Xander's chest tightened, the weight of the room pressing down on him as the last remnants of Time Stop faded. The air was thick with the unmistakable scent of fear and something darker—something wrong. He had barely registered the flicker of shadows warping in the corners of his mind when the first wave of creatures launched themselves at him.
His heart raced. I'm out of time, he thought, his pulse hammering in his ears. The glowing red numbers in his vision—Slowly ticking up—gnawed at him, but he couldn't afford to look at them. Every second he lasted increased his chances of surviving.
Xander barely had time to react as a grotesque, spider-like creature with elongated limbs skittered across the floor toward him, its fangs gleaming like jagged knives. He slammed his rebar into its skull with a sharp crack, but it wasn't enough to stop it. The creature hissed, screeching in fury as it lunged at him, its many limbs swiping across the floor in a frenzy.
Time Stop.
He froze, stepping away from the monster just as its claws slashed through the space where he had been. His heart pounded in his chest, blood rushing in his ears as he repositioned himself. A moment later, Time resumed, and the creature was already on him again.
Shit.
He gritted his teeth and fought back, but he was already starting to feel the strain. The power of Time Stop was wearing thin with each use, and the creatures… they were relentless. They weren't like the ones he'd fought before. These were smarter—more cunning.
There was no escaping them.
Time Stop.
He moved again, this time only for a few seconds. He swung his rebar with everything he had, smashing through another monster that had appeared from the shadows. The thing crumpled to the ground in a mess of broken limbs and blood, but before he could even catch his breath, something else was coming—another creature, and then another. His body was beginning to betray him, every movement becoming slower, more sluggish.
Time Stop.
His hands were trembling now. Sweat dripped from his forehead, his legs aching from the constant movement. His vision swam, but he refused to stop. He had to survive. The exit was right there, just ahead—he couldn't give up now. There was no time for hesitation.
But then, something worse happened. The shadows in the room began to warp more violently, as if they had gained a mind of their own. From the very walls, figures began to emerge—shapes and movements that defied the logic of his world. The boss. It was here.
Xander's breath caught in his throat as a new, more terrifying presence filled the room. The air grew colder. The flickering lights above dimmed even further as the creature emerged—no, it wasn't one creature. It was a dozen shapes, fused together into something far worse, a form that shifted and bled into itself.
It was too much. He had no choice now.
Time Stop.
Again, everything froze. The world stopped, and the oppressive silence enveloped him like a thick fog. But it wasn't enough. He could see the creatures moving, their outlines warping and distorting, the fabric of their reality pulling against his control. They were too many. They were adapting to him.
The seconds stretched on as he slammed his rebar into whatever he could reach, each hit a desperate attempt to push back the tide of death that was closing in on him. He couldn't keep track of how many he had taken down—how many he'd killed—because there was always another, always more.
And then his body gave out.
The next Time Stop didn't come. His legs buckled, and his chest constricted with a pain that left him gasping for air. He had pushed himself too far. Too many Time Stops in too short a time, and now his body had reached its limit.
The monsters were closing in. He could see their glistening eyes, the teeth that seemed too sharp, the claws that seemed too long. He was surrounded. He couldn't move. His vision blurred, his limbs felt like lead.
Time : 0/1100
The last thing he remembered was a single, hollow sound—a crushing blow to his chest—and then nothing.
[Temporal Displacement Protocol activated]
The world shifted around Xander. He felt his body jerk violently, as though he were being torn from one place and thrust into another. His vision flashed white, then black. Time seemed to skip in and out of his awareness, as if he were caught in a limbo between moments. There was no pain, no fear. Just an overwhelming sense of displacement.
When his senses returned, he was lying on cold, hard ground, his chest rising and falling in shallow, labored breaths. But the room had changed. It was still the same, yet different. Something had shifted. The creatures were gone. The oppressive atmosphere that had surrounded him moments ago was gone.
Time: 1100/1100
The number blinked in front of him, the stark red against his fading consciousness.
