The city of Voranel loomed ahead, its towering skyscrapers cutting through the night like jagged blades. The air was heavy, charged with an unfamiliar tension that sent shivers down Dave's spine. He took a step forward, but paused as a chilling sensation washed over him. It wasn't fear—it was something deeper, more primal.
A presence.
Someone was watching him.
Dave's eyes narrowed as he scanned the darkness around him. There, just at the edge of his vision, a shadow shifted, darker than the night itself. He barely blinked, but in that instant, a figure materialized before him—a being made of swirling darkness, as if the shadows themselves had coalesced into human form.
The figure stood tall, his silhouette faintly outlined by the dim light of the street lamps. His eyes glowed an eerie silver, piercing through the blackness like twin beacons of malice.
"So," Dave called out, his voice calm but edged with steel, "are you the Rank SS that I've heard about?"
The shadow figure tilted his head slightly, regarding Dave with a curious intensity. A low chuckle emanated from him, reverberating through the silent street. "Yes, I am," he replied, his voice a deep, resonant murmur. "But I'm curious… how did you know about me?"
Dave shrugged, his expression impassive. "Word travels fast when you've been tearing through the ranks of superhumans like I have."
The figure's eyes narrowed. "Interesting. I've kept myself hidden for a reason. Yet, you managed to find me… or rather, I sensed you coming."
"So you're the one who's been watching me?" Dave asked, a hint of challenge in his tone.
"Perhaps," the figure replied cryptically. "You've been making quite the spectacle—massacring superhumans all over the world, leaving a trail of blood and destruction in your wake." He paused, then added, almost as an afterthought, "Are you the one responsible for all of it?"
Dave's lips curved into a faint smile. "What if I am? What can you do about it?"
The shadow figure's form seemed to ripple, as if agitated by some unseen force. "Then I'll just have to kill you. It's that simple."
Before Dave could respond, the figure lunged forward, closing the distance between them in a heartbeat. Shadows exploded from his form, stretching out like tendrils, wrapping around Dave's legs and arms. He barely had time to react before a fist, solid and impossibly fast, collided with his chest.
The force of the blow sent Dave skidding backward, his feet digging into the ground to halt his momentum. Pain lanced through his ribs, and he tasted blood in his mouth. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Not bad," Dave muttered, his voice low. "But it's going to take a lot more than that to put me down."
With a sudden burst of power, Dave teleported behind the shadow figure, his fist aimed squarely at the back of his opponent's head. The figure twisted just in time, ducking under the punch and countering with a swipe of his own, his hand morphing into a blade of pure darkness.
Dave ducked and spun, narrowly avoiding the strike. He retaliated with a rapid series of punches, but the figure moved like liquid, flowing around each blow effortlessly. Every time Dave thought he had the upper hand, the shadow figure shifted, his movements blurring with unnatural speed.
"Who are you?" Dave growled, frustration bubbling beneath his calm exterior. "What's your name?"
"Names don't matter," the figure whispered, his voice echoing strangely. "But you can call me Nocturne."
"Nocturne, huh?" Dave scoffed, his body tense and ready. "Well, Nocturne, I hope you're ready to bleed."
Without warning, Dave teleported again, reappearing just above Nocturne. He drove his foot down in a brutal axe kick, infusing it with teleportation energy to magnify the impact. The ground beneath Nocturne shattered, but he rolled aside at the last second, evading the full brunt of the attack.
The two fighters clashed again and again, the city around them crumbling from the sheer force of their blows. Every punch, every kick, every clash of power sent shockwaves rippling through the air. Buildings trembled, glass shattered, and debris rained down like a deadly storm.
Dave's body moved with a deadly grace, each strike precise and powerful. But Nocturne was relentless, his shadowy form shifting and reforming, dodging with an agility that seemed almost supernatural.
And then, in a sudden burst of speed, Nocturne closed the distance between them. His hand, now elongated into a razor-sharp blade, sliced through the air toward Dave's chest.
Dave teleported just in time, reappearing a few feet away, but he wasn't fast enough to completely evade the attack. A deep gash appeared on his arm, dark blood seeping through the tear in his shirt.
Nocturne's smile widened, a dark, twisted grin. "You're bleeding, hunter. Perhaps you're not as invincible as you thought."
Dave clenched his teeth, the pain sharp but manageable. He reached down and drew his daggers from their sheaths, the black blades glowing with a faint orange light. "Let's see how you handle these."
With a flash of movement, Dave charged forward, his daggers slicing through the air in a blur of deadly arcs. Nocturne's form twisted and contorted, shadows coiling around him like a living shield. But Dave was relentless, his daggers cutting through the darkness, leaving trails of shimmering light in their wake.
For every wound Dave inflicted, Nocturne retaliated with equal ferocity. Blades of shadow lashed out, tearing through Dave's clothes, leaving deep cuts along his sides and legs. Blood dripped from both fighters, painting the ground in a gruesome tapestry of red and black.
The battle raged on, neither giving an inch. Dave's teleportation and matter control allowed him to adapt to Nocturne's unpredictable movements, but Nocturne's raw speed and power kept Dave on the defensive. It was a deadly dance of violence and precision, each move calculated to inflict maximum damage.
And then, in the midst of the chaos, Nocturne lunged forward, his fist aimed directly at Dave's face. Dave dodged to the side, but Nocturne anticipated the move. His other hand, still a blade of darkness, swung around, slicing across Dave's chest.
Dave stumbled back, blood pouring from the wound. He gritted his teeth, pain flaring through his body.
"You're strong," Nocturne admitted, his voice a low growl. "But strength alone won't be enough."
Dave's eyes blazed with determination. "I'm just getting started."
The two clashed again, the force of their strikes sending shockwaves through the city. The ground cracked beneath them, buildings crumbling as the battle raged on. They were evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand.
And then, in the midst of the chaos, Bella's voice echoed softly to herself, almost like a whisper meant for no one else. "I might have to help him soon…"
She didn't elaborate, and Dave barely registered her words, his focus entirely on the fight before him. What did she mean by that? Would she intervene? The thought lingered for a moment before it was lost in the heat of the battle.