Chapter 6: The Rival's Hunt
1594 Words
The city never slept — it only growled.
Wind howled through shattered towers, carrying the smell of rust, smoke, and blood. Far below, neon lights flickered weakly against the dark rain, casting veins of color through the ruins.
Leon stood at the edge of a half-collapsed bridge, scanning the streets below through his visor’s HUD. Nova crouched beside him, rifle steady, eyes sharp.
[Zone 08: Eastern Industrial District.]
[System Activity: High.]
[Target Signature: Kade Morran — Rank C+ Candidate. 1,200 meters north.]
Leon’s grip tightened around his shotgun. “He’s moving fast.”
Nova adjusted her scope. “He’s hunting Fragments. Same as you. Only difference—he enjoys it.”
Leon glanced at her. “You know him?”
Her jaw tensed. “I used to. Before the Syndicate turned him into what he is.”
“And what’s that?”
Nova looked through the scope again. “A monster with a smile.”
They moved across the rooftops, silent shadows in the rain. Leon could feel the hum of energy through the air — the familiar pulse of System resonance.
When they reached an overlook, Nova froze. Below them, the street was filled with corpses.
Dozens of them — other Candidates, half-dismembered, System cores ripped from their chests.
Leon’s stomach twisted. “He killed all these people?”
Nova nodded grimly. “And took their Systems. That’s his specialty. Kade doesn’t fight for power. He steals it.”
Before Leon could reply, a voice echoed through the rain — smooth, confident, cruel.
“Still preaching your little gospel, Nova?”
Both turned.
Kade Morran stood on a rusted crane overlooking the street. He was tall, broad-shouldered, with pale hair slicked back and a black coat that shimmered with System circuitry. His eyes glowed a predatory red.
He grinned down at them. “Didn’t expect you to crawl out of hiding. And you brought a stray mechanic with you? Cute.”
Leon’s expression didn’t change. “You talk too much.”
Kade chuckled. “And you’re still breathing. Let’s fix that.”
Without warning, Kade dropped from the crane, landing with a shockwave that shattered the ground.
[System Scan: Kade Morran — Level 9 | Systems Active: 3 | Rank: C+]
[Abilities: Gravity Field, Phase Step, Core Reaver]
Leon felt the pressure instantly — like the air itself had turned to lead. The ground cracked under his boots.
“Gravity user,” Nova muttered. “Don’t let him close the distance!”
Leon fired a Thermal Round, but Kade blurred—vanishing in a shimmer of light—and reappeared behind him.
[Phase Step detected.]
Leon spun just in time to block the strike. Kade’s blade slammed into his shotgun, sparks flying.
“Quick,” Kade said with a grin. “I like quick kills.”
He kicked Leon back, sending him skidding through the debris.
Nova fired from above—three sharp shots—but Kade raised a shimmering barrier, the bullets dissolving midair.
[Ability: Gravity Field—Projectile Nullification Active.]
“Cute trick,” Leon growled, rising.
He extended his hand. Electricity arced across the ground. Electro Surge.
The current rippled through the rain-soaked street, slamming into Kade. For a moment, his grin faltered—then he absorbed it.
[Core Reaver activated. Energy conversion rate: 67%.]
Leon’s eyes widened. “He—he’s draining my power?”
Nova cursed under her breath. “He converts System energy into strength. Don’t use abilities around him!”
Kade’s laugh echoed through the storm. “Go on! Feed me!”
He swung his blade again, and this time Leon met him halfway. Metal clashed, power flared. Kade pressed harder, strength increasing with every blow.
Leon was fast, precise, but Kade was relentless. The ground cracked beneath their feet. Sparks danced between them as Leon ducked under a s***h and countered with a Magnetic Pulse—not at Kade, but at a chunk of steel debris.
It flew at him like a missile.
Kade caught it midair, smiling. “Nice try.”
But that smile vanished when the metal exploded—Thermal Round hidden inside.
The blast threw him back, smoke filling the street.
Leon exhaled. “Not so cocky now.”
Nova dropped down beside him, rifle shifting into a blade. “He’s not done. He never is.”
The smoke cleared.
Kade stood amid the wreckage, half his coat burned away—but he was laughing.
“Now that’s more like it,” he said, eyes glowing brighter. “You might actually make me sweat.”
He slammed his hands into the ground.
[Ability: Gravity Field—Compression Mode.]
The street imploded. Metal bent inward, crushing cars, cracking pavement. Leon and Nova were thrown apart, pinned under the sheer force of the field.
Leon gritted his teeth. “System—Adaptive Skin—reinforce!”
