The night wind scraped across Jack's mask as he crouched on the lip of the rooftop. His lungs burned with the ache of running, teleporting, running again, but he forced the exhaustion down. From here, Neon City stretched like an endless wound: bleeding light into the sky, restless, hungry, alive.
His watch pinged once. The sound was soft, almost gentle, but it rattled him more than any explosion.
Target located: Luther Draque. Estimated distance: 1.3 kilometers.
Jack's body went cold. Draque wasn't far.
The corners of his lips twitched beneath the mask. He stood, the neon glow painting his shadow long across the rooftop. He stretched one arm out, palm facing forward. For the first time since unlocking it, he allowed himself to test the new ability.
Red light flickered in his palm. It was faint at first; like a spark struggling to catch flame. Then it sharpened into a thin line of aura, slicing outward across the night.
Snap.
The Warp Strike cut through a metal air vent on a nearby rooftop. The vent split cleanly, top half sliding with a squeal before crashing to the ground.
Jack's arm trembled. His watch blinked.
–5 HP
"Yeah," he muttered under his breath, "that's gonna chew me up if I'm not careful."
He flexed his hand, shaking out the sting. The glow faded, leaving a faint warmth along his palm. Curiosity gnawed at him. He hesitated, then pressed both hands together.
The red aura ignited again, brighter this time, a condensed weight building between his palms. The pressure was suffocating; like holding fire and thunder in the same breath.
He released it.
The giant Warp Strike roared forward, tearing across the rooftop. A reinforced water tank ten meters away screamed before exploding into shards of metal and a spray of water.A bunch of crates exploding with a bang bursting into flames.
Jack staggered backward, heart hammering. His knees bent, chest tight.
–25 HP
"Damn," he whispered, staring at the destruction. The rooftop looked like a battlefield already. "One of those could finish me if I'm reckless."
A bunch of teens looked on in awe and wonder,a drunk man captured the scene.People gathered asking if it was some kind of fireworks accident and wondering who the boy in the rooftop was.
He shut his hands into fists, forcing himself to stop. No more testing. Not tonight.
The watch chimed again.
Quest Alert: Eliminate Luther Draque.
Rewards: +2000 EXP, 15,000 Credits, +5 Stat Points,Instant-level up.
Warning: Target extremely dangerous. Proceed with caution.
Jack's pulse spiked. The words burned into him like fire. Instant level-up. More power. More fuel to keep going.
But his gut twisted. He couldn't let the thought of rewards distract him. He couldn't afford it.
"Focus," he muttered. "He's close."
Jack blink-stepped off the rooftop, reappearing on the edge of another building. Again, again. Each teleport left his muscles shaking, but he refused to stop. Below, the streets thickened with nightlife: clubs, neon-lit vendors, drunken laughter, and the dull roar of music spilling into alleys.
Down there, he saw him.
Luther Draque.
Even in a crowd, he stood out like a thundercloud. His massive frame shouldered through pedestrians, his left arm glinting metal under the lights, every movement sharp with mechanical precision. His presence drew silence in his wake; vendors looking down, couples stepping aside, conversations dying mid-word.He looked like he was hurrying face bent low as if he didn't want to be identified but who didn't know about the Luther Draque.
Jack's throat went dry. He crouched lower, shadowing the man.
A group of teenagers on a balcony nearby noticed Jack as he blinked to another rooftop. One dropped his drink, eyes wide.
"Holy shit, did you see that?!"
Phones came out. Holo-screens lit. Voices buzzed. "That's him;the masked bounty hunter! The one who took down Zane!"
A drunk man stumbled from a bar, blinking up as red sparks still glimmered faintly on Jack's glove. "Red lightning," he whispered. "I wasn't crazy. He's real."
The legend was spreading faster than Jack could stop it. Whispers darted through the crowd like wildfire.
Down below, Luther Draque paused. His head tilted. Slowly, he turned, eyes scanning the rooftops. His robotic hand flexed, hydraulics hissing like a serpent.
Jack froze. His heart pounded so loudly he swore the entire street could hear it.
Their eyes met.
Even at this distance, Jack felt it: the weight of Draque's gaze. A predator recognizing another predator.
Luther stepped into the open square of the marketplace. Lanterns burned red and blue above, their glow shimmering across neon signs. The crowd parted instinctively, leaving him in a circle of silence. He stood tall, shoulders back, mechanical arm gleaming under the light.
Jack teleported to the ground level. He landed lightly, cloak of shadows wrapping around him as he strode forward. His mask caught the neon reflection, turning it blood-red. He said nothing. He didn't need to.
The square went utterly still. Bystanders held their breath. Someone whispered, "That's Draque… oh gods." Another murmured, "That mask—that's the one who dragged Zane in."
Jack raised one hand. A faint ripple of aura glowed at his palm. He wasn't striking yet. Just showing Luther he was ready.
The hum of music from a nearby club died. Street vendors stopped calling. Even the neon seemed to dim, waiting.
Luther finally spoke. His voice was gravel mixed with machine, deep and resonant.
"You again."
Jack tightened his fists. Every muscle coiled. His HP was low, his options fewer, but his determination burned like a furnace.
The crowd backed further away, fear widening their eyes. Phones recorded. Whispers carried. Neon City itself seemed to lean in to watch.
Two figures. One masked in shadows, aura burning crimson. The other with a metal arm, power radiating like a storm.
The space between them crackled with promise.
The fight was about to begin.