Chapter 14 - Ambush!

"OMFG, check the forums. Look that 'Zero' posted a starter kit to cities."

"He did what? The update has only been live for 30 minutes!"

"Look, the first one is so cheap but what's with the advanced one. 5000 CP?!"

"RIP my money."

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After the update went live it didn't take long before Alex's post gained attention. After all, his gamer tag was Zero. The only one in the world so there was no mistaking whether or not the post was fake.

However, some people didn't know how he got his hands on information so quickly. Of course, Alex didn't bother to explain this and in fact, left it to the crazy amount of people to wonder. As a result, it led to one thing, good publicity.

Guilds bought the advanced option after buying the beginner pack and checking for credibility. Which all meant more money for Alex.

He knew this would happen and he was basking in his glory but in-game he didn't dwindle either. He knew he had around half a day to a day tops before the next level 10 entered the city and with the new information and farming routes, they would profit faster than Alex if he didn't get a move on.

First things first, he had to get his hands on a special item. From his previous life, a player had come in contact with this item and it ultimately lead to that person becoming world-renowned in his occupation.

Now your probably asking what item it was?

Well...

It was the [Book Of Forging].

The book of forging was an epic grade item that was from a hidden quest not too far away from the city which was where Alex was heading. From his memories of the person bragging on the forums about it. He recalled that he would have to gain favourability with the master blacksmith Daryl.

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After spending 1 silver for the horse ride Alex had come half an hour by horse carriage to a rundown area south of the main city. If he didn't have the quest in mind he wouldn't bother coming here. The air was filled with a horrid stench and the streets weren't looked after all that much.

With the occasional person peeping the head out of a window in a broken-down house before seeing me and closing the shutters and returning to their own business. This place was on the outskirts of the slums. So it wasn't a long shot for someone like Alex to be robbed or even killed here.

Alex was on guard.

After walking through a couple of side alleys and so forth. Alex came to a small-sized bungalow. If one didn't know this was a blacksmith. It would simply be overlooked. The door was closed off and all windows were barred shut. As if winter was coming.

Knocking three times on the door. Alex announced his arrival loudly. "I'm here for goods."

After that, he was met with an Erie silence. One that if someone dropped a pin you could hear it. The wind had stopped and even the rats had turned to look in his direction. For whatever reason Alex was overcome by nerves and his hair stood up on his neck.

For someone of Alex's calibre who was prone to sensing danger, he knew this feeling all too well. After this feeling what tended to follow was a whole lot of killing.

Readying his blade from his sheath, which was positioned on his lower back tucked behind his cape. He dropped a smoke grenade from his inventory after having restocked on his way to the city.

"We've been found out, go for the kill. It's a big fish."

'Bandits huh' thought Alex as he spun to his left and spread out his sense. This was a technique only the skilled could achieve. Commonly referred to as perception. In other games, there was a way to directly increase this through stats but in TWOD it was different. Only through battle and experienced tapping into this state could one achieve heighten senses.

Of course, it was a piece of cake for Alex. Anyways back to the action. Alex dashed out of the smoke towards target number one. Pouncing like a tiger to prey he flew out as a knee directly connected with the incoming enemies jaw.

Using the momentum from his weight he guided the enemy towards the floor and he readied both daggers before digging them into the space between shoulder and neck on either side. After blood was spilt instant death followed for the man. However, Alex didn't stop. He kicked off the falling body as if it was a sturdy tree in the wild. Flinging himself back towards the smoke.

He had already activated [stealth] the second he dropped the smoke to the floor. So using this space of confusion he manoeuvred towards his next target. This time he welcomed the remaining of the four enemies into the smoke.

They had set up a simple encirclement with two coming from one side and two from the other. Alex knew this and made the assumption that they weren't deadly assassins they were probably just the average joe trying to scrape by due to their circumstances.

That said Alex didn't show mercy to those that tried to kill him. That was cruel to himself to forgive them. As he came into contact with the next victim he sliced and diced the mans back using [Backslash] and [bleed]. A pained cry left the mans lips before he met his demise and slumped to the floor.

Following that Alex left the smoke and wrapped to the opposite side all while not making a single sound. His breath was concealed along with not a single trace of killing intent. The work of a deadly assassin for sure.

Re-entering the smoke Alex spotted the final two attackers that had grouped together after the noise of number 2. Smart but not enough, unfortunately. Kicking off the ground Alex pushed himself into the space between the attackers, trapping himself.

"Haha, idiot now you're done for." Smile a middle-aged man radiated arrogance.

"Wrong, you are trapped with me." Grinned Alex he slashed at the two men leaving behind a single cut on either men's neck. Before sheathing his blades once more.

Disbelief filled the eyes of the arrogant man before darkness followed.

Alex paid no heed to this as he piled the bodies and took the only things of worth which was mainly a silver or two since it was the slums.

This was the first time in this life that Alex had killed a person. Although he was used to it being an assassin in all. It still annoyed him in the fact that if his attackers were smarter at all they wouldn't be trying to rob a customer to a blacksmith. Especially with their skill set.

"Idiots." He muttered before he looked up to the door at the blacksmith shop which was now wide open.

What followed was a voice of calmness. "Come in."