I was dashing through the market like a racing car without brakes. I was actually trying to put a distance myself and my tailers while trying to grasp the situation.
However, all I could do was overthink. I even tossed away the remaining drumsticks in panic. All the negative things were coming at mind instead of positive or good ones. But it wasn't this bad before. This probably became this bad when I accepted my dark side. But I had accepted it just a little!
Dammit! I forgot how overprotective my dark side is when it comes to brother! This is bad!
I clenched my chest with my right hand. My heart was beating fast. Normally, from this much running, my heart wouldn't pound this fast. The reason it was pounding this fast was the growing fear of Kane's well-being. It was consuming me.
I need to take a moment to calm down. I looked around and found no tailer in sight. I couldn't sense someone nearby either. It was safe to say I managed to shake them off.
I took a deep breath, then let it out. I repeated the same process for a couple of times until my mind calmed down.
This bad. Really bad. I need to control my emotions if I want to accept my dark side and grow strong. But it's really hard—No!
I shook my head, and sighed.
I need to take this slowly and master to control my emotions. I then look around. Strangely, the place of the market wasn't as crowded as the ones before.
Where am I now...? I wondered as I scanned my surroundings.
Just then, I spotted one of my tailers scanning the surroundings, jerking his head left and right like a frantic hawk. I ran and hid behind the nearby stall.
I peaked slightly, and saw my persuader began walking towards my direction. The owner swiftly understood the situation and opened his mouth, but I shut it before he could say anything.
"500 coins."
He nodded in agreement. The persuader came and asked the stall owner whether he had seen a tall, strange looking guy.
"Nope." The owner shrugged. "Haven't seen him."
"Tsk. Where did he go?" The muttered in annoyance as he scratched his head. "What a pain."
"Stop loitering and start looking for him already," said a woman, suddenly appearing beside him.
The way they were both appeared out of nowhere and were able to catch up to my speed, it told me that they both had superpowers like me, albeit, weaker than mine.
"Huh? Who are you to boss me around?" The man snapped. "It's you guys fault in the first place that he ran off and managed to shake us off."
"You were the one closest to him, and yet you let him escape. And now, you've the audacity to blame me and the rest?" The woman scornfully replied to that man. "How ironic, isn't it?"
"Tsk. Shut it."
It seemed like they were dead set on capturing me. But now the question was that since when they began to tail me? I then began to think about the possible answers to it.
After thinking it over for a moment, I figured that it was the moment when I entered the market. My reasons? Tall guy. Strange attire. Yep, I was practically begging for attention.
That gives them enough reason to tail and capture me, no? I mean, I was practically begging for attention and asking them to capture me.
While my persuaders were arguing, another man joined them, and informed them that the orders had changed—they didn't need to capture me.
"Boss summoned us. We're executing our plan tonight."
"Huh? I thought our operation was scheduled for tomorrow?"
"She's right. Why the sudden change?"
The second man sighed and replied, "It seems like you don't know that The Heroes are here. Our best chance to execute it successfully is now when they've almost no idea about situation."
Both the woman and the first man gulped. They left with him without saying a word. It just showed how much terrified they were of Aariz, Maarij, Selene.
Either way, it had played a big role in helping me out. From now on, I would be the one tailing them.
I came out of my hiding, and looked at the owner of stall. "I'll throw some more if you tell me exactly where their hideout is. Surely, you know that, don't you?"
"Go left. Run straight for a few minutes. You'll come to a turn, take it. Keep walking, then turn right. You'll see something strange. That's the place."
"Appreciate it." I handed the owner 600 coins and left.
I silently followed the direction the owner of the stall had given me. I was trying my best to be as stealth as possible and conceal my presence. After 5 minutes of running, I arrived at the "strange" location the owner had mentioned.
Unlike the lively, elegant market with its flowing river, this place was the opposite. Dark. Grim. Broken-down. Perfect hideout for villains.
Welp, I should just keep moving and deal with them already.
I felt like slipping, so I used one of my skill.
[Leo Aries Voidwalker has used the skill: "Infinite Steps Lv. 30".]
I moved in a blur and within a minute or two I found the entrance of their hideout which was actually leading to an underground basement.
Even though I'd found the entrance to the their hideout, I simply didn't enter it without surveying my surroundings.
