There was a commotion—sirens wailing, people screaming, and a monstrous shriek cutting through the chaos. But it all felt distant, like a fading memory.
Young Riven gripped a woman's hand, tears streaming down his face, his heart pounding. Below him, the interior of the warehouse was burning, smoke rising from the flames that licked at the edges of the structure.
Riven squeezed her hand tighter, doing everything he could not to slip.
The woman was perched on a crumbling section of the roof, which threatened to collapse under her. She turned to him, her expression grave. "You have to let go."
"No, please," Riven pleaded, his voice trembling. He glanced down, terror gripping his chest.
"You have to, Riven," she said, her voice soft but firm. "It's the only way."
Riven's throat tightened. His lips quivered as he whispered, "I'm scared."
The woman's expression softened with sympathy, but there was hesitation in her eyes. "Riven—"
Suddenly, the roof beneath them cracked with a deafening creak, and the grip between them faltered.
Riven jolted awake with a sharp intake of breath, his heart racing. He wiped his eyes, letting out a sigh as the weight of the nightmare slowly faded.
He was back in his assigned room—simple, sparse. Bunk beds, a desk, an adjacent bathroom, and a corner where his belongings were neatly arranged.
Riven lay there for a moment, still caught in his thoughts, then shook his head, trying to shake off the lingering dread.
His eyes landed on a new notification blinking on his watch:
"Thanks for the reminder," Riven muttered, his voice low and groggy.
Reaching for his pockets, Riven was surprised when a set of cards appeared in his hands instead.
"Whoa," he whispered in awe. The cards were now encased in a sleek, black packet that looked much more refined than before.
"So this is level 2," he mused, examining the cards, his fingers brushing over the smooth surface. He attempted to store them, but they vanished instantly.
"Huh." He opened his palms, and the cards reappeared, only to disappear once more.
He repeated the motion a few times, fascination bubbling within him. The thought of leveling up sparked something inside—how much stronger would he get? What new powers awaited him?
The idea of progressing quickly stirred a burning excitement within him. If he leveled up faster, he'd be stronger, and the challenge of facing Blake felt like a welcome opportunity to push forward.
Before he could get lost in his thoughts, a loud crash from the window startled him.
It was Jex—without his mask. His untamed white hair, hazel eyes, and the scar stretching from his left eye to his chin gave him a dangerous, almost predatory look.
"Jex?" Riven blinked, still half-dazed.
Jex stepped over to a picture frame on the wall, revealing a hidden compartment and pulling out a sword. "Yep. In the flesh."
Riven quickly made the cards disappear before Jex could see them.
"What are you doing here?" Riven asked, trying to gather himself.
Jex slid the sword behind him, turning to face Riven. "Really, Riven?"
Riven narrowed his eyes, suspicious. "How do you know my name?"
Jex raised an eyebrow, tilting his head. "We're roommates, genius. Look at the tag on the wall."
Riven glanced at the wall, noticing a small, discreet tag he'd completely missed before.
"Oh. I didn't see that," Riven muttered, slightly embarrassed.
Jex, now wearing his mask again, glanced at him with mild amusement. "We're late, you know."
Riven blinked, still shaking off sleep. "Late for what?"
Jex gave him a dry look. "Didn't hit you, did it? We're hunting today. A lady wants everyone assembled at the entrance."
Jex turned toward the door, then looked back over his shoulder. "You coming?"
Riven scoffed. "Why would I? I'm not prepared."
Jex shrugged indifferently. "Okay. Nice tattoos by the way."
Riven quickly held a part of his arm where he had the tattoo scars, just realizing it now for the first time since yesterday "—thanks?"
Without another word, Jex hopped out the window.
Riven rubbed his eyes and sighed. He'd have to face whatever came next.
After a quick bath and change of clothes, Riven grabbed his umbrella and stepped into the bright late-morning sun.
As he walked to the base entrance, he saw a group of people gathered around someone. Nearby, sleek, impressive vehicles lined up, their engines idling.
A woman stood at the front of the group—tall, with long purple hair and the authoritative air of someone used to being in charge. Her gaze swept over the crowd as she addressed them.
"Listen up, young hunters. Today's your first hunt. It'll be a practice run until Mr. Hugo gives the word, but the cores you collect will still count toward your score," she said, her voice commanding and clear.
She gestured toward the vehicles behind her. "Most of you have the basics from high school, but these vehicles will give you an edge. Developed by Hugo's enterprise, they're packed with multi-powered energy sources, various modes, AI assistants, and more."
The group buzzed with excitement, murmurs of approval rippling through them.
Riven walked over to Jex, who glanced at him with an amused smirk. "Where's your suit or armor?"
Riven surveyed the others—most of them were wearing suits, some sleek, others bulky with heavy armor.
"I don't see the point in suits," Riven said with a shrug. "They're irrelevant, if you ask me."
Jex raised an eyebrow. "Said the guy carrying an umbrella in broad daylight."
Riven didn't respond. His attention was already elsewhere. "Where's Fey?"
"You mean the redhead?" Jex said, scanning the crowd. "No idea."
At that moment, Commander Han tapped something on her pad, and the group's watches beeped in unison.
"The code's been sent to your watches," she said. "You'll be assigned to a vehicle."
Riven and Jex checked their watches. Their team was assigned vehicle number 15.
"Our team's number's fifteen," Jex said, glancing at Riven.
"Yeah, I see that," Riven replied, distracted by the task ahead.
Commander Han raised her voice again. "The vehicles can take you anywhere within the radar. There are three zones: red, yellow, and green. The red zone is off-limits—unless you're looking for a painful death." She paused, letting that sink in. "The yellow zone? Only for the brave. The green zone is your focus. Get in, hunt, and get back by six. Or you can stay at the gate all night if that's your thing."
She cleared her throat. "May the fittest win."
With that, she turned, and the teams began moving toward their vehicles.
"Dibs on driving," Jex said, already heading toward one of the vehicles.
"Fine by me," Riven muttered, following him. "There'll be plenty of space in the back since we're three, anyway."
The two walked in silence for a moment. Riven's gaze flicked to Blake's team, zipping past in their vehicle.
A smile tugged at his lips. "Today, you'll be humbled."
"Fey still hasn't shown up?" Jex asked, pulling Riven out of his thoughts.
"Hey, guys!" A voice called from behind.
They turned to see Fey striding toward them, wearing a sleek, blood-red suit.
Her presence was striking. They watched, stunned, as she came to a stop in front of them.
"Sorry I'm late," she said, before turning to Jex. "Guess you're our new teammate?"
"I'm Jex. Nice to meet you," Jex replied, offering a handshake. They exchanged grips.
Fey turned to Riven. "I heard they assigned us a mobile."
"Yeah," Riven replied, gesturing toward the last vehicle in the row. "It's right over there."
Fey's eyes flicked over the vehicle before meeting their gazes again. "Hmm. Neat," she said. Then, her tone shifted to something more serious. "We'll talk more once we're in the mobile. For
now... let's go hunting."