The world slowed to a crawl. The man's attack descended—dense, focused, inevitable. It wasn't just power. It was certainty. A strike designed to end everything in a single motion.
And Alex stood in front of it—Breaking.
His body trembled, muscles tearing under the strain of System Overdrive. His vision blurred at the edges. Every breath felt heavier than the last.
The system burned in front of his eyes.
Push Beyond Limit?
Yes / No
Kael's voice cut through the moment.
"Alex—don't!"
Bren shouted something too, but Alex barely heard it. Because deep down—He already knew. If he said no— He would die. If he said yes— Something worse might happen.
His grip tightened on his sword.
"…Yeah," he whispered.
"Of course it's like this."
The man's voice followed, calm and unshaken.
"…Choose."
Alex exhaled slowly. Then—
"…Yes."
Command Accepted
Everything shattered.
Not the world.
Not the enemy.
Him.
A violent surge of power exploded from within Alex's body. It didn't flow—it erupted. Every limit, every restriction, every safeguard the system had built— Collapsed.
System Overdrive — LIMIT BREAK
Alex's scream tore through the air. This time— It was real.
His body lifted slightly off the ground as energy burst outward, cracking the stone beneath his feet. The air itself distorted, bending around him like reality couldn't fully contain what was happening.
Kael staggered back.
"…What did he just do…?"
Bren's expression hardened.
"…Something he shouldn't have."
The man stopped.
Mid-motion.
For the first time— Completely still.
"…So you chose destruction," he said quietly.
Alex lowered his head. His breathing slowed.
Then stopped. Not because he was calm. Because something else had taken over.
When he looked up—His eyes had changed.
Faint lines of light pulsed within them, like fragments of the system itself were now visible.
"…No," Alex said.
His voice was different.
Layered.
Deeper.
"I chose to survive."
The man moved again.
Faster.
Stronger.
No restraint.
But this time—Alex didn't react. He didn't need to. Because he already knew.
Every movement.
Every angle.
Every outcome.
The attack reached him—And Alex simply stepped aside. Effortlessly. Like it had already happened. The man's strike hit empty air.
A fraction too late.
"…Prediction enhanced," the man muttered.
Alex didn't respond. He moved. And in an instant—He was in front of him. Faster than before. Faster than logic allowed. His blade came down. The man blocked— But the force behind the strike shattered the ground beneath them.
For the first time—The man was pushed back more than a step. Dust exploded outward.
The entire pass trembled. Kael's eyes widened.
"That's… not the same level anymore."
No.
It wasn't.
Alex pressed forward.
Relentless.
Each strike heavier than the last.
Each movement sharper.
More precise.
More… inhuman.
The system pulsed violently.
Limit Break Active
Stability: 31% → 24%
The man's movements changed again.
More serious now.
No testing.
No observation.
This was a real fight.
Their attacks collided again and again, shockwaves tearing through the narrow path.
Rocks shattered. The ground split. But Alex didn't slow. Because he couldn't. Not anymore.
The power wasn't something he controlled.
It was something he was barely holding together.
The system flickered again.
Critical Warning
Body Integrity Failing
Pain surged through him. His arm trembled mid-strike. His vision flickered. But he forced himself forward. Just one more. The man noticed.
"…Your body is failing."
Alex smirked faintly.
"Yeah."
"Yours will too."
He moved again.
Faster.
Pushing everything into a single strike.
The man raised his hand— But this time—
Alex changed his angle mid-motion.
A shift.
A break in pattern.
Something unexpected.
The blade cut through.
A direct hit.
Deeper than before.
The man staggered.
Just slightly.
But enough.
Silence fell for a split second. Kael's breath caught.
"…He actually hurt him."
But Alex didn't celebrate. Because he felt it.
The power— Was collapsing.
Fast.
The system flared violently.
Limit Break Stability: 12%
Emergency Shutdown Imminent
Alex's body gave out.
His legs buckled.
His vision darkened.
Damn it…
The man recovered.
Straightened.
Looked at him.
Not angry.
Not frustrated.
But something else.
"…You're closer than I expected."
Alex forced a weak laugh.
"Yeah… story of my life."
The man stepped forward.
Slow.
Controlled.
Raising his hand one final time.
"This ends now."
Alex tried to move. But his body didn't respond.
The system flickered—
Breaking apart.
System Failure Imminent
Kael shouted—
"Alex!"
But it was too far.
Too late.
The man's attack descended.
Unavoidable.
Final.
And then— Something changed.
The air shifted.
The system— Stopped.
A new presence filled the space. Heavier than anything before.
Colder.
Watching.
The man froze.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So you finally decided to interfere."
Alex's fading vision caught a glimpse—
Not a figure.
Not a form.
Just a distortion.
Like something existed— But wasn't allowed to be seen.
The system glitched one last time.
Unknown Entity Detected
And then— Everything went dark.
Last system message before shutdown:
Interference Accepted
Host Status: …Unknown