Buddy jogged effortlessly beside him, hands in his pockets, grinning like he didn’t have a care in the world.

“Come on, you’ve got this,” Buddy teased. “Don’t slow down now.”

Kaisler shot him a pained look.

“I swear, Buddy, I’m gonna kill you.”

Buddy just laughed. “Only 3,400 marathons left. You’re almost there!”

Kaisler’s muscles burned, but he didn’t dare slow down. The beauty of the city faded into the background as the pain took over, but Buddy’s voice kept him moving.

“Enjoy the view, man. Not everyone gets to run this fast,” Buddy called, glancing at the gleaming skyline.

“I’m too busy trying not to die,” Kaisler grumbled, his legs feeling like they were on fire. But despite the pain, he couldn’t stop. Not with Buddy constantly pushing him.

Buddy shot him a sideways look.

“You’re running in the most beautiful city in the world. At least try to look like you’re enjoying it!”

Kaisler didn’t respond, focusing only on the road ahead. Every step was a fight, but quitting wasn’t an option. He could hear Buddy laughing behind him, urging him to go faster.

“Hey, look at that!” Buddy pointed toward a building up ahead, a glimmering structure that caught the first rays of the sun. “That’s the new district! Look at that design, so futuristic.”

Kaisler barely registered the building as his legs started to cramp.

“I don’t care, Buddy,” he grunted, pushing through the exhaustion. “I’m just trying to survive this.”

Buddy smirked, falling back slightly and then pushing forward, matching Kaisler’s pace.

“You’re not gonna get anywhere if you don’t learn how to enjoy the view, man,” he teased. “You’re missing out on the best city in the world.”

“Yeah, sure, if I’m not dead by the end of this,” Kaisler muttered. His chest felt tight, his breath ragged, but he didn’t dare slow down.

The sun crested the horizon, casting golden light across the city. It should’ve been beautiful—should’ve been awe-inspiring—but all he could think about was the unbearable burn in his legs. Each step felt like he was dragging cement blocks behind him.

The pain was overwhelming, but he didn’t stop. Not with Buddy pushing him, teasing him.

Buddy laughed again, his voice a perfect mix of cocky and encouraging.

“You’ve got this, Kaisler. Just think of it like a race. You’re not going to be this fast forever.”

Kaisler’s mind was a haze, thoughts fragmented by the sheer effort of keeping up.

“Shut up,” he muttered through gritted teeth. “Just... let me... suffer in peace.”

Buddy raised an eyebrow, grinning wider.

“Nah, nah. This is what you signed up for. No quitting. Keep moving!”

With each stride, Kaisler felt his body tearing apart, but he kept moving. Despite the pain, despite the exhaustion, there was a part of him that wanted to prove Buddy wrong—that wanted to show he could do it, that he could push through.

His strings whipped through the air, helping him maintain speed, but the ground beneath his feet seemed to stretch on forever.

The cityscape was beautiful, with its vibrant skyline and sparkling rivers, but every time Kaisler tried to look at it, his focus snapped back to the agonizing pull in his legs. He hated Buddy for pushing him, for making him do this. But, deep down, there was a fire that wouldn’t let him stop.

Buddy kept up the mocking tone, but it was starting to sound more like encouragement.

“There it is, buddy, almost there! Keep going, keep going! Can’t stop now! Not when you’re this close.”

Kaisler clenched his teeth, feeling the sting of his muscles tearing at the seams, but he didn’t stop. Not with Buddy’s voice behind him, not when the city stretched endlessly before him.

No matter how much it hurt, no matter how much he wanted to collapse, he kept running.

4 hours later

Buddy (glancing at Kaisler with a smirk): "Damn, you finished an hour early. At this pace... you're probably hitting Mach 31. Not bad, not bad at all."

Kaisler (groaning, stretching his arms): "Yeah? Well, my bones feel like they’re turning to dust. This is all your fucking fault."

Buddy (chuckling): "Yo, chill. You’ll live."

Kaisler: "Man, you got any food? I haven't eaten since we started this damn run."

Buddy: "Yeah, Sarah’s cooking something right now."

Kaisler (perking up slightly): "What’s she making?"

Buddy (grinning): "Rice and fried chicken. I know how much you love some fried chicken."

Kaisler (rolling his eyes): "Man, if I wasn’t starving, I’d smack the hell out of you."

Buddy (laughing): "Yeah, yeah, just get inside before you collapse."

Kaisler (panting): "Wait... isn’t your house like a five-minute run from here?"

Buddy (shrugging): "Yeah, so what?"

Kaisler: "Bro, my legs are done. I can barely stand."

Buddy (grinning): "Then use your little wannabe Spider-Man strings. Just copy him again."

Kaisler (deadpan): "Hilarious. Really. Shut the fuck up."

Buddy (chuckling): "Alright, whatever. Just don’t take too long."

Kaisler (pausing): "How’s Juno doing?"

Buddy (more serious now): "She’s... not talking. Just lying there, staring at the ceiling."

4 mins later

Sarah: "Hey, Kaisler. You good? And why are you dripping in sweat?"

Kaisler (panting slightly): "Long story. Where’s my portion of the food?"

Sarah: "It’s on the counter, next to Juno."

Kaisler (lowering his voice, glancing at Juno): "Do I have to sit next to her?"

