Surveying the hallway before me, I noted the telltale signs of destruction that marred the once pristine walls. The gradual inward slope of the corridor hinted at a forceful impact. With each step, a sense of apprehension gripped me, this was no mere accident but a calculated assault orchestrated by the nefarious forces of the Criminal Alliance. The words of Division echoed in my mind, his warnings ringing with a newfound urgency as I navigated the treacherous terrain. The timing of this attack was undeniably poor, they should've gotten me while I was in the coma. But even so, I was not one to be caught off guard.
Pressing forward, I soon found myself standing before a closet door, its title bearing the designation "patient belongings; floor five" With a hopeful thought of my clothes being in here, I swung the door open. Rummaging through the shelves, my fingers brushed against a holographic bag nestled at the bottom of the pile. With a sense of relief, I tore open the bag, its contents spilling forth in a flurry of fabric. Hastily donning my jacket, shirt, and pants, I marveled at the efficiency of my movements, each article of clothing slipping into place with near-instantaneous precision. In moments such as these, there was no luxury of time or ceremony, only the urgent need to prepare for the battle that lay ahead.
Outside the closet, the echo of a yell pierced the air, "Hey, scout out the floor!" The unmistakable voice belonged to the adversaries I had long anticipated – the operatives of the Criminal Alliance. Their presence confirmed my worst fears, yet also ignited a fierce determination within me to confront the threat head-on. Turning to make my exit from the closet, I paused mid-stride.. I couldn't afford to underestimate the strength or numbers of my opponents. With a subtle motion, I pushed the closet door open just enough to suggest a chance gust of wind, masking my presence from the approaching footsteps.
As the heavy footfalls drew nearer, I caught sight of the shadowy figure looming outside the door. A hulking mass of muscle and menace, he bore the unmistakable aura of a gifted. Yet, as he turned to face me, there was a momentary lapse in his awareness, a split second where his guard faltered. Seizing the opportunity with haste, I unleashed a rapid overhand right aimed squarely at his nose, the force behind the blow propelled by a surge of adrenaline. To my astonishment, his eyes failed to track my movements, his reaction delayed by a fraction of a second. It was as if he didn't even register the impending strike until it was too late.
The sickening crunch of bone reverberated through the air as my fist connected with its intended target, shattering his nasal cavity with brutal efficiency. For a moment, I feared the sheer force of my blow might carry it straight through his skull. With a gasp of pain, he crumpled to the ground in a heap, consciousness slipping away as darkness claimed him.
As the minutes stretched on, he slowly regained consciousness, his bleary eyes struggling to focus in the dim light of the corridor. Standing before him, a towering figure of dominance, I wasted no time in asserting my authority. With a soft yet commanding slap, I jolted him back to awareness, his head snapping to the side with a pained recoil. "Ergh.. what?" he groaned, his voice thick with disorientation as he struggled. As his gaze met mine, a flicker of fear danced across his features, betraying the façade of bravado he had sought to maintain. His cowardly plea rang out, desperate and pitiful, a testament to the depths of his apprehension. "Hey man, don't kill me!!"
I held back a scoff at his feeble attempt at negotiation, my resolve unyielding in the face of his pleading. "I'm not going to do that, as long as there is an alternative." I asserted, my tone brooking no argument. With a calculated calm, I pressed forward, intent on extracting the information I needed. "What are your stats?" I demanded, my gaze piercing through the haze of his fear. His hands, technically free, hovered in front of him, yet he made no move to resist. I knew he understood the gravity of the situation, the consequences of defiance looming large in his mind.
He answered begrudgingly, his embarrassment palpable. "My strength is in the mid 40s and my speed is in the low 30s.." His vague response grated against my patience, prompting a swift and decisive action. Without hesitation, I delivered a punishing blow to his knee, eliciting a sharp cry of pain as the bone cracked under the force of my strike. "Augh!! Ok, ok, ok!!" he cried out, his resolve crumbling. "My strength is 45 and my speed is 31!! Is that what you wanted, you freak?!" Yes, actually. Now that I taught him not to be vague, the important questions.
Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.
