In the heart of the Becktham city's labyrinthine streets, Quinn lay prone on a crumbling rooftop, her silver sniper rifle nestled against her shoulder. She peered through the scope, her target—an infamous merchant—centered in her crosshairs. The city's chaotic nightlife buzzed far below, oblivious to the silent death about to unfold.
She took a deep breath, her finger steady on the trigger. In one fluid motion, she exhaled and squeezed. The rifle emitted a sound only she could hear, its silencer working perfectly. The bullet found its mark, and the merchant crumpled to the ground.
Without missing a beat, Quinn dismantled her rifle and packed it away. She began her descent, her movements as silent and calculated as her shot. As she reached the alley, voices drifted up from below.
"Security has increased in this shit hole of a city," a gruff voice complained. Another replied, "Yeah, no kidding. These guards were all over Angel Sphere."
Quinn paused, blending into the shadows, listening intently. She spotted the speakers—three rough-looking men standing over a dead guard. "Don't make me laugh. These guards don't stand a chance against us. Filthy pests they are," the leader sneered.
They don't play around, killing a guard as a commoner is like killing a bear with your fists, Quinn thought. I better not make myself an enemy of these guys. With that, she slipped away into the darkness, her mission complete, but with new threats on the horizon.
A few days later, Quinn strolled into a dimly lit weapon shop, the bell above the door jingling softly. "Two high-velocity silver magazines, please," she said to the weapon dealer, a burly man with a grizzled beard.
"Of course. Is the killing business going well?" he responded, sliding the magazines across the counter.
"You could say so," Quinn replied, pocketing the ammunition. Just then, a loud bash echoed through the shop as the door was kicked open.
"Has anybody seen three bandits nearby?" an officer barked, his eyes scanning the room.
"Come on, you didn't have to kick in my shop's door, head officer," the dealer grumbled.
"Have you seen them?" the officer demanded, his tone harsh as he pointed his gun at the dealer.
Quinn subtly reached for her rifle, but the dealer shot her a warning glance. She relaxed her grip.
"No, officer, I haven't seen them," the dealer replied calmly.
The officer lowered his weapon. "Has anybody else seen them?" he asked, his tone lighter.
"I've only heard three shots last night, I haven't seen them," Quinn responded smoothly.
"Same!" chorused the other citizens in the shop.
"We've shot at them, but as soon as we did, they were gone," the officer explained.
Teleportation magic? Huh. Last time I've even heard anybody talk about it was centuries ago. No ordinary citizen should know about magic by now, Quinn thought, a grin spreading across her face.
"Come to the council, they'll fix this up," the officer said before turning and leaving.
The dealer nodded, and with that, Quinn turned toward him and asked, "Who was that guy, and do you know anything about those bandits?"
"He is Chief Deputy Officer Draycott. About those bandits? Not much, apparently they are looking for someone with a silver gun, and they are in serious trouble."
"Someone with a silver gun, huh?"
"Yeah, similar to yours. Lucky the officer didn't see it."
Quinn thanked the dealer with a nod and slipped out of the shop, her mind already shifting to her next target. A few days passed, and the city's underbelly buzzed with whispers of her exploits. She was on the hunt again, her silver sniper rifle concealed beneath her cloak.
As she navigated the maze of dark alleyways, an officer, clearly of a lower rank than Deputy Chief Draycott, appeared in her path. She subtly moved to put her gun away and tried to pass him, but he stopped her with a simple hand gesture.
"Be careful where you go," he warned, his eyes narrowing. "I wouldn't advise going around with that gun."
Quinn didn't respond, merely nodding in acknowledgment. The officer continued on his way, strolling slowly with his hands in his pockets. As he walked away, Quinn's instincts kicked in. That guy has something off about him. I don't sense a human essence from him, she thought, her eyes narrowing as she watched him disappear into the crowd.
As Quinn was about to turn around, the guard vanished into thin air, leaving the crows to circle where he once stood. Suddenly, a huge explosion erupted behind her, filling the entire area with smoke. Instinctively, Quinn got into position, her weapon ready. From the smoke, a bandit emerged, swinging a cutlass. She evaded the attack, elbowed him in the back, causing him to trip and drop his cutlass. With a swift kick to his legs, she sent him sprawling and pointed her gun at him.
A loud shot rang out, and everything seemed to slow down within Quinn's vision. Startled by the unexpected attack, she quickly lifted her gun, instinctively using it as a shield. The bullet slammed into the gun, deflecting away from her body. The impact sent a shockwave up her arms, but she held firm, her eyes scanning for the source of the shot.
