"It'd be better to tell Nikko about this. Leave this to the officers," Finn mumbled.
"That won't be possible," Crow interrupted his thought process.
"Why not?" Finn asked, looking at the hunter with a raised eyebrow.
Crow tapped his hand against the wall, clarifying what he said, "To be honest, I wasn't exactly planning on just sitting around here and waiting for you. The truth is, I can't actually leave. You can't either."
"What're you talking about?" Finn asked further.
Instead of explaining through words, visualization was much quicker and easier it seemed as Crow summoned his cleaver into his hand. With a swipe of the blade that could cut through even titanium, it cut through, though the wall bled a black sludge, quickly mending itself.
"The hell?" Finn mumbled.
"Every part of this building is like this. It seems the interior is completely indestructible," Crow claimed.
"Then the front door–it was open when I came here," Finn said, stepping towards the stairwell.
Crow stopped him immediately with more words, "It's closed. It was closed the entire time. My guess is that it only shows itself open for potential "prey."
"Prey?" Finn questioned.
Despite the situation, the pale-haired man had an enticed smile, "I believe this entire apartment has been turned into the feeding grounds for a rather interesting person. We were ensnared in their web the moment we walked in."
"If that's the case, then I'm shit out of luck. Of all the people to be stuck with," Finn remarked, glancing at the hunter. "Still, I'm curious why we haven't been attacked yet then."
"Doubting me?" Crow asked playfully.
"I should, but I can tell you're speaking the truth...creepily enough," Finn said.
"It's a great thing, being connected–I can see you're creeped out, but I can also see you're not frightened in the slightest considering the situation. I wonder, did your assimilation make you this way or was this always Finn Hawkthorne?" Crow questioned curiously, stepping closer, staring at him as if analyzing a piece of art.
Conversation wasn't something he sought even if he was forced to be with the hunter for the time being. Even if he could confirm whether Crow told the truth or not, it didn't mean he knew the entire situation.
'There's likely things he's neglecting to speak about. I doubt it's to bring me down, but more just because he finds it interesting–that's the kind of person he is,'
Finn thought.
As he surveyed the room, looking for signs of anything that pointed to the unseen killer hiding in the midst, he could feel Crow watching him the entire time.
"Are you just going to stand there or are you going to help out?" Finn finally asked, glancing back.
"Oh? You want my help?" Crow questioned with a smile.
Seeing the clearly amused expression, Finn turned away, "Forget I asked."
"I can sniff them out, y'know," Crow claimed, tapping the tip of his nose. "Like a chef, I've developed a certain sense–I can smell a prize."
"Creepy, but fine–lead the way," Finn accepted, if nothing else, putting a meatshield between him and the unknown killer.
'I'll opt for this one, then
,' he thought.
[
Bloodstained Odachi
]
Replacing the dagger he held was the curved sword that possessed tenfold the reach. He could almost feel the blood of the hunter behind him pump when he called upon the special weapon, as though it drove his heart into a celebration.
The putrid being lunged at him, enlarging both of its arms to swing them as whips. As it approached, he brought the lengthy sword back—
["
Stay tuned to мѵʟ
Magnificent Blade
"] [Mana: -600] [3700/4500] [2:59]
In a swift slash before it could strike with its limbs, he brought the blade through its body with an arc of colorful fire and sparks. The elemental strife only chewed away at his enemy, bringing no harm to the room itself.
["
Mortal Mana
"]
[Mana Recovered: +300]
"—" Finn briefly exhaled as he sent the sword away, watching the grotesque creature dissemble into ash.
There was no experience nor ability assimilated, though [Mortal Mana] still presented a recovery of mana for killing it.
'I guess that thing was the minion of the killer. Some kind of system that allows them to create fiends and ensnare people in buildings? What could it be?'
He considered.
Finishing it off, he glanced over as Crow walked past him, kneeling down to brush his fingers over the putrid remains of the creature.
"It's been a long time since I've seen that blade he used to kill something. As beautiful as ever, isn't it?" Crow reminisced.
"I hate using it," Finn admitted with an absent look in his emerald irises. "I can feel all the blood on the hands of the person who wielded it."
"Oh? Then you must be feeling the lives of hundreds," Crow remarked, straightening himself out with a delighted expression. "I was always more picky and deliberate with who I hunted, but Raven...He had no such prejudice in who he hunted."
It was repulsive hearing the man speak about the act of taking lives as though it was nothing more than a game. He chose not to respond, instead taking his leave from the apartment as he entered the stairwell.