"How many of you are there?" I inquired. His gaze shifted momentarily towards the discarded clothes before returning to meet mine, his response delivered in a hushed tone. "Twenty or so.. I'm one of the Warrior members, dude. There's many more who are much scarier than me. The only reason they're not on this floor yet is because they want to be careful. They know how strong you are. There's many Shadows here, they'll take you down!"
As the sound of movement echoed from the depths of the corridor, I knew I needed to end this fast. Time was of the essence, and I needed answers before it was too late. "What are Shadows? And what are Warriors?" I pressed. This seems like big information. He complied begrudgingly, his mouth opening to reveal a telltale tattoo upon his tongue – a sword, shrouded in darkness. "Two factions within the Alliance." he explained, his words toned with resignation. "Shadows are assassins, warriors are just general members who fight. Now let me go." With more enemies closing in, I had to act swiftly and decisively if I hoped to emerge victorious.
"I will. But who knows what you'll do if I let you go. Nothing to restrain you and police not in sight, I'm gonna have to break a few bones." I explained, my tone firm and resolute. His expression turned cold, a flicker of defiance igniting within his eyes as he began to squirm against the wall. I hesitated for a moment, steeling myself for the inevitable course of action. With a heavy heart, I unleashed a series of precise blows aimed at his knees and shoulders, the sickening sound of bone shattering echoing through the corridor as he fell to the ground in agony. It was a necessary evil. As he succumbed to unconsciousness, I couldn't help but feel a pang of remorse for the suffering I had inflicted. But in the face of the looming threat, there was no room for sentimentality. Lives were at stake, and I would do whatever it took to protect those in danger.
Closing my eyes, I focused inward, channeling my heightened senses to detect the impending danger lurking just beyond the threshold of perception. The footsteps echoing from the stairwell grew louder, a harbinger of the imminent confrontation that awaited me. With Danger Sense activated, I took information down.
----------------------------------------
Soul: 340 (-10)
Skills:
Lvl. 2 Danger Sense - Sense danger when it's nearby by closing your eyes and focusing, locations of the enemies of God will appear in your mind. 10 soul to use, thirty minute cooldown. (Activated) The thirty minute cooldown has commenced.
----------------------------------------
Counting swiftly, I assessed the situation, calculating the number of people lurking within the stairwell. Fourteen, excluding the one who lay incapacitated in the corridor. Assuming he counted among their ranks, there were still five more operatives hidden somewhere, biding their time. I steadied my breathing, channeling a sense of calm amidst the chaos that threatened to engulf me. Grasping my right wrist, I emerged from the closet and turned left, my path leading me towards the stairwell where the enemy awaited.
As I approached, a figure cloaked in a black hood stepped forward, his features obscured by the darkness of his attire. Before I could react, he vanished into thin air, his sudden disappearance accompanied by a flurry of movement from the others who had been lurking in the shadows. Dust billowed up from the ground, a telltale sign of their stealthy maneuvers. Recognizing the tactic for what it was, I raised my right arm in anticipation, bracing myself for the inevitable onslaught. With lightning speed, a superman punch descended from above, aimed squarely at my exposed vulnerability. Yet, even as the blow connected, I remained unfazed, my senses honed to a razor-sharp edge.
"I can see even without my eyes, you know." I remarked coolly, my voice laced with a hint of amusement as I met my attacker's invisible gaze. His fist went limp as if severed from its source. My suspicion was proven right as I let go, and the fist dropped, creating a thud. They're quite committed, aren't they? As my eyes darted towards the next source of sound, I prepared to meet the next wave of attacks. With my right arm raised, I got ready to deliver the blow.
----------------------------------------
Soul: 320 (-20)
Skills:
Lvl. 1 Sledgehammer - Attack in a downward motion with enhanced strength. 20 soul to use, one minute cooldown. (Activated) The one minute cooldown has commenced.
----------------------------------------
With a strong motion, I brought my arm crashing down upon the shadow's head, the force of the blow sending him hurtling backwards with a resounding crash. As he slid across the fractured floor, I caught sight of the object he had been concealing – a knife fashioned from the same ominous black concrete that seemed to permeate every facet of the Criminal Alliance's operations. Without hesitation, I snatched up the deadly weapon and flung it out of the window. This material is something that always comes back to haunt me.
Turning my attention back to the invisible shadows that also lurked in the shadows, I issued a stern warning, "Repent now, or I'll do it for you."