of what they might