Michel returned to his apartment with his mind racing. He couldn't shake the events of earlier—how Xander had managed to confront him calmly and even counter his illusions. It was a harsh blow to Michel's ego, who had always believed his skills were unparalleled. Yet, rather than feeling intimidated, Michel was driven to plan an even craftier counterattack. He knew Xander wouldn't stop until he succeeded in taking him down, and this time Michel vowed to prepare the perfect trap.
Over the next few days, Michel carefully observed Xander's movements. He hired informants around the city, ensuring they provided him with reports on Xander's whereabouts. During the process, Michel identified patterns in Xander's daily routine, including places he frequented and specific times he operated alone. Michel realized that the best moment to strike would be when Xander was patrolling a secluded alley—somewhere devoid of witnesses who could disrupt his plan. Michel prepared a special weapon—a silenced sniper rifle capable of shooting long-range bullets without making a sound.
On the carefully chosen night, Michel positioned himself on the rooftop of a building directly overlooking the alley. He readied his rifle, locking in on the spot where Xander was expected to pass within a few minutes. Michel focused intently, regulating his breathing as he waited in silence. When Xander's figure finally appeared at the end of the alley, Michel wasted no time. He pulled the trigger with remarkable speed and precision, the bullet gliding through the still night air.
But Xander—with years of field experience—heard a faint sound that signaled danger. His instincts kicked in, causing him to roll to the side just as the first bullet narrowly missed where his head had been. Michel cursed under his breath, realizing that Xander had narrowly escaped his perfectly planned attack. Xander quickly took cover behind a wall, while Michel prepared a second shot, determined not to let Xander get away this time.
Unwilling to let Xander escape, Michel abandoned his shooting position on the rooftop. With calculated stealth, he slipped down a fire escape, reaching the street without a sound. Cloaked by the night's shadows, Michel moved swiftly down the alley where Xander was hiding. He swapped his rifle for a long knife that glinted under the dim streetlight. He knew that to truly finish Xander, he needed to get close, ensuring this encounter ended the grueling battle.
Xander, still feeling the sting from nearly being shot, remained on high alert. However, minor injuries from his earlier dive had slightly hindered his movement. He peeked from behind the wall, trying to spot Michel in the darkness, but the shadows made it difficult. Suddenly, in the tense silence, he felt a strong hand grab him from behind. Before he could react, Michel's knife drove into his leg, causing Xander to cry out in pain. Michel quickly twisted the blade, tearing through muscle around Xander's knee, and with a swift, brutal movement, severed most of the tendons supporting Xander's leg.
Xander collapsed to his knees, blood pouring from his wound. The pain was so intense that he nearly lost consciousness. Michel stood over him, his cold eyes looking down at Xander with satisfaction. "Did you really think you could stop me?" Michel sneered. "I told you, no one can touch me, let alone stop me." Xander, trembling, tried to reach for a weapon at his side, but Michel swiftly kicked his hand, sending the weapon skidding out of reach.
Xander groaned, his body now helpless, with one leg rendered useless. Michel crouched down, bringing his face close to the fallen man. "This is the end of your game, Xander. You can try to fight me, but no one survives my grasp," he whispered, clutching Xander by the throat. In that moment, Michel relished every second of his opponent's suffering. But just as he was about to deliver the final blow, the sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the distance. Michel looked up, realizing that several people were drawing near. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he decided to retreat, leaving Xander bleeding on the ground, ensuring that the wound he inflicted would serve as a reminder that he was not someone to be trifled with.
As Michel began to back away to make his escape, the rapid sound of footsteps approached. A team of agents, led by Xander's associates, emerged from the shadows, weapons trained on Michel. Michel realized the danger he was in, but before he could react, one of the agents fired. The bullet struck his shoulder, throwing him off balance. The injury, combined with the slippery rooftop edge, caused Michel to stumble and lose his footing. In an instant, he slipped and fell from the edge of the ten-story building.
Time seemed to slow as Michel's body plummeted from the height. Below, the silence of the night shattered as his body crashed onto the roof of a parked car. The glass shattered, and the car dented severely from the powerful impact. The agents watching from above assumed Michel was dead; a fall from such a height should have been fatal. They believed his body would be shattered, his bones broken, and the bleeding would kill him in minutes.
However, the silence was broken by the sound of a raspy cough from below. Michel's body, though battered and bloodied, began to stir. He gasped for breath, struggling to sit up among the shards of glass and car wreckage. The agents watching from above felt shock and even fear; none of them had anticipated Michel's survival after a ten-story fall. His body was bleeding, his clothes torn, and some of his bones were clearly broken, but his sheer willpower seemed to defy his injuries. Slowly, Michel struggled to his feet, though his steps were unsteady and filled with pain.
One of the agents shouted, ordering the others to descend and ensure Michel was either captured or subdued. But Michel, with an almost inhuman resilience, tried to walk away from the scene. Gritting his teeth against the searing pain, he smirked at those trying to stop him. In his mind, his tenacity was proof that he couldn't be killed so easily. "It'll take more than that to break me," he rasped. Michel, though gravely injured, dragged himself into the darkness, determined to return and plan a harsher vengeance against those who dared to challenge him.