There, atop the rusted, weather-beaten container, sat a man whose presence seed to drain the light from the air around him.
His hair was a void of black, slick and unyielding, like oil spilled across a dark sea. But it was his eyes that held the true nace—pools of abyssal black, deeper than the darkest night, swallowing all light and hope.
Sett's throat tightened, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallowed hard. This man was no ordinary foe.
This guy is strong.
He is not Tier 1. Tier 2?
The system can't sense it from this distance.
"Be on the move," he warned the girls, his tone leaving no room for argunt.
The man rose slowly, his movents deliberate, like a predator savoring the mont before the kill. He stepped to the edge of the container, his boots scraping against the tal, and gazed down at Sett with a look that was both bored and nacing.
"So you already know what is going to happen," the man said, stretching with a yawn.
Sett grinned. "Any chance of negotiation, ghost? Don't you feel it is a pity to kill such a handso man such as over your pity secrets?"
The man shrugged, spreading his hands. "I wish—but sadly, Lord Burrhen's life is on the line with this mission and even beauties are no exception this ti. Think of yourself as unlucky and try to be lucky in your next life."
The girls scattered like leaves in a storm, darting to two opposite sides of the alley.
Sett and the man locked eyes, their gazes sharp enough to cut steel. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, their lips curled into matching smiles—bloodthirsty and feral, the kind of smiles that promised pain and reveled in it.
"Don't fuck with you bastard ghost," Sett said. "You just want to see blood."
"Aren't you the sa, you fucking mummy?"
The container exploded in a shower of twisted tal and splintered wood as the man—Shining Black, Sett realized with a jolt—launched himself forward. His body blurred through the air, a shadow given form, and his fist, wrapped in black cloth, hurtled toward Sett's face with the force of a battering ram.
Sett barely managed to raise his arms in ti, crossing them in front of his face to block the blow. The impact was monstrous, sending him flying backward like a ragdoll. He crashed into the crumbling brick wall behind him, the force of the collision knocking the breath from his lungs.
This person was too strong!
Sett struggled to his feet, his arms trembling violently. He could barely lift them, the bones feeling as though they had been ground to dust. His mind raced, panic clawing at the edges of his thoughts. This man is too strong. Too fast. Is this what Tier 2 feels like? Or is he sothing worse?
The enemy slowly walked towards Sett. Once Sett was dead, the girls would be easy to kill.
Sett could see the second reason why the ghost didn't go after Zainah or Zarah.
Lust.
Ghosts loved playing with the opposite sex!
"If I were you," Sett said, forcing himself to stand straight despite the pain wracking his body, "I would stop right there." His voice was steady, though his hands hung limp at his sides, useless for the mont.
"Uh?" Shining Black raised his eyebrows.
Sett's smirk returned, though it was strained. "Look around you, ghost," he said, his voice carrying a note of triumph.
The man's head snapped around, his black eyes scanning the area. The slum, once eerily quiet, was now alive with movent. People—dozens of them—had erged from the shadows, their faces hard and their eyes wary. They ford a loose circle around the scene, their presence silent but unmistakable.
Shining Black's frown deepened. "How…?" he muttered, his voice low and dangerous. He had been certain the area was clear, had made sure of it.
Where had all these people co here from out of nowhere?
Sett's hand moved, a flick of his wrist producing a gold coin from nowhere. He tossed it into the air, letting it spin and glint in the dim light before it clattered to the ground before the crowd.
" and my girls dropped enough gold on our way here to attract quite the crowd," Sett said. "Don't you think we are quite the magicians?"
Shining Black looked unpleasantly at Sett. The girls slowly walked to stand behind him, small pouches of gold slinking on their belts.
Sett stared coldly at Black. "Go back to whence you ca from and tell your masters that I will keep it all a secret for you. Do not co at again."
Worried about Sett spilling the secrets outloud, Shining Black didn't move. Ghosts weren't good at such complex decision making anyway.
Sett took the girls and slowly walked away, lding into the crowd.
The crowd discussed in chaotic voices, fighting for the coins.
"Isn't that Lord Burrhen's subordinate, Shining Black?" soone said.
"Who is that handso man, a prince?"
"Woah, look at that girl behind him, man. Are there people this hot out there?"
"They are rich bro, they are literally throwing out coins for fun!"
"Did you get any?"
"I did, I hid it in my ass crack so that they wont ask for it back."
Sett chuckled as he walked away. Zainah supported him, her face complex. He bit her worried cheeks. "Don't worry, things just beca more interesting."
"Not here, Sett," she said as she pushed him forward, worry etched all over her face.
They had just made enemies of Lord Burrhen.
The whole city was dangerous now.
Soon, Sett and the two girls moved away from the crowd and into the middle of the city. Most of the crowd still followed them as if waiting for more gold.
He then sat right in the middle of the squire and began to check his own injuries.
For now, staying away from crowds was dangerous.
"Black is not the strongest subordinate under Burrhen, is he?" he asked, looking back warily.
Soone from the crowd shouted at him. "Handso bro, Black is the weakest!"
"I see," Sett said as his golden eyes glinted. "Thank you, shouting bro."
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