Facing Dangers

Dante was eager to leave and find his sister, his mind racing with possible scenarios. "Come on, Marcus! We have to save Lena" he said urgently.

Marcus raised a hand, asking for calm. "Wait, Dante. I need to grab my things. We can't leave unprepared."

Dante huffed but nodded. "Alright, but be quick."

While Marcus headed to the table to collect his belongings, Dante tried to calm himself, though anxiety gnawed at him. Marcus moved with precision, checking each item to ensure it was in good condition. Finally, he broke the silence as he adjusted his gear.

"The specialist is extremely dangerous" Marcus said quietly, his eyes serious. "I don't know much about him, just rumors. They say he has implants that enhance his strength, speed, and accuracy. He has thermal and motion sensors, making him nearly impossible to avoid. If you come across him, don't try to fight. Run. For now, keep that knife in case of an emergency."

Dante nodded, gripping the knife tighter. While Marcus used his ocular implant to scan the building, Dante stayed alert, trying to process the information.

After a few minutes, Marcus finished scanning the building. "Dante, don't get nervous or scared, but there are three people missing from the building compared to the twelve we saw earlier. One of them seems to be your sister."

Dante felt the world sway beneath his feet. "What do you mean there are three people missing? Where are they?"

Marcus took a deep breath. "They probably already took her to Neotech. But to be sure, we need to talk to Kade. He seems to be on the top floor. There are still eight people left. We need to move carefully, especially because of the specialist."

When they reached the next floor, Marcus noticed the cameras were off. Just like the last time he entered, now he knew it was clearly because of Neotech's visit. He looked at Dante with a serious expression. "I've detected two henchmen who are separated. One of them seems to be in the bathroom."

Dante nodded, understanding the importance of the information and realizing they were probably the henchmen he heard talking when Marcus was captured. Marcus continued, taking a stun gun from his equipment. "Here, take this stun gun" he said, handing it to Dante. "I trust your skill after what I saw. You handle the one in the bathroom, I'll take care of the other."

Dante took the stun gun, but he already had other plans in mind. He needed to meet the system's condition. As he approached the bathroom, he gripped the knife in his hand. He moved silently, determination painted on his face.

As he reached the bathroom, he heard the henchman singing distractedly. He carefully opened the door, and the henchman turned, surprise in his eyes. Before he could react, Dante lunged at him, aiming the knife directly at his throat. The henchman tried to scream, but the sound was drowned by the blood gushing from his wound. He fell to his knees, struggling to breathe, as his life quickly faded.

Dante, his heart racing, quickly wiped the knife on the henchman's clothes and then used the stun gun on the corpse, ensuring Marcus would think he had used it.

[One more stealth kill to unlock your first skill.]

Dante felt a mix of guilt and relief at seeing the system's notification. He hurried back to Marcus, who was waiting with an approving look.

"Good job" Marcus said, looking at the stun gun with satisfaction. He then used his ocular implant again to look upwards and observe the positions of the henchmen with thermal vision, not noticing that the body, which should have been unconscious, was slowly losing color.

"Let's move" said Marcus, unaware of anything unusual. They continued upstairs, now with six henchmen left in the building.

On the way, Marcus thought to himself, "The specialist isn't here anymore. If he was, we would have been found by now."

When they reached the next floor, they found four henchmen talking, distracted. Dante and Marcus moved silently, avoiding any noise. The lack of surveillance implants in the henchmen, due to Kade's lack of funds, allowed them to go unnoticed.

Upon reaching the top floor, they approached the room where Kade and another person were. They hid near the door, waiting for Kade's companion to leave. After a while, the henchman exited with a happy and satisfied expression.

"Glad we sold that girl!" he said loudly, with a grin.

Dante gripped the knife tightly, his eyes filled with rage. Marcus quickly stopped him, grabbing his arm before he could move.

"Don't do anything reckless. If you attack now, we'll be exposed, and everything could fall apart" Marcus whispered urgently. "I'm going to talk to Kade. What do you think about listening from outside? If things go bad, contact Arclight for me" suggested Marcus.

Dante took a deep breath, trying to control his anger. Finally, he nodded silently, though his doubt was evident. He trusted Marcus somewhat and knew he had to meet the system's last condition.

Marcus entered the room while Dante followed the henchman who had just left. The henchman, still smiling, headed to a balcony to smoke an electronic cigarette. These types of cigarettes were popular in Neon City, as they offered the same sensation as regular cigarettes but without the harmful effects. Additionally, they could be infinitely recharged, making them an essential accessory for habitual smokers.

Dante watched the henchman from the shadows, noting how he lit the cigarette and exhaled the artificial smoke. The man seemed relaxed, enjoying his moment of tranquility. But for Dante, this was an opportunity.

Gripping the knife tightly, he moved stealthily. His breathing was controlled, his mind focused on one thing: the kill. As he got close enough, he stepped quickly and firmly forward, placing a hand over the henchman's mouth to prevent any sound while he plunged the knife deep into his side.

The henchman writhed, his eyes filled with surprise and pain. Despite Dante's inexperience, he put all his strength into the blow. The henchman tried to fight back, but Dante's movements, though clumsy, were enough to keep him under control. The electronic cigarette fell from his hand, rolling on the ground as the man bled out quickly.

Dante maintained the pressure, ensuring the henchman couldn't make a sound. Finally, the struggle ceased, and the body collapsed, lifeless. Dante took a deep breath, wiping the knife on the henchman's clothes before putting it away. A few seconds later, the system interface appeared.

[Conditions for unlocking ability met.]

[Analyzing performance...]