Eric ran as if he were being chased by time itself—
Or perhaps something worse.
The wind cut across his face.
His lungs burned as if they were collapsing inward.
Each step demanded energy he no longer had.
Elena remained unconscious in his arms—
Too light.
Too fragile.
Completely dependent on him.
Her vulnerability clashed violently with what he had done just minutes before.
He opened the Midas System mentally.
The interface appeared as a translucent overlay over reality.
In the corner—
A red timer pulsed like an artificial heart.
Twenty-seven minutes had passed since Hero Mode was activated.
Three minutes remained.
The city was already visible ahead.
Low buildings.
Street signs reflecting light.
Street lamps.
The irregular layout of roads.
The distant sound of engines and horns blended with the pounding of blood in his ears.
He believed he could make it.
If he reached a populated area—
There would be witnesses.
Ambulances.
People.
Safety.
The timer read 28:10.
Eric began to slow slightly—
Preparing his body for what would come.
He assumed that when the power ended—
The chaos inside him would end too.
It was tempting—
To buy more time.
More strength.
More dominance.
But something terrified him more than the bullets that had been fired at him:
He had killed.
Without feeling remorse.
That absence of guilt frightened him.
He needed it to end.
He needed to feel human again.
The timer hit zero.
The consequence was immediate.
Brutal.
His legs failed instantly—
As if the muscles had been drained from within.
A violent wave of nausea hit him.
He dropped to his knees in the middle of the road—
Still holding Elena.
He vomited onto the asphalt, struggling to stay upright.
His body trembled uncontrollably.
Muscles contracting without command.
The air felt insufficient—
As if his lungs couldn't fully expand.
Every breath became a battle.
And yet—
With the last fragment of conscious strength—
He protected Elena.
He lowered her carefully.
Shielded her from hitting the ground.
Then collapsed beside her.
Voices rose around them.
"He was running with the girl in his arms!"
"Call an ambulance!"
"Oh my God, he's going to pass out!"
Eric tried to understand the words.
But everything sounded distant.
Muted.
Like he was underwater.
Faces leaned closer.
Hands pointed.
Phones recorded.
A siren echoed in the distance.
Faint at first.
Then louder.
Closer.
Red lights reflected across the asphalt.
His body hurt everywhere.
Not localized pain—
Total.
As if every cell was demanding payment for something that should never have been used.
A biological debt.
A cost imposed by the System itself.
He lost consciousness before the paramedics arrived.
At the hospital—
The scene was chaotic.
Elena was quickly identified as a sedation victim.
Her vital signs were stable.
But traces of tranquilizers were clear.
She was placed under observation.
Eric, however—
Confused the doctors.
No fractures.
No visible severe trauma.
No drugs detected.
And yet—
Extreme exhaustion.
Severe dehydration.
Unstable blood pressure.
Metabolic collapse incompatible with normal physical exertion.
"It's like he ran a marathon carrying weight for hours," one doctor said.
"His body went into temporary failure," another added.
Emergency procedures began immediately.
Oxygen.
IV fluids.
Cardiac monitoring.
The staff worked to stabilize him—
While discussing explanations that didn't fully make sense.
Hours later—
Eric's phone rang.
Lucía was informed.
She arrived at the hospital.
Her professional composure barely concealed her concern.
When she entered Eric's room—
And saw him unconscious, pale, connected to machines—
Something inside her faltered.
She walked to Elena's room.
The young woman was awake.
Sitting upright.
Their eyes met—
Tired.
Tense.
Defensive.
"What happened?" Lucía asked directly.
Elena hesitated.
"We were kidnapped."
Lucía held her gaze.
"How did you escape?"
A pause.
"I… don't remember," Elena admitted, frustrated. "I remember the road diversion. The warehouse. After that… just fragments."
Silence.
Heavy.
Lucía pressed further.
"How did you meet Eric?"
Elena took a breath.
"I met him in my pawn shop. He showed up when two men were destroying it. Pretended to be connected to the police to scare them off. Then he placed a gold coin on the counter."
"That's how it started."
Lucía didn't move.
But her attention sharpened.
"He bought part of the shop. Said he wanted to invest. Then I realized… he needed me to sell gold."
"A lot of gold."
Lucía narrowed her eyes.
"And you two?"
Elena's cheeks flushed slightly.
But she remained composed.
"We're business partners. He saved my assets. Paid my debt. I helped him find buyers. That's all."
Lucía absorbed every word.
There was honesty—
But also something missing.
"And you still trust him?"
Elena glanced toward Eric's room.
"I don't know if I fully trust him," she admitted.
"But I know one thing."
"He always solves things."
"Even when it seems impossible."
Lucía crossed her arms.
"That's not normal, Elena."
"People don't escape armed mercenaries and end up running through a public street without an explanation."
Guilt returned to Elena's face.
"I accepted the buyer's proposal… maybe that was reckless."
"No," Lucía interrupted.
"This is bigger than a deal."
Silence returned.
"How much do you really know about him?" Elena asked quietly.
Lucía met her gaze.
"Everything."
But she knew—
That wasn't true.
"We'll have to wait until he wakes up," she said finally.
"He's the only one who can explain how you got out."
Elena nodded slowly.
In the next room—
The monitors continued to track Eric's heartbeat.
His body rested.
But his mind—
Was far away.
The price had been paid.
And perhaps—
There was still interest left to collect.