**Volume 2: Upper World**

  **Chapter 89: Three Hours in a Minute**

  February 10th, 4:58 p.m. – Vein Clan House (Courtyard)

  Kira locked eyes with Jason.

  He was still grinning — wide, lazy, sandals planted in the dirt, white socks already stained red from earlier blood. The courtyard wind moved slow between them, carrying the smell of smoke and iron.

  Jason tilted his head.

  “You sound dumb,” Kira said — voice flat, no heat, just fact.

  Jason’s laugh was short — sharp.

  “Me? I’m not dumb. You’re a girl. You’re more likely to be slower, ugly bitch.”

  Kira didn’t blink.

  She moved.

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  Fast — yellow aura snapping bright — katana flashing forward in a clean arc aimed for Jason’s throat.

  Jason moved faster.

  He blurred — 600 fps in an instant — fist slamming into Kira’s chest. Ribs cracked loud. She gasped — staggered back — but Jason was already behind her. Backhand to the neck — hard, precise — Kira flew sideways, hit the ground rolling, blood spraying from her mouth.

  Sky saw it.

  His head snapped toward Nimb — the hooded twin-blade user still standing 20 feet away, blades crossed, eyes hidden.

  Sky didn’t hesitate.

  He clapped once — sharp — light blue aura exploding outward.

  **Frame Bind.**

  Nimb froze — body locked in mid-step, twin blades half-raised. Time crawled for him — 1 fps — while Sky moved normal.

  Sky closed the gap — fist pulled back — **Echo Punch** — one hit to the chest. Delayed echoes stacked instantly — five, ten, twenty — each one landing like a sledgehammer. Nimb’s body jerked in slow motion — ribs caving, blood misting — but Sky didn’t stop.

  He crossed fingers — quick snap.

  **Infinite Horizon.**

  The realm opened — closed dome of endless blue horizon — time stretched inside. Sky pushed everything he had — all his will energy — making it feel like an hour passed in the real world’s three minutes. Nimb couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

  Sky walked forward — slow inside the realm — pulled the knife from Jin’s pocket (outside the realm, Jin was already frozen, ice creeping up his legs from the water Sky projected). The blade was cold, dark — Ray’s knife.

  Sky looked at Jin — eyes empty.

  Then he stabbed — straight through Jin’s mouth — blade punching out the back of his skull. Jin’s body jerked once — eyes wide — then went limp.

  Sky fell to his knees — realm snapping shut — will energy drained to nothing. He gasped — chest heaving — blood dripping from his nose.

  Kira pushed up from the dirt — ribs screaming — katana shaking in her hand.

  Jason laughed — low, mocking.

  He blurred again — grabbed Kira by the throat — lifted her one-handed — then threw her.

  She flew — body twisting mid-air — slammed into the side of the clan house. Stone cracked — dust exploded outward — Kira hit the ground hard, rolling to a stop against broken bricks.

  The chapter ended with Jason standing over her — grin wide — cracking his knuckles.

  To be continued…