The city streets felt hollow as Aiden, Mira, and Garvey moved swiftly through the abandoned neighborhoods. A thick layer of tension hung in the air, the quiet punctuated by the distant rumble of unseen chaos. The Cataclysm hadn't fully hit yet, but the tremors of its arrival were everywhere—the hum of the System, the darkened skies, and the strange, eerie energy that seemed to pulse from the ground.
Mira walked beside Aiden, her face pale but her eyes sharp with determination. Garvey led the way, his massive sword still drawn, the weight of his presence making Aiden feel more secure, even with the looming threat of the Hunters still fresh in his mind.
Mira's earlier question echoed in Aiden's head: What is this System? He had tried to explain, but the truth was, even he didn't fully understand it. The System governed everything—every action, every quest, every fight. And now, it was actively hunting them.
He glanced at Mira as they walked. She was stronger than he had anticipated, her fear tempered by resolve. He could see it in the way she carried herself, the set of her jaw. She wasn't the same person from the old timeline—the one who had always been a step behind, just trying to survive. This time, she was different, and Aiden couldn't help but wonder if it had something to do with her visions.
Garvey came to an abrupt stop, and Aiden nearly bumped into him. The older man raised his hand, signaling silence. Aiden felt his pulse quicken. What now?
"We're close," Garvey muttered, his voice low and controlled. "The anomalies should be nearby. They've been watching us since we left the apartment."
Aiden blinked. "They've been following us?"
Garvey nodded, his eyes scanning the area. "They like to observe from a distance before revealing themselves. Testing you, seeing if you're worth their time."
Mira's grip on her bag tightened. "And what if they don't think we're worth it?"
Garvey gave her a sidelong glance. "They'll think twice after they see what we can do. Stay ready."
Aiden wasn't sure what to expect. He'd barely wrapped his head around the idea of anomalies, and now they were on the verge of meeting others like Mira. Were they all rogue players, hidden from the System's reach? Or something else entirely? Either way, he needed allies if he was going to survive this reset.
The streets opened up into a wide courtyard, surrounded by decrepit buildings that had long since fallen into disrepair. The place was eerily still, but Aiden could feel eyes on him—an almost tangible presence lurking in the shadows.
Garvey stopped in the center of the courtyard, his voice steady but commanding. "We know you're here. No point in hiding anymore."
At first, there was silence. Then, slowly, one by one, figures began to emerge from the shadows. They appeared from behind crumbling buildings and stepped out of alleyways, moving with an air of quiet confidence. There were about half a dozen of them, men and women, all with a similar look of hardened experience in their eyes. They wore mismatched gear—armor, cloaks, weapons—but each radiated a sense of power.
One of them, a tall woman with short-cropped hair and a scar running across her cheek, stepped forward, her gaze locked on Garvey. "You've brought new blood." Her voice was sharp, carrying authority.
Garvey gave her a curt nod. "This is Aiden Hoshino. And this is Mira Akiyama, an anomaly."
The woman's eyes flicked toward Aiden, her expression unreadable. "An anomaly? And she's still alive? Impressive."
Aiden bristled at the coldness in her voice, but before he could respond, Mira spoke up, her voice stronger than he had expected. "I don't know what's happening, but I'm not going to be erased. If you're here to help, then help."
The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by Mira's boldness. She glanced at Garvey, then back at Mira, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "You've got spirit. We'll see how long that lasts."
Another man stepped forward, this one lean and muscular, with a serious, focused expression. His dark skin gleamed under the dim light, and his eyes were sharp with intelligence and experience. He wore light armor and carried a long spear on his back. The others gave him a bit of space, a sign that he held some authority among them.
"Name's Garvey," he said, his voice rich and deep, like distant thunder. "I've been expecting you, Aiden."
Aiden blinked, caught off guard. Another Garvey? For a moment, he looked between Garvey—the man who had saved him—and this newcomer. The realization hit him quickly. This wasn't a coincidence. Garvey was an anomaly, too—a key player in every timeline, every reset.
The taller Garvey, the one with the spear, offered a faint smirk, almost as if he could read Aiden's confusion. "Relax. Same name, different story. We've been keeping an eye on you for a while now."
Aiden frowned. "On me? Why?"
Garvey—the spear-wielding one—stepped closer, his gaze intense. "Because you're the wildcard. You're not like the rest of us. You're a piece the System couldn't account for, and that makes you dangerous. To the System—and to us."
Mira looked between the two Garveys, her confusion evident. "You've been watching us? How long?"
Garvey gave her a sharp look. "Long enough to know you're worth saving. The System's tightening its grip on you both. We can't afford to let anomalies like you get erased."
The tall woman from earlier crossed her arms, her expression cold but thoughtful. "This is the second reset we've seen in this timeline. The System's panicking. Something's off, and it's reacting more aggressively than ever. Hunters everywhere, anomalies being erased faster than we can keep track."
Garvey (the spear-wielding one) gave Aiden a serious look. "We need to know if you're with us. This isn't just about surviving. It's about tearing down the System, piece by piece."
Aiden felt the weight of the decision pressing on him. He had already made up his mind about fighting back against the Architect. But now, standing in front of a group of people who had already been fighting for so long, he realized the stakes were even higher than he'd imagined.
"I'm with you," Aiden said, his voice steady. "But how do we take down something that controls everything?"
Garvey's eyes gleamed with a quiet intensity. "By breaking its hold over people. The System relies on the players, on their belief in its rules. The more people we free, the weaker the System becomes."
The woman nodded in agreement. "The Architect's not omnipotent. It's just powerful. But if we find the source of its power, we can cut it off. That's why we're here."
Mira stepped forward, her voice firm. "And what about me? What do I do?"
Garvey glanced at her, his expression softening just slightly. "Your visions—those aren't just random premonitions. They're echoes of other timelines, other resets. We need to figure out what the System is hiding, and your visions might be the key."
Aiden's mind raced. Mira's visions were more than just warnings—they were fragments of the Architect's grand design, glimpses into a future the System desperately wanted to control. If they could figure out how to use them, maybe they had a chance.
But then, the silence was shattered by a low, mechanical hum.
Everyone tensed, and Aiden instinctively reached for his dagger. The hum grew louder, vibrating through the ground, the air thickening with tension. He didn't need Garvey to tell him what it was.
The Hunters had found them.
"Get ready," Garvey said, his voice cold and calm, his spear gleaming in the dim light. "They're here."
From the far end of the courtyard, the air shimmered. The Hunters emerged from the shadows, their forms flickering with ethereal power, their pale masks gleaming like beacons of death.
There were five of them—more than Aiden had ever faced at once. His heart pounded in his chest. They were outnumbered, but he wasn't alone this time. Garvey, Mira, and the other anomalies stood beside him, each ready to fight.
Garvey's eyes narrowed as he took in the sight of the Hunters. "This is just the beginning."
The tall woman from earlier pulled out two short blades, her expression fierce. "Let's give them hell."
Aiden tightened his grip on his dagger, his pulse quickening. He had come too far to turn back now. The Hunters were relentless, the System unforgiving—but he had something they didn't.
Hope.