The neon blue light from the System interface flickered amidst the raindrops, illuminating Raka’s face, which was smeared with thick blood. The blue hue reflected in the metallic-smelling puddles beneath his feet, creating a bizarre contrast with the stifling darkness of the alley. Raka took a deep breath, feeling his lungs burn as if scorched by the cold air and the foul stench of corpses."One hour? Ten lives?" Raka muttered, his voice hoarse, swallowed by the rumble of thunder. "You’re joking, right? I can barely even stand!"[Warning: 59 minutes 45 seconds remaining.][If the mission fails, the Player's life will be immediately revoked.]"Damn it!" Raka cursed. He gripped the rusty iron bar in his hand until his knuckles turned white. "So this is really a game? My life is just numbers on a screen now?"A zombie with a jaw hanging askew crawled out of the darkness. The creature let out a groan, a low sound that vibrated against Raka’s eardrums. Behind it, four more figures followed

The three Runners gave Raka no time to breathe. The one in the lead darted forward in a jagged, zig-zag motion, making its silhouette look like a dancing demon under the flickering streetlights. Raka gripped his rusted iron bar, feeling cold sweat trickle down from his temples.Activate Predator Eye: Insight! he shouted internally.Ziiing.A monochrome world once again enveloped his vision. Three bright red circles pulsed at the napes of the Runners' necks. Raka could see their leg muscles tensing just before they leaped."Come at me, you bastard!" Raka yelled.The first Runner pounced, claws ready to tear through Raka’s chest. Raka ducked low, letting the creature fly over his head, and then with a single, precise swing, he slammed the iron bar into the red circle on the Runner's neck.Crack!The cervical vertebrae shattered. The Runner slammed onto the asphalt, its body skidding several meters before coming to a stop in an unnatural position.[Target neutralized. Gained 25 EXP.]How

That red notification was still pulsing in Raka's vision, emitting a light that seemed to sear his retinas. Player Kill. Two words that officially ended the tutorial phase and dragged him into a more vicious wilderness. Down below, amidst the subsiding drizzle, a man named Bara stood with an arrogant air. The blinding glare of military vehicle headlights reflected off the blade of his massive machete."Come down, Raka Pratama! Or we will level this building!" The voice thundered, projected through a megaphone held by one of Bara's subordinates.Raka turned toward Sari, Jaka, and the teenager. Their faces were deathly pale, more terrified now than they had been facing the wave of zombies last night. Sari gripped the sleeve of Raka's jacket, her trembling fingers feeling ice-cold."What are they going to do to us?" Sari whispered, her voice nearly swallowed by the roar of motorcycle engines."Stay behind me," Raka answered shortly. He clenched his fists. System, give me a power analysis

This world was not destroyed by fire or explosions, but by rows of numbers falling from the sky.Raka stared upward, his breath caught in his throat. The blue sky that was just about to welcome the dawn suddenly cracked, revealing a layer of hollow darkness filled with thousands of lines of neon-glowing binary code. The machines of destruction that had been descending with a thunderous roar now froze in mid-air, suspended in a reality experiencing a rendering failure."Raka! What’s happening to my legs?" Sari screamed, her voice shrill with horror.Raka turned and saw a sight that tore his heart apart. Sari’s legs began to fade, turning into pixels of blue light that drifted away in the wind. Not just Sari—the buildings in the distance, the dust-covered corpses of Titans, even the asphalt he stood upon began to unravel into digital particles."System! Stop! Cancel the protocol!" Raka roared, his fists striking the empty air.[Error...][Reality unstable. Initiating extraction of Playe

Raka jolted awake, his breath racing as if his lungs had just been forced to inhale air after drowning in a void. The coldness of the cement floor pierced his skin, bringing his consciousness back to the old warehouse that served as their hideout. Dust danced in the sunlight streaming through the gaps in the corrugated metal roof."Raka? Hey, are you awake? Thank God!"The voice belonged to Sari. Raka felt Sari’s warm hand on his shoulder, shaking him gently. His vision was still blurred, but in the corner of his eye, an interface window, different from the usual, flickered softly. Its color was no longer the standard blue, but a silvery white with elegant gold accents."Sari... how long was I out?" Raka asked, his voice hoarse."Only a few minutes after that light exploded in the control center. You suddenly collapsed," Sari helped him sit up, her face pale and full of worry. "What happened back there? That button... did you press it?"Raka shook his head slowly, trying to clear his