CHAPTER 2
Snap!
The moment my fingers met, the world froze.
No—almost froze.
I didn't wait to admire it.
I bolted straight toward the staircase, my boots slamming against the concrete steps as I rushed downward. My breath came out sharp and uneven, echoing in the empty space.
"Move… move… move…"
Even with time stopped, I didn't feel safe.
Because this wasn't normal anymore.
Release!
Time snapped back violently.
"Damn it!"
I gritted my teeth and pushed myself faster.
"They're adapting…"
My chest tightened.
Those bastards… they had resistance now.
Not full immunity but enough.
Enough to kill me if I made one mistake.
I kept running, skipping steps, nearly tripping as I reached the lower floors.
The exit.
The main gate.
It was still open.
Too open.
Too quiet.
I slowed down.
"…No way."
Ten years.
Ten years of running, killing, surviving.
I wasn't the same stupid 19-year-old anymore.
"This is a trap."
My eyes scanned everything.
The shadows.
The angles.
The silence.
Then
There.
A faint glint.
"…Sniper."
My body reacted instantly.
I shifted direction and dashed toward the emergency door on the side.
BANG!
A shot rang out.
A sharp electric crack followed.
"Shit!"
That wasn't a normal bullet.
"That's a stun sniper…"
I felt a chill run down my spine.
Those things were designed for me.
Designed to disrupt my ability.
"…If that hits me, I'm done."
I slammed the emergency door open and rushed inside.
My earpiece crackled.
"My day, my day…"
I tapped it quickly.
"Louise! Louise, can you hear me?!"
A brief static.
Then
"Yeah, Tyron. I hear you."
Relief.
But only a little.
"What's happening there?" I asked, still running through the narrow hallway.
Her voice was strained.
"…It's bad."
Gunshots echoed faintly through the connection.
"We're holding them off near the old 24 Hours News building, but the place is a mess."
My heart dropped.
"Damn it… what happened?!"
"One of our guys got hit," she replied.
"Hit by what?"
"A stun machine gun."
"…What?!"
I nearly stopped.
"Why didn't you use your Lightning Charge?! That thing bypasses stun resistance!"
"…It wasn't a normal stun gun."
My stomach sank.
"It's a penetration-type. It goes through immunity."
"…You're kidding me."
"No."
Gunfire exploded in the background.
"These weapons are insane, Tyron!"
I clenched my jaw.
"…I'll call you later. Focus on your side."
"Yeah."
The line cut.
I reached the end of the hallway—
And froze.
"Hey!"
Voices.
"Tyron's here! Emergency exit!"
Hunters.
Multiple.
"…Damn it."
They were waiting.
Of course they were.
I exhaled slowly.
"…Alright."
My fingers rose.
"Let's play."
TIME STOP 5%
Snap! And then silence
Everything stop
But not completely.
Their eyes and Their fingers.
They were moving.
Slowly.
"…Yeah," I muttered.
"You've adapted."
One of the hunters twitched, forcing his arm upward.
"…F—freeze… not… fully…"
I smirked.
"Impressive."
I stepped forward, casually walking between them.
"But not enough."
Another hunter gritted his teeth, struggling to aim his gun at me.
"How about… I just… pull the trigger… and end this?"
He smiled weakly.
"Do it."
I tilted my head.
"Then what?"
His lips trembled.
"The generals… will come for you… time freak…"
I chuckled.
"Generals?"
I leaned closer to him.
"Even your generals can't kill me."
My eyes scanned all of them.
"…And there's only ten of you."
I raised one of their guns.
Pulled the trigger—
Nothing happened.
Of course.
Time was stopped.
The bullet hung inside the chamber.
Frozen.
I walked around them.
One by one.
Taking their weapons.
Checking their gear.
"…Ten guns."
A grin spread across my face.
"Ten deaths."
I paused in front of one of them.
His name badge caught my eye.
"…Park Nimyu."
I nodded slightly.
"Nice name."
From his pocket
A device.
"…Oh?"
I pulled it out.
"A stun bomb."
My grin widened.
"Perfect."
I pulled the pin.
Gently dropped it at their feet.
I turned.
And ran.
As fast as I could.
Every step burning.
Every muscle screaming.
"Move…!"
My vision blurred as I pushed myself toward the next building.
Toward escape.
Toward survival.
Release.
Time exploded back into motion.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Gunshots erupted
All at once.
Bullets that were aimed earlier now fired instantly.
Piercing through their own formation.
Confusion.
Panic.
Then
BOOM!
The stun bomb detonated.
A massive shockwave ripped through the hallway.
Electric pulses surged
Bodies dropped.
Silence returned.
I didn't look back.
"My day—my day—Louise!"
I tapped my earpiece while running across the broken street.
"Where are you?!"
She answered quickly this time.
"We're at the first town—no hunters here yet."
"Good."
"Can you make it?"
I looked ahead.
The distant outline of buildings.
"I have to."
I ran.
Faster.
Harder.
My legs felt like they were breaking.
"…Come on…"
The town grew closer.
Shapes became clearer.
Figures.
People.
My people.
They were waving.
"TYRON!"
"Over here!"
"Faster!"
Their voices reached me.
"…Almost…"
My breathing collapsed.
My legs shook violently.
"…Just a little more…"
I pushed forward.
One final burst—
I jumped.
Reached out—
BANG!
A sniper shot echoed.
The bullet flew past me.
Missed.
"…!"
I hit the ground, rolling forward.
Safe.
"Alpha 1, target escaped."
A distant voice crackled from somewhere behind.
"…Let him go."
Another voice replied.
"There's still time."
Hands grabbed me.
"Tyron!"
"You made it!"
"Sit down!"
I collapsed, breathing heavily.
"…Water…"
Someone handed me a bottle.
I drank greedily.
"…They'll come here…"
Then—
A voice.
Serious.
"Louise… we have a problem."
She turned.
"What?"
"…We're out of gas."
Silence.
"…What do you mean?" she asked slowly.
"We just filled it yesterday."
"I know."
The man shook his head.
"But the storage tank is leaking."
"…Damn it."
Louise clenched her fists.
"We can't stay mobile like this."
I leaned back, exhausted.
"…Then we hide."
She looked at me.
"…Where?"
I pointed toward a nearby building.
"That one."
Old.
Quiet.
Abandoned.
"…Looks safe enough."
Another teammate spoke.
"Or we stay here for now. Everyone's exhausted."
He wasn't wrong.
We were all barely standing.
I sighed.
"…Fine."
"But we don't drop our guard."
I pulled out a device from my bag.
"…I'll handle detection."
I activated it.
A faint hum spread outward.
"Immunity field," I muttered.
"They won't sense us easily now."
The others began setting up.
Barricades.
Positions.
Minimal noise.
I leaned against the wall.
Closing my eyes.
"…We move tomorrow."
My voice was low.
Tired.
"But tonight…"
I exhaled slowly.
"…We rest."
In the darkness
With enemies closing in
With time itself as my weapon
I finally allowed myself to breathe.