The rain started falling harder.
As if the city wanted to wash away what had just happened.
Damián stepped out of the alley without looking back.
He didn't run.
He didn't hesitate.
But every muscle in his body was tense, ready to react.
```id="sys01"
[ACTIVE MISSION: SURVIVE]
Time remaining: 23:41:12
```
"…Great," he muttered.
Twenty-four hours.
That was all.
Twenty-four hours where, according to that thing… he wasn't alone.
His eyes scanned the avenue.
People walking.
Cars passing.
Lights reflecting off the wet asphalt.
Everything looked normal.
Too normal.
*If there are others… they won't be obvious.*
He kept moving.
Hands in his pockets.
Relaxed posture.
But his mind was running at full speed.
Options.
Routes.
Shelters.
People.
Everything was being analyzed.
Everything.
Then—
A chill.
Not physical.
Something deeper.
His body reacted before his mind did.
He stopped.
Tilted his head slightly.
And saw him.
Across the street.
A man.
Leaning against a streetlight.
Staring at him.
Directly.
Without hiding it.
His eyes…
Weren't normal.
There was something behind them.
Something familiar.
Like a mirror.
*…Another one,* Damián thought.
The man smiled.
Slowly.
As if he had just found something interesting.
And then—
```id="alert01"
[ALERT: HOST DETECTED]
```
The message appeared without warning.
Damián's pulse spiked.
But he didn't step back.
Didn't run.
He observed.
The man pushed himself off the pole.
Crossed the street without looking at the cars.
One of them slammed the brakes.
The driver shouted.
The man didn't react.
He kept walking.
Straight toward him.
"Of course…" Damián whispered. "It had to be like this."
He stopped.
Waited.
The man closed the distance.
Just a few meters apart now.
Silence between them.
Rain falling.
City breathing.
"So…" the stranger said, tilting his head slightly. "You can see it too."
It wasn't a question.
Damián didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at him.
Measuring.
Analyzing.
"Depends," he said finally. "What exactly am I supposed to be seeing?"
The man's smile widened.
"Good. You're not an idiot."
One step closer.
"That makes this more interesting."
Damián noticed something.
His posture.
Relaxed.
Too relaxed.
Like someone… confident.
"How long?" Damián asked.
"Hm?"
"Since it started."
The man let out a low chuckle.
"A few hours more than you."
Damián didn't like that.
Not at all.
"Then you already know how it works."
"Enough."
Silence.
Heavy.
Tense.
Rain hitting the ground between them.
"Let me guess," the man said. "Survival mission."
Damián didn't react.
But that was enough.
"Yeah… we all start the same."
The man raised his hand.
And for a moment—
The air changed.
Damián felt it.
His instinct screamed.
```id="alert02"
[DANGER DETECTED]
```
"I'll give you a piece of advice," the man said calmly. "In this game… hesitation gets you killed."
And he vanished.
Not like the last one.
Not clumsy.
Not erratic.
This was—
Controlled.
Fast.
Trained.
Damián barely managed to turn.
A strike.
He blocked with his arm.
Immediate pain.
He staggered back.
*…Stronger,* he thought.
Much stronger.
The man attacked again.
No pause.
Fist.
Knee.
Elbow.
Fluid.
Precise.
Damián dodged the second strike by centimeters.
The third grazed him.
The fourth—
Connected.
Straight to his stomach.
The air left his lungs.
His body bent forward.
"You're new," the man said, almost bored. "It shows."
Another strike came.
Damián saw it.
Late.
Too late—
No.
His body reacted.
By instinct.
It moved.
A slight angle.
The blow passed by.
His eyes widened slightly.
*…INS.*
His hand moved.
Fast.
Not perfect.
But enough.
He struck.
Not strong.
But precise.
The chin.
The man stepped back half a step.
Surprise.
Slight.
But real.
"…Oh," he murmured. "Interesting."
Damián didn't stop.
He moved forward.
Not to win.
To survive.
He struck again.
And again.
And again.
The man blocked.
Deflected.
Smiled.
"That's it," he said. "Learn while you fight."
But something changed.
Damián started seeing patterns.
Repeated movements.
Rhythm.
Breathing.
```id="sys02"
[INS ACTIVATED — Low Level]
```
The world… slowed down.
Not literally.
But his perception did.
*Right punch… then left… opens his guard,* he thought.
He moved before it happened.
Dodged.
Countered.
Connected.
The man stepped back again.
This time—
Interested.
"…Alright," he said. "You're not trash."
The rain kept falling.
Heavier.
Harder.
The moment tightened.
Both of them still.
Measuring each other.
"Do you know what the problem is?" the man said.
Damián didn't respond.
"That I… already passed this phase."
His stance shifted.
Lower.
More dangerous.
```id="alert03"
[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]
```
"And you," he continued, "are still in it."
The air grew dense.
Heavy.
And then—
The man smiled.
"So thanks for the experience."
He vanished again.
But this time—
Damián couldn't track him.
He only felt—
The impact.
Darkness.
And the ground rushing up to meet him.
His vision cracked.
His body didn't respond.
But his mind…
Was still there.
Fighting.
Clinging.
```id="sys03"
[CRITICAL CONDITION]
Activating emergency protocol...
```
A pulse.
Deep.
From within.
As if something awakened.
```id="sys04"
Skill unlocked: "Survival Instinct"
```
His eyes snapped open.
The world returned.
Clearer.
Slower.
More… dangerous.
And for the first time—
Damián smiled.
For real.
"…Now we're talking," he whispered.
And he stood up.