The dagger ripped into Klaus's back. A sharp pain flared, but it was quickly overshadowed by a surge of pure anger. He was furious at himself, at his fear, at the very idea of being a victim again.
At that moment he decided that he would not just run but put a fight.
Klaus's eyes snapped open. The masked man, a dark shape against the dim alley light, was moving in for the kill.
Klaus's gaze darted around, his Superior vision(C) instantly finding a thick cast steel pipe buried in the trash nearby. He lunged, his Swift Step (D) pushing his injured body in a speedy manner. He grabbed the pipe, the cold metal feeling solid in his hand. He spun, swinging the rod in a wide, wild arc.
The masked man, expecting a cowering victim, was surprised. The pipe struck his shoulder with a dull clang. It wasn't a powerful hit, more like a desperate shove, but it bought Klaus a second. The man stumbled back, cursing under his breath.
"You've got some fight in you, rat!" the masked man growled, his voice losing its calm tone. He lunged, his dagger a blur. Klaus blocked clumsily with the pipe. Metal clashed with steel, a screeching sound echoing in the narrow alley.
Klaus knew he was outmatched. The man was faster, stronger, and clearly a trained killer. Every block jarred his arms, every dodge stretched his injured back.
This wasn't a fight he could win by standing his ground. He needed to change the game. With another desperate block, Klaus shoved the man back, creating a small space.
Then, he ran. He didn't run in blind panic, but with a sudden, clear plan. He sprinted deeper into the forgotten alley, he activated Swift Step (D) carrying himself over trash and uneven ground. The man cursed again, a furious sound, and chased after him.
Klaus kept his senses sharp. His superior vision (C) helped him keep track of the masked man. Klaus didn't just run; he moved with an instinctive understanding of how to dodge and weave between obstacles. He spotted a dark, open part in the cover of a manhole in the alley , barely visible in the dark.
It was an entrance to the sewers.
Without a second thought, Klaus twisted, squeezed through the narrow gap, and dropped into the deep darkness below. The terrible smell of stagnant water and sewage hit him at once.
He landed with a splash in the shallow dirty water, the steel pipe still tight in his hand. He heard the masked man stop above, the small light from the alley outlining his big body for a moment.
"Damn it! The sewers? What a pathetic vermin" the masked man muttered. There was a moment of quiet. Following someone into a dark, filthy maze was not what he wanted, especially since he was coming back from a mission.
The masked man was a C-Rank hunter, part of the "Demon's Apostle" clan, which was part of the demon worshipers faction. He had just finished a cruel job. He was on his way to report his success.
He had stopped at this neglected part of the slum to rest in what he thought was an empty house. He only found out when he was settling in that the house had an owner, a teenage girl living alone in the slum, her mother had died recently. A loose end. He had killed her quickly and brutally to leave no witnesses. Or so he thought. Now, with Klaus seeing him, he had to kill Klaus too, to leave no trace.
With a grunt of annoyance, the masked man tore the cover fully open and dropped into the sewers. Total darkness swallowed him. No light from the street reached this far, and the air was heavy with the foul smell.
But Klaus had an advantage. His superior vision (C), a skill from a dragonfly, made a big difference. While the demon worshiper could barely see vague shapes in the dark, Klaus's vision, made better by his 'natural hunter' instincts, gave him much clearer sight in the almost complete darkness.
It wasn't perfect, but it was enough to see the sewer tunnels, the faint outlines of pipes, and, most importantly, the large figure of his pursuer.
Klaus became like a ghost in the dark. He pressed himself against the slimy wall, breathing quietly, his heart still beating fast but now with a clear plan. The masked man moved slowly, his heavy footsteps splashing in the water. He was angry and impatient. He was listening for Klaus, trying to find him by sound.
Klaus waited. He let the man walk past him a little. His improved reflexes and agility let him move quietly and smoothly even in the tight space. Then, he swung the steel pipe. He wasn't aiming to kill, but to hit hard and confuse the man. The pipe hit the side of the man's knee with a sickening crack.
The masked man cried out in sharp pain, stumbling. "Argh! You little rat! here you are!" he roared, his voice filled with anger. He instantly knew Klaus's general spot from the sound. The quick advantage Klaus had was gone.
A real fight started in the pitch-black. The demon worshiper, now fully aware of Klaus's location, lunged, his dagger a dark blur. Klaus blocked with the pipe, the clang echoing through the tunnel. They moved in a deadly dance. The masked man used his greater strength and fighting experience. Klaus used his better agility and, most importantly, his better sight in the dark.
The masked man might be C-Rank, but Klaus's natural hunter trait and better agility kept him going, he found himself surprisingly able to match the enemy. He dodged, weaved, and hit. His pipe was a desperate weapon.
He could see the man's fake moves, guess his wide swings, and hit back with quick, sharp jabs that were hard for the man to block in the dark. Klaus thanked the god that the man was not a mage type hunter otherwise he would be doomed.
Klaus soon noticed how the masked man moved. Because it was dark, the man was guessing where Klaus would go based on the sounds Klaus made.
Klaus's first attacks were simple and direct. He was using basic moves to test the enemy, hitting the man's arms and shoulders. Klaus also felt that his raw strength was weaker; even a hard hit with the pipe didn't seem to bother the C-Rank hunter much. But his agility was much higher.
A plan formed in Klaus's mind. He needed to create an opening, something the man wouldn't expect. Klaus started to hit the man's head over and over, swinging the pipe in the same way each time.
Whack. Whack. Whack. He could almost feel the masked man figuring out the pattern, getting ready to block. Klaus faked another head strike, pulling his swing back just enough to confirm the man's automatic block.
Then, in a split second, Klaus changed. Instead of hitting the head, he suddenly shifted his weight. He used a Swift Step (D) that allowed an explosive, unexpected twist. He pivoted, driving the pipe hard into the man's stomach.
A choked gasp escaped the masked man's lips as the unexpected blow hit him. He stumbled back, his defense broken for a moment, groaning in pain. This was it.
Klaus didn't waste the chance. Before the man could recover, Klaus put all his remaining strength into one final, deciding strike. He swung the steel pipe with all his might, aiming straight for the masked man's head. The blow landed with a sickening crunch. The demon mask cracked from the impact. The man stumbled, dizzy, groaning as he tried to stand steady, his vision blurry.
In that brief moment of confusion, Klaus's hand shot out fast. His fingers grabbed the handle of the dagger still in the masked man's hand. He pulled hard, twisting the weapon free. Without thinking twice, Klaus turned the dagger in his grip. He lunged, driving the dagger with desperate, brutal force.
He aimed for the mask, for the eyes. The blade went through the eyehole, going deep, tearing through bone and brain. The masked man stiffened, a gurgling sound escaping him as his body shook once, twice, then became limp. He fell into the dirty water, his life gone in an instant.
{please give me power stones (⌐■_■)}