The next day dawned heavy and tense, the skies painted a steely grey as if warning of the storm to come.
Elias, dressed casually in black jeans and a fitted jacket that accented his now subtly more refined and handsome appearance, was driving through the city in a sleek black sports car — a reward from one of the completed tasks the night before. His newly unlocked Elite Driving Ability allowed him to weave through traffic effortlessly, reading the road like a master.
But he wasn't just driving for pleasure.
The golden watch had given him a clear message:
---
"A New Challenger Will Appear Today. Location: Skyline Mall. Be Ready."
---
Elias tightened his grip on the wheel as the mall's towering glass façade came into view. A different kind of thrill surged through him — the calm before battle.
He parked, stepping out of the car with a kind of quiet authority that made heads turn. His charm and presence had amplified recently; women's eyes lingered on him, and even men glanced at him in unspoken acknowledgment.
Yet Elias remained detached. Focused.
---
Inside the mall, the world buzzed with normalcy — shoppers moving from store to store, children laughing, the smell of fresh coffee lingering in the air.
But he could feel it.
The disturbance.
The sharp, invisible current of danger humming beneath everything.
He made his way to the center atrium — a large open space beneath a glass dome.
And there, leaning casually against a marble pillar, was her.
A woman about his age, striking in a way that was both intimidating and hypnotic.
She wore a blood-red leather jacket, dark fitted jeans, and combat boots. Her jet-black hair was tied up messily, revealing a sharp jawline and eyes that glinted like polished obsidian.
And on her wrist... a silver watch, gleaming under the sun filtering through the glass ceiling.
---
Their eyes locked.
She smiled — not warmly, but like a wolf baring its teeth.
"Elias," she said, her voice smooth and chilling, "I've been looking forward to meeting you."
He said nothing, sizing her up carefully.
The watch on his wrist buzzed.
---
Warning:
**- Rival Watch Bearer Confirmed.
Threat Level: Extreme.
Caution: She has completed over 20 tasks.**
---
Elias arched an eyebrow internally.
Twenty tasks?
She wasn't just experienced — she was dangerous.
The woman pushed off the pillar and started circling him lazily, like a predator examining its prey.
"They call me Raven," she said. "I'm here to test you."
"And if I refuse?" Elias asked coolly.
Raven laughed softly. "You can't. The Watch doesn't allow refusal once two Bearers meet."
Before Elias could respond, the world around them seemed to shift —
a shimmering force field blinking into existence around the atrium, separating them from the oblivious shoppers.
Time outside slowed almost to a crawl.
It was just the two of them now.
---
New Task Unlocked:
Survive Raven's Trial.
Reward: Unlock Tactical Genius Ability.
---
Elias's heartbeat remained steady.
He was ready.
Raven snapped her fingers — and with supernatural speed, shadows erupted from around the atrium, forming into dark, monstrous shapes.
This wasn't going to be a simple duel.
This was a battle of survival.
And Elias intended not just to survive —
but to win.
---