Kenji stared at the bruised apple in his hand.
He carefully Shadow Stepped through three alleyways. He managed a tricky rooftop without falling.
Then, in a moment of triumph, he successfully shoplifted a bruised apple from a market stall.
"Take that, oppressive, powered society!" he whispered to the apple, taking a triumphant bite.
"Your watch couldn't stop a skilled Dark Knight from getting this… a bit of soft fruit."
His humor, however, was brittle.
The city was a beehive of activity, and he was the queen bee everyone was trying to swat.
News channels buzzed about the "Plaza Phantom," the "Shadow Saviour," and the "Rogue Awakener." Public debate heated up.
Some hailed him as a hero, a mysterious protector. Many people saw him as a real threat. This was especially true for strong Game Borns and the official Enforcer Guild.
He caught a glimpse of himself on a grainy security screen. It showed a blurry, dark figure holding a large greatsword. His mask had worked, mostly. No one knew his face. Yet.
"Once revealed, a Dark Knight cannot simply retreat into shadows. The light will seek to control or extinguish them," he recited from Grima's journal, which he now carried constantly.
"Tell me about it, Grima. You didn't mention the constant, soul-crushing paranoia that comes with it."
He was now living like a ghost.
His basement remained his sanctuary, but every trip outside was a calculated risk. He learned to notice the soft buzz of drones, the distinct walk of Enforcer patrols, and the strong signals from powerful Awakeners.
His enhanced senses, honed by relentless training, were his lifeline.
One afternoon, Kenji looked for non-perishable food in an old storage unit in Sector Three. Suddenly, he felt a familiar prickle at the back of his neck.
Not the cold dread of the Corruption, but something sharp, focused. Human. Powered. And close.
His system flickered. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two figures coming closer. He couldn't hear them yet, but he could sense their deliberate, measured steps.
"Looks like someone found my little grocery run," he muttered, dropping the canned beans he'd just picked up.
He ducked behind a stack of old tyres, peering through a gap.
Two figures emerged from the gloom of the storage facility. One was a woman, lean and athletic, with fiery red hair and eyes that glowed faintly with a kinetic energy.
She wore a sleek, dark uniform that clearly marked her as an Enforcer.
The other was a man.
He was broad-shouldered and imposing, with a body that showed clear strength enhancements. He was a Game Born, judging by his aura.
Both carried what looked like non-lethal energy dampeners.
"This is the last known location, Commander," the woman said, her voice clear and precise. "Energy signature matches the Plaza incident. High-level dark attribute. Unclassified."
The man grunted. "Unclassified means unknown. Unknown means dangerous. Orders are to apprehend. Dead or alive, it doesn't matter, just bring him in. The brass is twitchy about this 'Shadow Knight' messing with public order."
Kenji's jaw tightened. Apprehend.
So they're not here to offer me a medal.
He weighed his options. Fight? Flee? He couldn't afford to injure them too badly, but he couldn't let them catch him either.
"Alright, gentlemen, and lady," he whispered, his voice calm despite the frantic beating of his heart. "Let's see if you're as good as your intel."
He activated Shadow Step, not to escape, but to reposition. He slipped away from the tires and quietly reappeared behind a tall stack of empty crates.
The Enforcers passed his former hiding spot, their gazes sweeping the area.
"He's good," the woman said, her eyes narrowing. "Moves like a ghost."
"That's why we're here, Tracer," the commander replied, his voice gruff. "He's fast, but he's still just one man. Spread out. Don't let him corner you."
Kenji smiled faintly under his mask. Good. They're separating. That's my opening.
He burst from cover, not at the commander, but at Tracer, the kinetic Awakener. She was faster, but he was Shadowbane.
He moved with a speed that defied logic, a dark blur. Tracer spun, her hands flaring with blue energy, but Kenji was already there.
He didn't use Dark Slash. Instead, he delivered a precise, non-lethal Void Bolt to her wrist, aiming for the nerves. The energy pulsed, not meant to destroy, but to incapacitate.
Tracer cried out, her hand going limp, the energy dampener clattering to the floor. "My arm!"
The commander roared, charging Kenji, his enhanced fists glowing with raw power. He was fast, formidable. Kenji didn't engage directly. He flickered back with Shadow Step, appearing behind a large steel container.
"He's using short-range teleports!" the commander yelled, frustrated. "Keep him in the light!"
Kenji grinned. Fool. Light only makes the shadows deeper for me.
He channeled MP, a faint, almost invisible aura of Aura of Despair spreading around him.
He heard the commander hesitate, a subtle grunt of discomfort. It wasn't strong enough to cripple, but it was enough to unsettle, to cause a flicker of doubt.
He burst out again, engaging the commander directly. This wasn't a fight to the death. This was a strategic evasion.
The commander swung a powerful fist, tearing through the air. Kenji blocked with his Abyssal Shield.
The dark energy absorbed the blow, sending a vibration up his arm, but he stayed steady. The shield rippled, then dissipated.
"What the hell is that?" the commander barked, taken aback.
Kenji didn't answer. He took advantage of the surprise. He swiftly and accurately hit the commander's arms and legs with non-lethal Dark Slashes.
Each hit aimed to throw off his balance and coordination. The commander stumbled, grunting in frustration.
"He's not trying to kill us!" Tracer yelled, her voice still strained. "He's just… trying to lock us down!"
Kenji gave them one last, parting shot.
He activated Void Bolt. This time, he slightly overcharged it and aimed for the ground in front of the commander. The energy hit the concrete with a shockwave.
This sent dust and debris flying up, temporarily blinding and disorienting the commander.
He used the chaos. Shadow Step. Not a short jump this time. Instead, it was a longer, more desperate teleport. It pulled him into the darkest shadows of a nearby, abandoned factory.
He felt the familiar, burning drain of MP as he stretched his limits. He collapsed inside the factory, gasping for breath, his body screaming for rest.
[MP: 50/6500]
He lay there for a moment, listening to the fading shouts of the Enforcers outside. They wouldn't find him here. Not tonight.
He pushed himself up, leaning against a cold, grimy wall. He was shaking, not from fear, but from adrenaline and exertion.
It was the intoxicating rush of using his full power against human opponents. It was different from fighting monsters. More complex. More dangerous.
He looked at his system. The Quests tab still screamed about Noxius, about the Heart of the Eclipse. But a new notification pulsed beneath it: [Threat Level: HIGH – Enforcer Guild Priority Target. Avoid direct confrontation.]
He scoffed, a bitter, humorless sound.
"Avoid direct confrontation? Too late for that, isn't it?"
He pulled off his cap and mask, throwing them into a corner. He was exhausted, but a new resolve hardened his gaze.
He looked out a broken window at the distant city lights, a vibrant tapestry of power and life. He was a phantom, a whisper in the shadows, hunted by the very people he had just protected.
"They want to catch me. They want to control me," he murmured, his voice low and firm.
"But they don't understand. This isn't just about the monsters. It's about the blight. And they're too blind to see it. I can't rely on them. I can't join them."
His eyes narrowed, focusing on the dark silhouette of the city, a place now teeming with hidden threats.
"I need allies. Not pawns. Allies who understand what's really at stake. Someone who knows about the Corruption, who believes in the true fight. Someone who isn't afraid of the dark. And I have a feeling… I'm not the only one. I just need to find them."