"What the fuck was that?"
The Biker with a paranormal Contract yelled as he tried to back off, but Aiden wasn't having it, his tail moved again rapping itself around the Biker's ankle.
"Whoosh!"
"Bang!"
A fully grown man was tossed through the air violently hitting a wall beside him, and as Aiden did this, he held onto the rod impaled in his chest with a firm grip.
"Argh!"
Aiden groaned heavily as he yanked the metal rod from his wounded chest while thinking to himself. "14% of my soul energy won't heal this."
With that thought Aiden summoned a soul from his soul storage straight into his mouth.
A white orb, remnants of it, appeared in Aiden's mouth, dilating as quickly as it took form.
With that energy, Aiden's wound healed quickly, but the blood-soaked nature of his black ensemble spoke otherwise.
The Bikers, startled by Aiden's surge in strength glanced at their fallen leader, who was only just recovering from the collision.
"You've consumed a soul born of the Libra star," Landon's voice sounded out as he intoned. "+1 Agility."
Hearing Landon's words Aiden smirked in anger, his head tilted as he spoke. "I wonder, how much soul energy can I burn before my legs give in."
At that moment, he burnt the soul energy flowing through his legs causing his muscles to bulge unnaturally, fortunately, his trousers concealed this.
"Tap!"
"Tap!"
Aiden pushed forward, his heels leaving the sound of quick taps lingering in the air.
Before the Bikers could react, Aiden was already in front of one throwing a forceful jab with the rod in his hand.
"Chii!"
A man was impaled, Aiden's rod piercing through his skull with impactful force. Blood spewed from the point of impact and kissed the ground, the moon's solitary light reflecting off the helmet that blocked his expression.
Through his trembling form, one could make out pain, a silent and agonizing pain, but Aiden didn't care, "Chi," he retrieved his rod watching as the unknown Biker slumped to his death.
"Fuck, Retreat!"
A yell sounded out, it came from the leading Biker, his eyes winded as he observed Aiden's form from behind him.
The other Bikers were quick to react turning back in an attempt to run away, but Aiden wasn't having it.
"Whoosh!"
His tail moved, curling itself around the ankle of the unfortunate, resistance, the fleeting Biker felt a heavy resistance halt him, a sudden force pulling his right leg back like a fisherman reeling in his catch.
"Bam!"
"Pierce!"
Another sound could be heard as the man tripped, and Aiden wasting no time pierced this man in the head, his thick metal rod penetrating his helmet like butter.
"Holy Shit!" One of the fleeting men who glanced over his shoulder yelled in fright, the sight shook him, his heartbeat quickening and his muscles tense from the stress, within his helmet, his eyes darted around looking for a means of escape, but he couldn't find one.
Except for the leader who had run in another direction, there were four Contractors left each scrambling in the same direction and Aiden didn't waste time. "Rookies," Aiden muttered as he moved.
"Whoosh!"
Rushing through the complex alleyways with quick bursts of inhuman speed, Aiden narrowed his eyes as he caught up.
"Tap!"
"Tap!"
"Tap!"
The Bikers, alarmed by the sound of rapid footsteps behind them, all looked over their shoulders.
One could see visible tremors in their hands as they watched Aiden close in. "Isn't he a strength Contractor? Why is he so fast?" One of them yelled.
"Swoosh!"
Before they could recover from their shock, Aiden hurled a bloody rod in their direction, and in that instant.
"Chi!"
"Argh!"
The rod hit one of its intended targets, piercing the unlucky Biker in the chest.
The force was so much that it pushed the Biker forward, allowing him to overtake his companions for a split second before staggering to a stop.
At first, the Biker was confused, having difficulty processing unexpected information, but when he did, his eyes winded through his helmet as he stared at the rod protruding from his chest, it only took a few seconds for the dread to creep in.
To the victim that split second was like limbo, if one took out the burning pain from the equation, they would be able to focus on the stillness that coursed through him at a moment between life and death.
A sudden intake of breath, each gasp a reflection of the burning pain, a pain that heightened the desire to breathe through his damaged lung.
Meanwhile, as soon as Aiden reached the slumping Contractor, he pulled out his rod, and without slowing down, stepped on him, hoisting himself up with flowing movements.
"Three left," Landon notified grimly.
Aiden's form flew through the air, and in that moment he stepped on a few protruding pipes, his coat flowing as his form struggled for balance.
"Whoosh!"
With one strong leap, he landed in front of a fleeting Contractor, a small smile on his lips as his tail swayed.
Aiden's appearance made the Contractors stop dead in their tracks, their first instinct was to turn the other way and continue fleeing but.
