The dull thud of projectiles hitting the ground echoed through the air as Wang moved fluidly, his sword flashing in precise arcs.
The circle beneath his feet, barely a meter wide, remained untouched as his body shifted and twisted with controlled precision.
"Faster," Wang said, his voice calm but firm.
Mei nodded, her sharp eyes locked on him as she manipulated the EM waves around a set of blunt-tipped bullets, accelerating them in a circular motion before releasing them. Ne...
2025-02-15 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Are you ready for the spar?”
“Yes, I’m on my way,” Ayu transmits back.
I stretch a bit and climb into the arena, my body in good shape as I make sure to avoid any extreme exercises before the duel—a lesson learned the hard way.
Seconds pass, and Ayu arrives. She takes off her mask and walks toward me with her refreshing smile.
She rises onto her toes and leans forward, planting a soft kiss on my lips.
“How was your day?...
2025-02-14 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
The library is quiet, the faint sound of waves outside the window blending with the rustle of papers on the simple wooden table between us.
“So, what’s the urgency? Chiara’s notes?” I ask, leaning back in my chair, my eyes fixed on Houston across from me.
“Notes? That’s a simple way to put it,” he sighs, rubbing his temples. “Alonso, what Chiara sent you… it’s not a small deal. I don’t even know how to describe it properly. Let’s just say it’s far beyond ...
2025-02-13 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
October 18, 2024 - Melbourne, Australia
Pablo… Pablo is inside The Tower?
Jack couldn’t believe it. What were the odds of his two best friends being chosen like that? Wasn’t it only one million people from around the world?
And Pablo… Jack had talked to him before—he knew Pablo wasn’t even fond of the idea of being chosen.
“MAI, do we have visibility of the inside?”
“Yes.”
“Conne...
2025-02-12 01:00:05 +0000 UTC
View Post
October 17, 2024
24:00:00
“Twenty-four hours remain until the Second Ascent. Governments worldwide have declared a state of global pause.”
In New York, UN Secretary-General Elena Morales addressed the world: “This is a moment that demands cooperation, not division. Let’s remember the lessons of the First Ascent and avoid panic. Together, we are stronger.”
21:00:00
“Reports indicate a ...
2025-02-11 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Overdrive: A Brief Overview and Operational Framework
Overdrive represents a state of heightened physical and cognitive function achieved through precise electromagnetic wave manipulation. By channeling controlled bursts of energy into neural and muscular systems, this state enhances reflexes, perception, and physical performance to extraordinary levels. However, these enhancements come at the cost of rational, calculated thought, as instincts dominate decision-maki...
2025-02-10 07:00:10 +0000 UTC
View Post
Suddenly, my thoughts gain clarity.
Where… where am I?
I send out waves, grounding myself in the moment.
I’m still in the air, flying—but someone is holding me.
Chiara?
“Try to help me with the waves. It takes a lot of time to reach this speed, and we’re losing momentum,” she sends.
I snap out of it and channel my waves. Without the mask, I can’t fully counter my weight, but I give it everything I have.
But...
2025-02-10 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
It’s hard to breathe.
My heart pounds like a war drum.
The acrid, sulfuric stench of molten lava fills my lungs, burning with every inhale.
I watch it as it towers before me, poised to crush me any way it can.
I stomp hard, channeling my waves into my gauntlets to generate the momentum I need.
Its tail is already moving, whipping through the air with such speed it threatens to break the sound barrier.
But I saw it coming.
I shift to dodge, but then ...
2025-02-08 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
The deafening roar threatens to shatter my eardrums, but worse, I sense an EM wave component ripping into my mind, an unrelenting force trying to break through.
I clench my teeth, focusing my waves to push me down to the ground and defend simultaneously, but it’s damn hard. Feels like a relentless, hellish chainsaw grinding into my skull.
I roar back, pushing Overdrive even further.
The pain dulls slightly.
The scorching heat grounds me, giving me focus.
I chan...
2025-02-07 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
“To all units,” Lukas’s voice came through. “This is your first formal operation. The task is simple. Objective one: kill as many as you can. Objective two: stay alive. GO!”
Ishaam took a deep breath, the searing hot air stinging his lungs, as his gaze shifted forward to the battlefield.
The captains had already broken through the initial line of Screechers, heading directly for the boss. But for Ishaam and his team, the task was clear: hold the line an...
2025-02-06 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
I’m back at my cave.
