The smell was hard. Did someone piss here? The alley was flooded with dense water. Probably because of the drain. Narrow curves form from corner to corner. Strange black garbage bags laid on each corner. It was an ideal place to hide a crime. Not even the police would search a place like this.
"Swoosh"
A sudden wind passed by me. It was so fast that I couldn't grasp it. The air was getting chilly as the night had fallen. Huh? I felt an intense smell of blood. It was near. Very near. I began walking slow-paced. Wait, something is dripping from my left shoulder, making my t-shirt wet. I glanced left to check and--
"A--" my eyes widen. It is a mixed feeling of shock and astonishment.
"My shoulder---" I couldn't able to utter a full sentence. Nothing came out after the first word. A small sharp knife stood still on my shoulder as if declaring war. Intense blood came out pulling it out slightly. But that didn't hold it back. It was still in my flesh just like a brave warrior.
"Ahhhhhh!!!" As I couldn't hold onto my pain, I screamed at the top of my voice. Something is wrong. My regeneration is not working. The knife was still there.
"It hurts---"
"Doesn't it?" A voice that was not mine. It echoed throughout the alley. The empty alley was still the same. There's was no identity of that voice. Who could it be? Why did he do that? No answer was given. Just a blast of laughter continued. I fall holding my left hand. The pain was severe. I intended to pull out the tiny yet strong knife just like you find in Hollywood action movies. But I was wrong it needs more courage than that. I lowered my head and clenched my teeth.
Why didn't the system went in battle mode? Perhaps because I wasn't aware of the danger. The system works oddly.
"Wait, did I pick the wrong guy?"
That sounded kind of odd.
"You're that guy who came to meet me. Aren't you?" I said while clenching my teeth. "Why did you do that?"
"Why?"
I was barely standing. "Well, Since Kurama said high about you."
"What does that even mean?" I didn't understand what did he mean by that. Kurama the blood dragon? Mr. Heriss and others warned me about him. He's supposed to be powerful.
"Nicolai! My name." He revealed his face by coming out of the corner. "I thought you would be a strong opponent. Guess that's a disappointment. I was a fool to be so cautious of you."
Apparently, he thought of me as a strong enemy.
"Kurama, that bastard fooled me. But, it made my work easy. With just a little effort I can fight him now.
"What are you even saying?" I asked as I couldn't understand his mumbling.
"Tch" he had a scornful expression. "I made a deal with him, if I kill you right here, he would give me a chance to duel him."
I was shocked as expected. Kurama appointed this to kill me. He was the one who sent that woman to kill Jessica. Thinking that boiled my blood. The rage that I kept myself from for a while now again manifested me.
"Kurama?" I said with upturned eyes.
The eyes of mine were slowly turning bright red like the red moon.
[Battle mode activated: you would get a boost in every skill.]
[Resist shield activated.]
My breathing became heavier. I was like a bull who saw the red flag.
"Whoa, whoa, you got some balls, brat."
He pulled out two small blades. It was so sharp that it could easily cut a person in half. At that moment I didn't feel fear. I wasn't panicking. I was calm but not composed. My emotional rage had engraved me so hard that I could think another way.
"You got something under that innocent face of yours? That's pretty amazing."
I didn't pay any attention to his sloppy talks and made my move.
I dashed forward and jumped into him. For some reason, my eyes were locked on his gut. I felt like tearing his insides out.
"Aah!" I yelled while striking. However, my attack didn't even reach him.
"Too slow," he was avoiding my bow one after one. Why he was so speedy?
I tried to back off as I wasn't getting anywhere but at that very moment, he swung his blade, cut through my hand, and stepped on the ground swiftly. Everything happened so quickly that I couldn't figure out what actually happened.
"Haha, weaklings die." He said nonchalantly.
My left hand was barely holding. However, it regenerated back to normal.
"So, I didn't pick the wrong brat." He said glazing at my hand. He thought I was just a human.
"Jodan, You can call me that." I gave away my name. I don't people calling me a brat or anything else.
"Here!"
He kicked me into my gut making me split blood. Its impact was intense. Shit, I felt like my liver had blast out.
"Hehe, how's that? Doesn't it was painful?" He was right. It was painful as hell.
Then he kicked again so hard, making me fly out, and slammed onto a car that was parked nearby politely.
"Slam"
"Bump"
The blood flooded out of my mouth. I couldn't hold it back anymore.
"Why are you not attacking? This isn't getting fun like it was a while ago.
I held my gut and make a pathetic smile. The smile that tool every energy of my health.
"I wouldn't hurt you because you are&----" he didn't even give me a chance to finish my words. A flying blade went near my eyes. It was probably a centimeter distance from the blade to my eyes. If he was a bit careless I would have been blind for the rest of my life.
"Those blades aren't my made. I got my hands on them when I was underground hunting for prey. A researcher in the police department has those. It was specifically made to kill monsters just like you.
"I envy you." I said with a grin."You're able to live as a human…"
"What does that come from?"
"You are a human aren't you?" I could see his surprised face. Truly it was long since I saw a real expression.