Niko stepped forward through the settling dust, eyes narrowing as they landed on the red-haired figure standing atop the impaled warrior.
The man's crimson eyes flicked toward him with sudden curiosity, his grin growing wider—unsettling.
"Hm? Who's this?" he asked, his voice twisted with delight, like he was watching the beginning of a performance.
Niko's fists clenched as he stared at the motionless body beneath the man's boots.
"Why are you doing this?" he snapped, jaw tight.
The man tilted his head slowly. Then, without a word, he raised his bloodstained hand and dragged his tongue across his palm, licking the blood with a long, savoring motion. His eyes fluttered shut like he was lost in a dream.
Niko recoiled slightly, disgust rising in his throat.
"What is wrong with you…?"
No answer. Only laughter. The man's body trembled slightly from how hard he was enjoying the moment.
That was enough.
Niko's energy surged.
Blitz.
He launched forward in a streak of light and wind, closing the distance in a heartbeat. His blade swept out in a clean, practiced arc—
Slice.
The man's arm flew from his body, spinning in the air before slapping wetly against the ground.
But there was no scream. No gasp. Just…
Laughter.
The man didn't even flinch. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, grinning with genuine amusement.
"Oooohhh that's a good one," he moaned, eyes shining. He turned his gaze to a civilian trembling nearby. "Don't mind if I do—"
Before Niko could react, blood exploded from the woman's chest and streamed into the air like a crimson serpent.
It wrapped around the man's stump, pulsing, twisting, and in seconds—
The arm was back.
Rebuilt from blood.
"Bloodarts," the man purred, flexing his restored fingers. "And I haven't even started."
A wave of dark red mist pulsed out from him—poison laced into the air itself.
Niko slid back, sword raised, scanning for openings. His muscles tensed. This wasn't some lunatic—this was a monster with technique.
"Let's keep going," the man said, licking his lips. "You're already my favorite."
Niko exhaled sharply.
"Then let's see how long I stay your favorite."
He tightened his grip. His next move was going to be louder.
Faster.
Deadlier.
The man lunged, unnaturally fast—his fingernails morphing mid-swing into black, jagged claws. Niko ducked, barely dodging the strike, but felt the sting of a scratch drag across his cheek. He staggered back for half a second before realizing what was happening.
His blood—it was moving. Tugged toward the man's claw like a magnet.
"He's trying to pull it out of me," Niko thought, a flash of alarm in his mind.
He didn't hesitate.
With a surge of energy, Niko darted forward. His blade flared to life with a light charge of energy, and he swung hard, aiming for the man's torso. The red-eyed stranger raised his arm to parry—bone against steel—and the force of the blow sent a shockwave down the alley, cracking stone and throwing dust into the air.
The man grinned.
"You've got decent form," he muttered, voice guttural, excited.
Niko didn't reply. His eyes narrowed, calculating. Then he dropped low and lunged again—this time, thrusting his sword like a spear.
The blade pierced clean through the man's chest.
Shlck.
Blood erupted from his back, and for a moment, he stumbled—staring in disbelief at the steel jutting through his body.
He looked down at it… and started laughing. The sound was hoarse, wet, and full of sick joy.
Blood dripped from his lips.
"Damn… That actually hurt," he wheezed.
Niko stepped in closer, twisting the blade slightly, his voice low and emotionless:
"What's your name?"
The man met his eyes, blood staining his teeth.
"…Name's Canden."
He coughed again.
"And you… you're interesting."
Niko's expression sharpened into something cold and merciless.
"I'm Niko."
Then, quieter. Deadly.
"But it won't matter. In a few seconds, you'll be dead."
Canden's eyes flickered, then glinted with dark joy.
"Let's not end it too fast," he muttered.
Suddenly—his hands clapped together, blood still leaking from his chest lighting up unnaturally.
The crimson spilling out of him twisted and boiled—exploding into a thick mist that surged outward with a concussive force. Niko's instincts kicked in, but it was too late.
BOOM.
The shockwave slammed into him, sending him flying into a nearby wall. The stone cracked under the impact, rubble raining down. He winced, coughing, his blade still in hand.
