The air felt wrong.
Lila noticed it the moment she stepped into the abandoned facility. Not dangerous… not yet.
But wrong.
Like the world itself was holding its breath.
Her eyes flickered.
[Danger Level: ???]
"…Again?" she whispered.
It wasn't the first time.
Someone—or something—was interfering with her ability.
The Hunter in front of her smiled.
Not arrogantly.
Not confidently.
But knowingly.
"You're finally here, Lila."
Her name.
He said it like they had met before.
But she was sure—they hadn't.
"Who are you?" she asked, her voice calm but her body ready.
The Hunter tilted his head.
"That depends… which version of you is asking?"
That line hit wrong.
Her fingers twitched.
"…What?"
He stepped closer.
And her ability flickered again.
[Danger Level: ERROR]
Error.
Not hidden.
Not unknown.
Error.
For the first time since her rebirth…
Lila felt fear.
"Your eyes," the Hunter said softly, staring directly into her pupils, "they're not supposed to exist in this timeline."
Her heartbeat stopped.
Timeline.
Behind her—
A sharp sound.
Alex.
He had followed her.
Of course he had.
But his expression this time… wasn't calm.
It was tense.
Dangerously tense.
"Lila," Alex said quietly, "step back."
That was new.
He never sounded like that before.
The Hunter laughed.
"So you finally decided to show yourself."
Alex didn't respond.
But Lila noticed something.
For the first time—
She saw it.
[Danger Level: 97]
On Alex.
Her breath caught.
It had never been that high before.
Never.
"…You've been hiding it," she whispered.
Alex didn't deny it.
"Of course he has," the Hunter said, amused. "He's one of us."
Silence.
Lila's world cracked.
"…What?"
"One of what?" she demanded.
The Hunter smiled wider.
"Hunters."
Everything froze.
Her mind flashed back—
Every time Alex appeared.
Every time he knew too much.
Every time he saved her.
"No," she said instantly.
Too fast.
Too emotional.
Alex finally spoke.
"…It's not that simple."
"Then explain it!" she snapped.
Her voice shook—not with weakness.
But anger.
Betrayal.
Confusion.
The Hunter clapped slowly.
"This is beautiful. Truly."
Then his eyes darkened.
"But unfortunately… we're out of time."
The ground beneath them cracked.
A pulse of energy exploded outward.
Lila stumbled.
Her vision blurred—
And then—
She saw it.
Above the Hunter's head—
Not a number.
Not a label.
[Danger Level: ∞]
Impossible.
"That's not—" she started.
"Possible?" the Hunter finished.
Then he smiled.
"Neither are you."
He moved.
Faster than anything she had ever seen.
Alex reacted instantly—
Grabbing Lila and pulling her back just in time.
The attack shattered the wall behind them like glass.
"Stay behind me," Alex said.
His voice wasn't calm anymore.
It was commanding.
Cold.
Lila stared at him.
At the man she thought she was beginning to understand.
"You're… a Hunter," she whispered.
"…I'm something worse," he replied.
That answer chilled her more than anything else.
The Hunter laughed again.
"Yes. Tell her."
"Tell her what you really are."
Silence.
Alex didn't speak.
Which meant one thing.
It was true.
The Hunter stepped forward again.
"But don't worry, Lila," he said softly.
"You're not alone."
He leaned closer.
"Because the system watching you?"
A pause.
A smile.
"It's not protecting you."
Lila's heart dropped.
"It's tracking you."
Everything went silent.
Her ability flickered violently—
[WARNING: OBSERVER DETECTED]
Her vision went white.
And in that moment—
For just one second—
She saw it.
Not numbers.
Not danger levels.
But a message.
[SUBJECT: LILA – STATUS: UNSTABLE VARIABLE]
Then—
Darkness.