Samuel closed his eyes and let the energy swell inside him again.Time slowed. The world melted into a thick molasses of motion, air crystallizing in place, sounds stretching into low echoes. He moved one step forward. Then two.But then, as always, the strain came like a wave of nails beneath his skull. His muscles screamed. Blood surged to his temples. He staggered backward, knees collapsing beneath him.A hand caught his collar mid-fall—and then came the crack of an open palm slamming across his face.His head jerked sideways. The pain was sharp, immediate.Samuel looked up.The Falcon stood over him, eyes burning. “You think this is some game? You think this is training?”“I’m trying,” Samuel growled, hand pressed to his cheek.“You’re not trying, you’re rushing,” Falcon snapped. “Void Compression is not just another trick. You’re tampering with a force that bends the spine of reality.”Samuel groaned and pushed himself upright. “Then teach me how to handle it.”“You want control?

Chrono Collapse.The name alone sent a chill down his spine. Not because of what it promised—but because of what it demanded.He read the line again:“To stop time in another’s body is to reject nature itself. Your blood becomes the price.”He reached forward, placing two fingers against the sigil etched on the diagram. The air around him thickened."Show me," he whispered.The ink began to rise off the page, twisting into the air, swirling around his fingers like smoke. A pulse of heat seared through his arm. His veins lit up briefly—silver and gold—before fading. His breath caught in his throat.He clenched his teeth and let it in.Pain flooded him. But he didn’t scream.“Sam!”He turned sharply. Sarah stood in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock.“What the hell are you doing?” she demanded, storming toward him. She snatched the book closed with one swift motion. “Are you out of your mind?”“You don’t understand,” Samuel growled. “I need this.”“You’re pulling energy from the chro

The urgency of the encrypted message burned like a brand on Samuel’s mind as he read Sarah’s warning once again. Arthur Brook’s forces were mobilizing fast, targeting the power hub that kept Aletra City’s defenses operational. If they succeeded, the city would be vulnerable, falling back into the hands of the Brook family—something Samuel had sworn to prevent at all costs.Without hesitation, Samuel summoned The Falcon and Damian to a hidden chamber beneath Aletra’s old subway tunnels. The stale air was thick with tension as the three men gathered around a holographic map flickering between Aletra City’s sectors.“The power hub’s coordinates are here,” Samuel pointed firmly. “Arthur’s forces will hit it within the next 48 hours. We need to stop them.”The Falcon’s normally calm demeanor tightened. “It’s not just Arthur’s usual mercenaries. I’ve been tracking a new faction within his network—masked operatives with advanced tech we haven’t seen before. They’re more dangerous than anythi

The weight of responsibility pressed heavily on Samuel’s shoulders as he stepped into the dimly lit training chamber. The Falcon stood waiting, his silhouette steady and commanding, a stark contrast to the storm of doubt swirling inside Samuel’s mind. This was not just a physical training anymore—it was a battle for control over a power that could either save them or destroy everything they held dear.“You’re ready,” The Falcon’s voice cut through the silence, cold and unwavering. “But this isn’t about strength anymore. It’s about precision, discipline. You must master the flow of time, not just freeze it.”Samuel nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I’m ready.”The first few attempts were clumsy. Samuel’s body trembled as he forced the time freeze, feeling the world slow to a near halt. But with each trial, the strain became more evident—his vision blurred, his thoughts scattered like shards of broken glass.“Control your breathing,” The Falcon instructed. “Your mind will foll

Samuel crouched behind a cluster of thorned bushes, his gaze fixed on the fortified gates ahead. Around him, Sarah, Damian, Madeline, and The Falcon moved silently, like ghosts threading their way through enemy territory.Samuel’s heart pounded in his chest—not just from the physical exertion but the weight of what they were about to do. This wasn’t just a mission. It was a reckoning.“We’re close,” Samuel whispered, voice taut but steady. “Damian, any sign of the mole’s trail?”Damian’s eyes, sharp and calculating, scanned the perimeter. “The intel points to someone within Arthur’s inner circle. The leak came from a secure channel only a few have access to. I’ve narrowed it down to four suspects.”Sarah crouched next to Samuel, her fingers brushing the holster at her side. “We need to be prepared for betrayal. Whoever it is might try to stop us before we get any further.”Madeline, now with the subtle grace of a seasoned operative despite her polished exterior, glanced at Samuel. “An