Minutes earlier…
A carriage holding three passengers passed through Ganurg’s southern gate. Stuart’s lanky figure sat by the window, his manner and posture as lax as ever. The fact that he would soon commit a despicable act didn’t trouble his consciousness in the slightest.
Though, while his consciousness wasn’t troubled, the fact definitely affected him. Wearing a subtle smile, a light glee passed through his being as his mind conjured visions of the future.
On the opposite end, but not the opposite spectrum, Charlie was practically vibrating in place. Taking in his fellow gangster’s manner, Stuart cracked a smile. “You’re pretty giddy, Charlie. You really want to crush that brat, huh.”
Charlie nodded. “I do, more than anyone in recent memory. You’ve heard those rumours too…it’s ridiculous. And it keeps getting more and more ridiculous. By next week, the rumours will say that he one-shotted Astra,” the bald gangster shook his head. “It’s just ridiculous when I think about it, that these crazy rumours are about the same worm who was not too long ago helpless in a cage, practically begging for his life. Where was the Silver Path then? Ha, I know where it was, it was still in his head, being concocted by his imagination,” he said, disdain dripping from his words.
*Dak*
The rotund gangster slammed his fist into his palm. “I’ll crush that brat, and his illusions then have him hug the dirt until he understands his rightful place in this world.”
Stuart smirked. “Very well, then I’ll leave him to you,” he stuffed the coin back into his pocket as he said. “Oh, there they are. To the right.”
“I see them,” Tim the coachman said from the front. Making a right, he pulled over to the side of the road. Then, from his seat, he waved over the trio in the distance. The trio approached with haste. Jacob entered the carriage.
“Well, what do you have?”
Jacob didn’t delay and rushed out his report. “We’ve lucked out. His mother is currently on the streets. She just left the bakery and is slowly moving down 3rd street. She looks to be heading back to the Orchard District so we should move quickly. As for Ralf, he left for his daily adventure not too long ago. Going by his average time, he should be back in around twenty minutes.”
“Good work,” Stuart complimented then turned to his excited companion. “Okay, let’s get a move on. Charlie, you go with the trio and wait until he returns. Tim and I will pick up Hana.”
Charlie nodded, then hopped out. Jacob followed up and soon, the two groups split off to focus on their individual targets.
***
The carriage moved. After a few turns, they found their target.
Stuart’s eyes sparkled as he captured Hana’s striding figure. ‘So defenceless,’ he couldn’t help but think.
The other seemed to be in her own world as a fuzzy aura radiated from her. The lanky gangster was ecstatic, not only by her but also by the nigh-empty surroundings. There was no other carriage around, and as for pedestrians, Stuart only counted three that could be an issue.
‘Three, that’s nothing. I’ll deal with them in an instant.’ Thinking this, he began simulating his approach and actions. A few seconds later, everything was mapped out in his mind.
“Tim, prepare to leave in a hurry.’
“Sure.”
Stuart disembarked. Boots touching the streets, his eyes moved to the trio who had just passed by Hana. The three young men turned into owls as their necks twisted to track Hana’s form.
Stuart showed a gleeful look, then moved. His Pinnacle Tier Rank 5 Telekinetic Psi propelled him to staggering speeds. With the rushing of air, he appeared at the trio’s side. Remaining ignorant of his approach, all three youths were knocked out by his pin-point strikes.
“Ah?” The sudden spike in Psi shattered Hana’s dazed state. Her Rank 3 aura flared up as her instincts were jolted awake. She snapped towards the direction the Psi came from and shifted into battle. But as she was getting out of first gear, Stuart was in fifth. The wind behind her shifted, and then he appeared.
‘Behin-’
Hana managed to register his existence at her rear…but nothing else. His deft hammer fist to her nape sent her to slumberland. Her body dropped like a sack of potatoes, but before she could hit the floor, Stuart’s telekinesis prevented it. The three young men weren’t given the same cutesy though and they toppled down roughly on the hard pavement.
‘Target captured,’ he thought in satisfaction. The carriage rolled up and he tossed Hana’s unconscious body in before getting in himself. “Move, we have to leave here quickly.”
Tim needed no instructions as he was already directing his horses forward. The Red Star wasn’t welcome in this town, so staying too long would only invite trouble. The carriage made a beeline for the southern gate. Exiting the town, the Red Star members were allowed to breathe easy again.
Now with relaxed shoulders, Stuart’s attention moved to his hostage. His eyes instantly turned crescent shape, and so did his lips ‘What a fine dame,’ at the comment, his hand roamed over Hana’s figure. ‘I can hardly believe she’s touching forty. This softness and elasticity; exquisite.’
He dragged his fingers from below upwards, pausing for a few seconds at her ample chest before continuing upwards to finally having them rest on her luscious pink lips, “Ah, so enticing. I can’t wait to devour you…but I will.’ He smacked her cheeks lightly prompting a series of incomprehensible mutters to escape her lips. He pulled out a vial and slipped its contents down her throat, ensuring that she would remain asleep for a while.
After another round of groping, he pulled back, wearing a lewd smile. ‘Doing it while unconscious lacks flavour, that’s more Charlie’s thing. That buffoon can’t appreciate the finer things in life. The contradiction that swirls in their eyes, where their mind rejects you but their body eagerly awaits your next thrust…is the pinnacle of pleasure. Also,’ Stuart squinted as his boss’ words slithered into his mind, ‘I’m pretty sure Tucker wants to do it first, right in front of Ralf no less. That’ll be quite a sight to see,’ his hand caressed her thigh, ‘but after that, don’t worry, I’ll take care of you.’
