Chapter 160: Unsurprising Ambush
I hand Raven a bag of gear.
That’s what I’m here for. The large sumeen hums for a while, tracing the edges of the sharps I hand over, checking the shields for any damage. It takes them a few minutes as they look everything over. Once, twice. Their blank face fixes on me. “Good work, Yuki,” they hum, sounding genuinely pleased. “These are sneaky.”
[Obfuscation 6 > 7]
If only they knew how sneaky the enchantments are. Of course, I don’t tell them that. Instead, I just nod. “Thank you,” I say.
“Now, your prices are still gouging me,” Raven pouts, humming with a certain sadness to it. Still, they somehow seem in good spirits. As if things were about to take a positive turn to them. “But, I can forgive that. No one gets to move up in this world without being a little greedy, hm? Compromises are all we live for,” Raven says.
Slowly, I tilt my head. What has them so chatty today? Is it really just the little meeting they plan with Thatch? The fact that it’s an ambush is obvious, of course, but they seem so smug about it. “Is something good happening?” I ask them, feigning oblivion.
Raven hums in amusement of that, giving what feels like the equivalent of a low, sadistic chuckle. “Nothing too special. I am simply getting some help in removing a problem. See, a little birdie of mine found a rather useful guard on this floor. And this guard, see, has agreed to help me remove a recent little thorn in my side.”
Then, they lean forward. “And,” they whisper, “a little birdie told me you might know some info on this new guild. Word is, you room with some of them, Yuki.”
A small shiver runs down my spine. The air in the room suddenly feels heavier. But I don’t deny it. “I’ve seen them a few times, at the inn I’m staying. Nothing too close, though.”
Humming softly, Raven reaches out, the long limb morphing as it approaches my face, turning into bird’s talons. They move to rake one of them across my cheek, but I scoot back in my chair. “Please don’t touch me, Raven,” I say politely. “I’m picky about my personal space.”
That makes them stop. The humming cuts off, and the ease of their words disappear. “Yeah,” Raven hums quietly. “Yeah, of course, Yuki. We wouldn’t want to be in poor standing. So… why don’t you tell me a bit about your acquaintances, eh? Anything you’ve noticed about them?”
I can hear the demand is thin with impatience. Raven already feels confident they’ll win. They… don’t even think I’ve betrayed them, really. I can see it in the way they lean forward. There’s respect there where it wasn’t before. Have my items been doing that much for them? Probably, yes.
Sighing softly, I nod. “Fine. I will tell you what I know. But it’ll cost you.”
“Good,” Raven breathes. “Very good. Yes, yes. I’ll pay your price, Yuki. Connections are everything in Downpour, after all. And we’ve been good business partners. Go. Tell me.”
For a long moment, I consider everything I should say, then smile faintly. There’s not really much to lose. Raven already has spies, and must have seen us fight sometimes. So, I give a rough outline. “Their leader, Hush, is strong. Channels monstrous things to fight. Shifts his body and all. One of them, the knight, can teleport. The flying one controls air-”
“Yes, yes, we know that,” Raven interrupts impatiently. “No, what I want to know is their jobs, Yuki. You must have seen them, right?” They lean forward as they ask, curiosity plain in their voice.
“Oh,” I say. “The teleporter carves gems. The boss paints, and I believe the faerie makes clothes. Oh, and the little one, blue skin, six eyes? She’s a chef.”
At this info, Raven becomes very pleased, nodding to themselves. “I see, I see,” they mutter quietly, as if mentally adjusting numbers. In fact, they do pull out a piece of paper, quickly scrawling down some notes. It makes me wonder about them a bit, and I find myself thinking about their abilities.
But that question goes nowhere, because Raven glances at me again, speaking quietly. “Now, Yuki,” they hum with a certain dangerous sharpness. “I’ve no reason to believe you betrayed me. The items always vanish from the bodies, but that’s within expectations. But, Yuki…”
Their tone gets even sharper. “Don’t give me a reason to kill you,” they say calmly. “It’d be a real shame, you know? I do owe you a little, right now. And I do take care to pay back my debts.”