Dust filled the alley.
The red mist hovered in the air—pulsing, almost alive.
From within it… Canden stepped out.
His wound—slowly closing. Muscles reknitting. Flesh regrowing.
The blood around him spiraled into his body like reverse rain, and with each drop, color returned to his face.
Canden exhaled.
His chest rose steadily.
He grinned.
"Round two, Niko?"
Niko wiped the blood from his mouth, blinking through the dust. His muscles ached, and his chest throbbed from the impact, but he didn't let up.
Canden stepped forward from the mist, his bare feet squelching through pooled blood. He flexed his fingers—hands dripping with crimson that no longer came from his own body. His grin was wide now, crooked, unstable.
"Let's see how long you last."
Niko surged forward, activating Blitz through his legs. His speed spiked—he closed the distance in a blink, fist cocked back. Canden moved to parry, but Niko fainted the punch and went low—dropping to a knee and driving a hard elbow into Canden's thigh.
Canden staggered, and Niko didn't stop.
He rose into a clean uppercut, enhanced by a quick Blitz pulse—Canden's head snapped back. Niko followed up with a quick body blow, then a sharp knee to the gut that lifted the man off the ground slightly.
Canden landed hard, laughing.
"Oh, this is great!" he shouted.
He leapt forward with unnatural agility and swung—Niko ducked, dodged left, then blocked a follow-up claw swipe with his forearm. Sparks danced as nail met bone and Blitz-reinforced muscle.
Canden spun behind him, grabbed Niko's shoulder, and kneed him in the back.
Niko grunted and twisted free—just in time to land a quick jab to Canden's jaw.
They broke apart—only for Canden to lunge back in immediately, a hook flying at Niko's face. Niko raised his arms, took the hit, slid back—
And then Blitzed forward with a short-range burst, slamming his shoulder into Canden's chest.
Canden stumbled, coughing—but his smile never faded.
Then the switch flipped.
Canden's laughter stopped. His eyes narrowed.
"My turn."
He dashed in—faster than before—and slashed across Niko's ribs. Niko flinched but retaliated, catching Canden's wrist mid-swing. They locked eyes—
Canden twisted his body and uppercutted Niko with vicious force, his claws dragging across Niko's chest as the hit landed.
Niko was lifted off the ground.
In midair, blood tendrils shot up from the ground, wrapping around Niko's legs and pulling tight. Canden roared as he jumped, flipping over and drop-kicked Niko under the chin, sending a shockwave through his body.
BOOM.
The impact launched Niko straight into the sky.
He flew.
So high the buildings shrank beneath him. The ground vanished. The air thinned.
He gasped—disoriented—barely able to think.
Then, he saw it.
Canden—rising toward him, a spiral of blood spikes erupting around his body like wings.
"Fall," Canden whispered.
The blood spikes exploded outward, smashing into Niko mid-air and driving him down like a meteor.
Niko's body hit the earth with a thunderous crash, stone shattering beneath him. A crater formed at the point of impact.
Dust. Silence.
Canden landed just outside the crater, arms crossed, watching the settling debris.
He licked his lips.
"Still breathing?"
The dust swirled. Something shifted within.
Niko wasn't finished.
Niko wiped the blood from his mouth, blinking through the dust. His muscles ached, and his chest throbbed from the impact, but he didn't let up.
Canden stepped forward from the mist, his bare feet squelching through pooled blood. He flexed his fingers—hands dripping with crimson that no longer came from his own body. His grin was wide now, crooked, unstable.
"Let's see how long you last."
Niko surged forward, activating Blitz through his legs. His speed spiked—he closed the distance in a blink, fist cocked back. Canden moved to parry, but Niko fainted the punch and went low—dropping to a knee and driving a hard elbow into Canden's thigh.
Canden staggered, and Niko didn't stop.
He rose into a clean uppercut, enhanced by a quick Blitz pulse—Canden's head snapped back. Niko followed up with a quick body blow, then a sharp knee to the gut that lifted the man off the ground slightly.
Canden landed hard, laughing.
"Oh, this is great!" he shouted.
