Kei's hands were still shaking. The adrenaline from his first kill hadn't worn off. He had won. Not just survived, but evolved.
But in the Prison of Time, victory meant nothing. Time kept ticking.
6 MINUTES, 42 SECONDS left.
He ran. The city was a labyrinth of broken streets and flickering neon signs. Every dark alley felt like a death trap. Who else was watching? Who else was hunting?
Then, the air shifted.
A deep hum vibrated through the alleyways. The world flickered.
Kei skidded to a stop, his instincts screaming. "Something's coming."
And then—he saw it.
A faceless figure stood at the top of a collapsed skyscraper, staring directly at him.
The Watcher Moves
The entity didn't move like a person. It flickered. One moment it was standing still, the next—it was closer.
Kei's breath caught. What the hell was this thing?
[ Survival Rule #3: Time does not belong to you. If you break the rules, they will come. ]
The Watchers. He had heard rumors. Timekeepers. Hunters.
Kei's instincts screamed—RUN.
The Chase Begins.
He turned and bolted down the alley. His breath was ragged, his legs burning. But no matter how fast he ran—the Watcher was faster. It didn't run. It just appeared. Always closer. Kei's heart pounded. Think. Think!
[ Rewind (3 Seconds) Activated. ]
Time snapped backward. The Watcher vanished—reset to its previous position. Kei spun and took a different route, hoping to break its pattern.
But it didn't matter.
The Watcher adjusted instantly. It wasn't bound by time like he was.
And then—it reached him.
A cold, metallic hand wrapped around Kei's throat. The world blurred as he was lifted into the air. His countdown flashed red.
6 MINUTES, 00 SECONDS left.
The Watcher was stealing his time.
Kei struggled, his vision darkening. Was this it?
Then—a spark.
Deep inside him, his Survival Evolution kicked in.
A new message appeared.
[ Survival Evolution Activated: Temporal Resistance Unlocked. ]
[ Effect: Reduces time drain effects by 50%. ]
The Watcher's grip weakened. Kei gasped, his body moving on instinct.
With a sudden burst of strength, he kicked off the wall and twisted free. The second he landed, he activated Momentary Slow.
The world blurred. Kei moved first.
With all his strength, he smashed his fist into the Watcher's head.
For the first time—it staggered.
The faceless entity tilted its head. Then, it vanished.
Not flickered. Not moved. Vanished.
Kei collapsed to his knees, panting. His countdown was still ticking. But he was alive.
For now.
The Truth of the Prison
Kei clenched his fists. He wasn't just fighting other survivors.
The Prison itself was hunting him.
But he had learned something important—he could fight back.
His Survival Evolution was still growing. And if it could evolve further… maybe he could escape.
Kei stood up, staring at the endless city ahead.
He wasn't running anymore.
He was going to break this Prison of Time.