Walking had never felt like this before. The weight in my legs wasn't just exhaustion; it was as if the world itself was pulling me down, like some unseen force didn't want me to reach the city. Kael had been glancing back at me several times, his usual stoic face showing flickers of something unfamiliar—concern? But this time, he stopped completely. He turned to face me, his sharp eyes narrowing.

"Yo, kid, you alright?" he asked, his tone rough but edged with something more. "You're weak and pathetic, sure, but why the hell are you sweating like crazy?"

He was right. My shirt clung to my skin, drenched, and despite my best efforts to wipe the sweat off my face, droplets kept falling from my chin. The others had stopped now, too, staring. Zara and Kael looked genuinely worried. Maki, though—her face, I wasn't sure about her.

Kael's voice cut through the stillness. "I'm asking you, boy, are you okay? You're trembling. If you can't keep up, we'll have to drag you back to the shelter—but we're already two-thirds of the way across. Turning back ain't exactly an option."

I'd never seen Kael this... concerned before. His usual biting remarks held a different weight now. I forced a weak smile. "I'm fine. Just need to catch my breath. You guys go ahead, I'll catch up."

I needed time—time alone to figure out what the hell was going on with me. We were close; I could already see the distant silhouettes of the city's pointed skyscrapers. The stars had vanished from the sky, swallowed by the artificial glow radiating from the land ahead. But the closer we got, the heavier each step became. Like my body was resisting, fighting against me.

Logic told me to stop. If I stayed here, rested, or even turned back, I wouldn't die from whatever this was. But that wasn't the real problem.

"Should I stay?" Zara's voice was soft, tentative. She glanced at the others.

I didn't want anyone to stay, not even her. I needed space to think. But how could I ask for it without raising suspicions?

"No," Kael interrupted, his voice gruff. "I'll stay. You guys keep going."

"You sure?" Zara looked doubtful.

"He'll be fine," Maki chimed in, finally breaking his silence. "I mean, he's the strongest one among us, right? If it's just a few minutes, no big deal."

Zara was about to protest, but I cut her off. "It's alright. Really. My rune hasn't awakened yet, so my stamina's off. Plus, I barely made it through my 20 miles at level zero." I lied. I just needed them to leave, and being alone with Kael was my best shot at understanding him a little more.

Kael nodded at them, silently telling them to move on. After a moment of hesitation, they disappeared into the mist—ashy clouds twisting around the barren, dried-up trees.

When the others were gone, Kael turned to me. "I'll get you some water," he said, sounding almost reluctant. "Can't spend any coins on you right now, but I'll find something."

He shrugged and disappeared into the woods. Honestly, I didn't think he'd find water in this wasteland, but if I had to guess, he was giving me space. Maybe he was even watching from a distance. Or maybe he'd really bring water, spending his own coins on me. Either way, my opinion of him was shifting. At first, I couldn't stand the guy, but now... now things felt different.

The weight dragging me down wasn't the worst of it. I grabbed the collar of my shirt—a shirt that was once white but had long since turned brown, stained with dirt and sweat. Without thinking, I tore it off. My chest was exposed, and there, etched deep into my skin, was the rune. I hadn't shown this to anyone. With no aura radiating from it, no one had noticed. But now, under the pale glow of the night, it shone brightly, the once pale stone now blazing.

The rune wasn't just blazing. It was pulsing. Not figuratively, but literally, as if it had a heartbeat of its own. Each throb was like a hammer driving into my chest, searing into my skin, into my bones. My breath came in ragged gasps, desperate and shallow. The ground no longer seemed to weigh on my feet, but that wasn't the problem. I could feel it now—the real issue wasn't the exhaustion, or the earth dragging me down.

It was the rune.

I looked down, the glow blurring my vision. This rune—it wasn't even mine. That was the terrifying part. It had taken hold of me, of my body, and it was pulling me toward the city ahead. Every time I slowed down, it beat harder, stronger than my own heart. Every time I stopped, it drilled deeper into my bones, as if punishing me for daring to hesitate.

The Rune wanted me to move.

The Game wanted me to stop.

And caught between them, my body was breaking apart. But there was no choice anymore—the rune demanded my obedience, and it would drag me forward, no matter the cost.

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

I threw my head back, struggling to think, the pain radiating from my chest clouding every thought. The rune had attached itself to me while I slept. It had bonded to my body without me realizing it, like some cursed parasite. I didn't feel a thing at first. When I woke and saw the faint etching on my skin, I was excited, even hopeful. The possibility of using a rune, of having access to that kind of power, seemed like a blessing. But now, with it pulsing inside me, pounding like a second heart, it was nothing but a curse.

I had no choice—I had to move.

I forced myself to stand, my legs quaking under the weight of the world pressing down on me again. Each step felt like I was dragging boulders chained to my ankles. Sweat dripped from my forehead, stinging my eyes, but I barely noticed. The torn shirt in my hand, I tossed it off.

When I glanced down at my body, I paused. I hadn't really noticed before, but something had changed. My muscles had grown leaner, more defined, my frame taller and sharper than I remembered. My skin was still pale but stretched tighter over the newly sculpted muscle. How had I not seen this before? But then again, the constant agony in my chest hadn't exactly left room for self-reflection.