He leapt forward with unnatural agility and swung—Niko ducked, dodged left, then blocked a follow-up claw swipe with his forearm. Sparks danced as nail met bone and Blitz-reinforced muscle.
Canden spun behind him, grabbed Niko's shoulder, and kneed him in the back.
Niko grunted and twisted free—just in time to land a quick jab to Canden's jaw.
They broke apart—only for Canden to lunge back in immediately, a hook flying at Niko's face. Niko raised his arms, took the hit, slid back—
And then Blitzed forward with a short-range burst, slamming his shoulder into Canden's chest.
Canden stumbled, coughing—but his smile never faded.
Then the switch flipped.
Canden's laughter stopped. His eyes narrowed.
"My turn."
He dashed in—faster than before—and slashed across Niko's ribs. Niko flinched but retaliated, catching Canden's wrist mid-swing. They locked eyes—
Canden twisted his body and uppercutted Niko with vicious force, his claws dragging across Niko's chest as the hit landed.
Niko was lifted off the ground.
In midair, blood tendrils shot up from the ground, wrapping around Niko's legs and pulling tight. Canden roared as he jumped, flipping over and drop-kicked Niko under the chin, sending a shockwave through his body.
BOOM.
The impact launched Niko straight into the sky.
He flew.
So high the buildings shrank beneath him. The ground vanished. The air thinned.
He gasped—disoriented—barely able to think.
Then, he saw it.
Canden—rising toward him, a spiral of blood spikes erupting around his body like wings.
"Fall," Canden whispered.
The blood spikes exploded outward, smashing into Niko mid-air and driving him down like a meteor.
Niko's body hit the earth with a thunderous crash, stone shattering beneath him. A crater formed at the point of impact.
Dust. Silence.
Canden landed just outside the crater, arms crossed, watching the settling debris.
He licked his lips.
"Still breathing?"
The dust swirled. Something shifted within.
Niko wasn't finished.
The dust hung in the air, thick and still.
Then—movement.
A hand pushed up through the broken stone. Trembling, bloodied fingers curling around cracked rubble. Niko rose slowly from the crater, his body shaking, breath ragged. Cuts lined his arms and legs, and his chest was bleeding heavily. One eye was already swelling shut.
And worse… his blood wasn't clotting.
It burned.
A dull, sickening heat ran through his veins—spreading from the scratch across his cheek and the gash on his ribs. He winced, stumbling out of the crater, knees barely holding.
"Poisoned," he muttered. "Of course it's poison…"
Canden's blood wasn't normal—it was toxic. Niko could feel it sapping his strength, biting into his muscles with every step.
Canden watched him with glee, crouched low like an animal ready to pounce.
"You're still standing?" he grinned. "Oh, I like you."
Niko didn't answer. He was focused, even as pain screamed through his body. The sword in his hand trembled, coated with dust and his own blood.
Fighting one-on-one again would be suicide.
He knew that now.
"He heals fast. I don't. And that poison… it's eating me alive."
Then something clicked.
When Canden had been stabbed—really stabbed—he hadn't healed instantly. He had to absorb blood from others. Niko had watched him drain a civilian just to reattach his arm.
That was it.
"He needs blood to recover."
A weakness.
A condition.
A punishment.
"That's his contract," Niko thought. "He has to keep feeding on others to stay alive… without blood, he can't heal."
He couldn't prove it, but the pieces lined up.
And he could use it.
Niko looked up, face pale, breathing labored. Then he let the sword lower slightly in his hand—eyes wide, just for a moment—just enough.
Canden tilted his head.
"Giving up?"
Niko took one staggering step back.
Then another.
"Tch… I can't win," he muttered loud enough for Canden to hear. His voice cracked, ragged with fear.
He turned—and ran.
Canden's eyes lit up. "Oh yes," he whispered, licking a smear of blood from his thumb. "Run."
The alley rang with his laughter as he sprinted after Niko, blood mist trailing behind him like smoke.
But Niko wasn't just running.
He was buying time.
Bleeding, poisoned, but now thinking. Calculating. Waiting for the right moment.
To make Canden bleed… and give him no one left to feed on.