[Calm]
Aiden seemed to have other plans his voice coming in a short but commanding tone.
A familiar ripple, the men felt a familiar ripple curse through them as they lost control of their bodies.
In this state, each of these men was experiencing and revealing different thought processes and sensations, heaviness, lethargy, and the ever-present fear of death.
"Tap!"
"Tap!"
"Tap!"
If one looked into their eyes individually, they would notice a sober glint as if wondering what he could have done better, in the other you could find regret, and loathing for past mistakes.
Looking towards the last Aiden raised a brow, in the last Aiden could oddly find nostalgia a deep reflection on what was gone.
He was already close to them, but he didn't move to finish them off, instead, he sighed slightly his tail waving with a purple glow in the dark.
----------
Meanwhile, the Biker with a paranormal Contract was lucky, he had fled in another direction prompting Aiden to choose the majority over him.
At this moment he had just exited the alley, his chest heaving slightly from the exhaustion of his run, a rush of fear and adrenaline caused his fingers to tremble, perspiration leaking through his pores as his eyes darted around.
The city streets of Twilight City hummed with energy, a cacophony of subtle sounds blending in a symphony of urban life.
Tall skyscrapers loomed overhead, their glass facades reflecting the light of the moon which shone on the few pedestrians below.
Neon signs flickered and buzzed, casting vibrant splashes of color onto the pavement.
The sidewalks, though abandoned by its past visitors pulsed with the rhythm of the Biker's hurried footsteps, closed vendors, their shops locked with keys of different forms highlighted the lateness of the hour.
Slowing down slightly as he walked past a rare pedestrian, the Biker looked around in an attempt to find his ride.
"Fuck, I'm at the wrong block," he muttered to himself before darting in. "Why, why, why is this happening? I should have stuck to informing, being an assassin is much harder than being an informant."
As he cursed at himself for all the things he'd done wrong, he made a mental note to stay away from the demon of a human called Aiden.
Soon, the Biker reached another street stretched out like an asphalt river, its surface worn smooth by the relentless flow of traffic. Towering buildings leaned in close, casting long shadows that danced with the flickering lights of neon signs.
Before long, he had returned to the spot where they had parked their bikes, and in one fluid motion, got on his.
Inserting his key into the ignition switch he turned it, his movements smooth and deliberate, at the same time, he pushed the started button.
"Vroom!"
The engine started with a growl, echoing throughout the street.
Pulling the clutch lever he used his left foot to push the gear lever down, but as he was just about to move he felt something yank him back, the force prompting him to let go of his bike.
"Argh!"
The Biker grunted as he looked up, his arms quivering as he registered a pair of familiar eyes.
Dark and abysmal, the eyes of a beast on a perfectly sculpted human face, he looked amused, a devilish smile dancing at the edge of his lips.
[Calm]
Aiden's voice suddenly sounded out before the man could react, his eyes narrowing as grabbed the Biker by foot.
Slowly, he dragged the unresponsive man back into the alley where he had just painstakingly escaped from his movements as though he was pulling a shopping cart.
Being dragged on the ground was a visceral experience for this man, it was odd, and yet it plunged him into a world of raw sensations and primal instincts.
As his body skimmed against the rough surface, every nerve was electrified with signals of discomfort, each jolt sending goosebumps through his entire being like a warning of what was to come.
The ground became an unforgiving force, its texture etching itself into his skin through his jacket, in nature a brutal intimacy that left no room for escape.
With each passing moment, the line between self and environment blurred, as he became acutely aware of his vulnerability and insignificance against this demon of a man.
Every inch of progress was a battle against the relentless pull of inertia, a struggle that tested the edges of his physical endurance and mental resilience.
Yet, amidst the chaos and humiliation, there is a strange sense of clarity that emerged. In the absence of distraction and pretense, there was a profound connection to the earth, a primal reminder of his shared mortality and inherent fragility. It was a humbling experience that stripped away the layers of superficiality, leaving behind a raw and unfiltered essence that was both terrifying and liberating.
But of course, this could all be the thoughts of a man close to death, his brain muddled by the rush of ineffective adrenaline.
After a minute, the biker who was being pulled deeper and deeper into the alleyway regained control of himself. "Please."
He begged, the first word that came out of his mouth of a pathetic plea, but Aiden didn't reply, instead, he just kept walking.
Seeing Aiden's reaction, the Bikers light voice sounded out again. "Please, please don't kill me, you'll never see me aga-"
"Thud!"
The Biker was forced to shut up as Aiden let go, letting his leg fall with a small thud.
Turning to face him, Aiden lazily squatted as he observed the Bikers form, his blank expression sending a chill of uncertainty down his observer's spine.
