The Slums didn't breathe.
Cross stood in the courtyard, oil fire hissing against his bulk. The body he'd split lay cooling at his feet. His claws dripped black. The X carved into his chest burned faint red, as if branded anew.
Evan's violet lightning spat across the brick, arcs snapping sharp. "You came for me, then take me."
Cross's jagged mouth bent wider. "Gladly."
He moved.
It wasn't speed. It was weight. Every step landed like a building collapsing. Walls shook, windows cracked, the courtyard groaned as if it hated to hold him. His claws came down in a blur of black arcs that tore through air itself.
Evan Quickstepped aside, Burst Step carrying him into a pivot. His fist slammed Cross's ribs—violet arcs snapping on impact.
The monster didn't flinch. He laughed, deep and broken. His claws whipped back, catching Evan mid-dodge.
Steel pain screamed through his chest as he hit the ground, brick shattering under his body.
[ALERT] Damage sustained. Overflow surge unstable. Recommendation: Run.
Evan forced himself up, lightning raging around him. He blurred into Velocity Veil+, ten ghosts scattering, fists hammering from all sides. Each carried Vector Veil's clean strike in turn.
Cross didn't bother to block. His claws slashed through illusions, through ghosts, through stone. Each swing landed harder than the last, Overcrush compounding. The air bent with every hit, shockwaves flattening stalls and snapping rafters.
Ghosts died. Walls died. Evan's ribs screamed again.
[ALERT] Survival chance dropping. Objective shift: Escape recommended.
"Shut up," Evan spat, blood hot in his teeth. He slammed Thunderstep into the ground. Violet shockwaves blasted outward, tearing cobbles, sending Cross staggering half a step.
Half.
The monster's grin split wider. "Good." His claws came down.
Lowwater shook.
Hook Street's awnings ripped from frames. The Docks' ropes snapped, gulls shrieking into the night. The Foundry's furnaces belched flame as slag piles toppled. Even the Towers' bells tolled off-beat, stone groaning.
Everywhere, people screamed. Cross wasn't fighting Evan alone—he was tearing the city open.
Evan blurred through collapsing alleys, violet lightning splitting the dark. Cross was always behind him, steps heavy, claws gouging trenches in the ground. Speed Sense painted no arcs for escape—every path ended in claws.
He had never felt this before. Not with Pike, not with Ravel, not even with Aelira. His body wasn't just straining. It was failing.
[ALERT] Domain Network integrity compromised. Recommendation: Retreat.
Cross's claws ripped through another wall, sending bricks screaming past Evan's head. "Run faster, Ghost!"
Evan snarled and triggered Vector Break, freezing a claw's motion mid-swing. He darted in, violet arcs raging, fists hammering into Cross's chest again and again.
The monster laughed. "Good. Good! Break me more!"
Then the three seconds ended. The claw moved.
Evan flew.
He hit a water trough, wood exploding, body folding. He coughed blood, black lightning snapping weak around his arms.
[WARNING] Structural failure at 45%. Immediate disengagement advised.
Cross loomed above him, claws dripping, mouth tearing wide. "I was sent to kill you." His voice was thunder dragged through tar. "But this?" He kicked Evan into the street, cobbles cracking. "This is better."
He raised both claws. The city's breath hitched.
Then he stopped.
Cross tilted his head, claws dripping black. His jagged grin gleamed.
"No fun killing you now. Not like this."
He crouched, X-shaped eyes burning. "Grow, Ghost. Run until the city breaks under you. Then I'll come back."
Evan coughed, violet arcs sparking faint from his chest. "Why—"
Cross's claws slammed the ground beside his head, cobbles cracking in spiderweb lines.
"Because I only kill fast things."
He rose, laughter breaking the street like an avalanche. One step. Two. Then he melted into shadow, too heavy to run, too strong to need to.
The Slums went silent.
Evan lay in rubble, chest heaving, blood hot. His panel pulsed weakly.
Status — Evan Sharp Level: 10 Speed: 920 Condition: Critical Note: Domain integrity shaken. Slums bond unstable.
He pressed a fist to stone. His violet lightning crawled weakly, but it didn't die. His eyes sparked storms with each blink.
Cross hadn't killed him. Not yet.
Which meant one thing.
He had to be faster.
Registry slates blared across the city: Uncatalogued hostile detected. Black-signature anomaly active in Slums. Damage spread across three districts.
Aelira stared at the reports, face unreadable. "So, the Ghost bleeds."
Beside her, Cairn smiled coldly. Yellow arcs hissed in his irises. "Then he's not a ghost. He's prey."
Lowwater whispered two names now.
Lightning Crown.
And Cross.