Chapter Title: Chapter 8: The Great Escape
Chapter Content:
The agent from The Order raised his hand, and a sinister red light began to emanate from his fingertips. The air in the alleyway grew heavy, making it hard to breathe.
"I'll say it one last time," the agent's robotic voice echoed. "Hand over the crystal and come with us quietly."
Aryan looked at Aisha. She wasn't shaking from fear; she was shaking from pure rage.
[Emergency Alert: Hostile Mana Level is 3x higher than yours.]
[Calculating Escape Route...]
"Aryan, stay behind me!" Aisha yelled, pulling out her glowing shard. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light filled the alley. The agent shielded his eyes, cursing under his breath.
"Now! Run!" Aisha hissed, grabbing Aryan's hand.
Aryan pushed his [Shadow Step] skill to its absolute limit. He felt his speed double as they blurred through the dark backstreets, heading toward the main road where crowds were still fleeing from the initial chaos.
"They won't stop," Aryan panted as they turned a corner. "They have devices to track the mana signature of that crystal."
[System Suggestion: Use 'Mana Concealment' to hide your presence.]
[Notice: Copying skill from Ally: Aisha... 10%... 50%... 100%.]
Without even realizing it, Aryan's system had mimicked Aisha's hidden talent. He placed his hand on Aisha's shoulder, and an invisible veil seemed to wrap around them both.
Seconds later, two more agents from The Order sprinted past their hiding spot behind a dumpster. They didn't even glance their way, even though they were standing only feet apart.
"How did you do that?" Aisha whispered, her face inches from his.
Aryan gave a small, tired smirk. "I told you... I'm a quick learner."
But their relief was short-lived. The massive blue portal in the sky suddenly pulsed, expanding until it blotted out the stars. A roar erupted from within it—a sound so powerful it shattered the windows of the surrounding skyscrapers.
[Warning: The Dungeon Boss is emerging!]
[Quest Updated: Survive the Nightmare.]