A bandit jumped off the building next to her, performing a backflip while brandishing a cutlass, heading straight for her. The bandit on the ground vanished, but she could still hear his footsteps. Quinn evaded the airborne bandit by leaping back and then kicking him in the back, sending him sprawling.
Suddenly, a shot rang out from the front. In a split second, Quinn readied her weapon, firing at the incoming bullet. The impact split the bullet in half, sending a shockwave toward the enemy. The bandit from behind was closing in, but she sighed and swiftly kicked backwards, tripping him up.
Quinn swiftly pinned the tripped bandit to the ground, her movements precise and controlled. With one hand, she held him down, while her other hand kept her weapon aimed steadily at the remaining bandit emerging from the smoke. The area was still filled with the acrid smell of the explosion, and the crows circled ominously above, adding to the tension.
The bandit from the smoke hesitated, assessing the situation. Quinn's eyes bore into him, unwavering and unyielding, daring him to make a move.
Quinn pressed the bandit harder into the ground, her voice filled with authority as she demanded, "Who are you associated with?" The bandit groaned in pain, struggling to breathe under her weight. He could barely manage a response, his words choked and strained.
"Please, I can't tell you," he gasped. "They'll kill me."
Keeping a vigilant eye on the other bandit still shrouded in smoke, Quinn leaned in closer. "You better start talking, or you'll wish they had," she threatened, her tone icy. The other bandit hesitated, clearly unsure whether to intervene or flee.
"The Crow Association," the bandit rasped. Quinn's mind raced. The Crow Association? So was that guy with them?
She pressed on, her voice stern. "Were you guys affiliated with the killing of a guard recently?"
"Lots, probably hundreds," the bandit replied weakly.
"I see," Quinn said, her tone thoughtful. "Tell me, does your group have access to magic?"
The bandit hesitated, his eyes darting nervously. "Yes, some of the higher-ups do," he confessed. "But I don't know much about it. They keep it a secret from most of us."
Quinn's expression turned to disappointment, realizing the bandit had only used invisibility. She gave him a withering look and said, "Invisibility? Seriously? Using that like a coward when you could do so much more? Pathetic." She pinned him harder to the ground, then stood up and kicked away his gun. "Run, you pathetic loser. I don't want to see you ever again. If I do, I'll turn you and your group into nothing more than whispers in the dark."
Her eyes focused on the smoke, detecting a shadowy figure within it. She readied her weapon, aimed carefully, and fired a single shot. The bullet cut through the smoke, dispersing it instantly, but the figure was nowhere to be seen. Quinn's gaze swept the area, but it was as if the mysterious presence had vanished into thin air.
Quinn reloaded her weapon with practiced ease and holstered it, her eyes scanning the surroundings one last time. Satisfied, she turned and walked away, her steps measured and purposeful. Unbeknownst to her, the shadow figure lingered behind, its presence barely a whisper in the dense fog of the city. This time, however, she didn't react, trusting her instincts to keep her one step ahead of whatever threat loomed in the shadows. A day later, Quinn was collecting her reward when a bomb went off near the bank close to her. She instinctively closed her eyes, tapping into her vampiric abilities to scan the area for enemies. Her heightened senses swept through the entire neighborhood and the chaotic scene around the bank. The building was completely destroyed. Wow, these guys really did a number on this place, she thought. Knowing the city's harsh stance on crime scenes—where anyone involved was considered guilty until proven innocent—Quinn decided to steer clear.
As Quinn was about to leave the door, she heard somebody shouting, "You fools, we are looking for somebody called Quinn. She has white hair and looks like a military veteran, not like this bimbo." With that, the big muscular guy in the distance threw another girl to the ground, her head hitting the pavement with a sickening thud.
Quinn saw and heard the commotion, making her seriously question whether she should intrude, given that she was being mentioned. Deciding to act discreetly, she used her blood rose magic to secure the girl. With her palm toward the ground, she shot out a rose thorn spike that pierced the earth and traveled underground to the girl, stinging her gently. The girl felt the sting and was initially scared to move, but as the muscular man shouted and advanced toward her, ready to swing, she suddenly found herself moving with incredible speed, darting away in an instant. The thorn had increased her agility, allowing her to escape the immediate danger.
With the thorn returning to her palm, Quinn thought, I haven't used this in a while. She let out a slight laugh, a rare smile crossing her lips. Alright, time to head out, she decided, turning away from the chaotic scene.
She moved swiftly and silently through the labyrinthine streets, her mind already focused on her next steps. The city's oppressive atmosphere seemed to press in on her, but Quinn thrived in the shadows, always one step ahead, always vigilant.