The World Is Mine For The Taking

Bullets tore through the air, a relentless hailstorm of lead converging on me from all directions. The sheer velocity of each round blurred them into streaks of death, but my blade was faster. Ayuru whistled through the air, its edge cleaving through metal like paper, splitting the bullets before they could reach me. My body moved instinctively, each slash a desperate act of survival, my muscles burning from the sheer speed required to keep up with the never-ending barrage.

Time itself seemed to slow, my mind accelerating to perceive every detail—each bullet's trajectory, the shifting shadows, the sharp glint of metal slicing through the dimly lit space.

I swung Ayuru with precision, my blade a blur as it carved through the incoming projectiles, each impact sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force of my slashes vibrated through my arms, the razor edge of the weapon cleaving bullets cleanly in half, their fractured remnants spinning away like dying embers. Those I couldn't cut, I dodged with the grace of instinct honed by countless battles.

The storm of gunfire left me no room to breathe and no space to retreat. The soldiers didn't even bother advancing. They didn't have to. Their strategy was clear—suppress me under an unyielding downpour of bullets until there was nothing left to cut and no place left to dodge. I could hear the casings clattering onto the ground, spent shells piling up like a testament to their intent to kill.

A bullet streaked past, mere inches from my skull. I jerked my head aside just in time, but not before its searing heat grazed my cheek. A sharp sting blossomed as a thin line of crimson painted my skin, the warm rivulet trailing down my jawline, pooling at the edge of my chin before dripping to the floor. The scent of burning gunpowder and iron filled my nose, mingling with the distant echoes of gunfire.

A thousand bullets per second—at least. That was my rough estimate. To avoid being shredded to pieces, I had to surpass human limitations, my reflexes honed to an inhuman level. My body blurred between the streaks of death, weaving through the smallest gaps, contorting at impossible angles. Each near miss left behind the faintest kiss of heat on my skin. A single misstep would be the end.

But escape was impossible unless they ceased fire, and that wasn't happening. Their magazines were staggered in reloads, ensuring an uninterrupted onslaught. When one soldier ran dry, another took his place, their rifles never silencing for even a second. They were professionals. Merciless. Efficient. And they had me pinned.

Chloe needed time. But how much more? She'd said thirty minutes—more or less. Yet, in this hellish crossfire, every second stretched into eternity. My focus wavered for a fraction of a moment, and a bullet grazed my cheek again. Pain flared, hot and sharp, as blood trickled down my jawline. Still, I couldn't stop. Couldn't falter.

Then, something ripped through the air with terrifying force. A new sound. A deep, guttural roar unlike the sharp cracks of gunfire. My instincts screamed. I barely had time to register the incoming projectile before my eyes locked onto it.

A rocket.

"What the—!? Are they seriously going to level the entire complex!?"

My breath hitched. They were going all in. Then it hit me. Zoey had once told me that if it was for the country's benefit, her father would do anything. Even if it meant killing his own daughter. To him, I was a threat to the nation, and I needed to be eliminated, no matter the cost. The realization sank in like cold steel—Zoey's father would stop at nothing, not even if it meant sacrificing his own child.

I had no choice.

I activated Guardian, knowing bullets wouldn't be stopped, only obliterated by its force. But the rocket… that would need a more layered defense. I quickly created a thick barrier, reinforcing it several times over to ensure it wouldn't be destroyed by the impact. The rocket collided with the shield, and a massive explosion erupted, filling the air with the roar of fire and a shockwave that shook the building.

"Leon!"

Zoey's voice cut through the chaos. That was all I needed.

I broke into a sprint, weaving through the bullet storm and diving inside the apartment. My gaze immediately locked onto the shimmering rift at the room's center.

"I did it! I managed to do it!" Chloe's voice trembled with excitement and exhaustion. The portal pulsed with unstable energy, smaller than the one I had originally entered to reach this world. Barely wide enough for one person at a time. A tight squeeze at best.

"The question is, does it even work?" Zoey murmured, her brow furrowed in uncertainty.

A valid concern. This was an artificial portal, unstable and untested. It might not even function. Worse, it could send us somewhere unintended—maybe even tear us apart mid-transport. The risk was immense, but staying here meant certain death.

"What are all of you talking about?" Zes interjected, her voice filled with suspicion.

Zoey leaned in closer, whispering, "Uh, what exactly is Lieutenant Zes doing here?"

For a brief moment, amidst the chaos, I found myself wondering the same damn thing.

"I don't even know myself," I muttered, my voice barely rising above the chaos.

"Huh?" Zoey frowned, confusion etched into her face.

Even she didn't understand what was going on.

"Tell me, what the hell is that thing? Wait... is that a portal? Why the fuck is there a portal here? And why is it so damn small?" Zes demanded, her sharp eyes locked onto the swirling vortex.

Before any of us could answer, the sky roared as more explosions detonated around us, their fiery bursts sending tremors through the building. The very air felt like it was tightening around my throat, suffocating me in the intensity of the moment. We were on the precipice of certain death.

Should I just dive in now?

Before I could even decide, Zes suddenly moved. With a sharp breath, she darted forward and squeezed herself through the narrow portal. My eyes widened as her form twisted and vanished into the swirling abyss. A split second passed, then another. The portal shimmered, rippling as if swallowing her whole.

"Did it... work?" Zoey voiced the unspoken question that lingered between us.

Then, just as suddenly as she had disappeared, Zes came barreling back through the portal.

"Hey! Why the hell are you all just standing around!? It's safe! Move your asses!" she barked, waving us forward.

A wave of relief crashed over me, but I didn't have time to dwell on it.

"The portal is too small for us to go in together," I said quickly. "One at a time. I'll hold off the incoming soldiers until everyone is through. I'll be the last one in."

Chloe hesitated, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. "Leon, make sure you come back."

For a brief moment, I thought she was actually worried about me. But then—

"My research wouldn't be complete without you."

Of course. It all came back to her damn research. Still, I couldn't help but smirk slightly. That was her way of saying she cared.

Zes had already disappeared inside, and now it was Chloe's turn. She clutched the flash drive from the facility and hauled her equipment through, vanishing into the swirling void.

Then, just as Anne stepped forward, a squad of soldiers stormed in. Without missing a beat, I spun and delivered a crushing kick to the first one, sending him hurtling backward like a ragdoll. The others hesitated for a fraction of a second—but that was enough time for me to react.

Gunfire erupted.

I swung Ayuru, the blade carving through the air in a blur, slashing incoming bullets into fragments before they could reach me. The relentless barrage didn't stop. More bullets tore through the air, forcing me to push my body to its limits, intercepting as many as I could while weaving through those I couldn't deflect in time.

Zoey was next. She hesitated for just a second, her gaze meeting mine.

"Go!" I ordered.

She nodded, then disappeared into the portal.

Now, it was just me.

The soldiers pressed forward, their rifles spitting death in my direction. I backpedaled, slashing through the onslaught, my heart pounding like a war drum. The moment I reached the portal's edge, I threw myself into it.

The world twisted.

Darkness swallowed me whole before I stumbled onto solid ground on the other side. The air felt different—thicker, charged with something unnatural.

I turned sharply. "Chloe! Shut the portal!"

I didn't even know if it was possible, but I barked the order anyway.

Chloe yanked a cable from her device. The portal convulsed, its swirling surface distorting violently. A soldier had managed to push halfway through—only for the vortex to suddenly implode with a sickening crunch.

His severed torso collapsed onto the ground with a wet, heavy thud, blood pooling beneath the jagged wound where the rest of his body had been.

I exhaled sharply, my muscles still tense. We had made it.