CHAPTER 8
1106 Words
The air in the hallway felt thick, like something was wrong. The man moved so quietly it was like reality itself was glitching.
One moment he was just standing there. Next, his hand was already around my neck.
I couldn't breathe. His grip was incredibly strong, crushing and tight. I tried to pull his hand away, but it wouldn't move. My feet were barely touching the ground.
A message popped up in my vision.
[Obsidian Heitt Operative: Rank ???]
There was no level or stats, just a huge question mark.
This was really bad.
He looked at me closely, tilting his head as if he was seeing something I couldn’t. His face showed no emotion, but his dark, calculating eyes seemed to find it a little funny.
“You’re not ready for this,” he said calmly, almost sounding disappointed.
Then, he threw me away like I was nothing.
The world spun around me. I barely had time to get ready before I slammed into the wall. The impact felt like a hammer hitting glass, and pain shot through my ribs.
I hit the floor hard, gasping for air. My lungs hurt, and my vision was blurry.
“Caden!”
It was Stella.
She was already raising her gun again, but the man didn't even look at her. He just flicked his wrist, and she went flying.
She crashed into a stack of boxes, which fell over like dominoes.
I tried to push myself up. My arms were shaking.
This wasn’t a fight.
It was a lesson.
The man sighed and brushed some invisible dust off his sleeve. “You don’t even know what you are, do you?”
I clenched my jaw. “I know enough to beat you.”
He immediately smirked. “Is that so?”
Another message popped up.
[Would you like to activate First Ability? Y/N]
My hands tightened into fists.
All the pain, helplessness, and anger I felt turned into one burning thought.
Yes.
The moment I confirmed it, the world around me changed.
A burning heat exploded in my chest, growing and spreading. The pain I felt before was nothing compared to this. It wasn’t just in my muscles or bones; it was in my blood.
Something was unlocking.
The air around me crackled, and the lights above flickered wildly. A static energy buzzed under my skin, getting stronger and stronger until my hands trembled.
I gasped, and my breath came out in a white cloud in the cold air.
The man’s smirk faded a little.
For the first time, I saw him hesitate.
“Interesting,” he mumbled.
Then he moved again.
I should have been too slow to react.
But I wasn't.
This time, when he reached for me, I dodged.
No—I moved incredibly fast.
One second, I was in front of him.
Next, I was behind him.
He quickly turned his head, but I was already moving, my instincts sharper than ever. I was faster. Stronger. I turned and my fist shot toward him.
When it hit—
It felt like an explosion.
The hallway shook. The floor cracked, and the walls groaned under the force. The man slid back, his shoes scraping against the concrete.
For the first time, he looked surprised.
I let out a breath. The energy inside me was still building. It wanted more.
The message in my vision pulsed.
[First Ability: Acceleration Unlocked]
My heart pounded in my chest.
The man stood up straight and rolled his neck. “Now this is getting fun.”
He lunged at me again, but this time, I was ready.
We became a blur of motion and pure force. My reactions were automatic. My body moved in ways I never thought possible. Faster than thought. Faster than him.
I twisted, avoiding his attacks, feeling the energy pulse through my limbs. Every move felt like I had done this a thousand times before.
I sent my fist forward again, but this time, he blocked it. Our arms clashed, and the force created a shockwave.
We looked each other in the eye.
Then he grinned.
“Good,” he said. “But not good enough.”
Before I could react, something hit me in the stomach.
It wasn't his fist. It was a kind of force.
Like gravity itself had become a weapon.
I barely had time to notice the pressure before I was launched backward. My back hit the wall so hard it broke inward.
Everything spun.
I gasped, blinking through the pain as my ribs screamed.
The man stepped toward me, still calm, still in control.
I forced myself up, grabbing the broken edge of the wall. I wasn’t giving up yet.
But then—
A new person appeared.
The air changed.
A voice, low and dangerous, cut through the tense silence like a knife.
“That’s enough.”
The man in the suit froze.
Slowly, he turned his head toward the newcomer.
I followed his gaze.
A woman stood at the other end of the hallway. She was tall, calm, and clearly dangerous.
She was dressed in a long, dark coat that moved behind her like a shadow. Her eyes were sharp and piercing, and they locked onto the man.
The air around her hummed with power.
The system flashed.
[Unknown Entity Detected]
She took a step forward. Her movements were controlled and unhurried.
The man sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“You’re early,” he said, his amused expression returning.
Her face didn’t change. “Stand down.”
For a moment, the tension was suffocating.
Then, with a slight shrug, the man smiled.
“Alright, fine.”
He turned his attention back to me, his eyes scanning me as if I were puzzle pieces that had finally started to fit together.
“This was just a test,” he said smoothly. “And I got my answer.”
His grin widened.
“See you soon, Caden.”
Then he was gone.
One blink.
The spot where he had been was empty.
The only sign he had ever been there was the destruction he left behind.
I let out a shaky breath, my body aching, my limbs burning.
The woman didn't move or react. She just watched me, her expression unreadable.
Finally, she spoke.
“You have no idea what you’ve unlocked, do you?”
I swallowed hard.
“Not a clue,” I admitted.
She sighed. “Then we have work to do.”
I stared at her, still catching my breath, still feeling the powerful energy buzzing in my blood.
Something told me this was just the beginning.
- Writer
