The sound of gunfire still echoed in the death alley of Siren's Haven. Fenril, the ferocious hunter of the Nebula Empire, gritted his teeth, his crimson eyes glaring at the mysterious woman who had just peppered his arm with bullets, drawing blood. Pain shot through him, but his fury was even more intense. "You whelp! How dare you interfere in my affairs!" he roared, his voice hoarse with anger.
The woman stood tall in the dim moonlight, her twin pistols still aimed defiantly at Fenril. Faint wisps of gunpowder smoke lingered around her. Her tight, dark leather suit accentuated a lean yet strong physique. Dark brown hair, tied back carelessly, swayed slightly in the breeze. Her sharp eyes shone with a mixture of determination and mockery. "My name is 'Raven,'" her voice was slightly gruff but laced with confidence. "Just a good citizen passing by who happened to see a mad dog about to pounce on a lost kitten. Couldn't help but teach it some manners."
"A good citizen? In a filthy city like Siren's Haven?" Fenril scoffed. It sounded more like the growl of a wild beast than human laughter. "Don't act so high and mighty! Your toy guns can't do anything to me!" Though one arm was injured, his killing intent still permeated the area, making the air heavy. "You'll regret throwing your life away here!"
Fenril decided to switch targets temporarily. He lunged like the wind, intending to dispatch this arrogant woman first. The black sword that had fallen to the ground was swiftly kicked up into his other, still functional, hand.
Raven didn't panic. A slight smirk played on her lips as if she had anticipated it. Both pistols in her hands fired simultaneously!
Bang! Bang!
Two bullets tore through the air towards Fenril at high speed. Fenril managed to parry one bullet with his sword, sparks flying as metal struck metal, but the other still grazed his side, tearing his leather suit and leaving a scorched mark.
"Not bad... but not good enough!" Fenril roared. Seizing the moment Raven was reloading (albeit quickly), he closed the distance in an instant. The black sword slashed out like a dark shadow, aiming to cut Raven in two!
Raven dodged the blade with the agility of an acrobat. She ducked low and kicked Fenril hard in the stomach!
Ugh!
Fenril staggered slightly from the unexpected impact, giving Raven an opening to leap back and create distance again. Her pistols were ready to fire at any moment. "Mad dogs like you really are indiscriminately ferocious, aren't they?"
The battle between the two raged on, fierce and fast. Fenril focused on heavy, frenzied attacks, using his superior strength and speed to press his advantage. Raven used her agility, wits, and the precision of her twin guns to counter and find openings. The sound of gunfire and clashing swords echoed through the narrow alley. Sparks from their clashes scattered like fireworks in the darkness.
Ryu, still lying injured on the ground, watched the fight with a mixture of shock and trepidation. He knew how strong Fenril was, and the fact that this strange woman could fight on par with a hunter of that caliber (even if Fenril was somewhat injured) showed that she was no ordinary person. "Who... who is she?" he thought.
"Go! Kid!" Raven's voice cut through Ryu's thoughts. She glanced at him briefly, her eyes filled with urgency and determination. "I'll handle this! Don't let the chance I've created go to waste!"
Ryu gritted his teeth. He knew Raven was right. He couldn't be a burden any longer. He tried to gather all his remaining strength, pushing his blood-soaked body to its feet with difficulty. The pain from the wounds on his side and thigh was excruciating, but the desire to survive and bring back the crucial news was stronger.
"Thank you!" Ryu shouted back, before turning and starting to limp away into the darkness of another alley, leaving the sound of the fierce battle behind.
Fenril saw Ryu escaping again and roared with extreme fury. "You think I'd let prey escape so easily!" He tried to break away from Raven to pursue Ryu, but Raven didn't let him do as he pleased. She continuously fired to block his path, forcing him to turn his attention back to her.
"Your opponent is me, you cowardly mutt!" Raven taunted.
"Hmph! You bitch!" Fenril snarled. He felt deeply humiliated at being thwarted repeatedly. He decided to deal with this arrogant woman once and for all, then go clean up that little swordsman later!
