My father had been killed. I could sense his life had slipped away unknowingly. Gritting my teeth, I activated my skill and ran. Even though I wanted to confront those knights for taking my father's life, I knew there was nothing I could do. Those knights were experts at neutralizing skills and magic. They were the anti-skill and anti-magic unit.
My skill only allowed me to temporarily evade their sight, but I knew they would capture me soon enough. I wasn't going down without a fight, though. I wanted to survive, to seek vengeance against those who took my parents' lives. With my father gone, it fell to me to avenge my mother's suffering at the hands of the those who abused her. I also swore to avenge my father's killer.
To achieve that, I needed to flee for now.
"You think you can slip away using your skill, huh? Too bad we've got someone who can see right through it."
Suddenly, a chill ran down my spine as I felt eyes fixated on me. It was unsettling because once I activated my skill, I should have been completely undetectable. I was like a ghost in the shadows. But those knights had clearly done their homework. The damn traitor must have spilled every detail about us, including our unique skill, allowing them to prepare for every eventuality.
The person staring at me now likely possessed a skill that pierced through illusions and detected invisible beings. It was the perfect foil to my skill.
Suddenly, a projectile hurtled towards me with deadly intent. I twisted desperately to evade it, but my movement was too slow, too delayed. The projectile slammed into my side, tearing through flesh and causing searing pain to ripple through me.
"Kuh...!"
Despite the agony, I didn't dare to halt. Stopping meant certain death, and I wasn't ready to meet my end just yet. There were countless unfinished tasks weighing on my mind, things that still needed to be done in this world. So, with gritted teeth and adrenaline pumping, I pushed forward, racing away as swiftly as my legs could carry me.
***
I managed to hide myself somehow, but the knights were still hot on my tail. Blood was gushing from my wounds, and I could feel a lot of it draining away. My consciousness was fading fast. I wanted to heal myself with magic, but using mana would give away my position to the knights. All I could do was apply pressure to the wound and hope to stop the bleeding.
"She can't have gotten far with that injury. Search every corner. Shoot on sight!"
The alley was dark, lit only by sporadic flickers of firelight as the knights continued their relentless search. Whenever I sensed a lull in their presence, I'd swiftly move to a new hiding spot. Staying put would mean certain capture, especially with the trail of blood betraying my every move. I had to keep on the move, always one step ahead.
Eventually, exhaustion caught up with me. I stumbled into an alleyway and collapsed face-first onto the ground. My consciousness slipped away, slipping beyond my grasp.
"Damn it..." I muttered to myself, attempting to rise but failing miserably, crashing back down to the cold pavement. My blood flowed freely, draining me of both strength and consciousness.
***
Rose's POV
"Thank you all for joining us tonight and listening to our songs!" exclaimed Erica, leader of the Starry Knights, her energy infectious as she beamed with a radiant smile. "I hope you'll keep enjoying our music and supporting us. We love you all!"
"Alright then, I'm heading out now. See you tomorrow. Oh, and try not to drink too much."
"I won't," I assured her.
With that, we parted ways.
***
The clattering of tankards echoed through the pub, accompanied by the lively music of the band playing upfront. Seated alone in a dim corner, I immersed myself in gulping down drinks and devouring chunks of meat whenever they came my way.
This was my only escape from the stress of my job. During this brief respite, there was no pressure. All I felt was pure bliss.
However, that bliss was about to be shattered.
"Hey, lady, mind if I join you for a drink?" a man with a sly grin said. From his rugged appearance, he looked like an adventurer or possibly a mercenary. "I hate to see a lady like you drinking all alone."
Just my luck—a guy ready to spoil my evening. Glancing around, I noticed several men ogling me with hungry eyes. It was clear I'd become their target.
I sighed audibly. "I prefer my own company, so no," I replied firmly.
"Aw, come on now, no need to be so uptight. I ain't looking for trouble, just some good company. What do you say?"
I could hear the sinister chuckles of the men eyeing me.
"Look, do you not understand the word 'no'? Or are you too dumb to get it?"
"You're really something else. Can't believe someone like you ended up in this dive. What luck," he sneered. "Makes me want to wipe that scowl off your face and replace it with pure pleasure."
That did it. I snapped. My right foot shot out, connecting squarely with his face. He went flying towards the band, crashing through the wall with a loud smash.
"Fuck! That crazy woman just kicked our leader! You think we're gonna let you get away with that?!"
I launched the tankard right at that asshole's face. It smashed into him with a satisfying crash, the shards scattering as he staggered back.
Before anyone could react, I was already springing towards the next target. My fist struck his face with a solid thud, sending him reeling, and then a swift kick to his gut doubled him over.
"You assholes ruined my day. Now I'm gonna make damn sure I ruin all of yours," I snarled, cracking my knuckles menacingly.