Chapter-9: The Tunnel

[Third Person's Point of View]

Soft flickering of light could be seen in the dark projection of shadows on the wall, like embers moving in darkness, as a black figure jumped from one rooftop to another.

Augustus moved swiftly and silently, occasionally ducking into a shadowy alley or leaping from rooftop to rooftop as he trailed seven figures strolling along the street, engaged in lively conversation and laughter. 

'Must have had a good harvest today', Augustus chucked to himself as he steadily trailed the targets that were making their way to the underground pass, unaware of the criminal that stalked behind them.

In his past life, Augustus Ashford picked up parkour as a hobby, driven by his restless teenage energy. However, after just 5 months, he decided to quit. Part of the reason was that he wanted to focus on an upcoming football tournament, but also because he feared getting injured in his stunts. From then on, Augustus only indulged in watching parkour videos on YouTube instead of attempting them himself.

But coupled with his Devil physiology and the recently gained skills, he gained a sense of balance like no other.

'Maybe I'll pull off a moonwalk on a rope sometime soon', mused Augustus admiring his smooth-criminal skills. 

The view in front of him shifted, and the illumination from the nearby buildings dimmed, signaling their arrival into the deserted section of the slums.

As the seven individuals approached a decrepit three-story building, their pace slowed and their raucous laughter and jokes ceased. Across from the building, a set of stairs led to the underground passage.

Although everyone in the group dismissed the stories about the pass as mere rumors and scare tactics to keep children away from the building and underground passage, situated only a short distance from the other end of the pass where the gang's warehouse was located, the atmosphere grew more tense as they moved from the bumpy road to the smooth floors of the pass and began descending the stairs.

As soon as Augustus spotted his targets reaching their destination, he sprang into action. He rapidly crossed the street and descended the stairs with light and silent steps.

*****

Paul was having a great day. The night before, he had fulfilled his desire by spending time with a beautiful redhead in Madam Jenna's brothel. He had been admiring her for a while and luck was finally on his side yesterday. 

After releasing pent-up frustration last night in one of the most intense activities he had experienced, he woke up feeling naturally uplifted and positive this morning.

The previously dim and dark underworld now appeared to be bathed in a bright light, making the once ominous purple sky appear almost picturesque to him. His mood further lifted when his underlings reported back their successful haul for the day: a whopping 700 Lilium split among the seven of them. After giving the gang their cut of 30%, they would still have a handsome amount for themselves.

He could splurge on some top-shelf liquor and have a wild night with both the brown-haired girl and the red-haired one.

The mere thought of it caused him to feel a stirring in his pants, but he quickly pushed it down as they neared the underground passage known as the 'haunted tunnel' by the locals of this area.

'Hmph, fools', Paul snickered with a hint of arrogance. He was well aware of the true reason why the tunnel was called 'haunted'.

Despite their initial playfulness, his group grew more focused as they entered the pass, indicating that they would arrive at the warehouse in less than 13 minutes.

The walls of the underground passage were adorned with magical tube lights, providing minimal lighting for the pathway.

A quarter of the way through the tunnel, a screeching noise of metal scraping against metal caused them to stop in their tracks and turn their heads towards the source of the sound.

All seven of them wore expressions of surprise as their eyes darted around, trying to locate the source of the sudden piercing noise.

"Where do you think it came from, boss?" Grant's deep voice boomed, causing Paul to turn his head in confusion. It was clear that the group's second-in-command was just as perplexed as the rest of them about the sudden appearance of the shrill screeching sound.

"Dunno. It's an old tunnel. Could be a rat or a million other things", Paul replied as he turned back and started moving towards the exit of the tunnel.

"Let's go"

The six figures followed Paul as they moved forward.

Skrill

After a few seconds, the shrill sound echoed once more, but this time it sounded much closer to their location than before.

Immediately, all seven individuals spun around in unison, adopting a defensive stance as their eyes darted around, searching for the origin of the deliberate noise.

"Reveal yourself!", Paul's voice boomed through the darkness, echoing off the walls, his tone laced with warning. "You won't like what happens if you don't."

The group of seven stood their tense silence as, waiting for the culprit to show up.

A minute passed, but no movement was observed in their vision.

