Chapter 139: Saving From Chaos
Nobody no longer intended to follow Jonathan. He intended to intercept him. The crimson motorcycle roared back to life.
VROOOOOOM!!
Instead of turning toward the latest emergency marker...Nobody accelerated in the opposite direction.
The System displayed a navigation line ahead of him.
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[New Objective]
Predict target’s next destination.
Intercept before the next attack.
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Nobody leaned forward over the handlebars. "Hold on, Jonathan. This chase ends soon."
Above him, thunder rolled through the clouds.
The first drops of rain began to fall over Alkon City, washing the streets as the hunter and his prey raced toward their next encounter.
......
The rain intensified with every passing second. Raindrops struck the crimson rabbit helmet and rolled down its glossy surface. Water sprayed behind the speeding motorcycle as it tore through the empty streets.
VROOOOOOOM!!
Nobody’s eyes scanned every intersection while his mind rapidly processed the pattern Jonathan had created. "Not random..." he muttered beneath his helmet. "You never moved randomly."
The holographic city map floated before him. Red dots marked every confirmed attack. One after another. At first glance they looked chaotic.
But after studying them carefully... They resembled a chain.
Nobody narrowed his eyes. "Every jump is close enough that you don’t waste unnecessary energy."
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[Analysis Running...]
Evaluating target movement...
Calculating probable route...
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Blue circles suddenly appeared across the holographic map. Each one represented a possible destination. The System continued calculating.
One by one...The circles disappeared. Ten became seven. Seven became four.
Finally...
Only one remained.
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Predicted Probability
Target Destination:
East Riverside Residential District.
Success Rate:
81.7%
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Nobody smiled beneath the helmet. "There you are." He immediately twisted the throttle.
VROOOOOOOOM!!
The crimson motorcycle surged forward like a red bullet. Water exploded beneath its tires as it raced through the rain-soaked streets. Traffic lights blurred into streaks of color. Buildings flashed past one after another. The city’s frightened silence was broken only by the deafening roar of the engine.
...
Elsewhere...
Jonathan materialized atop a narrow apartment building.
FWOOSH!!
His black aura rippled violently around him. Rain fell through the darkness, yet strangely... Not a single drop touched his body. The aura vaporized every raindrop before it reached him.
Jonathan slowly inhaled. His eyes wandered across the neighborhood below.
Warm lights glowed behind apartment windows. Families laughed together. Children watched television. Someone cooked dinner. Normal and peaceful lives.
Jonathan’s lips slowly curled upward. "...Perfect." He took one step toward the edge of the rooftop. The black aura around his feet twisted unnaturally.
Then...
That same mysterious voice whispered inside his mind once again.
"...Keep going..."
Jonathan froze. His pupils shrank. "...Who are you?"
The voice chuckled softly.
"...Don’t stop now..."
"...Show them despair..."
Jonathan gripped his head. "...Shut up..."
The whisper faded away. Only silence remained.
He slowly lowered his hand. "...Heh..." A grin spread across his face. "...Doesn’t matter. My body... It feels incredible." He disappeared once again.
FWOOSH!!
...
Several streets away...
Nobody shot through an intersection just as police vehicles raced past in the opposite direction.
One officer pointed. "That Bunny biker again!"
Another officer shouted, "Forget him! We’ve got another emergency call!"
Nobody didn’t even glance back. Every second mattered. The navigation line continued updating before him.
Closer...
Closer...
Then....
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[Warning]
Spatial distortion detected.
Distance:
420 meters.
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Nobody’s heartbeat accelerated. "So close..." He leaned even farther over the handlebars. The motorcycle screamed through the rain.
VROOOOOOOOM!!
Lightning illuminated the entire district for a brief second.
BOOM!!
The thunder echoed across Alkon City.
Nobody tightened his grip. "Jonathan...I’m finally catching up."
Far ahead...
Hidden between the rows of apartment buildings... A ripple distorted the air. Someone had just arrived. The hunt was about to reach its turning point.
The rain poured relentlessly over Alkon City. Thunder rumbled across the night sky as crimson headlights sliced through the darkness.
VROOOOOOOOM!!
Nobody’s motorcycle flew across the soaked streets, its tires spraying water in every direction. Unlike before, he wasn’t chasing after another crime scene. He was racing toward the future.
The holographic map floated before his helmet.
A single blue marker pulsed steadily.
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[Predicted Destination]
East Riverside Residential District
Confidence: 81.7%
Estimated Arrival:
32 Seconds
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Nobody leaned lower over the handlebars. "Hold on, Jonathan...I’m coming before you get there."
The engine screamed louder.
VROOOOOOOOM!!
...
Elsewhere...
A ripple distorted the air.
FWOOSH!!
Jonathan appeared atop a six-story apartment building. The black aura surrounding him twisted violently like living smoke.
Rain touched the aura and instantly evaporated. His crimson eyes wandered over the neighborhood below.
Children were still awake. Couples walked beneath umbrellas. An elderly man slowly crossed the street carrying groceries.
Jonathan smiled. "...Perfect." He stepped toward the edge.
That same whisper echoed inside his mind.
"Spread despair..."