[Leo Aries Voidwalker has used the skill: "Infinite Steps Lv. 30".]
I'm pretty much abusing my powers at this point, but oh, well...
I vanished from where I was in a swift blur and observed the whole area to make sure there was no one to notice me entering. Once I made sure it was safe to enter the hideout, I appeared at the entrance of the hideout.
Just as I was about to step into the entrance of the hideout, a thought occured to me.
There won't be any traps or alarms to notify the ones inside about an intruder, will there...?
It would be great if there wouldn't be any, but what if there happened to be some? I didn't want to take risks. So, just in case...
[Leo Aries Voidwalker has used the skill: "Divine Void".]
I used my [Divine Skill] to summon a void that would just devour any trap or spell casted here.
After a few seconds, I signaled the void to rest at the top of my shoulder, just in case there were hidden traps or spells inside as there wasn't any outside.
I've to do it skillfully... I thought as I took my first step into the entrance of the hideout before me.
Who knew my younger dark self would be so knowledgeable when it came to [Skills] and powers? It's coming in handy. I should ask him for more insights, so I can get stronger.
I thanked my younger dark self for having shared these useful information. Who knew I could use my [Skills] like that? But then again, all those knowledge flew into my mind once I'd slightly accepted him.
So, if I accept him fully and embrace peace both my light and dark side, I might become the strongest alive in the world. Let's leave it at that for now, and focus on the task at hand.
I was slowly descending into the basement-like hideout and the void floating above my left shoulder was devouring every hidden spell and trap on my way.
Just as I expected, they've hidden their traps and spells to take intruders out by surprise attacks.
I didn't have to worry about having some problems to see as they were some torches and spells casted along the way to make it bright enough to see.
I'd now completely descended through the stairs. I inspected my surroundings with sharp eyes to find a way or someone to tail who may lead me to their boss.
Just my luck, my persuaders were here too. I swiftly hid myself in the narrow space and peaked out slightly to catch a glimpse of them.
"Let's hurry. Boss has an important announcement to make."
"Are you sure we can leave that man and not worry about him leaking the information about our plans?"
"Ah, don't worry about him. I've stationed our men at the exits of the market. They'll kill him on the spot if they saw him."
"Considering what you just said, it's safe to say that man hasn't tried to leave the market yet, correct?"
"Exactly."
They talked among themselves as they walked towards the meeting hall. They were probably going to the announcement room or somewhere where they all could gather up.
There was a strange small monster hidden where I'd hid myself. It was scared of me at first, but after mustering up enough courage, he lunged at me, silently.
Unfortunately for it, the void floating on my shoulder devoured him before it could do anything to me.
I then began to follow them, but made sure to keep my distance. The reason was simple, no matter how hard I tried to walk silently, I couldn't. So I was following them at a slow pace, but fast enough to not lose the sight of them.
Ugh! Wish I'd a skill just like the "light weight" or "dead silence" perks in the games.
I grimaced over the situation that was holding me back. Yet, somehow, I was barely managing to follow them. This whole place was like a maze. All the ways and surroundings looked similar. One would have a very hard time distinguishing between what's the right way to wherever they wanted to go.
The void—though small in size—was still on my shoulders, devouring every small or so monsters, or strange creatures lurking around.
What the hell are these creatures even?
After a few minutes of tailing, we arrived at the large hall, surrounded by rundown furnitures, large metal containers, and boxes. Just as those persuaders were about to enter the hall, I used my another skill.
[Leo Aries Voidwalker has used the skill: "Divine Dash".]
I dashed past them in a blur, even so I tried my best to not notify them of my presence. But—
"What was that...?" The woman turned her head over her shoulder. "Probably, I'm imagining things."
"Don't stop on your feet, and move already."
"Tsk. Don't boss me around, you punk," said the woman, irritatingly
That was close. I barely able to avoid notifying them.
I hid myself behind one of those metal containers. While ducking behind the metal container, I peaked out enough to see the situation and faces of the ones involved.
There was no torch there to brighten up the surroundings to see except for the red orbs floating above in just a few numbers.
The place was dark already, and those red orbs added more to it. The people here weren't just in number of tens, but rather in dozens.
"Well, then," said one of them with an authoritative voice. "Time to discuss the execution of our plans. "