Nodding slowly, I look at their extended hand. Coins drop onto the table between us. Chits, of course, but not just silver this time. Golden ones, too. Just a handful. But more than enough for all the items and then some.
My eyes drift to Raven again, and they wave a hand. “Go,” they say quietly.
I nod, and head outside.
Despite everything, Raven has treated me reasonably fairly. I suppose that’s part of why I worked with them over some of the other gangs. A small sigh escapes my lips as I walk through the dark streets, cloak over my head.
It’ll be a real shame if too many people die today. But, oh well. They are, at the end of the day, still criminals. I won’t mourn them too much.
So, step by step, I walk. I hide myself with my mana, and I charge my vessel one more time, preparing it even further to be molded. There was less time to prepare than I would’ve liked, but that’s fine. Despite everything, I am confident. Despite everything, I know we’ll win. When the fluttering of wings finally leaves me, and I’ve found a dark enough place to be on my own, I put on Kuro’s mask.
Solidified shadows coat my face, and I walk through the dark night. Lightning splits the sky nearby, a brutal bolt impacting some far-off building. The thunder rolls over me, and I breathe in the smell of ozone.
Not long now.
- - -
When I get there, the only other person present is Inu. She stands alone in the storm. Thick rain falls, and it gets colder as the night creeps on. Some of the raindrops are already freezing, beginning to turn to hail. “Hey,” I call, and the girl suddenly turns to me in surprise.
Quickly, the pensive expression on her face melts away into a smile. “Kuro!” she says. “Good to see you.”
I return her smile and nod. “Good evening, Hound. Something on your mind?” I ask.
Inu hums quietly, tilting her head, then giving an awkward smile. “Yeah,” she says. “I worry.”
“Borrow from me,” I tell her.
A moment later, I feel [Empathy] latch onto me, and there’s an exchange I can barely put into words. She shares her fears, her worries. The dread that comes with killing people. And in exchange, I lend her some of my calm. I sit next to her, and after a quick glance and affirmative nod, Inu rests her head on my shoulder.
I pet her head a bit. “We’ll be safe.”
“Yeah,” she whispers. “We will. I might feel bad, but it’ll pass. Are we bad people, Kuro?”
“You’re not,” I reply with a small smile. “In fact, you’re probably the best person I know. You could sit this one out if you want to.”
At that, she shakes her head. “No,” she replies. “No, I won’t sit it out.”
All I do is nod, accepting her decision. As always, Inu is a tough girl, valiantly placing herself in the way of danger for us. I smile at that, just a little, at how she cares. A minute passes like that, until, with a soft pop, Opal appears next to us.
“Yo,” they say, raising a hand. Then, their eyes land on us properly, and they tilt their head for a second before smiling happily. “Is your other shoulder still free?” the knight asks without hesitation.
I snicker, just a little, and Inu does the same. “Yes, Gem,” I reply calmly. “You can have it.”
“Awesome,” Opal replies easily, soon leaning on me as well. Another minute passes in comfortable quiet, before I begin to feel overwhelmed by it.
“Alright, and that’s all the capacity I have for that, today,” I tell them, and instantly, both my friends withdraw. They smile, though, their moods clearly lifted. Not too long after, Thatch, Sylves, and Richard show up, too.
The night grows colder, and the rain properly turns to hail, heavy ice falling from the sky. We stand underneath a half-crumbled building, peering out into the night. And, eventually, with a puff of feathers, Raven comes into view.
“Ah, I see you’ve made it,” they greet us all with a sweeping bow. “How very glad to make your acquaintance, Hush. I am Raven, founder of Aviary.”
“Hush, boss of Crybabies,” Thatch replies calmly. As soon as he starts talking, the nervousness slips off him like a trick of the light. He’s all business. Elegant, relaxed. It’s so unfair that I’m a little jealous.
Raven nods. “I see you brought your entire little… guild, you called it?” they ask.
“Indeed.”
The sumeen gives a long hum, then tilts their head. They wait for another long moment, then they sigh. “Well, I suppose it would have been too good to expect you to believe me. Come now, let’s get this over with, Hush. I’ve got you surrounded.”