Xander's hand instinctively reached for the pendant, but it was too weak. His thoughts felt sluggish, disjointed. He tried to focus, tried to make sense of where he was, but his body was screaming at him to rest, to give in.
His mind swam with disjointed thoughts, fragments of the fight, the monsters, the boss—things that didn't make sense.
What happened?
He tried to push himself up, but his arms collapsed beneath him, his body too exhausted to function. He struggled to remain conscious, his eyes half-closed, his breath ragged. He checked the system panel.
[Temporal Displacement Protocol]
The Temporal Displacement Protocol is an emergency system function, designed to protect the user from certain death or irreversible injury. When activated under extreme duress, the protocol causes a temporal skip, effectively displacing the wearer forward in time to a safer moment—often just after the moment of imminent death or critical injury.
The Temporal Displacement Protocol had done its job—it had saved his life, but at a cost. Xander had been displaced in time, sent forward, but the system didn't know the full consequences of his actions.
He was sprawled on the cold floor, muscles trembling, as if his body had forgotten how to move. His limbs felt heavy, his mind clouded with the disjointed remnants of the fight.The dim glow of the moon caught his eye.
"Its already night , at least half a day has passed , maybe even longer..." Xander murmured.
As Xander lay there, slipping in and out of consciousness, his mind flickered back to the survivors he had left behind. The ones who would now have to face the consequences of his absence.
He had failed them.
His stomach twisted as he pulled up the mission window, half-expecting to see a grim tally of losses. But to his surprise, most of the survivors were still alive. The numbers on the screen were better than he'd dared to hope.
[Floors searched: 2/3]
[Survivors found: 35/35]
Xander chuckled dryly, the sound rough and hollow. "I really am a miserably useless hero," he muttered to himself, his voice barely a whisper. It was a bitter self-assessment, but it felt true in that moment. He had failed, and now he was left to pick up the pieces.
His vision was still blurry, but gradually, the world began to sharpen around him. He pushed himself up, the effort slow and painful, as if his body was protesting every movement. His muscles ached, each breath coming in shallow gasps. He winced as he looked around, taking in his surroundings. The room was eerily quiet now—no monsters, no threat immediately visible—but the air still felt thick with tension.
He was in the same room, but something felt off. The shadows, which had once danced and shifted with a menacing energy, now seemed still, muted—almost lifeless. The oppressive tension in the air had lessened, but it was replaced with a disquieting emptiness.
"Something big must've happened," Xander muttered under his breath, his voice echoing through the room. The quiet was unsettling. The monsters he'd been fighting had all but vanished, but their absence didn't bring comfort—it only heightened the feeling that the calm was deceptive, that something worse might be on the horizon.
Xander's eyes flicked to the mission panel again, as though seeking reassurance. The numbers were still there, confirming the survivors were holding their own, but the relief was fleeting. His time was limited.
Shifting slowly to his feet, he leaned against the wall for support, trying to steady himself. His head was spinning, but he needed to focus.
First, find the others.
He scanned the room—no sign of the creatures, no immediate danger—but that could change in a heartbeat. He was no longer sure what had happened after the Temporal Displacement kicked in, or how much time had passed. But one thing was clear: the fight wasn't over.
He quickly checked over the system panels to assess his shortcomings , a pleasant surprise awaited him.
[Congratulations on defeating [Redacted]]
[Rewards are being distributed]
So I did win?
While he was still unsure on the details , he wouldn't refuse a gift from the system , especially considering it generous track record.
[Congratulations! You have unlocked Time Mastery Level 3. Energy regeneration increased and attributes have experienced a significant increase]
[Xander Knox]
Time : (1200/1200)
Strength: 7
Constitution: 10
Intelligence : 15
Agility : 10
Innate abilities: Time stop , Time skip , Temporal shift , ???
Xander felt his physical and mental state improving at a rapid rate , while before his stats had only increased slightly he had now experienced an almost doubling in all of his attributes. Still relishing his new state , another window appeared yet again.