"Do we go check it out boss?", Grant asked Paul, making him fall into a dilemma.

Paul, the bully was actually a coward at his core. He had been blessed with greater strength and demonic energy than his peers, which he used to assert his dominance in the neighborhood. He took pleasure in tormenting those who were weaker than him.

Only those who were weaker than him.

Paul knew better than to challenge someone stronger than himself. That's why he didn't hesitate to submit when the 'RICO' gang came knocking on the door.

As the unsettling stories and eerie ambiance swirled in Paul's mind, he hesitated to send his henchmen to investigate the mysterious sound.

"I see no need to investigate. If anyone was there, I offered them the chance to reveal themselves, but they cowered like a coward. It's clear they lack the courage to face us as a united force."

Despite his nerves, Paul kept speaking and concealed any signs of anxiety with a forced smile.

"The target is vulnerable. Let's head to the warehouse and leave them behind. If they dare to pursue us, it will only lead them into our trap. And if they retreat, we'll have our seniors handle the situation. But for now, you're truly fucked!"

Paul's voice rose to a shout as he finished his sentence, his lackeys grinning in agreement at his explanation.

"Let's go", Paul's voice broke the silence as they turned around and started walking towards their destination. However, their jaws went slack in astonishment at the sight that greeted them.

The dimly lit tunnel was lined with rows of magical tube lights, leaving a dark void between them. In the shadows stood a figure in all black, their gear blending seamlessly into the darkness. They stood perfectly still, their presence almost imperceptible among the shadows.

The shock dissipated and apprehension took over as Paul bellowed from the front, "Who the hell do you think you are, punk?"

Silence reigned as the hooded figure stared down at the group without replying.

Paul had reached his limit and with a swift hand signal, ordered one of his loyal henchmen to take action. "Braun, bring that scum down. We'll interrogate him once he's had a taste of broken bones.", Paul barked, his voice dripping with malice.

Braun nodded slightly and approached the cloaked figure with deliberate steps, remaining on guard for any potential threat. He was prepared to handle any foolish actions from the person in front of him.

Noticing his adversary's stillness, Braun charged towards the person dressed in black, clenching his hand into a tight fist and aiming directly for their head.

Boom

The thud of skin hitting a solid object echoed through the room as Braun's eyes widened in disbelief. His punch had been effortlessly caught by his opponent, leaving him shocked and amazed.

Standing at 6'4 with a muscular build, Braun was the second tallest person in his group. He had a presence that demanded attention and fear, and most people would give into his demands without question. The rare few who dared to resist were met with a brutal beating before ultimately giving in to him. In short, Braun was not someone to be messed with.

To ensure his attack was effective, Braun infused it with Demonic Energy. However, his shorter opponent, standing at a mere 6'1, effortlessly caught the punch.

With a fierce determination, Braun strengthened his body with more demonic energy to overpower the grip on his hand. He clenched his other fist, ready to strike against the figure in front of him. But before he could make contact, his fist was swiftly deflected by the hooded figure's right hand. In one smooth motion, the figure turned that hand into a tight fist and delivered a powerful blow to Braun's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him.

Paul and his companions froze in shock as they witnessed the mysterious person in the hood effortlessly neutralize Braun's assault and bring him down within seconds.

The man in the hood pushed away Braun's limp body and emerged from the darkness, approaching them with purpose.

Paul's gaze remained fixed in terror as the figure lifted its arm and aimed a finger at him. "Next," came a deep, raspy voice. Paul's initial shock and fear quickly transformed into intense anger as he let out a deafening roar directed at the group standing behind him.

"All of you, GET HIM NOW!!!"

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Author-san here.

Really sorry for not updating the last month and a half.

Was busy with my semesters.

But most importantly, I was not satisfied with my writing skills. So guess what? Took some time to try to improve them. Also, I have edited and revised all the chapters, so there's that.

You guys be the judge of my improvement. (TBH don't think I have improved much.) 

Anyways, won't be dipping off anytime soon, so expect regular updates now that my Sems are over. 

[BTW, just crossed 16k words with this chapter.]

Don't forget to VOTE POWERSTONES.

Expect the next chapter tomorrow. 

I'll finalize the update schedule next week.

CYA tomm. guys.