At that, the smile on Thatch’s face turns wild. He lifts a hand, slowly dragging it through his hair, pushing the golden curls backwards. “Oh, don’t worry,” he whispers. “I’m counting on it.”
Raven narrows their eyes, raises a long, thin limb, and nods just once. Two people walk onto the field, to my regret. The first is Bloodstain, who smiles brightly at the betrayal, and gives us a cheery wave.
And the second, as Raven warned me, is one of the city guards. In fact, a very, very familiar city guard. My side throbs as I remember it. I stare at his dark beard and the sneer on his face as I remember how he stabbed me, then kicked me to the gutters. “These are the rotten fecks causing trouble?” he asks, and Raven nods. “Thankee,” he says with a grin to us. “I been lookin’ for a nice ol’ payday.”
My eyes lock on him, and I fire off an identification.
[Bright Guard, lv. 133]
Fear slowly courses through me, and I grip my shadow-wrought dagger closer. Terrifying. And at the same time… perfect.
Chapter 161: Chaotic Fight
With gentle steps, Bloodline is the one who approaches us first. Her finger trails Thatch’s face. Cleaver is only a step behind her. “Sorry Hush, my darling,” she says happily, bronze skin shining in the moonlight. “I just couldn’t resist… this way, we can have some time to ourselves.” One moment to another, that glint turns dangerous, and her nail presses into Thatch’s skin, aiming to draw blood.
Except, of course, that’s not what happens. Instead, a layer of thick, crimson scales manifest above his cheek, and I see a dragon’s maw wreathe itself from fury over his face. Instantly, some of the anger spills over into Bloodstain, and her grin turns wider. A breath passes, and the dragon’s maw tears into her shoulder, spilling blood.
Cleaver is upon Thatch in a moment, but before he can do anything, Inu is between them. Her hands reach out casually, catching the weapon, and the momentum just disappears. A moment later, Cleaver flinches in phantom pain, and Inu lashes out. Her fist lands on his elbow, then his chest - and both strikes explode a heartbeat later, spilling blood and making the thug stagger as his skin knits back together.
Instantly, authorities roll out across the field. Oppressive weight and anger spill over into me, then recede and narrow as they clash against their opponents. Cleaver’s domain is held up by Inu, sucked into her void. Opal easily teleports past us, engaging Raven. Arrows hover around Sylves, shooting through the air on gusts of wind.
Richard takes a bite out of someone’s authority, somehow, and I see one of Aviary’s best, Dove, recoil in pain as the little hiy’ht descends on him, spewing fire and biting at his flesh. Shadows spill out from me - and then the guard joins the fight.
He’s a scithian, with wings like liquid moonlight. They hang in the air behind him, chiming as he moves. It’s almost slow, but with purpose, and I feel a skill of his activate. Authority falls on us heavily, empowered by the city we stand in. There’s a certain weightiness to it that the others here just cannot mimic, and it makes me grit my teeth.
With effortless movements, he slips through the shadow, towards Opal, and swings his spear in one smooth motion. The weapon draws a horrid arc through the air, and I watch as Opal teleports - only for the skill to crash into the authority. The clash is brief, but it delays their teleport, and metal bites into flesh.
Opal disappears with a gash across their shoulder, and I watch the blood ooze as the wound ignites with faint, flickering flames. Lightning explodes in the sky, hail slamming down on us, framing the battle in the howl of the storm as the guard laugh. “Hah! Feckin’ gutter rats. Never learn youse falling lessons. Rule one is payin’ off the feckin’ guards!”
Shadows boil around him, and Kuro lashes up at his ankles. The guard frowns at that, and sweeps his spear through the surrounding darkness, cutting off the writhing mass before he’s properly trapped. Then, a single step carries him across the battlefield, towards Thatch.
Again, he lashes out, spear driving forward while the man is stuck holding off Bloodstain’s magic. Almost effortlessly, he finds a gap in his defense. The guard breaks through Thatch’s authority, through the scales he channels, and drives the weapon into his skin. It looks so easy. Too easy. Then, he disappears again, targeting Richard.