The carriage quickly headed to Lagner.
***
Minutes later…
‘It’s the Red Star, why?’ Rei questioned as he watched the four-person group turn the corner.
Gaze moving over the four, his attention was seized by the rotund form that was Charlie.‘And why is he here?’
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Posing these questions, he couldn’t help but squint, for, at a glance, he already found his answer. Their gaits, their expressions, and most importantly, their released Psi spelt out their intentions loud and clear.
While the duo exchanged thoughts, the four approached. At ten metres away, they came to a stop and then Charlie took a few steps forwards. A wide grin was plastered on his face.
“We meet again, Ralf.”
“That we have,” Rei said, wearing a look of cold indifference. “What reason have you come for?”
“Reason,” repeating the word, Charlie’s smile widened. “The reason is obvious… to remind you of your place.”
Ending his words, Charlie’s Rank 5 Psi rushed forward like water from a burst dam. It drenched Rei’s figure in the blink of an eye, and harsh telekinetic forces began assaulting from all sides. But things didn’t go as they had before. Rei’s Psi’s exploded out and his Chaotic Disruption worked to instantly shred the smothering aura.
‘Ah.’ Seeing his Psi so easily dismissed, Charlie’s smile faded and his eyes narrowed. ‘Interesting, let’s see what more you can do.’ Thinking this, he armoured up and launched forward.
Swoosh!
Rei sidestepped the charge with a Flicker. While moving, he drew out his two machine guns. Duel wielding them, he aimed at the bald gangster. At the sight, Charlie abandoned his follow up Blink Step and poured his Psi into defence. His bulky figure curled up as he braced for impact.
Ratatatata!
The barrels flashed and out came two metal streams. The bullets arrived with a deadly might, however, against Charlie’s sturdy defence, it saw no success.
The dense Psi presence combined with his armour’s roundness and his swivelling motions made penetration unsuccessful, many bullets ended up bouncing off him. Cracks formed, but Charlie was quick to repair them.
Rei observed this with cool eyes. Charlie’s beefy defence was noted before he proceeded with his initial intention. He turned to the trio and Flickered toward them.
While he was doing so, his two machine guns remained floating in space, continuing to pepper the rotund gangster. This wouldn’t delay Charlie for long, but a few seconds was all Rei needed.
Bang!
Drawing his pistol, Rei fired a bullet towards Trent, the Clairvoyant of the trio. Jacob and Lum acted quickly, forming a last-moment barrier before their companion. The bullet was stopped but at an even deadlier cost.
Swoosh!
Rei’s speedy figure suddenly appeared before Lum, the Rank 3 Telekinetic. Using his already high momentum, Rei launched a wicked right straight to the other’s face, shattering Lum’s barrier on impact. Fist still carrying much of its momentum, it caved in the other’s face and skull, causing blood and brain matter to explode out.
Following the punch, Rei took a half step back, avoiding Jacob’s lunging punch which flashed past his front. Ignoring the gangster for a moment, Rei’s gun in his left took aim at Trent again, and with a bang, ended the Clairvoyant’s life.
*Toss*
Rei dropped the gun then drew out a knife. He then dropped it as well, but instead of letting it fall to the ground, he formed a large Psi axe around it. Then, after dodging Jacob’s subsequent attack with a spinning motion, his axe swung around at air splitting speed and headed for the Rank 4 Telekinetic’s neck.
Jacob’s mind panicked perceiving this. With only a brief window to act, he moved with desperate speed. Without thought for what came next, he had his Psi rush to his left arm. Jacob’s palm shot out to grab the axe’s handle.
But…
As it was mere centimetres from contact, Rei’s suddenly dismissed the Psi contraption, causing the gangster to clutch at scattering particles. However, while his Psi disappeared, the knife didn’t. With its inertia, it flew onwards at high speed. The thin blue barrier was punctured and the blade tunnelled deep into Jacob’s eye socket. In the blink of an eye…and only an eye, the gangster’s life was snuffed out.
Thud!
The trio’s bodies dropped around his feet. Rei stood nonchalantly, radiating his usual cold indifference, completely unfazed by the blood and gore in his surroundings, nor the fact, that it was a product of his doing.
‘This kid is…’
Charlie, who had just disabled the machine gun’s firing with his Psi Disruption, took in the youth before him and had his brows scrunched up. At this moment in time, the laxness that filled his body and mind only seconds earlier was nowhere to be found. Now, a rarely felt tenseness gripped his being.
‘…dangerous.’
He wasn’t one to change his mind easily, but with the last sequence and everything on display, even he couldn’t deny this fact.
The rumours he so casually discarded now returned and began filling his mind. As it did, his heartbeat began speeding up and a cold sweat began trickling from his pores. On the receiving end of Rei’s unnerving gaze, these processes were accelerated.
‘Huh, what’s this, I’m…’ Not finishing the thought, Charlie’s grit his teeth. The flame of fear in his heart was washed away as flood-like anger poured in.
‘So what he took out those weaklings, it changes nothing!’
Convincing himself with this thought, Charlie rallied his Psi to do battle. Rei did the same, and a second later, the two combatants set off.