The crack of gunfire tore through the graveyard vault.
Elias moved like lightning — his body reacting faster than he could think.
The Watch's Tactical Evasion skill had kicked in perfectly.
He grabbed Elira, shoving her behind a row of lockers just as bullets sparked off the metal near their heads.
Quinn tackled Ox, dragging the heavy man into cover behind a concrete pillar.
"Since when did you know how to move like that?" Quinn gasped.
Elias didn't answer. His mind was razor-sharp, his breathing steady despite the chaos.
The Watch flashed again:
"Side Mission: Survive and Retrieve Escape Key"
Reward: Stealth Mastery (Level 1)
---
Damon strolled confidently through the gunfight, calm as if taking a morning walk.
He pulled out a custom silver revolver, etched with the word Judgment.
"You've made this personal, boy," Damon sneered.
"I could have let you walk out of here rich."
A bullet zinged past Elias's ear. He ducked lower, calculating.
They needed to disarm Damon or they were dead.
But Damon wasn't playing fair.
He threw something at them — a flash grenade.
There was a blinding light and a deafening bang.
---
Thanks to the Watch's warning, Elias shut his eyes just in time.
When the world came back into focus, he saw Damon walking toward them, gun raised.
Decision Time:
Option 1: Attack head-on (risky but fast).
Option 2: Cause a distraction (smarter but slower).
Elias's instincts screamed: Option 2.
Quickly, he grabbed a loose locker door and hurled it across the vault.
The crash echoed, distracting Damon's men.
In that split second, Elias sprinted forward, slid across the dusty floor, and tackled Damon by the knees.
The gun clattered away.
---
Ox roared and joined the fray, throwing a man clear across the vault.
Quinn wrestled another to the ground, using surprising agility.
Elira, still dazed, crawled toward the fallen revolver.
Damon was stronger than he looked — he headbutted Elias, splitting his lip.
"You little punk," he snarled.
But Elias wasn't the same kid he was weeks ago.
Using his newly boosted strength, Elias twisted free and punched Damon squarely in the throat.
The black market enforcer staggered back, gasping.
Elias seized the moment — grabbing a heavy locker lid and smashing it across Damon's head.
Damon collapsed, unconscious.
---
The gunfire stopped.
Damon's men, seeing their boss defeated, dropped their weapons and raised their hands.
Ox tied them up using old chains found nearby.
Quinn whooped and tossed Elias the revolver.
"Not bad for a 'nobody'," he grinned.
Elira rushed over, her hands shaking.
"You're bleeding!" she cried.
Elias wiped his lip, smiling grimly.
"Better bleeding than dead."
---
"Mission Complete: Survival Accomplished."
Reward Unlocked:
Stealth Mastery (Level 1)
Advanced Reflex Boost (Temporary)
The Watch buzzed again:
"Next Hidden Mission: Escape the Graveyard."
-
As they gathered the loot, Ox leaned in close to Elias.
"There's more buried here than just diamonds and secrets," he said in a low voice.
"There's a map — leading to something... ancient.
Something powerful enough to make kings bow."
Elias's heart raced.
Ox smiled crookedly.
"And I want to find it with you."
---
Winning wasn't just about fighting harder — it was about making harder choices.
And sometimes, the victory you won wasn't the victory you needed.
Elias glanced at the Watch.
He was becoming faster. Stronger. Smarter.
But at what cost?
---