Liam stood amidst the wreckage of the Nexus Tower's lower levels, his heart pounding as he stared at the digital constructs surrounding him. The Ravagers—AI-controlled battle beasts—had been overridden by his ability, Override Protocol, and now followed his command. Their glowing red eyes had turned to a deep blue, indicating their allegiance.
But there was no time to celebrate. The city outside was already in turmoil. The moment the VR breach had begun, the streets erupted into chaos. Buildings flickered between reality and virtual structures, NPCs roamed the streets, and unaligned players fought desperately against digital creatures.
Liam took a deep breath. I need to find Kai. He's the only one I can trust right now.
He turned to the largest Ravager, a quadrupedal beast with a sleek cybernetic body. "Scout ahead. Find any survivors." The creature let out a mechanical growl before leaping into the neon-lit streets.
Liam checked his interface. His link to the VR system was stronger than before—almost as if the world itself was acknowledging him. I can control them… but for how long?
Elsewhere in the City... Kai Mercer sprinted through a crumbling alley, his breath ragged. He had been in the arcade when it all started—the sudden shift in reality, the collapsing sky, and the monstrous figures pouring into the streets.
"Damn it… Liam, where the hell are you?" he muttered, dodging past panicked civilians. Unlike Liam, he hadn't unlocked any ability yet. He was just an ordinary player—one of millions trapped in this new reality.
A deep roar echoed through the alley. Kai turned just in time to see a Titan-Class Mech stepping through the street, its metallic frame shimmering with digital code.
"Shit."
He ducked into a ruined convenience store, his mind racing. He needed a plan. No weapons, no powers—he was helpless. But then he noticed something—the mech's movements were predictable.
Kai grinned. "Alright, maybe I don't need an
ability to win."
Liam's First Real Fight Liam's HUD displayed a growing number of enemies converging on his location. He clenched his fists. Time to see what this ability can really do.
He directed his Ravagers forward as new hostile AI units emerged from the shifting streets. Cybernetic wolves lunged at him, their fangs shimmering with raw data.
Liam smirked. "Come at me."
With a flick of his hand, he triggered Override Protocol. The wolves twitched, their eyes flickering between red and blue—some resisted, but most fell under his control.
A notification flashed across his vision:
[Override Success: Units Added to Party]
Liam barely had time to react before a loud voice echoed from the rooftops.
"Not bad, kid... but you're not the only one who can play this game."
Liam's eyes narrowed as a hooded figure leaped down. Their movements were precise, calculated—an assassin-class player.
"You don't know me yet," the figure said, their voice smooth. "But I know you, Liam Kane."
Before Liam could respond, the figure vanished into the shadows.
Who the hell was that?
But there was no time to think. More enemies were closing in.
And this was just the beginning.
End of Chapter 3