That went pretty well.
The fights in the VR world against Houston’s generated monsters are getting harder and more complex by the day. It feels like they’re learning from my habits. Some sort of machine learning algorithm?
I glance at the time. Just 20 minutes left until the agreed meeting with Lukas.
I give my status screen one last check.
Status Screen
Stage 1 - 5.961%
Wav...
2025-02-05 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
So, this is the big day, huh.
I check the time. Still 6 hours left.
I send a wave to Ayu. “I’ll be heading over.”
A thumbs-up comes back.
I gear up, strapping on everything carefully.
My pouch of projectiles, the ones Lukas handed out that day, hangs at my side.
I’ve got to admit, they’re far more effective than I initially thought. With my current wave output, I can one-shot almost anything out there without much effort.
T...
2025-02-04 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Elena’s hand tightened around the phone.
She remained silent.
Those words. She remembered those exact words from before. It had been after the man in the suit came for the first time. He also called her then.
Viktor… Viktor Ivanov.
“So, you’re with them?” she finally said, her voice low, controlled.
“You could say something like that,” came the familiar voice on the other side.
“Since when?”
“Does it matt...
2025-02-03 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Should we introduce each other first, Lieutenant?” Diego suggested, his tone easy and confident.
“Eh… sure. I mean, yes,” Ishaam said, slightly taken aback. He took a deep breath to steady himself. “My name’s Ishaam Ansari, but you can just call me Ishaam—no need for formalities. I’ve got a bit of combat experience. I used to head out with some hunting squads and even led a small group before… well, most of them aren’t here anymore.” His voice dipped briefly bef...
2025-02-01 01:08:41 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Hah… hah…” my breaths come in ragged gasps, my chest heaving from the strain.
I’m drenched in sweat, my muscles screaming for mercy, my head pounding as if stuffed with needles.
Ayu stands on the other side, her chest rising and falling, sweat trailing down her neck.
“So, 27 to 43,” I manage between breaths. “Shall we call it a day?”
She hesitates, her gaze steady, then sighs. “You really went all out, didn’t you? Alright. You win.”
F...
2025-02-01 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
My body feels utterly destroyed. Every muscle screams in agony.
The sting hits hard as I slide my gauntlets on, the cold metal biting into the open wounds on my hands.
And Ayu’s spar is in a couple of minutes.
Damn it.
I should’ve stopped earlier. Got too carried away.
My eyes drop to my bare feet, grimy and sore. Still haven’t found the time to make new boots. The stench of sweat and blood clings to me like an unwelcome second skin.
Hope Ayu...
2025-01-31 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Thank you for putting your trust in me,” Lukas said, as the crowd grew silent, their gazes now fixed on him with a renewed resolve. “But I am just one, and I will need your help. For that reason, I’ll start with my first command: the new organization we’ll follow moving forward.”
The group’s expressions turned serious, their focus sharpening.
“You will be assigned to three squads of seven. Each squad will be composed of two three-man units, led by a lieutenant, an...
2025-01-30 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
I remain silent, staring at Houston.
A monster? Chiara? Will she really become that strong if she manages to get through this?
“And what are the odds of this working? Is it a sure outcome?”
“Well, I have no idea. Both Chiara’s mental state and the complexity of the model she is working on are variables I can’t quantify, so… I cannot answer that. If I had to guess, I’d say it could either work suddenly after a moment of enlightenment, never work at all,...
2025-01-29 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
Give everything?
I wonder how many of them truly grasp the weight of those words.
As for me… hmm… I’d give everything for Mom and Ayu. The world inside The Tower may be fake, but Ayu? She’s here and she is real.
I glance at her briefly, standing beside me, her sword grip resting against her heart.
I guess we’ve fulfilled the second favor.
I send a wave to Lukas. “I only caught the second half, but nice speech.”
He stays focus...
2025-01-28 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ishaam couldn’t believe his eyes.
The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson, casting a surreal glow over the breathtaking landscape before them.
Paradise.
It was, without question, one of the most beautiful places he had ever seen.
He glanced at the others. They were just as stunned, their expressions mirroring his awe.
So this was the rumored Isles. The last region.
His gaze shifte...
2025-01-27 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Thank you, guys. Really,” Lukas says as he approaches, carrying Chiara in his arms.
She seems to be sound asleep, her face slightly pale but oddly peaceful.
