The Hunt Begins

Ryker didn't waste any time. The moment dawn broke, he began planning his next move. Marcus needed to be dealt with, but he also had to be cautious. Drawing too much attention to himself could jeopardize his primary objective—the legendary artifact hidden within the academy's vault.

He headed to the training grounds early, blending in with the other students as they began their morning routines. Keeping his powers concealed, Ryker observed and planned. His eyes fell on Marcus, surrounded by his usual entourage, arrogance dripping from his every move.

Marcus's Perspective

Marcus strutted across the training grounds, his entourage of sycophants trailing behind him like shadows. His mind was a tempest of anticipation and impatience. Today was the day he expected to see the fruits of his conspiracy against Ryker.

He laughed with his followers, a forced, hollow sound. His thoughts were far from jovial. "Tonight, we'll see how the mighty Ryker handles a real challenge," he muttered under his breath.

As he scanned the grounds, his eyes fell on an unmistakable figure. His laughter died abruptly, replaced by a jolt of shock so intense it almost made him stumble. Ryker stood there, very much alive, training alongside Liora as if nothing had happened.

Marcus's heart pounded in his chest. "How is he still alive?" he whispered to himself, panic creeping into his voice. "John should have taken care of him. I made sure of it."

He forced a smile for his entourage, who were oblivious to the turmoil inside him. But his mind raced. "John failed? Impossible. No one escapes John." He stole another glance at Ryker, who seemed to be thriving, unscathed by the previous night's events.

The implications were staggering. If Ryker had survived, it meant he had overpowered John. And if that was the case, Ryker was far more dangerous than Marcus had anticipated. He needed a new plan, and fast.

His thoughts turned inward. "I can't let him find out it was me. If he knows..." Marcus shuddered, imagining Ryker's retribution. He had to stay one step ahead. But how?

One of his followers, sensing Marcus's distraction, asked, "Everything okay, boss?"

Marcus plastered a smirk on his face, masking his inner turmoil. "Yeah, just thinking about our next move. Keep training. We've got a lot of work ahead of us."

As his entourage resumed their exercises, Marcus's mind continued to churn. He had underestimated Ryker, and that mistake could cost him dearly. Ryker needs to be dead, no matter the cost.

"I need to inform father as soon as possible" thought Marcus, as he realised his mistake.

In the meantime, he needed to play it cool, pretend nothing had changed. "John," he thought bitterly, "I'll deal with you later." His gaze flicked back to Ryker. "Enjoy your reprieve, Ryker. It won't last long.".

During a break, Ryker decided it was time to gather more information. He approached one of the more knowledgeable students, someone who had a reputation for knowing everything that happened within the academy's walls.

"Hey, mind if I ask you something?" Ryker said, leaning against the wall nonchalantly.

The student looked up, eyes widening slightly at the sight of Ryker. "Sure, what do you want to know?"

The student's eyes darted around, checking to make sure no one else was listening. "Yeah, but only certain items. The really high-rank stuff is off-limits, heavily protected. Even winning the tournament won't get you those."

Ryker nodded, filing the information away. "Thanks."

As training concluded, Ryker discreetly followed Marcus, blending into the shadows and using his Seventh Sense to remain undetected. Marcus went about his usual routine, but Ryker noticed a subtle change in his demeanour—a tension that hadn't been there before.

When Marcus finally headed to his dorm, Ryker was ready. He slipped inside behind him, moving with the silence of a shadow. He positioned himself in the corner, hidden by the darkness, and waited.

Marcus entered his room, his movements hurried and agitated. "I need to contact father," he muttered to himself, reaching for a communication device.

Ryker watched as Marcus activated the device, his face illuminated by its soft glow. Just as Marcus was about to speak, Ryker struck. With a swift, silent movement, he grabbed Marcus from behind, covering his mouth and disabling the device in one fluid motion.

Marcus struggled, eyes wide with terror, but Ryker's grip was unyielding. He leaned in close, his voice a low, dangerous whisper. "You made a mistake, Marcus. Now, you're going to pay for it."

He threw Marcus to the ground, the force of the impact knocking the wind out of him. Before Marcus could recover, Ryker stood over him, eyes blazing with cold fury.

"You thought you could kill me and get away with it?"

Marcus struggled to regain his breath, his eyes wide with terror. "Ryker, I... I didn't mean to—"

"Spare me your lies," Ryker interrupted as his seventh sense was activated, his voice a deadly whisper. "Who else knows about you sending John after me?"

Marcus's eyes darted around, searching for an escape. "No one. It was just me. I didn't tell anyone else."

"If I leave you alive, would you tell your dad after this?" asked Ryker.

"No, I won't I promised just let me live!!" said Marcus.

Ryker's eyes narrowed. His Seventh Sense flared, revealing the deceit in Marcus's words. Without hesitation, he drew a knife and sliced across Marcus's arm, making it loosely hang from his shoulder.

Marcus screamed in pain, his cry muffled by the soundproofing spells Ryker had placed on the room. "PLEASE STOP!, ASK ANYTHING I WILL TELL YOU"

"You better," Ryker said coldly, "or the next cut will be your head. Now, who else knows about our enmity?"

Marcus panted, his face pale. "No one else knows. I swear!"

"And who is John?" Ryker demanded.

"He's an assassin," Marcus whimpered. "He owed my father a favor, and I thought he could handle you."

Ryker's grip on the knife tightened. "And what about the academy? Did you inform anyone here?"

"No, no one else at the academy knows," Marcus replied quickly, his voice trembling. "It was just supposed to be between me and John."

Ryker studied Marcus's face, using his Seventh Sense to detect any trace of a lie. This time, Marcus's words rang true.

Marcus nodded frantically, tears streaming down his face. "I swear, I'm telling the truth."

"Okay, now you can go ahead and join John" 

Ryker struck with lethal precision, ending his life swiftly. As Marcus's lifeless body crumpled to the floor, Ryker stood over him, breathing steadily. The room fell silent, the weight of his actions settling in

[Experience Gained: Expert Marcus Defeated – 300 EXP, 60 AP]

Ryker then used Dragon's Breath, and turned Marcus's corpse and remains to ashes.