Fighting with a Mysterious Group

He collected the Goblin King's corpse and returned to the Hunter Association to sell it. The transaction was smooth, and he earned a significant amount of money before heading home. However, on his way back, he felt an unsettling presence—a creeping sensation at the nape of his neck, as if unseen eyes were watching his every move.

Two mysterious figures trailed him in the shadows, their hushed whispers barely audible over the night's breeze.

"How is this possible?" one muttered, his tone laced with disbelief. "I burned him with fire, yet he's alive and fully healed."

The second figure scoffed. "Maybe he was just pretending to be dead when we tried to burn him."

"Either way," the first one grumbled, eyes narrowed, "we have to kill him before he exposes our secret."

The second nodded. "Let's wait until he reaches a quiet place. Then we strike."

Zero's steps remained steady, but inside, he was fully alert. His instincts told him he was being followed, and years of survival had taught him never to ignore those instincts. Casually, he turned a corner into a narrow alley, seemingly oblivious to the danger.

The moment he stepped into the dimly lit space, both men in black suits lunged at him, fire erupting from their hands. Twin streams of searing flames shot toward him, illuminating the alley in flickering orange light.

Zero reacted in an instant, his body moving like a shadow. He twisted to the side, narrowly avoiding the scorching heat. The flames licked at his cloak, but his enhanced reflexes saved him from any burns.

His mind raced as he activated his God Eyesight skill, analyzing their stats in seconds:

Agility: 2

Strength: 3

Defense: 3

Stamina: 2

"Their physical attributes are low," he assessed, "but their fire abilities could be troublesome if I let them dictate the fight."

He lunged forward, knife in hand, aiming for a precise stab. But before he could land a hit, one of them flanked him, his fist blazing with fire as he struck Zero's back. A sharp pain jolted through him, sending him stumbling forward.

The heat scorched through his jacket, and for a split second, Zero clenched his jaw, suppressing the pain. He recovered quickly, pivoting on his foot just in time to dodge another incoming fire blast.

"Tch. They're coordinated," Zero muttered, eyes sharp with determination. "But they lack true combat experience."

He activated his Dark Elemental Power, the shadows around him flickering ominously. With a mere thought, he unleashed Blindness, wrapping one of the attackers in complete darkness for ten seconds.

"What—!? I can't see!" the man shouted, stumbling backward, his arms flailing.

Zero wasted no time. With a burst of speed, he closed the distance and drove his knife deep into the man's throat. A sickening gurgle followed as blood poured from the fatal wound. The man's body collapsed, lifeless.

The remaining enemy let out a furious roar, sending fireballs hurtling toward Zero. He twisted his body, narrowly dodging each one, but he could feel his stamina rapidly draining. A quick glance at his status confirmed his worst fear—his stamina had dropped to just 1.

"I can only use my dark elemental power for five more seconds," he realized. "I need to end this now."

Zero activated Blindness once again, his vision sharpening as the world slowed. His enemy froze in confusion, thrashing blindly.

Seizing the moment, Zero leaped into the air, his knife gleaming under the faint moonlight. With a single, precise motion, he plunged the blade into his opponent's skull. The man twitched once before collapsing into the darkness, his fire extinguished forever.

A familiar surge coursed through Zero's body as the system rewarded him.

Gained 1 attribute point.

Allocated to Stamina: 3 → 4.

Dark Elemental Power duration increased to 15 seconds.

Zero wiped his blade clean and glanced around. The alley was silent, save for the faint crackling of embers dying on the ground. Certain that no one had witnessed the fight, he resumed his journey home.

Or so he thought.

Unbeknownst to him, a shadowy figure had observed everything from a rooftop above. The figure's eyes gleamed with intrigue before swiftly retreating into the night.

Hours later, within the depths of a hidden lair, the figure knelt before a cloaked individual, his voice steady yet laced with urgency.

"Master, I have news. Zero... he killed our men."

The cloaked leader sat in eerie silence, then chuckled darkly. "Interesting. It seems our little pawn has grown sharper fangs."

His fingers tapped against the armrest of his throne. "Very well. Increase the bounty on his head. If he wishes to stand against us, he shall learn the true weight of his defiance."