Clash

It was a tranquil night at Red Valley city at this time, the workers had already gone sleep, and the only people on the streets were those going home late after a night of drinking at some pub across the city.

On that new moon night, cats roam the streets using the dark to hunt smaller animals, and no one expects trouble in this town as the highvalley gang controls it, meaning that whoever causes that trouble will face serious consequences.

However, in a crumbling inn in the lower part of town, a window opened on the second floor, and two people, dressed as ninjas, passed through it to access the roof. These two were obviously Ryu and Nura and left their room to disturb the peace in the city.

Thus walking in silence on the roofs, Ryu and Nura went from house to house, going straight to some of the locations they knew the highvale members used as the base for their operation. It wasn't long until they found the first group of members at the front door of their base.

But, three gang members were chatting in the street, and they seemed to be alert. Thus Nura and Ryu decided to skip this target and look for another group, as possible targets were not something that was lacking in this town.

With caution, Ryu and Nura jumped to another roof and continued to search on the city, occasionally seeing drunk people and gang members on the street. But not one time they found suitable prey, as most of the time, the gang member was too close to the drunk citizens.

The citizens were part of the great doubt in Ryu and Nura operation, as they live pacifically in this city under the oppression of the gang, their position was unclear. When a fight breaks out in the street, the citizen can choose to help the High Valley gang and keep their safety, or he can help Nura and Ryu, or he can just walk away as if it's not their problem.

One time, when Ryu and Nura jumped from one roof to another, a senior far on the street with a jug of wine in his hand quickly turned his head to the side, locking right on the position that the guys had just landed. As soon as the man turned his head, Ryu and Nura jumped down on the roof, lying down with their stomachs pressed against the roof, with only their eyes above the top line of the roof to see the man.

On top of the roof, Ryu and Nura's heartbeat raced, as they were not entirely sure if the man had actually seen them or if he just got a glimpse of their passing shadow. Anyway, the man stood with the wine jug in his hand, looking directly at their position for twenty seconds, silent and still, or as still as he could, as his body tilted back and forth, revealing the state of his drunkenness.

Then, when the tension reached its peak, and the two guys on the top of the roof were preparing to stand and flee, the senior raised his jug and swallowed a large gulp, and after this, he continued to walk along the street in zig zag, as if he had seen nothing.

"What was that?" whispered Ryu, still afraid that the senior would jump after them.

"I suppose it will be like this from now on. After all, everyone in this town is a cultivator, this time, we have the surprise effect on our side, but this should happen more often from now on." said Nura with a serious expression.

"At least if we get a stealth skill." lamented Ryu.

"Look, if you get a skill just because you want it, I will stop being your friend." said Nura.

"Why are you so pissed? It's not my fault that the system loves me and keeps giving me gifts." Ryu said with a smile.

"He is gone. Let's get moving." Nura said, standing and resuming their running across the roofs.

Three streets ahead, five men from the highvale gang left a pub chatting happily among themselves. From their moves and talk, Ryu and Nura got that they are only drunk only to the point of excitement. But the street was empty, and there should be any highvale base close enough to come and join the fight.

At the darkest section of the empty street, five men wearing gray robes with a red armband at their left arm walked relaxedly and oblivious to the danger lurking literally above their heads. Then suddenly, a shadow fell from the sky two steps ahead of the man walking in front of the group.

When Ryu fell with his staff in hand, almost unnoticeable on that black alley due to the black flickering smoke covering it, ready to strike, the man at the front widened his eyes in surprise. But he did not delay in summoning his sword and moving his foot to prepare a fight stance.

In that short space of time, Ryu tightened his grip and, holding it with both hands, close to his waist, he pressed the staff forward, pushing it towards the man in front of him. As the staff was almost invisible in that dark alley, the man in gray lost the time to parry, so the blow came straight to his neck.

A flaming thrust connected evenly, smashing the larynx of the first enemy, who fell to his knees, grabbing his throat with both hands, desperately trying to breathe. Not even the first man finished falling, and Ryu was moving to his right side, aiming at the second man.

Meanwhile, just as Ryu landed on the ground, ready to take down the first man, Nura also jumped off the roof, falling behind the group and catching them by surprise. However, his landing wasn't as smooth and theatrical as Ryu's, Nura fell brandishing his club, using the fall to connect a blow on the top of the man's head at the back of the group.

At the same speed as Nura's club descended, the young man in the back fell to the ground with his head cracked open as blood flowed, staining the stone floor red. Even the second blow effect of Nura's club gone wasted as the man died with that single and merciless blow.

In consequence of that falling strike, Nura fell clumsy and without balance, which cost him some precious time to recompose his posture. Fortunately, the remaining group of three were greatly frightened by the sudden appearance of two predators, who took two of them away before they could react, and therefore lost their chance to attack Nura.

Since the group of three stood passively side by side, Nura decided to take the lead and advanced to the man at his right, going with his club standing high.