I am The Weakest Among Them, But I Don't Really Care.

The mechanical voice's cold warning echoed in Carter's ears: "Run."

His legs moved on instinct. The throbbing pain from his collision with the wall barely registered as he sprinted deeper into the labyrinth of alleys. Behind him, the cacophony of the portal break continued to grow louder. Crimson flashes lit the city's skyline, and distant screams painted a picture of unrestrained chaos.

Carter didn't look back. He didn't need to. The low-level monsters might have fled from him, but the looming presence of something far more dangerous had settled over the air. Whatever had crawled out of that portal wasn't just a threat to him—it was a threat to the entire city.

Turning another corner, Carter stumbled into a wider avenue. This part of the district was almost unrecognizable. Shopfronts lay in ruins, glass littered the streets, and the mangled remains of vehicles smoldered under the crimson glow. A Hunter's corpse lay slumped against a car, his weapon—a massive, two-handed sword—still gripped tightly in his lifeless hands.

Carter slowed, his breath hitching as he eyed the weapon. His brain screamed at him to keep moving, but the voice in his head whispered otherwise: You'll need something to survive.

Against his better judgment, Carter edged closer to the corpse. His heart pounded as he knelt down, prying the blade from the Hunter's stiff fingers. It was far heavier than he expected, and he nearly dropped it. The metal gleamed faintly, intricate runes carved into its surface. A faint hum of power emanated from the weapon, but Carter could tell immediately it was far beyond his ability to wield.

"Item Incompatible," the system's voice chimed, as if mocking him.

"Yeah, no kidding," Carter muttered, dropping the blade. It clattered noisily to the ground, and he winced at the sound. He needed to move—standing still in a war zone was a death sentence. He readjusted his backpack and started to run again.

The alleyways and ruins blurred together as he pushed forward. The chaos behind him felt like it was growing closer, the oppressive heat of the portal's energy pressing against his back. Carter's lungs burned, and his legs screamed in protest, but he didn't stop. He couldn't.

Just as his strength began to falter, he stumbled into a partially collapsed building. The interior was dark, and the air was stale with dust and mildew. It wasn't much, but it would have to do as a hiding spot. Carter pressed himself into a shadowy corner, his back against a crumbling wall. He tried to calm his breathing, but his heart pounded in his chest like a drum.

The moments stretched into minutes. Outside, the sounds of the battle continued. Explosions rocked the streets, and the guttural roars of monsters reverberated through the air. But Carter's immediate surroundings remained eerily quiet.

"Okay," he whispered to himself. "Just...breathe. Figure out what the hell is going on."

He glanced at his wristwatch. The stats screen had changed dramatically:

Name: Carter Hayes

Level: Unranked

Status: Exempt

Abilities: Unique System Override

Threat Radius: 20m (Active)

"Threat radius?" Carter frowned, his eyes narrowing at the new term. He hadn't seen anything like it on a standard system interface. He tapped the watch, hoping for an explanation. Instead, a map appeared on the cracked display. A glowing red circle surrounded a small blue dot—him.

Suddenly, the voice returned:

"Hostiles within range: 3. Priority Level: Low."

Carter stiffened, his eyes darting to the building's shattered entrance. Outside, three humanoid figures appeared, their movements unnervingly fluid. At first glance, they could have been mistaken for humans, but the way their elongated limbs bent and twisted betrayed their monstrous nature. Their skin was a sickly gray, and their eyes glowed faintly in the dim light.

The creatures sniffed the air, their heads snapping in unison toward the building. Carter's blood ran cold. They had found him.

The system's voice chimed again, disturbingly calm:

"Commence combat or remain hidden."

"Great options," Carter muttered bitterly.

The creatures crept closer, their steps deliberate and predatory. Carter gritted his teeth, his mind racing. He wasn't a fighter. He'd barely survived scraps with schoolyard bullies, let alone monsters from another dimension. But staying hidden wasn't an option either. If they found him…

His eyes darted around the room, searching for anything he could use. His gaze settled on a jagged piece of rebar lying among the rubble. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. He grabbed it, the cold metal biting into his palms.

The first creature entered the building, its glowing eyes scanning the darkness. Carter pressed himself further into the shadows, his grip tightening on the rebar. The creature moved closer, its head tilting as it sniffed the air again. It stopped mere feet from him, its long fingers flexing.

Carter held his breath. His heart felt like it might burst out of his chest. The creature leaned closer, its glowing eyes locking onto his. It opened its mouth, revealing rows of needle-like teeth.

And then, without thinking, Carter swung the rebar with all his strength.

The makeshift weapon connected with the creature's head, the impact sending a shock up Carter's arms. The monster let out a screech and staggered backward, black ichor dripping from the wound. Carter didn't stop. He swung again and again, adrenaline overriding his fear.

The creature collapsed to the ground, twitching. Carter stood over it, his chest heaving, the rebar slick with black blood. But there was no time to celebrate. The other two creatures were already closing in.

"Come on!" Carter shouted, his voice breaking. He raised the rebar again, ready to fight for his life.

Before the creatures could reach him, a sudden burst of light filled the room. A figure appeared, moving faster than Carter's eyes could follow. The sound of metal slicing through flesh echoed in the confined space, and the monsters fell to the ground in pieces.

Carter blinked, his vision adjusting to the light. The figure stood before him, a tall woman clad in sleek, futuristic armor. Her blade hummed with energy, and her piercing blue eyes fixed on him.

"You're the Unranked," she said, her tone a mix of disbelief and annoyance.

Carter's mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. The woman sighed and extended a hand.

"Come on. You're coming with me."

"What? Who are you?" Carter managed to stammer.

"Sergeant Lila Voss, Hunter Corps. And you just became my problem."

Before Carter could protest, the building shook violently. The oppressive heat from the portal's energy intensified, and a deafening roar echoed through the streets. Lila's eyes narrowed.

"We're out of time," she said, grabbing Carter by the arm. "If you want to live, do exactly as I say."

With that, she pulled him into the chaos outside.