The Immortal That Wants To Die

I stood by a pole, scanning the swarm of police officers surrounding the Yakuza hideout. Honestly, I had done them a favor by wiping those guys out. They should be thanking me.

With a quiet sigh, I turned and walked away, my thoughts drifting. I smirked as I remembered teasing Mai about not being able to afford the trip to London. Of course, she had the money—she was filthy rich—but I still had to use my abilities to get us there. That was enough reason to mess with her. She was furious. Typical Mai. One moment, she was having fun, and the next, she was pissed over something petty.

I chuckled to myself, my hands in my pockets, the cool night air brushing against my skin. But then, a strange feeling settled over me. A shift in the atmosphere.

Footsteps.

They weren't loud, but they were there—steady, controlled, keeping pace with mine. I kept walking, my posture relaxed, but my senses sharpened. Someone was following me.

The streets were mostly empty, save for a few distant figures. Streetlights flickered above, casting long, distorted shadows. I took a slow breath, focusing. The presence behind me didn't waver. They were skilled—no unnecessary movements, no hesitation. A professional.

Still lost in thought, huh? Guess I should wake up now.

Without breaking stride, I turned down a narrow alleyway, my smirk returning. Let's see if they take the bait.

I stepped into the alley, my pace steady, my hands still in my pockets. The walls on either side were worn down, cracked from time and neglect. Dim light from a flickering streetlamp barely reached the entrance, leaving most of the path swallowed in darkness.

Then, there it was.....another step. Soft. Careful.

They followed.

I smirked. Predictable.

I walked deeper into the alley, letting the shadows claim me. My ears picked up the faint sound of their breath, the slight shift in weight as they adjusted their footing. Trained, but not perfect.

Then...silence.

Smart. They stopped moving, waiting to see what I would do. Testing me.

I exhaled slowly and rolled my shoulders. Fine. I'll make the first move.

In an instant, I pivoted. My foot slammed into the ground as I shot forward, closing the distance before they could react. My hand shot out, aiming for their throat....

But they dodged.

Fast. Faster than I expected.

A shadow moved against the dim light, and before I could press the attack, they were already retreating, slipping back toward the alley's entrance. I caught the briefest glimpse...dark clothing, lean frame, practiced movements. No hesitation.

I straightened, tilting my head slightly. "Huh. You're not just some thug."

Silence.

The figure stood at the edge of the alley now, still partially hidden in the dim light. They didn't speak, didn't lunge, didn't run. Just stood there, watching me.

A test? A warning?

I smirked, stuffing my hands back into my pockets. "Well, if you came all this way, you might as well tell me what you want."

Still, no answer

Then, just as suddenly as they had appeared, they stepped back into the street, vanishing into the city beyond. Or so I thought. But the uneasy weight in my chest told me otherwise.....like a shadow lingering just beyond sight, watching, waiting. Had they truly left, or was that merely what I wanted to believe?

I clicked my tongue. Interesting.

Whoever they were, they weren't done with me yet.

And that? That just made things more fun.

A voice echoed through the alley...smooth, feminine, laced with amusement.

"Let's make things more interesting."

Then, the air shifted.

A crushing wave of mana erupted into existence, rolling through the narrow space like a tidal wave. The atmosphere grew heavy, thick with raw power, making the very air hum with energy. My breath slowed. My instincts sharpened.

Such mana…

It wasn't just overwhelming.....it was refined, controlled with terrifying precision. This wasn't the reckless outburst of a novice. No, this was the mana of someone who had mastered it.

Then came the fire.

Flames ignited in the darkness, blooming like a crimson flower around a lone figure standing at the alley's entrance. The fire didn't rage wildly...it danced around her, responding to her will like an extension of her own body. The walls reflected the flickering orange glow, painting her in a haunting silhouette.

She stepped forward, slow, graceful. A predator who had already decided her prey.

I clicked my tongue, rolling my shoulders as the heat pressed against my skin. This wasn't some hired mercenary. This was someone dangerous. Someone trained.

Her eyes locked onto mine, and in that instant, I knew....

She wasn't here to talk.

A smirk tugged at my lips as I let my own mana stir beneath my skin, the familiar energy crackling through my veins.

"Interesting, huh?" I muttered, flexing my fingers. "Alright then. Let's play."

"Tch… this fire isn't normal."

I muttered under my breath, watching as the flames coiled around her like living creatures, their heat distorting the air. This wasn't raw power.....it was refined, controlled, dangerous.

Then she moved.

Not just fast.....instantaneous.

One moment, she stood at the alley's entrance. The next, she was in front of me.

I barely had time to react.

