Nico ran through the roofs of the buildings of Pyrros, his feet clicking against the water with each step he took.
And with each jump, a precise flip was done just to keep himself entertained and to impress whoever was watching from the shadows.
'I didn't expect them to show up this quickly, but seeing them now is good,' he said as a map popped open in front of him, tracking down Lindsey.
Thanks to Lindsey's information on where Genesis's goons usually hung out or extorted people for money, Nico was able to select missions from those specific parts of Pyrros.
By drawing in attention using Lindsey, and secretly taking down the players who got too close too soon.
But now, the time to strike had come.
A crazed grin was plastered on Nico's face at the thought of potentially leaving the video game world.
A person with the might to kill a god of Olympus was bound to have the knowledge of an escape.
And the Ponchos who took Lindsey were only the first step towards answers.
Finally, he stood in front of an abandoned elementary school.
The concrete walls connected to the entrance were torn down, leaving behind bricks and mossy cobblestones in their stead.
The gates were rusty and ashy, creaking with each gust that blew past and threatening to fall off at any moment.
Nico stepped inside and the school wasn't that much inviting either.
The auditorium had painted walls filled with flowers, animals and other things that would make a child feel safe.
But now, it was nothing but a mad house.
The cartoon characters that filled the kids with joy and reassurance were now blackened and bleeding from their eyes, the name "Genesis" graffiti'd on the wall.
The lights flickered on and off like Nico's beating heart. He stopped walking through the auditorium when he reached the small circle of the Ponchos.
11 to 15 men, all of them wearing blue-black ponchos, scrutinized Nico as he walked in.
Nico's eyes landed on the stage where Lindsey was chained to a pillar and gagged with black tape.
Lindsey's eyes landed on Nico and sge immediately started trashing back and forth from excitement and relief.
"So glad you could join us," a voice spoke through the silent hall as he stepped on stage.
His head was bald and his eyes were as dark as night. But, his smile was uncomfortably charming, reeling in anyone who would give him the time of day.
"I never knew that the Blood Fiend would be right here in my eyes. My name is Axel. A pleasure to meet you," Axel introduced himself as he gave a gentle bow.
"I like what you've done to the place. It's quite... charming..." Nico commented. "Would you mind releasing Lindsey? She and I have a lot to do."
"You don't get to decide what happens to Lindsey. As much as I'd love to entertain you, I'm returning her to the bossman. She'd be safer with him than with you."
"What makes you limp wrist noodle dick fat fucks need to protect her? She's literally a walking calamity who wants to be free," Nico commented.
Axel chuckled. "She doesn't know what she wants. You're corrupting her with your so called strength."
Axel then walked towards Lindsey, wrapped his arms around her shoulder and played with her hair.
"There is neverending rain in Pyrros. Clothes that we wear are waterproof and we don't get any forms of sickness similar to the flu," Axel began.
"But, I've always been fond of something more than waterproof clothes. See, I wear a poncho because of what's coursing through my blood," he continued.
"Human blood. I may be a Goliath in this world, but there's always something... humane... about wearing a poncho when it rains. I try to instill this philosophy into my people."
"Nicholas, join us."
Nico sucked the air through his teeth and nodded his head slowly. "How do I say this politely? I would much rather suck a basketball player off than join you."
Axel shook his head and sighed. "Suit yourself. None of you intervene. He's all mine."
「QUEST ADDED: A BOSS'S SECOND CHOICE
- Defeat/Kill Axel, the leader of the Poncho Faction, and save Lindsey
◆ Rewards: ???
◆ Penalty: Death」
Nico flexed his fingers.
A second later, black and purple particle effects covered his hands, forming a thick glove that had dragon scales and spiked knuckles.
「Dragon's Carnage Equipped」
He threw a few jabs in the air and stretched his arms afterwards.
Axel on the other hand, pulled out a short knife and casually twirled it around his fingers, cracked his neck and focused up.
He lowered his centre of gravity and kept his eyes locked on Nico, while Nico cracked his knuckles and took a fighting stance.
