The inverted city's neon rivers flowed upward in slow, hypnotic streams, casting shifting violet and cyan light across the team's faces as they hurried along a suspended walkway. The glass beneath their boots cracked with every step, sending thin fractures racing outward like warning veins. Aren felt each vibration travel up his legs and into his spine. The Stability crystals had bought him time—thirty-eight now—but the new debuff burned underneath his skin like low-grade fever.
Reality Bleed – 50% transfer.
Every cut, every bruise, every bruise from the guild fight now echoed in his real body at half strength. He could feel the phantom ache in his ribs from where Vex's shadow had slammed him into a mirror. The pain wasn't crippling yet. Just constant. A reminder that the line between here and there was thinning fast.
Lyra led the way, moving with the kind of mechanical precision that came from years of never truly leaving this world. She hadn't spoken much since the vault betrayal. Her silence felt heavier than any argument.
Kira walked close to Aren, staff glowing faintly green. "Your vitals are spiking again. Heart rate's erratic. The bleed's pushing your real body harder than the potion can compensate for."
Aren flexed his hand. The fresh scar on his forearm from the shadow blade throbbed in sync with his pulse. "I know. Feels like someone's pressing hot iron under the skin. But we can't stop. Guild's probably mobilizing every hunter on this floor."
Elara stayed a step behind, eyes scanning the upside-down towers. "They'll come from above. The Spire has drop pods. Fast descent. We need cover before they land."
Lyra pointed to a cluster of hanging platforms ahead—remnants of an old arena, now overgrown with black crystal vines. "There. We can fortify. Buy time to plan the next move."
They crossed the last bridge. The arena floor was wide, circular, scarred from countless battles. Crystalline bleachers rose in tiers around the edges. In the center stood a massive, cracked obelisk pulsing with dull red light. A seasonal event marker hovered above it.
"Blood Crucible – PvP node. Double rewards for kills. Triple for anomaly kills."
Lyra cursed under her breath. "Perfect. The System's turning the whole floor into a hunting ground."
They took position behind the obelisk. Kira began channeling a wide green ward. Walls of light shimmered up, fragile but better than nothing.
Aren leaned against the crystal. "We need to talk about what happens if the timer hits zero."
Lyra didn't look at him. "You stay logged in. Permanently. Body dies in reality. Consciousness uploads fully. Like me."
Kira's ward flickered. "You never told us… how long you've been full-immersion."
Lyra's shoulders tensed. "Three years. Give or take. Real body's in a private clinic. Terminal neural degradation. Doctors gave me six months. I chose this instead."
Silence stretched.
Elara spoke quietly. "And you never logged out? Not once?"
Lyra finally turned. "Once. Early on. Felt the pain. The weakness. The machines breathing for me. Never again."
Aren met her gaze. "That's why you live here. Not because you love the game. Because outside hurts more."
She gave a small, humorless smile. "Smart boy."
Before anyone could respond, the air above them split.
Drop pods rained down—sleek black cylinders streaking like meteors. They slammed into the arena floor. Cracked open.
Guild hunters poured out. Twelve. Fifteen. More.
Vex led them. Mask still on. Sword already drawn.
Behind her came bigger figures. Elite guild enforcers in full shadow-plate. And one player Aren recognized from forum clips—Riven, top-ten duelist, dual-wield katanas, reputation for never losing a 1v1.
Vex raised her blade. "Lyra Voss. You've been declared rogue. Surrender the anomaly. Or we take him from your corpse."
Lyra stepped forward. Swords ignited. "You'll have to go through me."
Riven laughed. Deep. Confident. "That's the plan."
The arena erupted.
Hunters charged from three directions.
Lyra met the first wave. Blue arcs carved through armor. Two hunters dropped in seconds.
Kira's ward flared brighter. Held the flank.
Elara darted low, slashing hamstrings, disappearing into shadows.
Aren faced Vex.
She came fast. Sword high. "You should have taken the bounty deal."
He parried. The impact jarred his arms. Real pain lanced through his shoulders at half strength.
He countered. Overwrote her blade tag mid-swing. Reinforced Edge → Brittle Alloy.
Her sword cracked on the next clash. Shattered.
She staggered. "What—"
Aren pressed. Stabbed.
She blocked with her gauntlet. Sparks flew.
Stability dropped to thirty-five.
The bleed intensified. His real ribs screamed.
He gritted his teeth. Kept swinging.
Across the arena Lyra dueled Riven. Their blades blurred. Blue met silver. Neither gave ground.
Kira screamed. "Behind me!"
Three hunters breached her ward. One raised a hammer.
Aren spun. Rollback triggered instinctively. Rewound the hammer strike. Put him between Kira and the attacker.
He took the hit instead.
Hammer crashed into his side.
Health bar plummeted. Forty percent.
Real pain exploded. Ribs cracked. Breathing hurt.
Stability thirty-two.
He staggered.
The hunter grinned. "Got the glitch."
Aren roared. Echo Theft flared. He stole the hunter's confidence.
The man froze. Eyes wide. Doubt flooded his face.
Aren drove his sword through the chest.
The hunter dissolved.
But the bleed kept climbing.
Vision tunneled.
He saw Lyra take a slash across the thigh. Blood—real blood?—seeped through her armor. She didn't flinch.
Kira healed her. Green light washed over the wound.
Elara appeared beside Aren. "We can't win this many."
Vex reformed her blade with guild magic. Charged again.
Aren met her.
Clash after clash.
His arms burned.
Stability thirty.
Twenty-eight.
The bleed reached seventy percent transfer now. System update flashed.
Debuff escalated.
Pain doubled.
He dropped to one knee.
Vex loomed over him. "End of the line."
Lyra's voice cut through the chaos.
"Touch him and you're dead."
She appeared between them. Swords blazing brighter than before.
She fought like someone with nothing left to lose.
Riven joined her. But not on Vex's side.
He turned on his own guildmate. Katanas flashing.
Vex staggered back. "Traitor!"
Riven shrugged. "Bounty's nice. But watching an anomaly break the System? Priceless."
The tide shifted.
Hunters hesitated.
Lyra pressed the advantage.
Aren forced himself up.
One last push.
He targeted the obelisk core.
Overwrite.
Blood Crucible → Neutral Sanctuary.
The arena shuddered.
Red light faded.
The obelisk cracked.
A pulse of white energy washed outward.
Hunters froze. Weapons lowered.
System voice echoed.
"Event override detected. Sanctuary mode active. Combat suspended. Ten-minute truce."
Vex snarled. "This isn't over."
She signaled retreat.
The guild pulled back.
Riven stayed. Looked at Aren. "You owe me one, glitch."
Aren nodded. Breathing ragged. "Noted."
The arena quieted.
Lyra sheathed her swords. Walked straight to Aren.
She lifted her visor.
Her face was pale. Sweat beaded on her forehead.
She reached out. Touched the side of his face.
Gentle.
"You idiot," she whispered. "You almost died. Again."
He managed a weak smile. "Worth it."
She leaned in.
Pressed her lips to his.
Brief.
Fierce.
Then pulled back.
"Don't do that again."
Kira stared.
Elara smiled small.
Aren touched his mouth. Still feeling the heat.
Stability thirty-five.
But the bleed debuff stayed.
And the timer ticked.
21:48:22.
Lyra looked at the team.
"We're not safe here anymore. Guild will regroup. Bounty hunters will swarm."
Aren nodded.
"Then we keep moving. Deeper. Faster."
He looked at the next gate.
Already opening.
Wider.
Darker.
And somewhere far below, the chorus began to sing again.
Louder.
Closer.
Waiting.