historical

'Those monsters aren't coming after me, are they? I need to get this boy to the meeting location quickly. There, hopefully, is somewhere I can hide. ' The man pondered as he ran.

After a while of running, ruined houses began to appear in front of him. ''Huff, t-this should be the place, r-right? So where exactly am I supposed to meet these people? ''

The man looked around as he slowed down and moved closer to the houses.

''Did I arrive early? ''

''Gaggh..''

While looking for people to turn Rayn over to complete the mission, he felt a sharp pain in the back of his neck and a sword tip emerged from his mouth before collapsing to the ground and dying instantly.

''I was worried they wouldn't make it, but they did an excellent job,'' Raydon said as he wiped the blood from his shortsword on the man's clothes.

After putting the man's mask on his face, he dumped the man's body into his dimensional storage. He then lifted Rayn onto his shoulder and turned to face the darkness. ''I think he'll be here soon.''

He then turned around and fled in the direction of the abandoned homes.

—

"How far did that cowardly bastard run? " Dan pondered as he ran as hard as he could. He had trouble seeing far because it was so dark. After a while of running aimlessly, he noticed the ruined homes in the distance.

''Huh? Isn't this the location of Ashskin's headquarters? '' He paused briefly before regaining his composure and carrying on. It would be impossible to save Rayn if the man made it to his headquarters.

'I can't allow that to happen. ' He was now running to his full potential.

He ignored the cramps and aches that crept into his muscles and entered the full-focus mode that Raydon had taught him. He slowed his breathing and heart rate in order to tire more slowly. He put everything out of his mind and concentrated solely on the masked man, who was his intended target, allowing him to detect him even in the darkness.

Gradually, the anxiety he had just experienced was replaced by total calm. With each passing second, he noticed that his steps were getting lighter. Now that he was running across the soft ground, he was leaving so few footprints that it was impossible to tell them apart without paying close attention.

Even as he ran desperately, it was impossible to spot him unless they were very close because of how well he blended into the night. Dan didn't realize it at the time, but he was getting close to mastering the Shadow Assassin Technique that Raydon had taught him.

He kept running in this manner for a while longer before coming to a halt in front of the destroyed homes and spotting something dark running ahead of him.

'I found you.' Dan muttered as he squinted at the silhouette.

He accelerated once more, one level beyond the limits he had already reached, and could now clearly see the man and the Rayn he was carrying. He continued to run as stealthily as he could, eventually approaching the man.

'I got you. ' Dan swung the knife in his hand toward the man's back.

But just then, the man fell to the ground alongside Rayn as if he had tripped, narrowly avoiding the knife.

Just as the man was about to stand up and walk over to Rayn, he saw Dan and began running again, looking terrified.

''Damn, lucky bastard. '' Dan cursed and dashed over to Rayn to check on him.

''Fortunately, he is unharmed.'' He sighed and looked at the fleeing man. He wanted to pursue him and kill him, but he also didn't want to leave Rayn alone because he knew this area was dangerous.

"You coward bastard. I dream of the day when I can track you down and kill you with my own hands. ''

Dan said, taking Rayn on his back as he looked at the man who was almost completely lost in the darkness. He was about to avert his gaze and turn around when he noticed that the man had abruptly stopped.

'What's he up to? Does he mock me because he knows I can't pursue him? ' Dan considered it, but as soon as he noticed the man's next move, he turned around and fled while swearing.

''You fucking bastard.''

*BANG*

*BANG*

*BANG*

Dan quickly hid behind a destroyed building as the man pulled out his gun and started shooting at him.

"What's the point of this? He just fires at random. Is he seriously considering hitting me like that? '' He looked at the man from his hiding place, perplexed as to why he was shooting at random rather than focusing on escaping.

Dan muttered after some thought. 'Anyway, I'd better get out of here now. If the gunshots are heard, more Ashskin gang members may arrive. '

He turned around and thought about sneakily going back the way he had come, taking advantage of the darkness, but then he heard a growl nearby.

''Grhargll''

''A dog? ''

Immediately after Dan said it, a completely black humanoid thing leaped out of the destroyed house's broken window. Dan made a decision in a flash and leaped back to try to avoid it, but he was too late, and whatever that thing was left three cut marks on his chest.

''Shit, Isn't this one of the residents here? Is this thing even human? ''

He realized it wasn't a human being when he looked at the person who had missed his attack and had fallen to the ground. Dan was mistaken, as was everyone else, in believing that those who resided here were merely drug addicts; however, he now realized how wrong they were.

'I don't think any drug can turn a human into this.'

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