The Target
They found him faster than expected.
A man in his early twenties.
Ordinary appearance.
Ordinary clothes.
Ordinary presence.
Too ordinary.
"…That's him."
Lila's voice was quiet.
Certain.
Alex leaned against the opposite wall, arms folded.
"…He looks normal."
Lila didn't blink.
"He is."
A pause.
"…That's the problem."
Danger Level
Her vision flickered.
[Danger Level: 62]
Too high.
For someone doing nothing.
But That Wasn't All
Lila focused deeper.
Threads appeared.
But this time—
They were different.
Multiple.
Layered.
Not one controller.
Several.
"…He's not just controlled."
Her voice dropped.
"…He's shared."
Alex Reacts Immediately
"…Shared?"
"…Multiple sources influencing one target."
Her eyes narrowed.
"…That means this isn't random."
This Is Organized
Not a single hunter.
A network.
They Follow
The man walked calmly down the street.
Unaware.
Or pretending.
Lila kept her distance.
Watching.
Learning.
First Decision
"…I'll test it."
Alex glanced at her.
"…Carefully."
Thread Interaction – Controlled Attempt
Lila focused on the weakest thread first.
Reached out.
Touched it.
This time—
No pain.
She pulled.
Gently.
Immediate Effect
The man slowed.
His steps hesitated.
Then—
He stopped walking.
It Worked
Lila's breath stilled.
"…So I can redirect behavior…"
But before she could say more—
Something Snaps Back
The thread jerked violently.
Pulled away from her control.
Hard.
System Resistance?
No.
This was different.
Someone Else Pulled Back
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…I'm not the only one touching him."
Alex Realizes First
"…They noticed."
The Man Freezes Completely
Mid-step.
Still.
Then—
Slowly—
He turned.
And looked directly at Lila.
Eye Contact
Too sharp.
Too aware.
Not normal.
Voice Changes
"…You shouldn't have done that."
Not his voice.
Layered.
Multiple tones overlapping.
Lila Doesn't Flinch
"…You're controlling him."
A small smile spread across the man's face.
"…No."
A pause.
"…We're using him."
Plural
We.
Tension Explodes
Alex stepped slightly forward.
"…Then use someone else."
The Smile Widens
"…Interesting."
The man tilted his head.
"…You're not connected either."
Everything Stops
Silence.
Heavy.
They See Alex
Lila's thoughts sharpened instantly.
"…They can tell."
New Threat Level
This wasn't just a hunt anymore.
This was exposure.
The Man Steps Forward
One step.
But his movement—
Was wrong.
Too smooth.
Too precise.
Like a puppet.
Multiple Threads Tighten
Lila saw it clearly now.
All threads—
Pulled at once.
He's Being Forced to Attack
First Real Fight Begins
The man lunged.
Fast.
Too fast for a normal person.
Lila Reacts Instinctively
She didn't move her body first—
She reached for the threads.
Grabbed two.
Pulled sideways.
Result
The man's body twisted unnaturally.
Attack redirected.
He slammed into the wall instead.
Shock + Realization
Alex stared at her.
"…You just redirected his movement."
Lila's Voice
"…Not him."
A pause.
"…Them."
She's Learning Mid-Fight
Her eyes sharpened.
"…If I can't overpower them…"
Her grip tightened.
"…I interfere."
Smart Fight, Not Strong Fight
She didn't attack again.
She watched.
Analyzed.
Waited.
Second Attack
The man came again.
Stronger.
Faster.
This Time—
Lila didn't grab randomly.
She targeted the main thread.
The thickest one.
And—
She cut it.
Instant Reaction
The man collapsed.
Completely.
Like something disconnected.
Silence
Gone.
The tension—
Vanished.
Victory?
No.
Something Worse
The threads didn't disappear.
They retracted.
Quickly.
Like something pulling them back.
Final Voice
From nowhere.
From everywhere.
"…You're interfering."
Lila's Eyes Narrow
"…And you're hiding."
Response
A pause.
Then—
"…For now."
Everything Goes Quiet
The man lay unconscious.
Alive.
But empty.
Aftermath
Alex exhaled slowly.
"…That wasn't normal."
"…No."
Lila looked at her hand.
"…That was coordinated."
Big Realization
"…This isn't just hunters."
A pause.
"…This is a system within the system."
Alex Adds One More Thing
"…And they noticed us."
Final System Message
Her vision flickered again.
[Threat Level Increased]
[Interference Recorded]
Lila looked down at the unconscious man.
Then forward.
Eyes colder.
Sharper.
"…Good."
A pause.
"…Now they'll come to us."