The corridor was empty.
Too empty.
Aarav pressed his back against the cold wall, breathing hard. His shoulder burned where the bullet had grazed him, warm blood slowly soaking into his sleeve.
But pain didn't matter right now.
Only survival.
"Status?" the voice in his ear asked.
"Alive," Aarav muttered.
A pause.
Then, more sharply—
"Barely."
"Good," the voice replied."Then listen carefully."
Aarav wiped the blood with his palm, jaw tight.
"I'm listening."
"Sniper is still active. You exposed his position."
"I figured," Aarav said dryly.
Another pause.
Then—
"We want you to eliminate him."
Aarav froze.
"…you WHAT?"
"Eliminate the sniper."
Aarav let out a disbelieving laugh.
"You've got the wrong guy. I don't even know how to hold a gun properly!"
"Then learn."
Silence.
Aarav shook his head slowly.
"This isn't training… this is suicide."
"No," the voice said calmly.
"This is evolution."
Aarav closed his eyes for a second.
Thinking.
Fast.
Run?
Hide?
Wait?
No.
None of that would work.
Because the truth was simple now—
If he didn't act… he would die anyway.
Aarav opened his eyes.
And they were different now.
Colder.
Sharper.
"…fine," he said quietly.
"Good," the voice replied.
"Exit the corridor. Take the service stairs to the rooftop. From there, cross to the adjacent building."
Aarav frowned.
"Cross? There's a gap!"
"Three meters."
"That's not a gap—that's a death wish!"
"You'll make it."
Aarav exhaled slowly.
"Yeah…"
A pause.
"…I guess I don't have a choice."
He stepped out of the corridor.
The hotel was in chaos.
Security running.
Guests screaming.
Glass shattered.
But Aarav ignored it all.
He moved fast.
Low.
Controlled.
Not like a civilian anymore.
Like someone learning how to survive a battlefield.
He found the service stairs.
Pushed the door open.
And started climbing.
One step.
Two steps.
Ten steps.
Twenty—
His legs burned.
His lungs screamed.
But he didn't stop.
Because stopping…
Meant dying.
Finally—
He reached the rooftop.
The cold night air hit his face instantly.
The city stretched endlessly below.
Lights.
Noise.
Life.
And somewhere out there—
Death.
Aarav stepped forward slowly.
"There," the voice said.
He looked.
The opposite building.
Dark.
Silent.
Top floor.
A faint silhouette.
The sniper.
Watching.
Waiting.
For him.
Aarav's heart pounded.
"Okay…" he whispered.
Then he looked down.
The gap between buildings.
Three meters.
One mistake—
And he was dead.
Aarav stepped back slightly.
Took a breath.
Then another.
"Don't think," the voice said.
Aarav smirked faintly.
"Yeah… thinking hasn't helped much today."
He stepped forward.
Faster.
Faster—
And jumped.
For a moment—
Time stopped.
Air rushed past him.
The ground far below.
Death waiting.
Then—
THUD!
He landed hard on the other side.
Rolled.
Pain shot through his shoulder.
But—
He made it.
Alive.
Aarav pushed himself up.
His body screamed.
But his eyes locked forward.
On the sniper.
"Target in sight," he whispered.
"Proceed," the voice said.
Aarav moved carefully.
Silent.
Focused.
Step by step.
Closer.
Closer—
Then—
CLICK.
A sound behind him.
Aarav froze.
Slowly—
He turned.
And his blood ran cold.
The sniper was standing there.
Right behind him.
Gun pointed directly at his head.
"…too slow," the sniper said calmly.
Aarav's mind exploded.
"How—?!"
The sniper smirked.
"Did you really think I'd stay in one place?"
A pause.
Then—
"You're predictable."
Aarav clenched his fists.
"Yeah…"
A slow smile appeared on his face.
"…but not completely."
Before the sniper could react—
Aarav moved.
Fast.
He grabbed the gun.
Twisted it sideways—
BANG!
The shot fired into the air.
The two struggled violently.
Strength vs desperation.
Skill vs instinct.
The sniper was stronger.
More trained.
More precise.
But Aarav—
Was fighting to live.
And that made him dangerous.
Aarav slammed his head forward.
CRACK!
The sniper staggered slightly.
Enough.
Aarav kicked his leg.
Hard.
The sniper lost balance.
For a split second—
That was all Aarav needed.
He pushed him back—
Toward the edge.
The sniper grabbed Aarav's collar—
Both of them nearly falling.
Hanging.
Between life and death.
Breathing hard.
Eyes locked.
"Not bad…" the sniper muttered.
Aarav gritted his teeth.
"Who sent you?"
The sniper smiled.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Then—
"The same people who made you."
Aarav's eyes widened.
"What does that—"
The sniper suddenly let go.
Aarav's grip slipped—
But he caught the edge just in time.
Barely.
Hanging.
Alive—
But the sniper…
Was falling.
Falling into darkness.
Gone.
Aarav pulled himself up slowly.
Breathing heavily.
Mind spinning.
"Same people who made you…"
What did that mean?
"Status?" the voice asked.
Aarav looked down at the empty space.
Then said quietly—
"Target… eliminated."
A pause.
Then—
"Good."
But Aarav's eyes darkened.
Because now—
He understood something terrifying.
This wasn't just a game.
This wasn't just survival.
This was something bigger.
Something hidden.
And something—
Watching him from the shadows.
Aarav looked up at the city lights.
And for the first time—
He didn't feel like prey anymore.
He felt like something else.
Something dangerous.
Something changing.