Then I heard footsteps pounding from outside the room. My senses were sharper now, every sound slicing through the air. Someone burst in, a blur marked with the number 7. He was so fast I couldn't even see him close the distance. It seemed he wasn't here to fight, but to take No. 13.
I tried to match his speed, but failed. Even with all the power given to me by the mysterious being, I couldn't catch up. I wanted more, more than I'd been given, more than I had now.
No. 6 seized No. 13 and ran. I chased after him, though I wasn't fast enough. Then a voice spoke in my mind, telling me to direct ether straight into my legs. I hesitated, but followed its instruction. Instantly, I was faster.
But time was running out, and No. 6 was slipping away. The time granted to me by that person was nearly over. I poured the last of my power into my legs, squeezing out every drop. It felt like my muscles were being torn apart, strand by strand.
It was agony, but I caught up.
The building was a maze, and No. 6 kept taking sharp turns. At last, we burst into a large room. Another figure was there, with the no. 11 on his hand.
By the time I entered, the borrowed power had run dry. The side effects of using strength not meant for me were setting in fast.
My body faltered. Both No. 6 and No. 11 rushed toward me. I tried to block No. 11's kicks, but they were faster than I could react. One blow sent me flying backward several meters, and the invisible barrage from No. 6 made it impossible to fight back.
I struggled to defend myself, but with each hit my consciousness slipped further away.
A few more strikes, and everything went black.
To be continued…