Alan soon began to tire, a heavy cloud of fatigue settling in his mind.

Can’t we shoot the sensors or hit them with a surprise attack?

Don’t you remember any such action will have to be performed after the armor’s invisibility has been deactivated? Additionally, if you haven’t noticed the guards are much faster than you are. The only reason they haven’t caught up is the need to pick up their sensors and keep you in its range. Unlike us, they also don’t have time to plan their every move. Only around 30 seconds have passed in real life.

Don’t remind me.

Alan had thought his previous experience in the Game had pushed his limits before. He had, after all, experienced mind numbing pain in the Tutorial. But this was different. Before, he had to simply sit still, and watch as the Predecessor advanced. Now, for each second that passed, he had to force himself to endure greater pain. It was like he was at the end of a set in a grueling workout, but on a completely different level. Pushing himself to take another step, pushing his body forwards in a full on sprint, was experiencing each moment of the muscle weary pain and tiredness for an eternity. His body, his mind, surely couldn’t take more.

Keep going. You are barely at the 35% of your body’s limit.

WHAT!? Alan moaned into his head, a large sense of dread coming over him as he pushed himself onwards.

To what limit must I push my body to in order to escape?

Simply 70%, the point of near-collapse. I am not unreasonable, and do not expect you to push yourself to the point where you would die.

Alan swore at Eve.

You are wasting energy.

Sighing, Alan focused on but one thought. Move. He let Eve worry about where, and when. The details didn’t matter, only the motion. Alan pushed himself forwards, through the pain, the fatigue that couldn’t possibly get any worse. Of course, it did worsen, slowly but surely, as Alan felt his body seem to almost tear itself apart. He was pushing it too hard, harder than should be possible. But Eve guided him onwards.

Exhaustion and discomfort was soon but a remnant of the blissful past. This was torture, a torment so unbearable that Alan almost wished to die, to step into the oncoming bullets rather than dodge them. But, for some reason, Alan managed to persevere, finding a quiet strength within that he didn’t know he had. The pain, the weariness? It didn’t matter. All that mattered was forwards. Something clicked inside Alan’s head, and an in-game message appeared before him. Alan ignored it, and it closed automatically. Eve would have directed him if it were important.

Suddenly, Alan realized he was nearing the market district once more, as the crowds began to swell. Alan was able to deftly maneuver past people, but the guards chasing were having a great deal more difficulty, as they were trying to chase down a person no one else could see, firing into supposed nothingness. A few people began firing back at the chasing guards.