Liam stood at the edge of the ruined rooftop, looking down at the city that used to be his home.
He didn't remember the street names. He didn't remember what buildings had once stood tall or what stores had filled the mall now crumbling beneath him. The system had erased that, or maybe it had been gone long before he woke up. All that remained was smoke, ruin, and the faint glow of the barrier that surrounded his newly claimed territory.
Wind pushed through the open frame of a collapsed billboard beside him. Ash swirled through the air. Fires burned across the skyline, some near, some far. The city was still dying. Maybe it always would be.
He gripped the railing in front of him, metal cold under his fingers.
Somewhere out there, past the smoke and fire, waited the Ice Queen. His next target. His next bond.
If he didn't find her in time, the system would kill him.
> [System Alert]
Time Remaining: 21 Hours, 10 Minutes
Target: Ice Queen
Zone: North Wastes
Danger Level: SSS
Objective: Contact and Bond
Reward: Skill Unlock, Territory Expansion
Warning: Host Termination upon failure
Liam clenched his jaw.
The system never stopped reminding him.
He didn't know what would happen if he failed to reach her. Would the system just shut down and leave him powerless? Would he die? Would Rena be caught in it too? He didn't know. The system didn't explain things. It just gave orders.
He glanced at the sword in his hand. No, not in his hand. The sword was gone. It had only appeared when he needed it during that fight with the monster. Since then, it had stayed silent, like it was waiting for him to need it again.
Behind him, the door to the rooftop creaked open.
He didn't turn.
Rena stepped into view, coat pulled tight against the cold wind. She had her sword strapped to her back, her boots silent on the cracked concrete as she walked up beside him.
"You're still awake," she said.
Liam nodded.
"Couldn't sleep."
"Me either."
They stood in silence for a few moments.
The wind howled between them.
Finally, Liam spoke.
"You've seen her before, haven't you?"
Rena didn't answer right away.
"The Ice Queen," Liam added. "You know more than you're telling me."
Rena's gaze stayed fixed on the distant horizon.
"She's not someone you meet twice," she said. "Most people who try don't come back."
He glanced at her.
"And you?"
"I didn't try to bond with her."
"Then what?"
Rena turned away.
"She wasn't always like that. Before the world fell, she was a survivor like the rest of us. Then her system took over. Turned her cold. Now, she controls Zone Three, and no one enters without paying a price."
Liam stared out at the smoke again.
"Why me?"
"Because your system chose her. Because it wants something from her. From you."
"Do you think I can do it?"
Rena looked at him.
"I think if you hesitate, you die."
Liam gave a humorless smile.
"Great."
A low sound drifted through the air.
Liam's eyes narrowed. The sound was faint at first, like grinding metal. Then it grew louder, more distinct. A rhythmic thud, like heavy footsteps pounding against the ground.
Rena's body tensed.
She drew her sword in one smooth motion.
"You hear that?"
Liam nodded, stepping back from the railing.
"What is it?"
Rena's voice was cold.
"Trouble."
> [System Alert]
Unidentified Signal Detected
Classification: Hunter Unit
Status: Approaching
Threat Level: Unknown
Warning: Territory Breach Imminent
Liam's blood turned cold.
"What's a Hunter?"
Rena turned toward the rooftop door.
"Move. Now."
"Scouts for something worse," she said. "Kill teams. They find unclaimed zones… or system users like you."
The thudding grew louder.
Liam followed her back inside.
The Hunter's steps shook the ground.
It stood tall and unblinking, its blank metal face reflecting the fires burning behind it. Light pulsed from its chest, steady and cold, casting long shadows through the ruined hallway. In its right arm, a blade shimmered into place... long, jagged, and glowing with red heat.
Liam gripped his sword tighter, the weapon flickering with unstable energy in his hand. His breath caught in his throat.
This thing wasn't just big. It radiated power.
It didn't hesitate.
The Hunter charged.
"Move!" Rena shouted.
She leapt forward, swinging her blade in a sharp arc. Sparks flew as her sword clashed with the Hunter's. The impact knocked her back several steps, boots skidding across the stone floor.
Liam raised his weapon, stepping into the fight.
He struck low, aiming for the Hunter's legs. The sword connected... barely a scratch. The blade rebounded, and Liam staggered back, the shock running up his arm.
The Hunter swung again. Fast.
Too fast.
Liam ducked, the blade slicing through the air above him, shattering part of the wall behind him.
"Rena, this thing is armored!"
"No kidding," she shouted, moving to flank it.
> [System Alert]
Territory Defense Triggered
Activating Barrier Pulse...
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Shield Integrity: 74%
A wave of light surged from the walls. The Hunter paused as the energy pulse hit it, knocking it off balance for a moment. Liam didn't wait. He rushed in, blade glowing brighter.
He struck again, aiming for the glowing core in its chest.
Metal sparked.
The Hunter grunted... if it could be called that... and backhanded Liam across the room. He hit the ground hard, rolling through broken debris.
Pain shot through his ribs.
"Liam!" Rena's voice was sharp, filled with worry.
"I'm fine," he groaned, pushing himself up.
The Hunter turned toward Rena now, stepping over the rubble.
> [System Sync Detected]
Emergency Power Unlocked: Overdrive
Duration: 30 seconds
Activate? Yes / No
Liam's vision blurred. The pain faded. All he could hear was the system.
Overdrive.
He clenched his teeth.
"Yes."
Power exploded through him.
Light surged from his limbs, red lines of energy wrapping around his arms and legs. His sword reformed, larger now, pulsing with raw energy. His breath came faster, heart pounding like a drum in his chest.
He sprinted forward.
The Hunter struck at Rena. Liam intercepted.
Their blades clashed, sparks flying. This time, Liam didn't fall back.
He pushed forward, shouting as his sword cut through the Hunter's guard, slashing into the arm.
Metal gave way.
The Hunter reeled.
Rena moved beside him, stabbing low, slicing through exposed joints in the machine's leg. The Hunter stumbled, trying to recover.
"Now!" she shouted.
Liam raised his sword, aimed for the core.
The blade struck true.
Light burst from the wound, and the Hunter let out a low, grinding noise as it collapsed.
The ground trembled one last time.
Then silence.
> [System Alert]
Threat Neutralized
Power Gained: +25
Skill Rank Up: Blade Storm II
Cooldown Reduced: 45 seconds
Overdrive Complete
Residual Energy: 5%
Bond Progress: Rena – 12%
Territory Level: Increased
Liam dropped to one knee, breathing hard.
His sword faded again, the power draining from his limbs. His head pounded, but he was alive.
They both were.
Rena stood over the wreckage, her sword still ready, just in case. The Hunter's core dimmed, then shattered.
She looked at Liam.
"You good?"
He nodded slowly.
"Yeah… thanks to you."
Rena glanced around.
"Your system did more than fight. It's changing this place."
Liam looked up. The walls pulsed again, brighter now. The dome above them expanded slightly, pushing back the dark.
The dome flared, light surging outward in a shockwave that pushed back the dark. Crumbling walls shifted, seams glowing as the mall reshaped itself, inch by inch.
He stood.
"This is just the start."
> [System Alert]
Target Zone Opened: North Wastes
Ice Queen Approaching…