THE CHOSEN ERROR

Chapter 4: Harrow’s Hunt

Downtown was a neon jungle. Beneath its gleaming surface, a different rhythm pulsed low, dangerous, alive. In one forgotten alley, a man stood in silence, face shadowed beneath a ragged hood. His name was Harrow.

USER ID: HARROW // SYSTEM CLASS: Reaper-Tier Host

Threat Level: RED]

Active Skills: Absorption Field  Tempest Dash Neural Freeze

“Tracking unlocked hosts. Feeding. Evolving.” A scream echoed nearby. Short. Wet. Harrow emerged from the shadows, his boots crunching broken glass.

At his feet lay a body young, wide-eyed in death, with faint light still flickering behind the irises. The system fragment hovered briefly in the air like a dying flame. Harrow inhaled.

Fragment Assimilated: Reflex +1 // Neural Map Expanded

“That makes seven this week,” he muttered, his voice low and serpentine. “How many more before I’m ready?” He turned toward a nearby wall where graffiti buzzed with static interference traces of system interference etched into concrete like scorched scars.

TRACKING: Host signature detected – Class C awakening – proximity: 4.2 km

He smiled. “Let’s say hello.” Meanwhile, underground, Aiden’s arms shook from fatigue. He dropped the weight with a metallic clang, collapsing onto the mat. Rhea stood nearby, arms crossed. “Not bad for Day One,” she said.

“You’re adapting faster than I expected.” “I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck.” “Good,” she said. “Means you’re doing it right.” Aiden sat up, wiping sweat from his brow. “You ever hear of someone called Harrow?” Rhea froze. “How do you know that name?” “He was in your footage,” Aiden replied. “The one turning cars into scrap.” She stared at him.

Her jaw tightened. “Harrow used to be a Monitor,” she said at last. “He went dark six months ago. Started harvesting hosts taking their systems, consuming them. We don’t even know what he is anymore.” Aiden felt a chill crawl down his spine. “How do you stop someone like that?”“You don’t,” she said. “You survive until someone stronger does.”

SYSTEM ALERT: Imminent Threat Detected – Defensive Protocols Activating

Host signature “HARROW” approaching at high velocity. Estimated Arrival: 7 Minutes. Rhea’s head snapped up at the same time as Aiden's system pinged. “He’s here,” she muttered. “I need to move you now.”

“Where?” “Emergency tunnel. Move!” She grabbed a sealed panel from the far wall and yanked it open. Behind it, a narrow service shaft led down and away into pure darkness. “This leads to the edge of Zone Zero.

Once you're outside, scatter. Don't fight just run.” “But” “GO, Aiden!” He didn’t argue. As he dropped into the tunnel, the system hissed in his ear:

New Objective: Escape Pursuit

Bonus: Remain Undetected Reward: Cloak Module Temporary

Above, Rhea turned back toward the platform as the temperature dropped. Light flickered then dimmed entirely. Only silence remained. Until a slow, mocking clap echoed through the station.

“Well,” a voice purred. “Didn’t think I’d find another Monitor so soon.” Rhea’s heart pounded. “You’re not welcome here, Harrow.”

A shadow detached from the tunnel entrance, swirling like smoke into a tall figure. His coat fluttered even without wind. His eyes glowed with fractured energy red and violet, shifting like oil over glass.

“I’ve missed your charming warnings,” he said. “Still spouting rules? Even after everything?” “You were one of us,” Rhea said. “You knew the consequences.” Harrow shrugged.

“I learned something better than consequences.” He raised a hand energy crackled in his palm. “I learned evolution.” Below, Aiden ran.

Every breath scraped his lungs. Every step slammed against uneven steel. He turned corners blind, heart hammering, systems flaring with alerts.

Hostile Signature: Gaining Distance – 83 meters behind Suggested Action: Cloak + Sprint Boost Combo

“System,” Aiden gasped, “give me something!”

New Temporary Skill Acquired: “Cloak Veil” – Duration 25 sec.

Activating in 3… 2… 1…

The air shimmered. Sound muffled. His outline faded. Suddenly, the chase fell away. The tunnel became empty. Aiden didn’t stop. Back in the station, Rhea dodged as lightning forked from Harrow’s outstretched hand.

It ripped the tile floor apart in a blaze of molten debris. She ducked behind a steel pillar, breathing hard. “You never had a system like this before,” she muttered. “What did you do?” “Simple,” Harrow called.

“I stopped listening to people like you.” He swept his arm. The entire wall behind Rhea detonated a magnetic pulse cracking through the foundations. Dust rained down.

She rolled, came up with a throwing disc, and flung it. Harrow caught it with two fingers. “Still playing with toys?” The disc exploded, sending him skidding back across the rail. His coat flared like wings.

Rhea didn’t wait she ran for the opposite exit. In the tunnels, Aiden reached a junction. Four paths. No markings.

[Decision Point: Direction Unknown]

Choose: Left Right,  Forward,  Up (maintenance ladder) Aiden’s eyes scanned. He closed them. Instinct, he thought. Then he climbed.

Path Chosen: Vertical Escape – Success Chance: 63% Climbing Boost Active – Grip Stamina +1

Hand over hand, he hauled himself upward. A grate above him glowed faintlydaylight

Surface Exit Located  Danger Level: Moderate

He kicked the grate. It gave way. The sky opened above him. Aiden tumbled out into a back alley, heart thudding, clothes soaked with grime. Behind him, the tunnel rumbled Harrow was still down there. But for now… he was out.

Objective Completed: Escape Pursuit]

Reward Unlocked: Passive Skill  "Urban Evasion" (Lv. 1)

“You’re learning fast, host.” Aiden rose slowly, hands clenched. He wasn’t going to survive by luck next time. He needed to fight. To win. To evolve. Back underground, Harrow stood in the ruins of the station, breathing slowly.

Rhea had escaped through the emergency shaft. He smiled darkly. “It’s alright,” he muttered. “I got what I came for.” He raised his hand and between his fingers, a glowing scrap of system code pulsed. Faint. But from Aiden.

User Signature Sampled: CROSS, AIDEN Lock Initialized – Pursuit Protocol Queued