The rune glowed with a sickening, rhythmic pulse, every beat digging deeper into my flesh. This wasn't just some symbol carved onto my skin—it was alive, and it was consuming me. Each pulse felt like a hammer driving a spike straight into my heart, forcing me forward, demanding that I continue toward the city. I gritted my teeth, trying to swallow the screams that threatened to spill out.

Suddenly, Kael's voice cut through the suffocating air like a sharp blade. "What the hell are you doing?" He stepped out of the ashy mist, his eyes wide with shock. He stared at the glowing rune on my chest, confusion and fear written all over his face. "What the fuck is that!?"

He approached me slowly, cautiously, like I was some kind of wild animal about to snap. His gaze flicked back and forth between the rune and my face, trying to make sense of what he was seeing.

"Is that your rune? What the fuck is it doing there?" His voice grew more frantic, his steps hesitant, as if afraid I might explode at any moment. "What are you doing?"

I didn't want to tell him the truth, so I forced another lie. "I don't know how it happened," I muttered, doing my best to sound calm even as my chest burned with every pulse. "It just... stuck itself on me. It's draining my energy, exhausting me. I don't even know how I'm still standing."

Kael paced, rubbing the back of his neck, looking more and more agitated by the second. His usual bravado was gone, replaced by genuine concern. His mind raced, searching for a solution that didn't exist.

"We need to get you help," he muttered, half to himself. "There's gotta be something we can do."

"I think the only way I can get any help is in that city," I said, my voice tight from the pain. The rune pulsed harder, as if responding to the idea of moving forward. "I have to get there. If I don't, this thing's going to kill me."

Kael stopped pacing and turned to face me. "How the hell are you supposed to make it there in this condition?" he snapped. "You can't bring a rune inside the city. You know that, right? Maybe I can—" His hand ignited in a flash of orange flames. "Maybe I can burn it off."

"You can't be serious." My voice came out rough, barely a whisper. The thought of him torching the rune off my chest was enough to make my skin crawl, but there was a part of me—deep down—that considered it for a second.

With a sigh, Kael extinguished the flames, shaking his head. "What the hell am I supposed to do with you now?"

"I'll be fine," I said, even though I wasn't sure of it myself. The words tasted bitter in my mouth, but they had to be said. "Maybe I can sneak in."

Kael stared at me, his expression unreadable. "Sneaking into a city full of top players? You're insane. We'll be caught. Tortured, maybe worse. You don't even know what's waiting for you in there."

"I never said we."

His eyes widened slightly, and I could see him piecing it together. "Wait, you don't mean—"

"Yes," I interrupted. "Once we reach the city, I'll go my own way. This is my problem, not yours. I don't want to be a burden on any of you. I'm grateful for everything—the shelter, the food—but this is where we part ways." I bowed my head in thanks, knowing there wasn't much more I could offer.

Kael remained silent, his eyes fixed on the ground, shoulders tense. I wasn't sure if he was angry, frustrated, or just confused by my sudden decision. I cannot blame him. Being in a party with no man except a guy who is in the party just because he has a little crush on one of the girls. And I appeared, someone whom he can talk to, be with, share some moments. And now the same guy is asking to lead him to his death. I sure cant blame him. If anything, I feel sympathy. Finally, he turned his back to me, standing tall. Stretched out his hand. From thin air, a cloth materialized in his palm. He tossed it at me without a word.

"Wear that," he muttered.

The cloth Kael tossed at me was unlike anything I'd ever seen. As I caught it, I realized it wasn't just fabric—it had a slick, almost metallic sheen, yet felt soft and lightweight in my hands. Midnight black with streaks of neon blue tracing intricate, angular patterns that pulsed faintly in sync with my rune. It looked like something out of a futuristic dystopia, a cloak that could belong to a rogue hacker in the depths of Cybercity.

The edges of the cloth were lined with silver thread that shimmered in the dim light, catching every faint glint from the distant city lights. The material was breathable but dense, a perfect blend of form and function—armor disguised as fashion. A hood extended from the back, cut in sharp, geometric angles, giving the impression of both mystery and menace. The neon-blue accents pulsed rhythmically, like a heartbeat, making it feel alive, almost as if it were a second skin.

It wasn't just a cloak; it was a statement. Something a rebel would wear in the chaotic underbelly of the city, blending the sleek design of cyberpunk tech with the rough, rebellious aesthetic of the streets. Wrapping it around me, I felt hidden, shielded from the eyes of the world, yet somehow bolder. It was like I belonged in the shadowy corners of Cybercity, moving through the neon-lit streets unnoticed but never truly unseen. It was kind of edgy but I guess this is his taste, despite being a grown ass man. "I've spent pretty much all the coins I have left for now for that. Keep it safe and clean."

"Well then, prick," Kael said with a forced smirk, his voice regaining some of its usual sarcasm. He didn't look at me directly, but I could tell he was watching me from the corner of his eye. "Follow me."

And so, despite the agony tearing through my body, I did. One painful step at a time.