As the figure known as Rock snapped to attention from his drunken haze, his eyes narrowed, wary of the cloaked figure before him. Despite his brash exterior, Rock was no fool.
He was a mercenary seasoned in betrayal, and his mind was as sharp as the blade he wielded. Intoxication did little to dull his instinct for survival or his readiness for a fight.
"I take it you're the assassin?" Rock's voice was heavy with disdain, not entirely sober but alert enough to understand the gravity of the situation.
The streets were silent, the tension palpable as Eddie, with a smile thinly veiling his predatory intent, nodded affirmatively.
"Well then, you'll find I'm no easy prey," Rock growled, pulling a dark crystal from his pocket.
Uttering incantations, he summoned a behemoth of black rock that seemed to merge with his body, transforming him into a monstrous entity of stone and shadow.
Eddie, known for his wit and cunning, didn't rush into battle. Instead, he observed, taking in every detail of his opponent's transformation.
This was no ordinary mercenary but an elemental warrior with a summoned beast of rock skin, a rare and formidable type of combatant in the mercenary world.
Rock's transformation was impressive, but Eddie wasn't deterred. He knew the essence of being a successful assassin was not only strength and skill but also understanding and exploiting the enemy's weaknesses.
As Rock, now a towering figure of stone, roared in defiance, Eddie calculated his next move, his eyes glinting with the thrill of the hunt.
And so, in the dimming light of the setting sun, a dance of death began on the empty streets of the city. A battle between the wits and wills of two fierce souls, each determined to emerge victorious.
The outcome remained uncertain, but one thing was clear: the streets would never forget the day when an unassuming cloaked figure challenged the infamous Rock, setting the stage for a legend to unfold.
Over 80% of mercenaries tend to opt for enhancement beasts as their first choice, prioritizing survival above all else. If they have the luxury of summoning a second beast, it's invariably a combat beast, typically a powerful avian or a ferocious mammal.
Faced with Rock, Eddie was surprised to find his adversary harnessing an elemental beast — an unusual choice suggesting significant strength and skill beyond the average mercenary.
Rock was a seasoned 'Warrior' of the second highest tier, a full five levels above Eddie's supposed novice status. To anyone else, this disparity would be insurmountable.
But Eddie wasn't just anyone. He was a man of cunning and unconventional strength, unfazed by conventional hierarchies of power.
Rock stood with a gleaming steel axe in hand, his body now impervious to conventional weapons, his confidence soaring. To him, Eddie was nothing more than an overconfident thief about to be squashed. But as Eddie suddenly turned tail and fled, Rock was momentarily taken aback. Was this thief actually attempting to flee?
With a grotesque smile twisting his stony face, Rock gave chase. Despite his slower pace, his rock skin ensured he wouldn't tire, making him an inexorable force.
Though Eddie might have the initial speed advantage, Rock was confident the prolonged pursuit would wear the thief down, leading to an inevitable capture.
The streets of the city turned into an unusual spectacle — a swift, cloaked figure leading a hulking rock man on a merry chase. Onlookers might have found the scene ludicrous or even comical if not for the lethal intent evident in every move the two made.
It was a high-stakes game of cat and mouse, with pride, survival, and a bounty at stake. Eddie, however, wasn't just running; he was leading Rock into a trap, a plan forming in his mind as he dashed through the alleys with the relentless footsteps of his pursuer echoing behind him.
In the deserted farmhouse setting, perfect for clandestine confrontations, Rock hurled his steel axe at Eddie, who adeptly dodged with an almost dismissive casualness. Surveying the quiet darkness, Eddie quipped, "Quiet, secluded, indeed an ideal backdrop for a bit of deadly business."
Rock, assured of his victory, boomed with laughter, "You think you're the predator here? You're merely the prey on the verge of demise!" But Eddie's calm demeanor didn't falter.
With a clever offer, he slyly suggested, "If you're loaded, like a hundred gold coins loaded, I might just consider letting you buy your life back." Rock's laughter echoed at the proposition, dismissing it as the most ludicrous thing he'd heard.
As Rock advanced with a raised fist, Eddie's agility shone. He deftly retrieved the axe embedded in the earth and swung it at Rock's chest.
A metallic clang resounded, sending sparks flying, leaving only a faint mark on Rock's stone-like chest. Eddie inspected the now slightly chipped axe with an analytical eye.
Rock, smugly touching the superficial mark on his chest, jeered, "Kid, you must realize by now how futile your attempts are. I'm invincible!" His overconfidence was palpable, but Eddie remained undeterred.
With a glint of determination, Eddie stepped back, his brain whirring with strategies to overcome the seemingly insurmountable obstacle before him. It was a classic showdown of intellect against brute strength, and Eddie, with a coy smile, prepared to exploit the inevitable chink in Rock's armor. The quiet tension between them crackled, as the standoff continued, promising a cunning twist in the tale of David and Goliath.