This time, though, I’m in the way. A torrent of darkness lashes out around me, as I fuel Kuro with mana. I see his lips twist into a frown underneath his beard as he sidesteps me. At that, I tilt my head even more at him.
But I’m not fast enough. Richard barely manages to duck underneath an attack coming her way - by taking a bite out of the ground, creating a small crater to hide in. Sylves’ arrows seek him out, but he instantly spins, striking three of them out of the air with a swift motion, and launching himself at her in a faint explosion of gold.
Again, the movements are too easy, too swift for someone of that level. Even with his enhanced authority… it shouldn’t be this easy. Sylves looks scared, for just a moment - but when his spear carves through her, she simply turns into a mirage. A trick of the light. I smile at the sight - until the guard hurls the spear.
The world slows down for a moment. Golden flames wreathe around it, and soar towards Sylves. Her real body, wrapped in her chameleon mantle of moss. Her eyes widen. And, for the first time in a while, I fuel my own abilities.
[Selection] reaches out in a moment. It latches onto the spear effortlessly. And then, [Suppression] follows a breath later.
For a heartbeat, the weapon slows. Sylves twists out of its path on a gust of violent wind, sending her off-balance and tumbling through the air. But the guard just clicks his tongue, looking around for the source of the ability while pulling his spear back, as if trying to identify where it came from.
And then, I get it. The way his eyes are wide open, observant and careful… it’s a clue. The way he avoids me and Inu, because he doesn’t know our jobs. I told Raven those of Thatch, Opal, Sylves and Richard. But not Inu’s, and they don’t know who I am. That’s why he looks panicked - the guards are stronger when they know more about a target.
Which means I’m his worst matchup.
As the guard falls, I cut through the crowd. Shadows disperse of flobs with quick strikes, Kuro clearing the path for me as I sprint towards his landing point. I’m not particularly fast, usually, but neither is gravity, and when he lands, I make it nearby. The guard looks at me, and the frown deepens. “Piss off before I carve you up, shadowmage.”
But I don’t listen. Already, power is pouring into Kuro. Mana upon mana feeds the shadow-critter, and it builds around us. The guard’s face tightens, and he goes to move, but before he can take a step, I reach out.
[Selection] finds him, and instantly, I know I was right. His job feeds him power based on knowledge. Some guard-detective hybrid. And then, [Suppression] lashes out a moment later.
[Suppression 29 > 30]
He stumbles, and a moment later, the black box is complete. He stares at the walls, then laughs. “Hah! You think that’ll stop me, fallin’ rat? I’ll shred through here in a jiffy and then I’ll feckin’ carve up yer buddies! What’s even yer name?”
Gently, I tilt my head. “You seem to misunderstand something,” I say quietly. “This isn’t here to lock you in. It’s here to hide what I’ll do to you.”
I drop my attunement loop. I stop powering the cruncher. Mana flows out of me at a violent pace, and it all latches onto the thread connecting me to him.
[Selection 26 > 27]
The skill shivers, but I hold it in place, and with the targeting mechanism, every single drop of mana that so violently spills from my core reaches him. The guard’s laugh dies in his throat. [Suppression] crashes down on him so heavily that he staggers, almost falling to a knee.
His authority rises against it, but it’s met by my Efficiency. My skills refuse to be weakened by something else. I push through. His authority is stronger, yes, but it’s targeted. It works better if he knows me, if I’ve committed crimes. And… he doesn’t know.
“Tell me yer feckin’ name before I gut ya, rat,” he hisses, still trying to draw intel from me.
And with a gentle smile, I shake my head. A spear appears in my hand, wreathed in shadow, made from a quarter of my mana pool, and imbued with the strongest suppression enchantment I’ve ever made. The guard frowns deeply, then ignites with golden flames.
“Fine, I’ll carve it from your falling corpse,” he says, and lunges at me.
And with a deep sigh, I channel even more of my mana. An absolute torrent of it, enough to strain my vessel even while fully under my control, floods into [Deconstruction].
I recognize the patterns. He’s sponsored by Respitia, and that means I know the weaknesses of his skills. One moment to another, the flames wink out. His stab loses half its power. The glow on his armor recedes.
