Novels2Search
Dākuenpasu
Chapter 20: Reflection

Chapter 20: Reflection

William Jones stood in front of the cracked mirror in his apartment, his gaze heavy with the weight of years spent in darkness. He studied his reflection, the face of a man hardened by a life of violence and isolation. At 6'2", his imposing figure towered over the average man. His broad shoulders and muscular build were the result of years of training, both in martial arts and the brutal, physical demands of his mercenary lifestyle. Every inch of his body told a story of the pain he had endured, both self-inflicted and from the countless battles he had fought over the years.

His long hair, unruly and unkempt, cascaded down to his shoulders. The black strands framed his face like a chaotic halo, a reflection of the turmoil and violence that churned beneath his skin. He used to care about his appearance—at one point, it was all he had—but now, it was just another part of the man he had become. His eyes, dark and calculating, stared back at him from the mirror, revealing the emptiness inside. There was no warmth, no softness in those eyes—only the coldness of someone who had long ago abandoned any notion of redemption.

As he moved his fingers over his body, he felt the texture of the countless scars that adorned his skin. They were like a map, each one marking a chapter of his journey. Some were deep, others shallow, but all of them told the same story: survival. He had lived through countless battles, confrontations, and betrayals. Each scar, a reminder of how far he had come—and how much of himself he had lost along the way.

But it was the scar on his face, just below his mouth, that always caught his attention. It was a jagged line, a reminder of the many encounters he had with death. It was a scar from a time when he had let his guard down, from a fight that had nearly claimed his life. The scar was more than just a mark on his skin; it was a symbol of the man he had become. A man who could never truly escape the darkness.

Criminals feared him. Not just for the things he had done, but for what he represented. His very presence sent a message to anyone who stood in his way: he was unstoppable. His reputation had spread like wildfire through the underworld, a whisper on every street corner, a name spoken in hushed tones. "The Head Hunter." To criminals, the name alone was enough to send chills down their spines. They knew what he was capable of—how he could track them down, how he could end their lives without a second thought.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

It wasn't just his skills with knives or guns that made criminals fear him; it was his appearance. The way he walked into a room, how his body language alone made it clear that he wasn't someone to be trifled with. He carried himself with the confidence of someone who knew exactly what they were capable of—and wasn't afraid to show it. He didn't need to say a word; his mere presence was enough to make even the most hardened criminals take a step back.

The scars on his body, the muscle, the cold stare—it all contributed to the fear that followed him wherever he went. He had become a monster in the eyes of those who lurked in the shadows, a figure who lived by violence and whose only language was death. His reputation preceded him. When someone saw him coming, they knew their time was running out. No one was safe from the Head Hunter—not even the ones who thought they were untouchable.

In a twisted way, William had become a symbol of fear. He was a weapon, a force of nature that couldn't be controlled or reasoned with. And for the criminals that operated in the shadows, it was this very fear that kept them awake at night. They didn't just fear the Head Hunter because of his skills—they feared what he represented: the reckoning, the inevitable end to their lives. To them, he wasn't just a man. He was death personified.

But William knew that fear, while powerful, couldn't fill the emptiness inside him. No matter how many lives he took, no matter how much respect or terror he commanded, it never seemed to change the hollow ache in his chest. The fear he inspired in others was never enough to drown out the loneliness he felt, the constant reminder that he was disconnected from the world he once inhabited. He was a man defined by violence, shaped by the trauma of his past, and yet, despite all of that, he was still searching for something he could never have: acceptance.

In the end, his appearance—his body, his scars, his fearsome reputation—was nothing more than a mask. A mask that kept the world at bay, but didn't hide the man beneath it. A man who, despite everything, still longed for connection.