Martian Archer

Leon's body screamed in pain, but he couldn't stop.

Dante stood before him, bow drawn, a tech arrow humming with lethal energy. His cybernetic eye had recovered, locking onto Leon's chest.

"This is your last chance," Dante said coldly.

Leon gritted his teeth.

No.

If he gave up now, he'd never escape. He'd never see Iris again.

He only had one shot left.

One chance.

Leon's mind raced. He was outmatched in power, speed, and technology. But there was one thing he had that Dante didn't—

Instinct.

Dante's cybernetics relied on predicting movements, tracking probabilities. If Leon moved rationally, he was dead.

So he did the opposite.

With a sudden twist, he dropped low, grabbing a cracked arrow from his satchel—one with a faulty stabilizer.

" It'll fly wrong. Just like I need it to."

Dante's eye flickered, recalculating. That was the opening Leon needed.

He fired.

The arrow veered off course, spiraling wildly—a complete misfire.

Dante smirked. "You missed."

"Wait for it."

At the last second, the arrow's broken stabilizer corrected mid-air, jerking the projectile straight into Dante's bowstring.

SNAP!

Dante's bowstring snapped apart, sending his charged arrow exploding backward.

"What—?!"

The blast sent Dante flying, crashing against a metal crate. His body twitched, cybernetics short-circuiting.

Leon didn't wait to see if he got up.

He ran.

The spaceport gates loomed ahead, the cheap space bus already preparing for liftoff. The vehicle was rusted, its thrusters barely stable.

But it was his only chance.

Leon sprinted through the docking bay, dodging workers and security droids. The exit ramp was closing. He had seconds left—

"LEON!"

A voice boomed across the spaceport.

Leon skidded to a stop.

At the edge of the docking bay stood a man in an immaculate black suit, flanked by elite guards. His silver hair was slicked back, his expression calm but piercingly sharp.

Dorian Valence.

CEO of Red Bolt Industries.

Leon's blood ran cold.

Dorian stared at him with an air of complete control. He didn't need a weapon. His presence alone was enough.

"You truly think you can escape, boy?"

The space bus's engines roared to life.

Leon had seconds before it took off.

Dorian lifted a hand.

"Seize him."

The guards charged.

Leon ran.

And the chase wasn't over yet.