SICARII

The tension in the alley thickened as the three combatants stared each other down. Tiger, despite being without Inner energy, radiated confidence. His sheer physical strength and speed were formidable, but against two elite Sicarii wielding powerful Inner abilities, he was walking a razor's edge.

The hammer wielder growled, charging forward. His hammer surged with energy, the force of his swings creating shockwaves that rattled the walls of the alley. Tiger darted to the side, his movements blurring with speed as he dodged the incoming attack.

As the hammer struck the ground, the impact sent a fissure racing toward Tiger. He leapt into the air, twisting mid-flight to avoid the jagged crack as it exploded upward. Mid-air, the woman appeared before him with uncanny agility, her fist cocked back.

Tiger crossed his arms to block, but the punch landed with devastating power. Her hands were now sheathed in swirling jets of water, each strike carrying the weight and precision of a high-pressure blast. The force sent Tiger spiraling backward, crashing into a stack of crates that splintered on impact.

He pushed himself up, wiping blood from his mouth. "Water Inner, huh?" he muttered. "That explains a lot."

The woman smirked. "You're good, I'll admit. But without Inner, you're just stalling for time."

Tiger didn't reply. Instead, he lunged forward, his speed catching both attackers off guard. In a flash, he was behind the woman, his elbow aimed at the base of her neck.

But she reacted instantly. The water jets around her hands shifted into a flowing barrier, deflecting his strike. She spun around, her leg sweeping low in a water-augmented kick. Tiger flipped over the kick, landing just in time to duck under the hammer wielder's crushing blow.

The fight became a whirlwind of chaos.

Tiger's fists and feet moved like lightning, each strike aimed to exploit weaknesses. He delivered a sharp uppercut to the woman's chin, momentarily staggering her, then twisted to dodge the hammer swinging at his ribs. He retaliated with a powerful kick to the hammer wielder's knee, forcing a grunt of pain from the larger man.

The woman recovered quickly, unleashing a barrage of water-enhanced punches and kicks. Her fists blurred as they closed the distance, the water jets creating sonic booms with every swing. Tiger parried and dodged, his reflexes pushing the limits of human capability.

One punch grazed his shoulder, and the force alone sent him skidding backward. Before he could catch his breath, she was on him again, her foot arcing toward his head.

Tiger ducked and countered with a palm strike to her abdomen, but the water jets absorbed the blow, dissipating the impact.

The hammer wielder joined the fray, his swings wild but devastating. Each time the hammer struck, it left craters in the pavement and sent debris flying. Tiger somersaulted between the two attackers, narrowly evading the crushing strikes.

But the woman wasn't letting up. Her water jets intensified, forming spinning torrents around her legs and fists. She kicked off the wall, launching herself at Tiger with incredible speed. Tiger raised his arms to block, but her spinning kick landed squarely, the water-enhanced impact sending him crashing into a dumpster.

Tiger grunted, his muscles screaming in protest as he forced himself to stand. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his eyes were sharp, unyielding. "You two aren't just good—you're damn good."

The hammer wielder smirked. "Flattery won't save you."

Tiger surged forward again, aiming to turn the tide. He ducked under a hammer swing and delivered a punishing hook to the man's ribs, feeling the satisfying crunch of bone. The man roared in pain but didn't back down. Instead, he swung his hammer in a wide arc, forcing Tiger to leap backward.

The woman seized the opening, her water jets condensing into sharp, blade-like extensions around her hands. She slashed at Tiger with surgical precision. He dodged the first strike, parried the second, but the third caught him across the chest, leaving a deep gash that sizzled with water energy.

Tiger stumbled but retaliated with a spinning kick to her side, momentarily knocking her off balance. He capitalized on the opening, landing a series of punches that pushed her back.

But the hammer wielder was relentless. He swung his weapon overhead, the energy from his Inner ability amplifying the force. Tiger sidestepped at the last second, the hammer smashing into the ground with an earth-shaking crash.

Tiger used the shockwave to propel himself forward, landing a flying knee to the man's jaw. The hammer wielder staggered, but the woman was already closing in.

Her water-covered fist struck Tiger square in the ribs, the force knocking the wind out of him. She followed up with a spinning kick to his temple, sending him crashing into the alley wall.

Tiger groaned, struggling to rise. His vision blurred, and blood trickled down his face.

The two attackers advanced, their expressions cold and determined. The hammer wielder hefted his weapon onto his shoulder. "This is the end for you, Tiger. You fought well, but it's over."

The woman stepped closer, her water jets swirling ominously. "Any last words?"

Tiger glared at them, defiance burning in his eyes despite his battered body. He clenched his fists, ready to go down swinging.

The hammer wielder raised his weapon, and the woman's water jets sharpened like daggers.

As the hammer wielder raised his weapon and the woman's water jets surged forward, the alley was suddenly engulfed in thick, black smoke. It poured out like a living shadow, swallowing the entire area in seconds. The oppressive darkness blinded the combatants, leaving them frozen in confusion.

A deep rumble of thunder echoed overhead, followed by the sharp crack of green lighting illuminating the smoke for a split second. A shadowy figure appeared within the chaos, their presence menacing and electrifying.

Before the hammer wielder could react, the figure moved with blinding speed. A sharp crack resounded as the stranger's boot connected with the man's chest, sending him hurtling backward into a wall. The hammer wielder gasped as the impact left him stunned, struggling to catch his breath.

The woman lashed out instinctively, her water jets forming a swirling barrier around her as she launched a flurry of strikes. The figure weaved through the attacks effortlessly, slipping past her guard. In a blur of movement, he delivered a punishing elbow strike to her ribs, followed by a spinning kick that sent her staggering.

"Who the hell are you?!" she hissed, clutching her side as she tried to steady herself.

The figure didn't respond. Instead, he moved like a wraith, appearing behind her in an instant. A swift, precise strike to the back of her knee forced her to drop, and before she could recover, a palm strike to her shoulder sent her crashing to the ground.

The hammer wielder roared, charging at the figure with his massive weapon raised. But the intruder met him head-on, dodging the hammer swing with uncanny precision. In one fluid motion, the figure swept the man's legs out from under him and drove a knee into his abdomen as he fell, knocking the wind out of him.

Thunder roared again, echoing through the alley like a war cry. The figure turned toward Tiger, who was still slumped against the wall, his vision fading in and out.

"Let's go," the figure said in a low, commanding voice, lifting Tiger effortlessly.

The woman and the hammer wielder tried to recover, but the smoke thickened, obscuring their vision entirely. They coughed and stumbled, trying to locate the stranger.

"Who are you?!" the hammer wielder bellowed, his voice filled with frustration.

But there was no response.

The smoke began to dissipate as quickly as it had appeared, revealing an empty alley. The stranger—and Tiger—were gone.