For a brief moment, fear flashes on his face. And I find myself so very curious to see how he ticks. A swift clash later, there’s a small, bleeding gash on his face, and we’re standing apart again. “Come on,” I say calmly. “Show me some more. Show me all of your skills…” A smile spreads on my lips.
“And let me break them.”
Chapter 162: Terror in a Box
Mana spills from me in an endless tide, my vessel steadily generating more at a pace the guard simply cannot match. He’s stronger than me, faster than me, more skilled than me… and yet, [Suppression] drags him down to my level. Whenever he threatens to outpace me, I make him stumble. Whenever he threatens to overpower me, I sap his strength.
And then, I land another little cut on him. Just a small one - I can’t even pierce his armor, so I go for openings. He doesn’t wear a helmet, because he was cocky and didn’t expect a proper fight, so I graze his cheeks and his neck. And with every strike, every cut my spear leaves, he gets a little more sluggish.
I see his face shift, as he grits his teeth. As he makes for the black walls again, but the box simply shifts with him. It’s disorientating, the dark space making it hard to see, but it’s just a shadow. The hail still falls in, for example. But he can’t properly maneuver out. I chase him, and the box moves with us.
A moment later he spins, pivots, and the spear flies at me in a blink. With a clumsy step, I just barely avoid it. I almost lost balance on the icy cobblestone, but Kuro helps keep me upright. A lance of light flies at me - only to evaporate in mid-air, falling apart into particles.
Mana pours into me from the broken spell, and then along my tether, right into the guard, turning him sluggish again. I apply my [Suppression] efficiently, targeting his joints, the weak points in his body, making it uneven across his left and right side. It’s difficult to manage so many things, but even as my eyes bleed I just smile.
“Come on,” I say quietly. “Show me some more.”
With a roar, his mana rises, dispelling some of the weakness inside him. Golden flames roll through his bones, and I tilt my head with curiosity. [Deconstruction] flares, but since the effect is internal, it’s weaker. There’s not even a proper external spell construct to target, it’s more like…
“Holy frick, you got runes on your skeleton?” I ask with surprise, already wanting to observe them.
Once again, he doesn’t grace me with a reply. Instead, he lunges, stabbing at me - and this time, I take the exchange.
His spear sinks into my thigh. It’s a brutal blow, tearing through muscles, sending a spiral of pain up my spine, but I don’t even flinch. Instead, as the surprise appears on his face, I watch him try to move his mana. Then I [Suppress] it.
For just a moment, he’s stuck. A torrent, a quarter of my pool, tears into him all at once, and he freezes up. With a slow, almost gentle movement, I shove my spear into his armor, making it crumple before the imbued edge. It takes a second and some pressure, but eventually, it sinks into his skin and he gasps.
Then we both stagger apart. Still, despite the exchange, a vicious grin spreads on his face as he pulls the spear from my leg. “Fucker,” he gasps viciously, holding his side. “Ye just signed yer death warrant.”
In a moment, golden light pours from the hand he holds over his wound. The golden light that indicates a healing spell. It sprawls over his runed bones, spilling through his body like a flood. And instantly, I smile. My gambit paid off.
[Deconstruction 23 > 24]
Mana. More and more and more mana pours into the skill, enough to go so deep into that spiraling toolbox that it goes from a simple knife to a chainsaw, serrated edges howling with force. Blue-grey tendrils reach across our connection.
My skill tears into his. For a moment, the healing holds. For a moment.
Then I see his face go ashen.
His magic breaks under mine. The skill comes apart, and I do it so inefficiently. I don’t target the weak spots, I destroy it all. The entire construct.
In a moment, my chainsaw of anti-magic carves deep into him. It shreds the flames, it reaches cold, grey fingers through his flesh and leeches the healing from his bones. Every single piece of the skill comes undone, unwoven in an instant. And every single piece of it flows into my archive.
I grin, wide and manic, as the essence pours into me. All at once, I memorize his ability. All at once, I follow my intuition. I pick out the best parts, I learn from them, I assimilate them into my own skillset. And I stop holding the levels back.
[Memorization 9 > 10]
[Intuition 9 > 10]
[Skills Fused!]