Before I can react, Ayu steps forward, taking Chiara from Lukas’ arms with ease.
“It’s okay,” Ayu says softly, holding her securely as she gazes at her face.
“Well, that’s it,” Lukas says, turning to me. “See you guys tomorrow… hopefully.”
He flashes a grin, gives a quick wave, and da...
2025-01-25 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
“So,” she says, her voice light and playful, “what were you saying about dancing?”
I smile at her, but the moment breaks as I catch a shift in my incoming waves.
Someone’s coming.
Ayu notices the change in my expression. “What happened?”
I focus on the waves, mapping out the approaching figure.
“It’s Lukas.”
“Lukas?” Ayu shifts her gaze toward the direction of his approach, her senses clearly picking up on it too.
We w...
2025-01-24 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
I wake up.
I feel her embrace, her hand still caressing my hair. It slows as she notices my subtle reaction, but she remains silent… and so do I.
I don’t want to move. I just… want to stay here. It feels good.
It reminds me of simpler times, when my mom would cradle me like this and take all my worries away.
I feel so… safe. So at peace, like all the chaos of the world has melted away. It’s like I’ve zoomed out of reality and drifted to another place—a sp...
2025-01-23 01:00:05 +0000 UTC
View Post
Chiara sighed as she took the orb from the octopus. It was the 14th one today. She glanced at the sun, now sinking low on the horizon. Maybe three more, then call it a day.
She checked the last update on everyone’s locations, hoping Rakesh’s team had finally answered. Nothing.
Great. First Arjun, now them. Who else wants to go off the radar?
Dammit. They were probably up to no good.
Whatever. With the seven of them toget...
2025-01-22 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
“Damn, these Screechers are something else,” Manoj said, playing with the sword in his hand.
“Well, we sure know how they got their names. That constant buzzing is fucking hell, man,” another chimed in, massaging the back of his neck.
“I still can’t believe Arjun hunted these beasts alone. They say he’s already in the last region, going solo. Damn, talk about being a freak,” Manoj continued.
Rakesh, however, narrowed his eyes. “Arjun is very talented. He le...
2025-01-21 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
One of the rocks suddenly slips through, throwing off my rhythm, and the rest follow suit, clattering to the ground.
Shit.
I pause, taking a break as my breathing comes in ragged gasps, my body drenched in sweat.
Fuck that psychopath.
Running all the way from the Isles to the volcanic region—a journey of over 400 km—was manageable, but doing it while maintaining a decent level of Overdrive non-stop and at full speed? That was a whole different thi...
2025-01-20 01:00:04 +0000 UTC
View Post
I feel subtle movements and wake up, instantly alert.
But my wary eyes soften as they meet hers, her face so close, her beautiful eyes glistening with a quiet intensity.
“I hope you had a good rest,” she says.
Memories of last night flood back. If I’m honest with myself, I’ve never experienced pleasure so intense in my entire life. It was… intoxicating.
I lift my hand, brushing her cheek gently.
“I was in heaven.”
She grins, her expre...
2025-01-18 01:00:03 +0000 UTC
View Post
Warning: This bonus chapter contains explicit sexual content. Reader discretion is advised.
Note: Bonus chapters do not contribute to the main storyline. Feel free to skip them.
Ayu's pulse raced as the sparring match came to an end. Sweat clung to her skin, and her breaths came in shallow gasps.
Across from her, he stood, his chest heaving, his broad frame radiating power, and that maddening grin curling at his lips...
2025-01-17 01:30:01 +0000 UTC
View Post
Ayu closed her eyes, focusing on the feeling once again, her waves following the patterns Alonso had shown her.
She could feel her body responding, her senses growing refined and her mind more alert. She felt… stronger.
The world around her became clearer, the sounds sharper, the smell more distinct, the touch of the wind on her skin vivid. It was like a black-and-white painting had suddenly gained color.
Her heart beat faster, and every muscle in her body felt pr...
2025-01-17 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
October 12, 2024 - Isan, Thailand
Santi calmly stared at the setting sun.
He still couldn’t believe she had the nerve to come. His shaky hand contorted, gripping the armrest of his chair as his teeth clenched.
How… how had he fallen for such a woman?
It was his greatest regret in life. He… he thought Ayu needed a mother to be raised properly. Back then, he had been young, a promising fighter, with a lot of beautiful wome...
2025-01-16 01:00:02 +0000 UTC
View Post
