Ethan's legs felt the heat of exhaustion as he made his way across the open plains. The wind blew around him and cut into his skin, but the cold rush of panic and fear through his chest he could not compare. Each move felt like it was taking him farther from hope and closer to his own demise.
The Rank 2 Gu Master was gaining on him. Ethan could feel it.
His body ached for rest, but he couldn't spare it. The child in his arms—no older than two—held tightly to him, his little fingers gripping Ethan's shirt in fear.
[Skill: Dash (Level 1)]
Ethan's brain spun as the system came to life; he saw a translucent screen appear in his mind, and for a moment, the world slowed down.
Dash (Level 1)Description: A short, high-speed burst that consumes 3x the user's normal running stamina, dramatically increasing running speed. The user is locked into a straight-line direction, unable to change course during the skill's duration.
Cooldown: 30 seconds
Current Stamina: 12%
The system had enabled Dash once more, and Ethan's body rocketed forward in a sudden burst of speed. His muscles ached as he demanded more and more from them, the skill's sheer power propelling him forwards beyond the limits of human capability. As the system had warned, Ethan's stamina was rapidly draining away, leaving him feeling terribly fatigued.
[Stamina: 9%]
Ethan gritted his teeth, forcing himself to ignore the pain. He didn't have the luxury of worrying about stamina. The Gu Master was fast on his heels.
The Dash pushed him forward, but as the system warned, it locked his movement into a straight line. He couldn't dodge, couldn't change direction. It was just raw speed. Ethan took advantage of the moment, moving as fast as he could toward the rocky outcrop ahead, the only terrain that could potentially provide him any cover.
But the Rank 2 Gu Master wasn't far behind. The man's steps thundered like a storm, and with every passing second, his aura of power grew nearer, making Ethan's chest tighten with dread. He needed to hide—NOW.
Ethan's Dash concluded with a sudden stop, the system notification popped up and warned him of the skill's finished duration.
[Cooldown: 20 seconds]
His breathing was heavy, and the boy in his arms felt like dead weight as he plodded onward. His legs were on fire, muscles were screaming for a break, but there was no time for that. The Gu Master would reach him in mere seconds.
Desperation set in. Ethan's gaze swept over the ground in front of him, looking for something—anything—that would provide him cover.
A coarse bowl of rocks actually jutted from the earth a few dozen meters ahead. It was a cliff created from a collection of rocks with cracks and crevices that would at least hide him to some degree from the Gu Master.
Ethan's mind was moving rapidly as he settled on a course of action.He ran-with the last bit of energy he had left-the course of the rocks moving around smaller rocks to velcrotitiesize his noise.
His heart was pounding in his chest as he reached the rocky formation. He pressed his back against the cold stone, sliding carefully behind a large boulder, hoping it would be enough to obscure him from the Gu Master's sight.
His body was still in motion, his breathing ragged, but he managed to crouch down, gently positioning the boy to the side, making sure the child wasn't in danger.
Ethan held his breath. He didn't dare move.
The wind howled in his ears, and for the first time since the chase began, the noise of the Gu Master's footsteps stopped. Ethan dared not peek over the rock, his heart hammering in his chest.
He could hear the Gu Master's voice, now just a faint echo.
"You can't hide forever, little rat. Come out and face me."
The man's voice was thick with disdain, confident in his own superiority. Ethan's eyes stayed focused on the ground, trying to steady his breathing, trying to remain as still as possible.
The system displayed another notification as Ethan waited, but he didn't dare touch it now. The last thing he needed was to be distracted.
[Stamina: 3%]
[Cooldown: Dash (Level 1) - 10 seconds]
The seconds felt like hours. Every scratching and wail of the wind sent shivers down his spine. He had no idea where the Gu Master had gone. Was he still close? Was he circling around, waiting for Ethan to make a move?
Focus. Stay still.
After an agonizing amount of time, the thudding of heavy footsteps began to take on a receding character. The Gu Master had passed him and now continued out into the plains, still arrogantly searching for Ethan as if there was no doubt that he would succeed.Ethan didn't dare to move.
After a few more minutes, he finally allowed himself to breathe again, his body still trembling with fatigue. His heart was beating quickly, but at least for now, he was alive.
The Gu Master had passed by.
Ethan exhaled slowly, finally letting himself relax—if only just slightly. But he knew better than to stay hidden for long. This brief moment of safety wouldn't last forever. He needed to move.
And yet, as he glanced down at the boy in his arms, who was still too young to comprehend the gravity of the situation, Ethan realized that his fight was far from over. He couldn't rely on Dash forever. The Gu Master would eventually catch up to him again.
His mind turned back to the system. It had given him skills, abilities. But now he needed to learn how to fight smart. He needed to find a way to turn this brutal world to his advantage.
It wasn't enough to run. If he wanted to survive, he needed to outthink his enemies.