Chapter 45: Pursuit

Its been 5 years since I joined the group. Before my life of crime I was a worker at my family infirmary in Soldat. I loved helping people who were sick, my family's medicines were highly sought after even the research crazed bastards over there. 

But it all changed once I witnessed a incident 5 years ago when it was dark. I saw someone kill one of the locals on the street I lived on — and before I could even run away I was held hostage almost and was forced into joining the criminal group. Of course I was a bit stunned and terrified but I found a better way of success within the group. 

Killing, kidnapping and even sell things I found on my journey on the black market, I'm rich. I rose through the rankings within the group and now I've even become 4th in command... Yet they give me a stupid mission to take this girl with me because her parents sold her off.

"Just listen to me you dumb girl, your not going back home, your parents don't care for you and they've sold you for a measly price already!"

-Tch, this is stupid. While the others are probably doing more fun fun stuff I'm here with this stubborn girl, why would some of high ranking like me do a foot soldier's work. And lets not forget the fact that even the marines are here present here, it'll be bad if they see me now.

There was resilience within the girl, despite being held firmly around her wrist she still tried to move away. 

"...Hey you"

There was a voice coming from behind some guys in the distant. 

Turning to see the person who had spoken up he was met with a masked man wearing the signature attire of the marines. He was standing there silently — dangerously silently.

"...Holy you have to joke with me"

He turned back and forth towards the marine soldier and the girl deciding if he should drop the entire thing. It was in the middle of the day, if his higher ups would hear about him abandoning his mission he'd be a dead piece thrown away. 

The overdramtic clothed guy tried to make a run for it with the girl but before he could even take a step his wrist was suddenly twisted by a unknown force.

--Crack!--

"A-Argh!?"

"W-What the!?"

Looking at his hand he was dumbfounded. It was easy to tell the marine soldier that was facing him possessed a rumored vessel... in which just made everything worse.

"Shit, I need to run for my life... this guy's gonna kill me!"

He released the girl before running towards an alleyway getting onto the roof to escape. 

Solan stood there silently to himself watching the scared and terrified girl. Luckily a two members of the division had arrived to the scene, hearing the commotion from a few blocks away and seeing the fleeing man.

"Solan, What happened!?"

"....".

"I think I got our clue, take that girl in for questioning... I'll pursue the criminal".

Solan had managed to hold a certain degree of composure after hearing the man's words about the girl becoming a future prostitute. Hearing the words made his blood boil, there was something about it which was wrong and disgusting.

With a swift leap he jumped onto the roof, landing onto the shaking bricks watching as the fleeing man had yet to escape from his sight. 

"...."

The sky was turning darker into brighter gray as water droplets started to hit Solan's mask. 

"Its a terrible day for rain"

***

After perusing the man for what felt like forever Solan had finally gotten closer — 30 meters behind. 

There are a few limits to how I can use my telekinesis. I have tested how far the range is and its a limit about 20 meters, everything above that it wont activate. As the game of cat and mouse continued it started to downpour onto Komod. 

The people beneath were already retreating back to their homes and closing their shops for the time being and for the steep roofs were getting too slippery — Luckily I can use my telekinesis to hold balance onto the roof in case I trip, though I'm not completely sure about the man ahead of me. 

--Trip--

"Shit-!"

Just as i foretold the man tripped on his ankle, falling down onto the next roof he jumped onto. He fell hard down onto the wooden surface making a loud sound.

-Thud!-

"Aw shit that hurts" The man muttered under his breath,. 

Taking note of Solan approaching him jumping back down onto the lone street there was only the sound of rain pouring down like there were no tomorrow.

As the man tried to stumble away with his newfound broken ankle he was fast to give up after seeing Solan standing within range, enough for him to unsheathe a sword and lower it against his neck(if he had one)

Solan raised his hand creating a spear out of thin air which left the overdressed man baffled in confusion and fear.

'It'll be childish if I beat him into sleep, I'll gain more out of it if I start questioning his overdramatic cloak and his intentions with the girl. He was shouting at her casually like there were no one around else to watch, he must've done things like that in the past'

Solan reached out his spear to lift his heavy hoodie before seeing a old man with heavy wrinkles across his forehead, a thick beard around his jaw and seemingly to be around in his mid 30's. His nervous expression was hard to read, you could contemplate if he was sweating or if it was the rain running down his face.

"...You'll answer me now, that's the only choice you have".

The spear was positioned right under his jaw — the sharp blade barely meeting his Adam's apple, if he was to gulp now the cold steel against him would meet his skin.

"Who do you work for and where is your other friends?"

"Like hell I'll tell you anything! your just a mere marine-".

The spear made its way to his neck, making a slight cut, blood dripping from the edge of his neck. 

"Just tell me if you don't want to die":

The once overclothed man was scared. Even if he did tell Solan about his work he would die anyways, so what was it? Be dead or be dead?

"..I-I work for the Libic group, I-I was forced into this work! I swear".

'Libic? This is the first time I've ever heard that name — not that i'm familiar with any criminal groups at all'

"I don't care if you were forced, you still acted on their orders"

"You had said that you had plans for that little girl back then-"

With a interruption the man shouted anxiously at Solan.

"Y-Yeah! Her parents sold her off! They didn't want her so what better is there for a girl like her to become!".

Just hearing him say that made Solan feel sick. There was disgust running through his blood which shortly turned into a boil like a iron pot which was about to explode any moment. 

"So her parents sold her off to this criminal group...".

It was easy to connect the dots. The group must've done it many times before gaining wealth and power from it. That explained how the locals from before knew about them but didn't say anything, they were scared. If they had told the marines our the members they'd either be killed by his guys or worse turned into a slave for measly entertainment. 

"What about your boss? who are they?"

-Pang-

Before the man could even utter another word the man suddenly got knocked out cold by sudden force. 

A small pellet dropped to the ground.

There was a jolt of electricity surging through Solan for a moment and turning to where he felt the presence — A person standing on top of the roof far Infront of him, clad in what he presumed was black leather and slight armor hiding beneath his long cloak — The person's face was covered in a black veil and a hood to hide their identity.

"...Hm?"

There was something overly familiar with this mysterious figure that had suddenly appeared. Judging by his outfit he seemed to be with the Libic. 

"Why did you just knock our your own friend?" Solan asked, a cautions yet a curious sense lingering over him. 

"...He spoke to much" The person's voice was deep and rather soothing.

"..Oh Really? My gut's telling my you've been here all this time?"

And that's the thing, this guy has been here since i dropped to the street. He's been following me ever since I pursued him though i'm not sure why he hasn't done anything until now. If his friend really did speak to much why didn't they just interfere at the start — Almost like they wanted me to interrogate him from the beginning.

"Maybe I have....":

"Your a vessel user ain't you?"

I had to be cautious. I could feel my hand shake just very slightly which had never happened before. This guy's presence alone screamed danger — a danger that Solan himself wasn't sure he could handle.

Despite wearing a mask it was easy to tell that the mysterious figure was eyeing me up and down, analyzing me like I was some kind of artifact at a display. 

"A marine uniform laced with purple silk... The lighting division I presume. Wearing a mask everywhere he goes... I know you".

"....".

"Your Solan... The leviathan hunter".