Chrono Genesis – Blood Layer 03: Glass Spine Ridge
The terrain here was unnatural. A long, jagged bridge of glass and bone stretched across a chasm of red fog. The sky above shimmered like static, and every step echoed like it traveled for miles.
Jin walked carefully behind Rei.
"Do you feel that?" he asked.
Rei nodded. "We're not alone."
The Blood Arsenal on his arm throbbed faintly. His mutated weapon — Twin Viper — remained coiled around his wrist, pulsing softly. It always responded before danger. And now, it felt... twitchy. Alert.
Suddenly, something shifted in the fog.
A blur.
Jin moved on instinct. Twin blades slid free with a hiss just as a figure landed between him and Rei, blades spinning like twin fans of death.
She smiled. Her armor was crimson. Her eyes sharp and playful.
"Hi boys," she said. "I've been dying to meet the infamous virus."
Rei raised her dagger. "Who are you?"
"Red Viper," she said, bowing mockingly. "System Breaker, time dancer, and bounty queen. You're the price."
Jin stepped forward. "You're not from this system."
"Nope," she said cheerfully. "And that's why I'm going to kill you faster than it can adapt."
She vanished.
---
Red Viper vs. Jin & Rei
A sudden rift tore across the glass floor — time lag ripples warped the air. Rei leapt left, dodging a strike that arrived before the blade even moved. Jin twisted his body, barely avoiding a cut to the throat.
Red Viper reappeared mid-air, her twin swords vibrating. She laughed.
"Your body's moving, but your mind's still lagging."
Jin gritted his teeth. His Blood Arsenal flared with light.
> Sync Spike Detected — Emotion Level: 78%
Mutation Triggered: Blood Weapon Form Shift...
Chain Fang → Split Form: Twin Viper [Phase Echo Mode]
Ability Unlocked: Echo Step
Jin disappeared—just for a second—then reappeared behind her.
He struck.
A slash that delayed before impact. A new effect.
A time-delayed cut.
Red Viper hissed as her shoulder tore open a second after contact.
"Ohhh," she grinned. "Your toy just got fun."
Rei used the distraction to hurl a set of blood-dipped throwing knives. Red Viper blocked three, but the fourth grazed her face.
"Alright. You both got claws," she said. "Let's bleed proper then."
---
Meanwhile – Upper Ridge, Watching from Afar
Ash stood at the edge of the cliff, half-shadowed.
He watched every movement with calculated stillness.
Cael's voice crackled through his private channel. "She's engaging. Should we back her?"
"No," Ash replied. "Let her test him."
"You sure? Kid's weapon just shifted again."
Ash's voice was quiet. Cold.
"I want to see if he remembers. If the rage is real… or just survival."
He reached into his coat and pulled out a cracked memory chip.
Etched on it: Jin & Ash — 2109: Novice League Finals
Old friends. Long buried.
---
Back in the fight
Jin dodged a spinning blade, countered with a wide slash that knocked Red Viper to the edge of the ridge. She skidded, panting, then laughed.
"Alright. You're not just instinct. You're fury with purpose."
She flicked her wrist. A grenade blinked in mid-air.
Rei shouted. "Move!"
They both leapt as the explosion shattered part of the glass bridge. Debris fell into the chasm, and with a smirk, Red Viper vanished into the smoke.
But before she left, her voice echoed:
"You're fun, virus. I'll be back when you're stronger."
Jin lowered his weapon, panting.
Rei touched his shoulder. "You okay?"
He nodded slowly.
"She's not just a mercenary. She's a warning."
---
> System Notice: Blood Arsenal Sync at 29%.
Weapon Mutations will accelerate based on mental strain.
You are being observed.
Jin looked up at the sky.
He could feel them now.
The Architects. The System Breakers. The past.
All closing in.
He whispered to himself.
"Let them come."
---