Sarah (giving him a look): "Don’t be rude. And I can’t let Buddy sit next to her, you know how he is."

Kaisler (sighs): "Yeah, fair enough."

Kaisler sits down and immediately starts devouring his food, shoveling it in like he hasn’t eaten in years. Juno shifts uncomfortably beside him, visibly disturbed by the spectacle. Buddy, on the other hand, is laughing so hard he falls to the floor, clutching his stomach. Meanwhile, Sarah watches in disappointment, realizing all her effort in making the meal is being completely overlooked.

Juno (screaming): "CAN YOU CALM THE FUCK DOWN?! ARE YOU A KID? JUST EAT NORMALLY!"

Kaisler (smirking, sarcastic): "Yes, I am a kid."

Buddy is still laughing uncontrollably, while Sarah tries to calm Juno down.

Sarah: "Okay, okay, Juno, just breathe—"

Juno (furious): "NO! IT'S ALL HIS AND BUDDY’S FAULT! MY FRIEND IS DEAD! I HATE BUDDY, AND I HATE HIM!"

She storms off, slamming the door behind her. Outside, rain pours down, but she doesn’t take an umbrella. What was supposed to be a fun meal turns into dead silence. Sarah glares at Buddy before snapping at him.

Sarah (angrily): "This is YOUR fault! You just had to laugh like that, didn’t you?!"

Kaisler: "I’ll go look for her."

Sarah: "You don’t have to."

Kaisler: "Listen, Buddy said she wasn’t talking before. If she’s talking now, it’s an improvement. It doesn’t matter if she’s mad—she’s talking."

Sarah: "I guess when you put it like that..."

Kaisler (cutting her off): "Listen, okay? I have to go get her. She has nowhere to go—I can’t just let her run off and get hurt, or worse."

Sarah: "You’re not her dad. You’re not her family. It’s not our problem."

Kaisler clenched his fists, his jaw tightening.

"That’s the thing, Sarah. We don’t know what happened to her family. She could be an orphan." His voice dropped lower, almost bitter. "You know what that’s like?"

Sarah hesitated, but her concern for him won out. "That doesn’t matter. You need to be safe. You’re still weak."

Kaisler: "Sarah… thanks for the food."

Before she could argue, he turned and ran.

The night air was sharp, burning in his lungs as he sprinted down the streets, calling her name. Streetlights flickered, casting long shadows over cracked pavement. Every alley, every side street—empty.

Panic gnawed at him. Where did she go?

He kept searching. He couldn’t stop. Not until—

His breath hitched.

There she was.

She stood near the cemetery, her back to him, staring at a grave. The wind tugged at her clothes, but she didn’t move. She didn’t even flinch at the sound of his footsteps approaching.

Kaisler slowed, his pulse pounding in his ears.

The sight of the gravestone sent a shiver down his spine.

It wasn’t just her standing there. It was him, years ago. Alone. Staring at the ashes of everything he had lost.

For a moment, he couldn’t breathe.

He swallowed hard, forcing himself forward.

"Hey," he called out, his voice softer this time.

She didn’t turn, but he could see her shoulders tremble.

Kaisler exhaled slowly, stepping closer.

"You don’t have to say anything," he murmured. "Just… you don’t have to be alone."

And for the first time in years, he wasn’t sure if he was talking to her—
Or himself.

Juno (looking at him, her eyes brimming with tears): “What do you want? Why... why is it always you? Why does this keep happening?”

Kaisler: Listen, I know how you feel.

Juno (cuts him off, voice shaking with anger):
YOU DON’T KNOW HOW I FEEL! How could you? All your friends aren’t dead. Your parents didn’t mentally and physically abuse you. Did they?
I hope your lying ass burns in hell for all the pain you’ve caused!

Kaisler: Listen, I may not have experienced your exact pain, but I can help you find your way. You don’t have to push everyone away.

Juno: LISTEN, OK? I KILLED MY PARENTS WHEN I WAS NINE! Do you still think you can save me? Everyone hates me. They look down on me. My life—it's a mess. You probably hate me too.

Kaisler: Why would I hate you?

Juno: BECAUSE IT’S MY FAULT! IT’S MY FAULT I PUSHED KRAR! I MADE HIM GO BEYOND HIS LIMITS. I MADE BOOST US TIMES FIVE—THREE TIMES MORE THAN HIS MAXIMUM! IT’S MY FAULT! IT’S ME! IT’S ALWAYS ME! THAT’S WHY EVERYONE DIES!

Kaisler: It’s not your fault. It’s not you.

Juno: NO! IT’S MY FAULT! IT’S ALWAYS ME. THAT’S THE PROBLEM! I ALWAYS CAUSE OTHERS TO DIE! IT’S ME!

Kaisler: It’s okay. Just chill—let’s head to the house.

Juno listens quietly as Kaisler leads them to the house.

Kaisler: We’re here. Anyway... cya later.

As Kaisler says this, he swings his way home, admiring the city lights. He gazes up at the massive skyscrapers and the vibrant glow of the Nexus, all of it looking so amazing. It’s hard to believe how far he’s come. The scene before him, so full of life, reminds him of how weak he once felt. But now, he’s getting stronger. Maybe not as strong as others, but at least he’s found a purpose for his power.

(will contune to part three of the chapter)