Kei leaned against the cold metal wall, his breath still uneven. He had fought back. The Watcher had vanished, but he knew it wasn't gone. It was waiting. Watching.
His countdown continued.
5 MINUTES, 23 SECONDS left.
His mind raced. Survival Evolution was the key. His abilities weren't just appearing randomly—they were triggered when he was at his limit.
If he could push himself further… he could evolve again.
The Hidden Path
Kei forced himself to move. He had to find shelter, a moment to think. But in this city of ruins and neon, there were no safe places.
That's when he saw it.
A flickering door.
It wasn't broken like the others. It glitched, as if stuck between two moments in time. And next to it—a corpse.
Kei stepped closer. The body was fresh. The man had deep wounds, as if something had torn through his flesh. But his ID bracelet still blinked.
Kei hesitated, then grabbed it. The screen flickered:
[ Subject #014 – Status: Deceased ]
[ Abilities Acquired: Fractured Step ]
Abilities?
Kei's heart pounded. He looked at the bracelet's side—a small chip was embedded inside.
The First Upgrade
Without hesitation, he pressed the chip against his own bracelet. The system flared to life.
[ Ability Unlocked: Fractured Step ]
[ Effect: Allows short-distance movement through unstable time fragments. Cooldown: 10 seconds. ]
Kei's eyes widened. A movement ability.
He turned to the flickering door. This was it. A way forward.
Through the Glitch
Taking a deep breath, he activated Fractured Step.
The world shattered.
For a brief moment, he saw fragments of different times overlapping. Buildings crumbled and rebuilt. The sky flashed between night and day. And then—he was inside.
The room was different. Unlike the chaotic streets, this place was untouched. A white chamber with smooth walls and a single screen.
It flickered to life.
[ Prison Log Entry #07 ]
A distorted voice echoed:
> "The experiment has progressed. Subjects who adapt will gain abilities. Those who fail… will become part of time itself."
Kei's blood ran cold.
This wasn't just a prison.
It was an experiment.
And he was just another test subject.