The night was heavy.
Every alley, every rooftop, every flicker of light carried tension.
---
I sensed it before seeing it: subtle shifts in hunter patrols, rogue spirits hesitating oddly, exorcist arrays recalibrated not for me directly, but for my influence network.
---
> [System Alert: Authority Enforcer – Indirect Containment Strategy Detected]
---
"…They're not chasing me directly," I muttered.
"They're manipulating everything else… to trap me."
---
From a rooftop across the street, golden light shimmered faintly.
Chains didn't attack yet—they blocked avenues, forcing me to move along a path they predicted.
---
Hunters advanced cautiously.
Exorcists' arrays anticipated my usual patterns.
Rogue spirits acted in ways subtly opposed to my intended guidance.
---
> [System Note: Predictive Containment – Adaptive]
---
I exhaled.
"…Time to improvise," I whispered.
I activated Chaotic Signature + Emotional Grounding, but not just as an offensive.
This time, I manipulated perception subtly, making hunters misjudge spacing, rogue spirits second-guess actions, and exorcists hesitate.
---
The Enforcer adjusted instantly.
Chains twisted, forming a golden net in mid-air.
> [Threat Level: Maximum – Direct Confrontation Imminent if Mistakes Made]
---
I darted between rooftops, using gaps barely measurable, relying on timing and instinct more than raw power.
Every misstep meant being cornered.
---
Rogue spirits I influenced began acting on their own initiative—some misaligned, some subtly sabotaging hunters.
> [Observation: Indirect Influence – Partially Successful]
---
Above, Mira's voice cut in:
"Clever. But every move you make is being studied. One miscalculation and you become the puppet."
"…Yeah, I feel the strings already," I muttered, weaving through the night.
---
The city below remained unaware of the silent chess game above.
And I… floated in the eye, testing the limits of improvisation under indirect threat.
---
> [Status Update:]
— Authority Enforcer: Indirect Containment Strategy Active
— Multi-Faction Adaptation: Increasing
— Rei Survival Probability: Dependent on Skill + Improvisation
---