The clash between Raven and Fenril intensified. The stone floor of the alley began to crack, and debris from the fight scattered everywhere. Raven was clearly at a disadvantage in terms of strength, but she still fought on remarkably, relying on her precise shooting and agile evasions.
Ryu had run a considerable distance. He felt like his heart had stopped several times along the way. He tried to ignore the sounds of the battle that were gradually fading behind him and focused solely on survival. Every step on the cold stone ground sent pain shooting through his body, but he endured.
He vaguely remembered a secret hiding place "Shadow Fox" had hinted at. It was an old, abandoned cellar beneath an ancient, long-closed herb shop in a less crowded district. It took him some time to find it in the dark and confusing conditions.
When he found the secret entrance hidden behind a pile of decaying crates, he was nearly exhausted. He rolled into the pitch-black, damp cellar. The smell of dust and mildew filled the air. He leaned his back against the cold stone wall, gasping for breath like a dying man.
After regaining some composure, he quickly examined his wounds. Blood was still seeping from the gash on his side. The wound on his thigh was deeper and more gruesome than he had thought; some muscle tissue was visibly torn. With trembling hands, he took out the medicine pouch Kiana had given him and carefully applied Da Vinci's special healing salve to his wounds as gently as possible. The coolness of the medicine provided some relief, but the pain remained.
As he was tending to his wounds, many thoughts flooded his mind. Raven... who was she? Why did she risk her life to help a stranger like him? And would she be safe? These questions swirled in his head, but he had no answers.
After finishing his first aid, Ryu began to feel the cold and exhaustion overwhelm him. He tried to force himself to sleep to regain some strength, but the images of the battle and Fenril's cruelty continued to haunt him.
He didn't know how much time had passed when he was jolted awake by a sound from outside the cellar. His heart skipped a beat! Had Fenril found him!
He quickly grabbed his katana, preparing for a final stand. But then he heard a familiar, soft whisper. "Kid... you're not dead, are you?"
Shadow Fox!
Ryu sighed in relief. He carefully opened the decaying wooden door that sealed the cellar entrance. Shadow Fox's figure stood in the darkness outside, his expression tense.
"What happened? How did you get here?" Ryu asked in surprise.
"I followed your blood trail," Shadow Fox replied, glancing at Ryu's wounds. "Looks pretty bad... What did you get yourself into this time?"
Ryu briefly recounted his second encounter with Fenril and Raven's appearance to Shadow Fox.
Shadow Fox frowned when he heard Raven's name. "Raven... the Twin-Gunned Woman of the Shadow Alleys... I didn't think she'd get involved in something like this," he said thoughtfully. "But right now, you need to get out of Siren's Haven immediately. Fenril won't let you go, and if word of your clash with him spreads, the entire city guard will be after you."
"I know... but how can I get out? All the city gates must be heavily guarded by now," Ryu said worriedly.
"I have a way," Shadow Fox smiled faintly. "It might be dangerous and uncomfortable, but it's the only way you'll survive right now... the undercity tunnels."
He explained about a network of ancient tunnels that ran beneath Siren's Haven, secret passages used by outlaws and resistance groups for escape. He gave Ryu a crude map he had drawn himself, along with some food and water.
"This path will lead you out beyond the city walls to the north," Shadow Fox said. "But be careful. It's not just darkness and silence in those tunnels. There might be 'something' even more dangerous than Fenril waiting for you."
Ryu accepted the map and supplies with gratitude. He knew he owed Shadow Fox another debt. "Thank you so much... I don't know how I can repay you."
"Don't worry about it, kid," Shadow Fox patted Ryu's shoulder lightly. "Just survive and get back. And... send my regards to my 'old friend' in your village... if you see him." He smiled meaningfully before turning and disappearing into the darkness once more.
Ryu watched Shadow Fox's figure until he was out of sight. He gripped the map in his hand tightly. A new, perilous adventure was about to begin again beneath the moonlight shining down on this port city.