[Adaptive Skin: Overload Mode.]
His veins burned silver. The pressure relented just enough for him to stand. Nova was still down, pinned by debris.
“Go!” she shouted. “Don’t hold back!”
Leon didn’t.
He triggered Kinetic Burst—the ability he’d gained from the Titan Core. The air cracked around him as the burst launched him forward, tearing through the gravity field.
He slammed into Kade, the force sending both flying through a building wall.
They hit the ground hard. Dust and fire filled the air.
Kade rose slowly, smiling through blood. “Finally. Someone worth killing.”
Leon didn’t answer. His eyes glowed brighter—instinct taking over.
[Predator Instability: 42%. Instinct Mode available.]
The System pulsed in his vision, but Leon hesitated. Nova’s warning echoed in his head: “The more you use it, the faster you lose yourself.”
Then Kade charged again.
Leon sidestepped, ducked, and countered with a shotgun blast to the ribs—point-blank. The impact tore through flesh and armor, but Kade didn’t stop.
He grabbed Leon by the throat, lifting him off the ground. “You fight well,” Kade said, eyes glowing. “But you’re still prey.”
Leon’s vision blurred. Air vanished.
[Warning: Vital signs critical.]
Then—
He smiled.
“Prey, huh?”
His hand shot out, pressing against Kade’s chest. Magnetic Pulse.
But this time, it wasn’t about force. It was about pull.
Every piece of metal, every fragment of debris, every loose bullet casing—ripped toward them in a violent storm.
Kade’s eyes widened. “What—”
The explosion drowned the rest.
When the dust settled, both men were bleeding, barely standing.
Kade coughed, wiping blood from his lip. “You’re insane.”
Leon steadied his breath. “You’re not the first to say that.”
Then Nova’s voice cut through the comm-link. “Leon—behind you!”
Kade vanished.
Leon spun, but too late—Kade reappeared behind him, blade aimed for his spine.
Instinct took over.
[Instinct Mode—Activated.]
The world slowed.
Leon twisted mid-spin, catching the blade with his bare hand. Sparks danced across his fingers as the metal dug into his skin—but he didn’t flinch.
His voice was calm. “Not this time.”
He drove his knee into Kade’s ribs, then slammed a charged punch into his face.
[Kinetic Burst + Electro Surge combo initiated.]
The double impact sent Kade flying into a crumbling wall, breaking through it and collapsing to the floor.
The System flickered.
[Target Health: 12%. Core Instability: Rising.]
Leon staggered forward, breathing hard. The silver glow in his eyes flickered wildly.
[Warning: Predator Instability—68%. Risk of loss of control.]
Nova appeared beside him, gun raised. “Leon—stop! You’ll lose it!”
Kade groaned, trying to rise. “You think you’ve won? You have no idea what’s coming.”
Leon leveled the shotgun. “You talk too much.”
He fired.
The blast tore through Kade’s chest. The red glow in his eyes faded, replaced by silence.
Then—
[Quest Complete: The Rival’s Hunt.]
[Core Absorption Successful.]
[System Acquired: Phase Step (Minor).]
[Level Up: 4 → 5.]
Leon exhaled slowly, lowering his weapon.
Nova approached carefully. “You okay?”
He didn’t answer. His hands were shaking. His vision swam.
The System pulsed again.
[Predator Instability: 72%. Caution—Threshold Approaching.]
Nova grabbed his shoulder. “Leon. Focus. Breathe.”
He looked at her—eyes wild, veins glowing silver. “It’s—getting stronger.”
“Then you fight it,” she said fiercely. “You own it. Not the other way around.”
The light in his eyes dimmed—slowly, painfully.
After a long moment, Leon dropped to his knees, gasping for air.
Nova crouched beside him. “You did it. You won.”
He looked up, rain washing the blood from his face. “No,” he said softly. “He wasn’t lying.”
Nova frowned. “What do you mean?”
Leon looked at Kade’s body. Its chest was still glowing faintly.
[Core Fragment Detected: Type—Signal Transmission.]
He stood, dread rising in his gut. “He wasn’t hunting fragments for himself. He was summoning something.”
The ground began to tremble.
From Kade’s body, a red pulse erupted—shooting upward into the storm, splitting the sky open.
[Alert: Sovereign Signal Detected.]
[Incoming Host: Unknown Rank—Designation: “The Warden.”]
Nova’s eyes widened. “Oh no.”
Leon raised his weapon again, expression hardening. “Looks like the real fight’s just beginning.”
Thunder rolled across the skyline. The Sovereign’s call had been made.
And every Predator in the city had just heard it.
- Writer