[Memorization 10 + Intuition 10 > Annexation 2]
His skill comes apart, and feeds mine. Annexation pulls every single piece I need from that archived construct with such beautiful efficiency, and it spills into my own healing.
[Biological Restoration 23 > 25]
One moment to another, I break through the threshold on my healing skill. Golden light trails along my bones, not like fire, but with purpose. It lingers, courses through me, stealing the most powerful aspect of his skill and boosting mine.
His wounds keep bleeding, and mine close up.
A look of horror finally dawns on the guard. “Wh-what…?” he asks quietly. His voice cracks.
“Thank you,” I say with a smile, “for teaching me.” With my mended leg, I approach his bleeding form, and he steps back. My mana is low, but it’s already refilling, and breaking his skill gave me a good chunk to work with, thanks to my epitaph.
Another roar leaves his lips, but the flames die out before he ever reaches me. He’s still strong and fast, but the lingering touch of my [Suppression] is on him. And I can feel Kuro, too. Shadows pull at his legs, slowing him like a quagmire. Some skill of theirs also seems to be enhancing his blood loss, because vital fluid leaks from the wound I left at an unprecedented pace, splashing into the shadows below.
“Fucking… fuck!” he curses, panting heavily as his face goes paler. Again, he casts those golden flames, and charges at me, but I disrupt his movement skill before it even activates, courtesy of what being a nullmage taught me.
“Hey,” I say quietly. “Do you have any more skills to show me? Come on, surely this isn’t it, right?” I ask.
“What?!” his eyes, staring at me, start to quiver a little. His wings shake. “I- what in the fallin Tower’s Wrath is wrong with you?!”
I tilt my head, then hum. “Is that a no?” I ask. There’s disappointment in my voice, and I can feel him get even more afraid as he stumbles back.
Once more, he tries to heal, and I break it. The skill activated even slower now. It looks pretty mana intense, and he must be getting low by now. We’ve been fighting for a while, after all. And he staggers back from me, clearly afraid.
“You fuckin’ monster!” he curses me, and I tilt my head the other way.
“A no then,” I sigh, and step forward. They always get pathetic at the end. With a swift movement, I stab his throat. And then, he lands on the ground. “You can finish him, Kuro,” I tell the critter, and, at my command, the entire shadow box collapses inwards, turning into a cocoon of spikes that shreds his body, killing him.
[Class Up! Vesselsmith 5 > 6]
[Level Up! 79 > 82]
The levels come at the right time, more mana filling my vessel as the points go into it, filling me up to around a third of my maximum. Which is, most likely, more than anyone else in this fight has right now. With the box receding, everyone can see me standing over the corpse, holding a malignant, dark spear, wearing my dark mask and my cloak of shadows.
I look upon the guard for a moment longer as Kuro devours the corpse, waiting until lightning splits the sky. A roar of thunder washes over us as I face the rest of the fighters, many of them seeming real quiet after feeling their strongest authority wink out.
“So,” I ask quietly. “Anyone else want to go?”
Raven, of course, is the first to run. The coward, covered in red lines left by Opal’s sword, turns into a puff of feathers and disappears into the night sky. Hail falls heavily on their fleeing form, as our echo knight erupts into roaring laughter.
There’s a small pause until Bloodstain notices, but when she feels the way that the pressure of authorities shift, she clicks her tongue and slinks backwards. Both her and Thatch are covered in blood, the wounds on their bodies moving as if trying to rejoin. She gives him a bright smile, before quickly dashing into the night, shortly followed by her gang.
None of us follow. Instead, we look at the bodies on the ground. Thatch’s rage pulls away. Sylves floats down from the sky. Richard spits out a piece of metal armor she was chewing. And for a moment, we all just sit.
“We won,” I announce.
Thatch gives a weak smile at that and nods, exhausted by the flashflood of his anger. Inu lays a steadying hand on his shoulder, using [Empathy] to keep him fueled. “We did,” she says with a small smile. “We did.”
“We’ll have one hell of a story to tell Zinc,” Opla says with a snicker. With another weak smile, we get up, and start making our way back to base. We won tonight. Now it’s time to get a proper reputation.