The three minutes felt like seconds. Outside, the rain turned into a downpour, muzzling the sounds of the city, but it couldn't hide the heavy, rhythmic thud of combat boots on the staircase.
Kai stood in the center of his room, the blue glow of the Neural-Link Blade casting long, jagged shadows against the walls.
[ENFORCER PROXIMITY: 10 METERS]
[SUGGESTED STRATEGY: STRIKE FIRST]
The door didn't just open; it exploded inward. A City Enforcer, clad in matte-black tactical armor with a glowing red visor, stepped through the smoke. He didn't issue a warning. He raised a shock-baton, the air around it crackling with white electricity.
"Subject 402, surrender your illegal hardware," the Enforcer's voice was a metallic rasp.
Kai didn't answer. He felt a strange coldness spreading from the blade into his arm, sharpening his senses. The Enforcer lunged, the shock-baton swinging in a deadly arc. In the past, Kai would have been too slow. But now, the System highlighted the Enforcer's movements in faint yellow trails.
Kai ducked, the baton whistling inches above his head. He pivoted on his heel, the energy blade humming as he swung it upward. The blade sliced through the Enforcer's armored chest plate like it was made of paper.
[CRITICAL HIT!]
The Enforcer let out a muffled grunt as his armor's systems short-circuited. He collapsed, his visor flickering and dying.
[TARGET NEUTRALIZED]
[XP GAINED: 150]
[BONUS: ENFORCER DATA SHARD RECOVERED]
Kai breathed hard, his hand still vibrating from the impact. He looked at the fallen soldier. This wasn't just a glitch in a basement anymore. This was war against the City.
[LEVEL UP! CURRENT LEVEL: 2]
[NEW SKILL UNLOCKED: GHOST STEP]
"Level two," Kai whispered, looking at the door. He could hear more sirens in the distance. "Time to leave this hole."