Ryan’s fingers trembled slightly as he rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, exposing bruised forearms already turning a deep shade of purple. He clenched his fists slowly, feeling the sting in his knuckles and the dull ache spreading across his ribs. The cold wind at the mountain peak brushed again

Ryan could barely feel his arms anymore.Every punch he threw felt heavier than the last, as though his limbs were made of iron instead of flesh. His breathing had become ragged and uneven, each inhale scraping painfully through his lungs. Sweat mixed with blood on his face, stinging his eyes and b

“The confrontation with Robert Chase has triggered a clarification protocol,” the system said calmly inside his head.Ryan exhaled slowly.“Clarification about what?” he asked internally. “I think I deserve full transparency at this point.”There was a brief pause, and then the system responded.“Ro

He could feel the bruises along his arms, legs, and face throbbing, but he refused to dwell on the pain. He walked over to the window, staring at the city lights in the distance, and finally asked the system a question that had been weighing on his mind.“System,” he began cautiously, “what exactly

Ryan continued walking without any clear direction, allowing his feet to carry him through unfamiliar streets. He reminded himself that the encounter had to be accidental. He could not deliberately search in obvious places, yet he could not afford to overlook anyone either. Every passing figure bec