Zane stumbled through the underbrush, panting, every step a gamble between roots, rocks, and sudden death by superpowered teenagers.
"They're insane," he muttered. "She runs like a bullet, the blue one teleports with lightning, and the other guy fell from the sky like a damn meteor."
He skidded behind a boulder, chest heaving.
> [System Notification]
Quest Generated: "Trial of Pursuit"
Objective: Evade the Academy Students for 10 minutes without being captured.
Reward: Bonded Weapon – Blade Forged by the Void
Status: In Progress...
Warning: Failure will result in System Penalty – Attribute Suppression (-25% to all stats for 12 hours)
Zane blinked at the glowing text.
"A weapon? An actual Void-forged blade?!"
His hands trembled—not just from excitement, but fear. A bonded weapon was no joke. It meant permanent growth, evolution, power tied to his soul. But that penalty? That could kill him.
"Ten minutes," he muttered. "I just have to last ten minutes."
A blast of static exploded behind him. Blue Hair landed, lightning arcing between his fingers. "There you are."
Zane dove sideways, Voidwalking mid-fall.
He reappeared on a branch—and immediately dropped into a bush. "Oof—still haven't figured out landing."
> [Quest Timer: 09:22]
Auri shot past below, eyes scanning, golden irises pulsing like a predator's.
"They're tracking me," Zane realized. "The system wouldn't give me this unless there was a way out."
> [System Hint: Utilize terrain advantages. Disruption points marked on map.]
[ HIDDEN CONDITIONS MET, MAP ACTIVATED TEMPORARILY]
A map flickered in his vision, highlighting key zones: a collapsed bridge, a ravine, and what looked like an old ruin.
"Alright then," he said, pushing off into a sprint. "Let's turn this into a real trial."