They scrutinized each other for a few long seconds, each of them attempting to read their opponent's moves.
Then, they dashed towards each other, the ground scraping as their feet moved with graceless speed.
Nico threw calculated hooks and jabs at Axel, who used his knife to deflect, redirect and block.
Nico increased his speed and began aiming for Axel's torso. Axel, unbothered, simply shifted his stance and evaded with little movement.
He then parried Nico's punch, created an opening and jammed his knife straight into his inner elbow.
Nico groaned and kicked Axel away, grunting as he shook his arm.
「HP: 250 / 310」
Suddenly, his arm stiffened and bled, forcing Nico to clutch it as tightly as he could.
'My health...'
As he looked at his healthbar and his right arm, his health was starting to decrease by 1 with every passing 3 seconds.
"That knife..."
"Yeah. This is a jagged life snatcher,my awakened weapon. See, I'm classified as an assassin, so I think that this weapon matches my energy," Axel explained.
"And, I'm assuming that its enchantment is Bleeding and Paralysis?"
"Bleeding II, actually," Axel replied as he twirled his knife.
"You know, I really meant it when I said that I want you to join us. With your strength, we'd be able to control these streets, alongside Genesis."
Nico reached into his inventory, pulled out a healing potion, and poured it all over his injured arm.
The bleeding not only stopped, but he could feel his arm once again.
'These gauntlets are useful, but they're leaving me way too open,' Nico pondered as he released the gauntlets.
He pulled out the Tusks of Keogan, blowing a gale of wind as the white blades manifested before in his hands.
The daggers felt natural in Nico's hands, like most of the weapons he had been using up to this point.
'Maybe this system wants me to be an assassin class player. I wouldn't mind, if I'm being honest.'
"You ready for round two?" Axel inquired as he stretched his arms.
Nico spun the daggers' handles once, one of them held upright, the other upside down.
"Let's do this," Nico prompted.
Axel dashed towards Nico, the ground beneath him breaking as he closed the distance between himself and Nico.
He swung his knife and almost hit Nico, who narrowly avoided being struck by jumping away in time.
Then, he brought his daggers closer towards Axel, the gentle gale effect allowing him to close the distance a second quicker.
「HP: 980 / 1,000」
He managed to strike Axel on his chest, making him stagger as his blood stained the wooden floor.
Axel scoffed and ran towards Nico again.
This time, Nico reacted in time, blocking the incoming strike with his twin daggers.
But, like a black cat through the night, Axel disappeared and reappeared behind Nico, switching his grip on his knife as he stabbed him on his back.
Nico screamed for a seck d as Axel jammed the blade into his back and kicked him away.
Nico stumbled and quickly pulled out another healing potion, splashed it on his back and sighed.
"You're a real pain in the ass. You can use stealth as well?" Nico complained.
"So are you. You keep popping those potions like it's normal. You're not making this interesting," Axel added his own complaints.
Nico smirked. "I ain't trying to make this interesting..."
「Nyx's Shroud applied!
-20 mana per minute in use」
Nico's body faded into black smoke before he completely disappeared. Axel smirked and used his stealth skill as well.
Now, both players would play a game of chicken, similar to what new assassins did.
'He thinks he has me right where he wants me, but there are subtleties when people use a stealth skill,' Axel recalled as he scanned for Nico.
Slight shifts in mana, jaded environments, abnormal heatwaves.
Axel had drilled the mistakes stealth killers made and more. He was certain Nico was going to make one as well.
Not too long after, Axel noticed a change in mana in their small area.
He leapt towards the source, revealing himself as his knife screamed through the air.
'It's a shame that I can't use my stealth skill when I attack. But, you've slipped up, Nicholas. You're mine!' he concluded with a wide grin on his face.
"Heyo, whatchu looking at, baldi?" a menacing abd cold voice inquired behind Axel.
His eyes widened. The world moved in slow motion in that moment.
For the first time in a long time, Axel felt a chill up his spine.
'Demonical...' he muttered to himself as he saw glimpses of the first fight he lost when he was transmigrated.
'This child isn't normal!'