Mana surged through my body as arcs of lightning crackled to life. The ground beneath me scorched as I pushed off, my instincts screaming at me to counter. My body blurred, lightning streaking in my wake as I twisted, preparing to...

A shift.

Something in the air changed.

A pulse.

The moment my brain registered the distortion, it was too late.

A sound unlike anything I had ever heard erupted around me.

A sonic scream.

The pressure burst my eardrums instantly. My head snapped back as excruciating pain flooded my senses. My vision blurred, my balance shattered, and the world became nothing but a ringing void.

Then, before I could even attempt to recover.....

Impact.

A force slammed into me with the weight of a collapsing mountain. My body hit the ground with enough force to crack the stone beneath me. I gasped, but the air had already been stolen from my lungs.

And before I could even struggle...

Before I even realized it, the scorching flames had already shifted into a crushing wave of sound, sending me to the ground. But what I couldn't comprehend was how...had my opponent always wielded sound, or had they somehow switched elements right before my eyes? As they stared down at me, their gaze unreadable, I was left grasping for an answer.

A knee pressed into my chest, locking me down. Fire roared to life around her hand, licking at my skin, daring me to move. Pinned.

I clenched my fists, lightning still crackling at my fingertips, but I hesitated. Not because I couldn't fight back.....but because for the first time in a long time.....

I wasn't sure if I could win.

"Your Divine Blessing is interesting.… too bad it's wasted on a man like you."

Her voice barely reached me, muffled by the pounding in my skull. My hearing was still gone, the world a blur as my body slowly regenerated. The pain was sharp, relentless, but I didn't have time to think about it.

She muttered something else...I couldn't care less.

Then...lightning.

Before I could even react, a surge of energy hit me, coursing through the air like a storm unleashed. My body seized, muscles locking up in agony as I felt my skin burn from the raw voltage.

What the hell?

My eyes snapped open. There was no mistaking it. She was using lightning. But it wasn't just similar.....it was familiar. It was mine.....but her power was unlike anything I'd ever felt.

She's using my lightning attribute.

For a split second, I was frozen. Then, without warning.....

She moved.

Her hand shot forward with deadly precision, piercing through my stomach.

I didn't even have time to scream. The world tilted, and blood exploded from the wound. Pain raked through me like fire, and I gasped, my body convulsing under the shock of it.

"What the fuck?!" The words escaped me, ragged and pained, but my focus didn't falter .

She wasn't yet done o could tell.

I roared, summoning every once of my will to fight the agony. Lightning crackled, electricity

arching around my body as i forced myself to move. My fist shout out fueled by pure rage.

This wasn't over yet.

She stepped back, her silhouette sharp as she removed her cloak, revealing a frame that moved with deadly grace. Her red hair burned like fire against the night, cascading down her shoulders, and her black eyes locked onto mine.....voids of cold menace, unreadable and sharp.

"Let's make a deal," she said, her voice smooth, but carrying a cold edge, slicing through the tension like a blade.

I could feel the pain from my wound, but I clenched my jaw, refusing to let it show.

"Come with me, and I won't hurt the girl. Mai, was it?"

Her words were poison, but it was the mention of Mai that made my heart falter for a brief moment.

A cruel smile tugged at her lips as she took a step closer, her presence suffocating. The darkness in her eyes deepened as she spoke again, her tone chilling.

"I'll even give you your greatest desire… to finally die."

Her words echoed in my head, heavy, tempting. She knew. She knew the one thing I truly longed for.

But as the weight of her offer settled over me, something stirred deep inside. No. I wasn't done yet.

She took a step back, a mocking smirk curling on her lips as she stared down at me.

"All that power, and you lose to me? How disappointing," she said, her voice dripping with disdain.

Her eyes, cold as ice, bore into me, and for a moment, the weight of her gaze threatened to crush me. She was enjoying this.

"Now," she continued, her voice dark and commanding, "obey and follow me."

Her words were like chains wrapping around me, demanding compliance. But even in my weakened state, something inside me refused to bend.

"I hope Mai is alright," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. My gaze turned cold as I locked eyes with her...dark, unyielding eyes that betrayed nothing.

"I don't take orders lightly," I said, my voice steady and firm. "But this offer... should be interesting."

Her lips curled into a slow, knowing grin, one that sent a chill down my spine. "I can help you, what you have to do is trust me," she replied, her voice laced with something darker. "I can end your immortality and Free you from.....your so called curse you've carried for so long."

That was it. The words I hadn't expected to hear. The one thing that had always kept me tied to this endless existence. The promise of an end. My heart skipped, but my mind stayed sharp. I couldn't let myself be blinded by hope.

"Deal," I said, the words slipping from my mouth before I could stop them.

She grinned wider, her eyes gleaming. "I knew you'd see reason. This should be quite the journey."