Chapter 33 – Pressure Builds
They did not slow after stepping back into the open.
The shift from controlled infiltration to active engagement had already begun, and there was no value in pretending otherwise. The outer structure had been thin enough to break quietly, but the deeper layers responded differently. Movement changed, signals tightening and redirecting toward them as the disturbance spread through the town.
Jack let Blood Sense expand further this time, no longer conserving its range. The information came faster, less precise at the edges but clear where it mattered. Groups were forming instead of moving independently, their patterns no longer clean patrols but converging lines.
They were reacting.
That made things simpler.
He adjusted his path slightly, not retreating, but angling forward through the gaps before they could fully close. If they stopped here, they would be surrounded gradually. If they kept moving, the structure would continue to break in front of them instead of behind.
“Keep up,” he said without turning.
Hanna matched his pace immediately, the tension in her movement now sharpened into something focused rather than uncertain.
“I’m with you.”
That was enough.
The next group met them in the open space between two buildings, four guards moving together in a loose formation that tightened as soon as they saw him.
No hesitation this time.
No confusion.
They knew.
Jack stepped forward to meet them.
Sanguine Surge activated.
The shift settled into him more smoothly than before, the earlier strain reduced to something manageable even as he pushed the output higher. His perception narrowed, not losing detail, but filtering it into something he could act on without delay.
The first guard came in fast, weapon raised in a direct strike that would have forced a retreat if taken head-on.
Jack didn’t retreat.
He angled his movement instead, stepping into the attack just off its line. The scythe cut across the man’s side as he passed, the strike placed to break structure rather than force a full stop. The man stumbled, his momentum carrying him past Jack instead of into him.
Jack turned through the motion and ended him before he could recover.
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.7)]
[Experience Gained]
The remaining three adjusted quickly, spreading slightly to avoid clustering into a single line of attack. One moved left, trying to flank. The other two pressed forward together, forcing space instead of waiting.
Better.
Still not enough.
Jack shifted his footing, keeping them in front of him rather than allowing the angle to open. The scythe moved again, low and precise, taking the closer of the two advancing guards out of the fight before his strike could fully commit.
The second pressed through, trying to capitalize on the opening.
Jack met him directly this time.
The impact came hard.
He activated Blood Shield at the moment of contact, the barrier forming just long enough to absorb the force and prevent it from breaking his stance. The energy cost registered immediately, but the trade was worth it.
The guard’s momentum stalled.
Jack stepped forward and ended him.
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.6)]
[Experience Gained]
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.7)]
[Experience Gained]
The last guard hesitated.
Only for a second.
Long enough.
Jack closed the distance and finished it cleanly.
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.6)]
[Experience Gained]
He let Sanguine Surge fade as the space settled again, his breathing steady despite the increased output. The fight had required more control, more energy, but it hadn’t pushed him to his limit.
Not yet.
Behind him, Hanna stepped forward slightly, her eyes moving over the area before returning to him.
“They’re getting faster.”
“They’re adapting,” Jack said.
She nodded once.
“That means more are coming.”
“Yes.”
The system pulsed again.
[Level Up]
Jack didn’t open the full interface immediately. He already knew what the increase meant, but now wasn’t the time to stand still and allocate points in the open.
He moved instead, stepping forward again as his awareness extended deeper into the town.
The signals ahead had shifted further.
More of them.
Closer together.
And at the center—
Unchanged.
The cluster remained dense, restricted, unmoving in ways that continued to confirm what he had already understood.
That was where this ended.
They pushed forward, the space narrowing as the buildings closed in around them. The next encounter came sooner than the last, another group moving to intercept, their formation tighter this time, their timing more coordinated.
Jack didn’t slow.
He met them head-on.
This time, he did not rely on a single skill.
Sanguine Surge activated.
Blood Draw engaged.
The moment the first strike landed, the bleed effect took hold, feeding back into him as the fight progressed. The reinforcement settled into his body, stabilizing the increased output and allowing him to maintain pressure without losing control.
The first guard dropped.
The second followed.
The third managed to land a partial hit, the impact slipping past his guard just enough to register.
Pain flared.
Contained.
Jack adjusted immediately, shifting his stance and ending the fight before it could escalate further.
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.7)]
[Experience Gained]
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.7)]
[Experience Gained]
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.8)]
[Experience Gained]
He exhaled slowly as the fight ended, letting both skills fade at once this time. The strain followed, settling into his muscles in a way that made it clear he had pushed harder than before.
Still within control.
But closer.
He opened his status briefly.
[STATUS]
Name: Jack Reed
Level: 20
Free Attribute Points: +3
He didn’t hesitate.
+2 Endurance
+1 Vitality
The effect settled into him quickly, reducing the lingering strain and stabilizing his breathing.
He closed the interface.
Hanna watched the exchange without speaking, her gaze lingering for a moment before she stepped back into position beside him.
“You’re getting stronger mid-fight.”
Jack glanced at her briefly.
“That’s how it works.”
She exhaled quietly.
“Right.”
The sounds from the center were louder now.
Closer.
More frequent.
Jack extended his awareness one more time, letting it settle over the core of the town.
The cluster remained.
Dense.
Contained.
Unmoving.
His family was there.
Or close enough that the difference didn’t matter.
He stepped forward again, his pace steady, his grip on the scythe aligned with the decision that had already been made.
“This ends at the center.”
Hanna nodded.
“I figured.”