A VR game that bleeds into real life
(Panel 1) Max gripped the VR headset tightly as he booted up the latest game craze, "Hyper Rift." The opening cinematic flashed across the screen - a dystopian cityscape, ravaged by war.
(Panel 2) "Time to go to work," Max muttered, pulling the headset over his eyes. The world around him dissolved into pixels, replaced by the gritty urban landscape of the game.
(Panel 1) Max sprinted down a debris-strewn alleyway, pulse pounding. Laser blasts sizzled past as he ducked behind a rusted dumpster.
(Panel 2) "Nowhere to run, rebel scum!" a robotic voice boomed. Max peered out to see an imposing mech suit stomping toward him, cannons blazing.
(Panel 3) "Gotta find a way to take this thing down," Max whispered, scanning his surroundings for anything he could use as a weapon.
(Panel 1) Adrenaline surging, Max darted out from his cover, hurling a metal pipe at the mech's cockpit. It struck with a thunderous clang, causing the machine to stagger.
(Panel 2) Seizing his chance, Max sprinted forward and leapt, grabbing onto the mech's chassis. He began prying open the armor plates, determined to reach the pilot.
(Panel 3) "No you don't!" the voice roared. Max felt a vice-like grip close around his leg, yanking him off the mech. He plummeted to the ground, the world spinning.
(Panel 1) Max hit the pavement hard, the impact knocking the wind out of him. He lay there, dazed, as the mech loomed over him.
(Panel 2) "End of the line, rebel," the pilot sneered, the mech's cannon charging up for the final blow.
(Panel 3) Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. Max's eyes widened as a massive crack split the street, spewing forth a torrent of glowing energy.
(Panel 1) The energy surge enveloped the mech, tearing it apart in a blinding explosion. Max shielded his eyes as debris rained down around him.
(Panel 2) When the dust settled, Max lowered his arm and gasped. The alleyway had been replaced by an unfamiliar cityscape, bathed in an eerie crimson glow.
(Panel 3) "What...what's happening?" Max stammered, his heart racing. He stumbled to his feet, realizing with growing dread that the game had somehow bled into the real world.
(Panel 1) Max cautiously made his way through the strange, alien landscape, his footsteps echoing in the deafening silence.
(Panel 2) As he rounded a corner, he froze in his tracks. Towering mech suits, identical to the one he had just destroyed, stood guard at the end of the street.
(Panel 3) Max quickly ducked back behind the wall, his mind racing. "Okay, gotta figure out a way to get out of here without getting spotted," he muttered.
(Panel 1) Glancing around, Max spotted a manhole cover a few yards away. He dashed toward it, yanking it open and peering down into the dark, foreboding depths of the sewer below.
(Panel 2) "Better than being out in the open," Max said, swinging his legs over the edge and lowering himself down. He landed with a splash, the murky water lapping at his ankles.
(Panel 3) As he made his way through the labyrinth of tunnels, Max couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that he was being watched. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he gripped the pipe he had salvaged tightly.
(Panel 1) Suddenly, a deep rumble echoed through the sewer, the ground trembling beneath Max's feet. He whirled around, eyes wide with fear, as a massive, shadowy form emerged from the darkness.
(Panel 2) "What the..." Max breathed, his voice barely above a whisper. The creature towered over him, its glowing red eyes boring into his soul.
(Panel 3) Without warning, the beast lunged forward, its gaping maw filled with jagged, razor-sharp teeth. Max braced himself, gripping the pipe with both hands, ready to fight for his life.
(Panel 1) Max swung the pipe with all his might, the metal colliding with the creature's head with a sickening crunch.
(Panel 2) The beast recoiled, letting out a deafening roar of pain and fury. Max seized the opportunity, darting past the creature and sprinting down the tunnel.
(Panel 3) As he ran, Max could hear the thunderous foot