"This is your first mission?" Aiden's voice sounded out, his tone questioning as he observed the Biker who hurriedly nodded like a lizard.
Seeing the Biker's gesture, Aiden raised a brow in confusion while pressing his lips together. "Even if you were a rookie, returning to where you parked your vehicle? That's the first place I would think to look for you."
Aiden's words were met with silence, but he didn't seem to mind this, instead, he stood up as he spoke. "Don't speak, it's easier to kill you this way."
"You won't kill me," the Biker who had turned quiet finally spoke, his tone filled with venom added. "You want something, information maybe."
Saying this, he took off his helmet revealing a feminine-looking man with curly black hair, and chestnut eyes, Aiden recognized him immediately, the only thing different about him was the fact that he didn't wear a collar this time, it was rose, the receptionist at the Silence.
Seeing Rose's appearance, Aiden didn't seem shocked at all, instead, he raised a brow in surprise at something else, his lips curling as he said. "Information you say, you've finally played a reasonable card for once Rose, then again it's shocking that you can be masculine when you want to."
Noting Aiden's lack of surprise, Rose murmured with widened eyes. "You knew."
"Haha!"
Aiden chuckled slightly, "You're starting to sound smarter, the moment I heard your voice, I could tell it was you."
"You, you," Rose stuttered, before adding. "If you kill me, your friends will follow right behind me, do you want to risk that?"
His question hung in the air like a chilling shroud, but Aiden didn't seem bothered, instead, he smiled and said. "You have your cards, I have mine, did you really think that I'd let my friends stay in that house knowing fully well that you are after me?"
A shocked expression appeared on Rose's face once again, using his arms as support he got up, but just when he was halfway through his rise he threw himself backward.
"Woosh!"
The wind tore as Aiden's tail moved quickly, missing Rose's neck by a hair's breadth.
"Fuck!" Rose yelled as he fell on his butt, moving back as he frantically spoke. "D-don't kill me, I know a lot, I'm more valuable to you when I'm alive."
"It's quite the opposite actually," Aiden said as he narrowed his eyes, quickly, he rushed forward raising his leg with a vengeance.
"Bam!"
"Crack!"
The sound of a muffled collision could be heard as Aiden brought his foot down on Rose's chest.
The force behind the attack was so much that it dislocated a few ribs, but Aiden didn't raise his legs.
"Ahhhh!"
Rose screamed as he felt a sharp, intense pain that radiated throughout the chest with every breath and movement.
Each inhalation became a torturous endeavor, as the fractured bones grated against one another, exacerbating the agony.
Rose's gaze faltered as he stared at Aiden's menacing figure, he felt no dissatisfaction, no hatred, no animosity, just fear, raw untapped fear.
Seeing the fear in Rose's eyes made Aiden remember Whisper. "She could've had her fill," he thought to himself before saying.
[Calm]
Aiden's voice sounded out as he used soul command, rendering his prey immobile.
Slowly, he brought down his tail, the tip, pointing at Rose's Adam apple, something Aiden assumed Rose didn't need.
With precision, his tail dug into Rose's neck, so slowly that it was agonizing to watch, but Rose, the one who should have been at the receiving end was oddly quiet from Aiden's soul command, his eyes shaking in response to the pain.
Blood flowed in thick streams.
In these short moments, Rose was acutely aware of the sharp tip of Aiden's tail slicing through his delicate flesh each subtle movement accompanied by burning pain with the severance of each nerve.
"Gaaage!"
A grotesque gargle, suddenly sounded out, as Rose regained control of his body, his arms hurriedly moving to Aiden's leg in a rather weak manner.
There was a subtle disconnect in his head as his brain struggled to comprehend the severity of the injury, every fiber of his being screaming in pain as his eyes lid grew heavier.
"Pathetic!"
A familiar voice suddenly sounded, prompting Rose to force open his closing eyes.
He saw the devil, clothed in a dark ensemble, staring down at him, at that moment he couldn't help but think. "I wish I were him."
Aiden narrowed his eyes at the way this guy clung to life, but it wasn't as though he wanted him to die in the first place. "Take my hand and live!" Aiden's voice suddenly sounded out as he stretched out his hands.
A ray of hope.
Rose had no strength left, he could barely see and the surrounding sound had become distant and dissolved.
But the word "live" seemed to resonate with him, the word, filtered through the muffled sound that invaded his ears shook his very consciousness.
An arm, a semblance of it, one he could barely make out through his blackened gaze.
With every atom of the non-existent life coursing through his veins, he reached for that arm.
Seeing Rose reach for him, Aiden smiled as soon as their hands made contact, at the same time, Landon's voice sounded out in his head. "You have used Infect."