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Auron couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed. The voice in his head—the voice of the Obsidian Evolution Protocol—still echoed in his mind, but its words felt… distant, foreign. Yet, there was no mistaking it. The surge of power, the control—it was his. He wasn't imagining it.
He wiped his hand across his forehead, feeling the cold sweat cling to his skin. The dead body of the man he'd just taken down lay at his feet. His instincts had kicked in, his body acting faster than his mind could process.
The air in the alleyway felt thick now, suffocating almost. Auron's pulse thudded in his ears, and the low hum of the city in the distance seemed like a distant memory. His senses were heightened—too much so. He could hear the distant clattering of a street vendor's cart, the faint breathing of a homeless woman tucked in the corner, the slight rattle of a chain in the next alley over.
The world was too loud, too alive. It felt overwhelming.
Auron turned and ran, his legs carrying him through the winding alleys faster than he thought possible. Each step felt like it took him farther from the reality he knew. The world he'd lived in—quiet, predictable—was slipping away, piece by piece.
His destination was simple: the only place left where he could think in peace—the abandoned train station on the outskirts of the Dead Zone. A place he'd frequented as a kid to escape the noise of the world. It was where he'd first learned to forget.
But now, as he neared the station, something felt off. He slowed his pace and glanced around. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Something was watching him.
A shadow darted across the corner of his vision.
Without thinking, Auron slid into a nearby alcove, crouching low. He pressed his back against the cold, crumbling brick wall and held his breath.
The air shifted.
It was almost imperceptible, but he could feel it—someone was there. Close.
A silhouette appeared from the edge of the station platform, a figure cloaked in shadows, their presence suffocating in its stillness. Auron's heartbeat quickened. His hands instinctively reached for something, but there was nothing. The knife from the man in the alley had fallen far behind.
He gritted his teeth. This was it. There was no escaping it now.
The figure stepped into the faint light of the station, revealing themselves. They were tall, with a flowing black cloak that seemed to blend with the night itself. Their face was hidden behind a mask, but Auron could feel their gaze piercing through him, as though they knew everything about him.
Another awakened, Auron thought, his breath shallow.
"You've unlocked the Protocol," the figure said in a low, gravelly voice. "I was wondering when it would happen."
Auron took a cautious step back, his body tense. "Who are you?"
The figure tilted their head, the mask creaking ever so slightly. "I'm here because you've become a target. The Protocol doesn't just change you—it makes you wanted."
Auron's heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean?"
The figure stepped closer, their every movement smooth and deliberate. "The Obsidian Evolution Protocol isn't something the world will let exist. It's an anomaly, a glitch. And anomalies are dangerous."
"Who would want to take me out?" Auron asked, his voice laced with disbelief. "I'm just some nobody."
The figure chuckled, the sound hollow and chilling. "You don't know it yet, but you're a key player in a much larger game. The organizations that control this world? They've been watching for anyone who unlocks the Protocol. The system has been dormant for years. Until now."
Auron clenched his fists. "What do you want from me?"
The figure took another step forward. "I'm offering you a chance to survive. The Codex Order already knows you've evolved, and they won't let you walk free. They've sent hunters after you. If you don't want to die, you need to come with me."
Auron felt the weight of the words sink in, like stones in his stomach. The Codex Order. He'd heard of them—an ancient religious group that hunted down unregistered evolutionaries. They believed systems like his were corrupting humanity.
"Survive?" Auron repeated, his voice cold. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm not some puppet."
The figure smiled under their mask. "Then you'll die alone."
Before Auron could react, the figure lunged forward, faster than humanly possible. Auron barely had time to react—too slow—when the figure's hand wrapped around his throat, lifting him off the ground effortlessly. He gasped for air, his vision blurring as his body fought against the crushing grip.
This is it, Auron thought. I'm going to die here.
But something inside him snapped.
The power surged again, wild and uncontrollable. It wasn't just a physical boost—it was something deeper, primal. His vision darkened, and his senses flared.
[Mutation Unlocked: Shadow Vein Burst - Stage 1.]
Without thinking, Auron released a pulse of energy from his core, flooding his body with darkness. The figure's grip faltered as the power swept through him, but Auron didn't stop. His body moved on its own, and in the blink of an eye, he ripped free from the figure's grasp.
The figure staggered back, stunned for a moment. Auron's pulse raced, but there was no time to think.
Before he could move, the figure's mask cracked, revealing a flash of eyes—eyes that glowed with an unnatural light.
"You're a problem," the figure growled.
And just like that, the world went dark.