The air around them seemed to thicken. It wasn't just the morning mist; it was a physical manifestation of the System's energy.
Adam's hand was still clamped around the giant's fist. His muscles were vibrating, not from fear, but from the raw [+5 Strength] surge that was coursing through his veins like liquid fire. It was a sensation of pure, unadulterated power—the kind he had only ever seen in movies, now reality.
The man, User 0092, narrowed his eyes. The shock on his face lasted only a split second before it was replaced by a cold, predatory grin.
"Impressive for a Level 0," the man muttered. "But Strength without Technique is just a louder way to break your own bones."
With a sudden, violent twist, the man disengaged his fist and delivered a lightning-fast kick to Adam's midsection.
[Warning: Incoming High-Velocity Impact!]
[Reaction Time: 0.2 Seconds]
Adam's Focus might have faded, but the new skill—Counter-Burst—was already integrated into his nervous system. His body moved before his mind could process the command. He didn't block; he absorbed.
He took the hit, but as the man's shin connected with his ribs, Adam's body emitted a faint, translucent shockwave.
[Skill Activated: Counter-Burst (Rank F)]
[Effect: 30% of incoming damage converted into Kinetic Energy for the next strike]
The man's eyes widened. He felt the recoil—a sharp, electric sting that traveled up his leg. He stumbled back, his perfect composure finally breaking.
Adam didn't wait. He felt the kinetic energy buzzing in his right palm, a glowing orb of white light that felt like a trapped lightning bolt. He lunged forward.
"MY TURN!" Adam roared.
He swung. It wasn't a professional punch. It was a desperate, channeled outburst of a man who had been pushed around his entire life.
BOOM.
The impact sounded like a gunshot. Adam's fist connected with the man's crossed forearms. The giant was sent skidding back five meters, his expensive shoes leaving black streaks on the asphalt. He hit the brick wall of the café with a dull thud, cracks spreading through the masonry behind him.
Silence returned to the street, heavier than before.
Adam stood there, his chest heaving, his right arm numb and smoking. His phone, still clutched in his left hand, vibrated violently.
[Combat Mission: Survive the Interaction — COMPLETED]
[Evaluation: S-Rank (Underdog Bonus)]
[Reward: +200 Credits / Skill Level Up: Counter-Burst (Rank E)]
[Bonus Reward: User 0092's Respect (Temporary)]
The giant slowly pushed himself off the wall. He straightened his tie, though his suit was now dusty and his glasses were shattered on the ground. He looked at Adam—not as a nuisance, but as a threat.
"You have a 'Feedback' type System," the man said, wiping a thin trail of blood from his lip. "Rare. Dangerous. And very, very loud. You've just signaled every Hunter within ten kilometers that a 'Glitch' has been born."
Adam's heart sank. "A Glitch? Hunter? What are you talking about?"
The man stepped forward, but this time, he didn't raise his fists. He reached into his inner pocket and pulled out a simple, matte black business card. He flicked it toward Adam.
Adam caught it. It was heavy, made of some cold metal. It had no name, just a symbol: a golden gear being crushed by a black hand.
"My name is Elias," the man said, his glowing eyes fading back to a normal, piercing blue. "I was sent here to 'Evaluate' you. If you had failed the run, I would have erased you. If you had accepted the trade, I would have enslaved you. But you fought."
Elias turned and began walking away into the thinning fog.
"Keep that card, Level 0. You'll need it when the 'Collection Mission' starts tonight. And Adam..." Elias paused, looking over his shoulder. "Fix your breathing. You're leaking energy like a broken pipe."
Buzz.
[New Main Mission: The Collection]
[Time Remaining: 11:59:59]
[Objective: Do not get 'Collected']
Adam watched Elias disappear. He looked down at his trembling hands, then at the shattered wall of the café. He wasn't the same man who had been staring at the ceiling hours ago.
He was stronger. He was faster.
But for the first time in his life, he was truly, terrifyingly hunted
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