Reward Options:
Reaver Dagger : A small, dagger that weakens enemy defenses.
"A special Rock" : a special rock.
Tempest Bow : Deals damage in a small area.
[All magic item effects vary based on attributes]
[Due to completing a legendary feat , user can pick 2 rewards and also receives the title]
Xander was starstruck.
Not only did the options in front of him offer a direct solution to his ongoing damage problems, but he could choose two rewards—and on top of that, gain a title. Whatever that meant.
He couldn't help but grin. For once, the system had tossed him a bone. First, he decided, the dagger was a must. Ranged weapons were all well and good, but using a bow indoors was a hassle, and "A special rock" just seemed bizarre. The dagger, on the other hand, promised a more direct and effective solution to his current problem.
With a quick motion, he made his first selection, locking it in. But as for his second pick… He was hesitant. He still had a strange, uneasy feeling about "A special rock"—it reminded him of his earlier experience with the "You Can't See Me" pendant. The potential was there, sure, but it was too unpredictable. He wasn't willing to gamble on it just yet.
For now, he'd hold off , he was much more excited to find out what this "title" thing was anyway.
[Xander Knox]
Title : Ward of [Redacted]
Time : (1200/1200)
Strength: 7
Constitution: 10
Intelligence : 15
Agility : 10
Innate abilities: Time stop , Time skip , Temporal shift , ???
Title : Ward of [Redacted]
Description: Awarded to those who have completed the legendary feat of driving back [Redacted]
Effect: Grants increased resistance to existential or reality-warping forces, and boosts defence against entities that seek to destabilize the fabric of reality. Additionally, it provides a brief debuff immunity when facing creatures or effects tied to chaos, destruction, or entropy.
[This title can be upgraded through further related feats]
Xander stared at the glowing text of his newly acquired title, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. His pulse was still racing from the adrenaline, but now there was a flicker of triumph beneath the weariness. Ward of [Redacted]. It had a nice ring to it, and for once, he didn't feel entirely out of his depth. This wasn't just a useless reward—it was practical.
"Damn, this is insane," he muttered under his breath.
Not only could this title help him survive longer, especially against the chaos he'd just encountered, but it should also mitigate the negative effects of his previous ability, "You Can't See Me", to some extent. If he had to use it again in a pinch, he'd be better prepared—less vulnerable to the creeping madness that came with it.
It felt like a small victory, but a victory all the same.
Xander took a deep breath, savoring the strange sense of stability this new power brought, but there was no time to linger. The situation wasn't over. The world outside this room still held dangers—some of them even more terrifying than the creature he'd just slain. He needed to move, to keep going.
He pushed himself to his feet, a dull ache running through his limbs as he rose. His body was still sore, his muscles protesting, but the strength in his chest, the warmth spreading from his core, told him that his efforts hadn't been in vain. He had gained more than just power—he'd gained momentum.
His eyes flicked toward the door, but something stopped him. He pulled up the mission window, once again surveying the situation. The countdown was ticking down, but the goal still seemed miles away.
[Floors searched: 2/3]
[Survivors found: 35/35]
Xander smiled , "Almost done and everyone else seems to be doing well , time to finish up the mission I guess"
"Let's just hope the next fight isn't anything like the last one," he muttered, his voice barely a whisper against the hum of the room.
With a final glance back at the shadowed corners, Xander moved toward the door. He couldn't afford to stay here too long. As much as the new title helped, the threat of whatever lurked beyond this room was still very real. He pulled the door open, the quiet creak echoing in the stillness of the hallway beyond.
The cold air hit him like a wave as he stepped out. He could already feel the shift in atmosphere—more hostile, more charged. The dim lights flickered overhead, casting long, stretching shadows across the walls. Every instinct told him to move quickly, to avoid drawing attention.
His mind raced with the possibilities. New challenges awaited him, and though the thought of facing more monsters sent a shiver down his spine, he felt different now—prepared.
"Let's see what's waiting for me."
And with that, he stepped deeper into the unknown.