Jonathan frowned. "...Who are you?"
"...Show them....that hope is meaningless."
Jonathan grabbed his head. His breathing became heavier. "...Stop..."
The whisper disappeared once more. After several seconds... Jonathan slowly lowered his hand. "...Heh...I don’t care who you are. As long as this power belongs to me...I’ll enjoy every second."
His body vanished.
FWOOSH!!
...
Three streets away...
Nobody slammed on the brakes.
SCREEEEEECH!!
His motorcycle drifted sideways before stopping beside an abandoned convenience store.
The System projected another warning.
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Spatial Distortion Detected
Distance:
248 meters
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Nobody immediately looked around. "...He’s close."
The rain masked every sound except distant thunder.
Nobody switched off the motorcycle. The city suddenly became eerily quiet.
Drip...
Drip...
Drip...
Water fell from rooftops. Wind rustled abandoned signboards.
Nobody closed his eyes. "System."
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Listening.
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"Can you pinpoint him?"
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Negative.
Spatial interference remains unstable.
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"...Then I’ll do it myself." Nobody climbed onto a nearby rooftop using the emergency staircase. From there...He overlooked nearly the entire district.
Rows of apartment buildings, a playground, small grocery stores, narrow streets. "...If I were him...I’d choose somewhere crowded." His eyes suddenly narrowed. "...No. He doesn’t just want victims. He wants fear."
Lightning illuminated the district.
For less than a second...Nobody noticed movement.
Across another rooftop. Someone stood perfectly still, wrapped in darkness. The black aura immediately gave him away.
"...Found you."
Jonathan slowly turned. Even from hundreds of meters away...The two pairs of eyes met.
The rain continued falling between them.
Jonathan smiled. "...You actually predicted me."
Nobody remained calm. "So this is where your game ends."
Jonathan laughed. "Hahaha...I was wondering when you’d finally catch up."
Nobody took a step forward. "I’ve seen enough. You’ve murdered innocent people all across this city."
Jonathan stretched his arms. "And? They were weak. They existed. So they died."
Nobody’s fists clenched. "No...They lived. They had families. They had dreams."
Jonathan shrugged. "Dreams die. So do people."
Nobody’s voice became colder than the rain itself. "...You’re no longer Jonathan."
For just a brief second...
Jonathan’s smile faltered. "...What? The Jonathan I fought before..still had hesitation. You don’t. You’ve become something else."
Jonathan’s black aura suddenly exploded outward. "I’ve become free!"
BOOOOOOM!!
Every nearby window shattered. People screamed from inside the apartments. Car alarms activated throughout the neighborhood.
Nobody immediately looked toward the buildings. "Damn it..."
Jonathan laughed louder. "You looked away. That tiny distraction...is why heroes always lose."
FWOOSH!!
He disappeared.
Nobody’s eyes widened. "No!"
A spatial ripple erupted below. Jonathan had teleported directly into the apartment complex. Screams echoed from inside.
Nobody immediately jumped.
BOOM!!
He crashed through the rooftop access door.
Residents stared in shock as the crimson rabbit sprinted through the hallway.
"Everyone get outside! No elevators! Move!" Nobody kicked open apartment doors one after another. "Emergency! Leave now!"
Some residents hesitated. Others immediately obeyed after hearing distant screams.
Suddenly.....
FWOOSH!!
Jonathan appeared at the opposite end of the corridor. His grin stretched from ear to ear. "Found them."
Nobody instantly threw a crowbar.
WHOOSH!!
Jonathan tilted his head. The crowbar missed by centimeters.
CRASH!!
It buried itself deep inside the wall.
Jonathan laughed. "Too slow." He raised one hand. The black aura gathered into his palm.
Nobody’s instincts screamed. He lunged forward. "GET DOWN!"
BOOOOOOM!!
The aura exploded. The hallway shook violently. Walls cracked and ceiling lights burst apart. Smoke filled the corridor. Residents screamed as debris rained around them.
Nobody stood in front of the civilians. His reinforced gloves crossed before his face. The explosion pushed him backward several meters. His boots carved deep grooves across the floor.
Smoke slowly cleared.
Nobody lowered his arms. His gloves were cracked. "...That wasn’t teleportation..."
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New Ability Detected
Unknown Aura Manipulation
Classification:
Incomplete
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Jonathan stared at his own hand. "...Interesting. I didn’t know I could do that."
Nobody’s expression darkened. "...He’s evolving during battle."
Jonathan laughed. "So this power keeps growing. Wonderful." He looked toward the terrified civilians behind Nobody. "...Let’s test it again."
Nobody immediately stepped forward. "You won’t touch them."
Jonathan smiled. "Oh? And who’s going to stop me?"
Nobody said,"...Me."
For several seconds...Neither of them moved.
Rain blew through the broken windows. Thunder echoed outside. Every resident held their breath.
Nobody slowly reached behind his back. He gripped both crowbars. Metal scraped against metal.
CLANG...
Ice slowly spread across the weapons. White frost crawled along their surfaces. Cold mist drifted into the air.
Jonathan tilted his head. "...Those toys again?"
Nobody lowered his stance and said,
"They were enough before. They’ll be enough now."