SICARII

Three Weeks Ago, City of Labre – Agency HQ

Tiger, an officer within the Agency, finished his paperwork late into the night. The building was quiet, its usual bustling energy replaced with an eerie stillness. He stretched and packed his things, ready to head home. But as he walked toward the exit, a faint noise caught his attention from a corridor down the hall.

Frowning, Tiger hesitated. He was certain he was the only one left in the building. Curiosity and duty compelled him to investigate. Moving quietly, he approached the corridor, his boots barely making a sound against the polished floor.

When he reached the corner, muffled voices stopped him in his tracks. Pressing his back against the wall, he leaned closer to listen.

A voice spoke, calm yet chillingly deliberate. "Yes, the assassination attempt on the Nordic representative in Delria was successful. Nordia believes this was orchestrated by Delria. War is inevitable."

Another voice, gruff and approving, responded. "Very good. Very good. We need this war. Once Nordia invades Delria and rules them as one nation again, we'll consolidate power. It will be far less costly. Payments for Sicarii services will be made to one organization—the Berserkers—rather than two. With the Beast Organization under their control, expenses will be slashed."

Tiger's breath hitched as he recognized the second speaker—one of the Agency's board members.

"Will the rest of the board find out?" another voice asked nervously.

"No," the gruff voice replied confidently. "This is for the greater good of the Agency. There are too many agencies vying for power. This war will streamline operations, and the Agency will come out stronger. The others don't need to know. It's better this way."

Tiger's mind reeled, his heart pounding in his chest. The Agency—an organization sworn to protect and uphold justice—had traitors in its ranks. Worse, they were orchestrating an international conflict for profit and control.

He stayed frozen for a moment, absorbing the gravity of what he had just overheard. Finally, he made his decision. Quietly and methodically, Tiger stepped away from the corner and retraced his steps. He didn't dare linger, nor did he risk making a sound that might alert the conspirators.

When he reached the exit, he slipped out into the night. His thoughts churned as he walked briskly into the city streets. The weight of what he had learned bore heavily on him, but one thing was certain—he couldn't trust anyone within the Agency now. This was massive news, and how he handled it would change everything.

Tiger weaved through the bustling streets of Labre, his mind racing with the information he'd just overheard. The city's neon lights reflected off the wet pavement as he walked, blending with the chatter of pedestrians and the hum of distant vehicles. But amid the noise, Tiger's sharp senses picked up on something unusual—two figures trailing him from a distance.

He didn't glance back or change his pace. Tiger's awareness was razor-sharp, a trait honed from years of Sicarii training. His followers had been careful, but their subtle movements and consistent shadowing gave them away. He knew better than to confront them in public. Avoiding panic and commotion, he turned into a narrow, dimly lit alleyway.

Tiger stopped in the middle of the alley and waited. The sound of his own breath echoed faintly off the brick walls. He glanced over his shoulder—no sign of them.

"Strange," he muttered under his breath.

Before he could assess further, a shadow fell over him. His instincts screamed at him to move, but it was too late. A woman descended from above with startling speed, landing a brutal kick to his head. The impact sent Tiger sprawling to the ground, his vision briefly blurring.

Before he could recover, a massive man wielding a giant hammer stepped into view. His frame was hulking, and his weapon gleamed ominously in the alley's dim light.

The woman, agile and deadly, spoke first. "You already know why we're here. Don't make this harder than it has to be."

Tiger wiped blood from the corner of his mouth as he rose to his feet. "You think I'm going to just roll over and die? Who sent you?"

The woman didn't reply. Instead, she lunged at him again, her speed astonishing. In the blink of an eye, she was upon him, unleashing a flurry of precise punches and kicks. Tiger narrowly dodged the first few strikes, his reflexes barely keeping up.

She aimed a spinning kick at his ribs, but Tiger blocked it with his forearm, grunting under the force. He retaliated with a jab to her abdomen, followed by a hook aimed at her jaw. She twisted her body to evade, countering with a low kick that swept toward his legs.

Tiger jumped back, creating space, but the woman pressed forward. Her fists and feet blurred as she unleashed a relentless barrage. Tiger ducked under a high kick, pivoted on his heel, and delivered a sharp elbow strike to her side. She stumbled slightly but recovered almost instantly, smirking.

"Not bad," she said, her voice cold.

Before Tiger could respond, the man with the hammer charged forward. He swung the massive weapon with terrifying strength and speed. Tiger ducked, the hammer missing him by inches and slamming into the ground with a deafening crack, leaving a deep dent in the pavement.

The man's brute force was matched by his precision. Tiger dodged another swing, rolling to the side as the hammer crushed a metal trash bin into scrap. But the woman wasn't going to let him breathe. She darted in from the side, forcing Tiger to block and parry her strikes while keeping an eye on the hammer-wielding giant.

The combat became chaotic, a deadly dance in the narrow alley.

Tiger dodged a hammer swing aimed at his head, the weapon whistling past him and slamming into the wall. He retaliated by grabbing the man's arm and twisting it, but the woman attacked him from behind with a spinning back kick. Tiger released the man and ducked, narrowly avoiding the kick. He swept at her legs, but she leapt over it, her agility uncanny.

The hammer wielder roared and swung again, this time activating his Inner ability. A monstrous energy pulsed from the hammer as it moved, leaving a faint, glowing trail in its wake. Tiger could feel the force even before it struck the ground, sending a shockwave through the alley.

Tiger somersaulted away, narrowly avoiding the blast. His mind raced. These aren't ordinary Sicarii. Their skill level is insane.

The hammer-wielding man charged again, his weapon glowing brighter with each swing. Tiger ducked and weaved, narrowly evading the devastating strikes. Each missed blow sent tremors through the ground, shaking Tiger's balance.

The woman rejoined the fray, her strikes coordinated with the man's attacks. She swept low while the hammer came high, forcing Tiger into a desperate series of evasive maneuvers. His body burned with exertion, his lack of Inner energy painfully obvious.

"I'm at a disadvantage," Tiger muttered under his breath. His breath was ragged, and sweat dripped down his face. He hadn't meditated in days, leaving him unable to tap into his Inner energy. Against these two elite Sicarii, it was like fighting with one hand tied behind his back.

The woman darted in, throwing a rapid jab at his throat. Tiger redirected her strike, spinning behind her and using her body as a temporary shield against the hammer wielder's next attack.

"Move!" the man bellowed, but Tiger shoved the woman toward him, forcing the man to halt his swing.

Using the brief opening, Tiger vaulted over a crate and created some distance between himself and his attackers. He panted heavily, his mind racing.

The hammer wielder sneered. "You're outmatched. Give up now, and maybe we'll make it quick."

Tiger clenched his fists, determination hardening his gaze. "If you think I'm going down that easy, you don't know me."

The two Sicarii exchanged a glance before advancing again, their movements calculated and deadly. The fight was far from over, and Tiger knew he was in for the fight of his life.