Dual System: Ascension of A Nameless Nobody

An unexpected assault of intestines whipped out towards them, though Xiaodan was able to avoid them gracefully with coordinated movements–as if knowing the perfect technique for each attack that came from various directions.

With a spinning kick, they repelled a frontal attack. With a duck and open palm strike, they countered a tri-attack. Even when completely surrounded, Xiaodan managed to unleash a flurry of nimble attacks at such a speed that he could hardly trace them.

Beyond that, the thin, small-of-stature one possessed physical prowess far beyond their appearance, as their normal chops and kicks easily crushed and cut apart the monstrous entrails.

Amazing, he thought.

It was unexpected to see such finesse from the frivolous figure, but he appreciated having them by his side at this moment.

With his recon ability out, he knew exactly where the Leyak was, unable to see it directly, but feeling its presence lurking in the darkness to his right.

“…To the right…about four meters,” he whispered to Xiaodan, “It’s surrounded by some sort of shield of entrails right now.”

“Got it,” Xiaodan nodded quietly, facing forward still.

They both faced north as a way not to give away to the Leyak that they knew where it hovered, listening to its taunting snickers that filled the black night.

Filling their ears alongside the eerie laughter was the skin-crawling sounds of the intestines slithering across the asphalt once more, attempting to slowly reach towards them.

Waiting until the perfect moment, they stood still until–

“Now!” He shouted.

In that moment, Xiaodan burst to the right with a swift, explosive step, gathering an azure light around their hand as they held their fingers straight like a spear.

“Bite of The Desert King,” Xiaodan invoked internally.

The azure glow spiraled out, wrapping around their entire left arm and condensing at their fingertips as they thrust their hand forward into the darkness–clashing against a grotesque wall of intertwined intestines._.

“–!”

Xiaodan’s eyes widened slightly at the newly revealed, abhorrent sight of the fleshy shield in front of them, but pressed forward with their attack as the sharp strike tore through the wall of flesh, forcing them to jump back as the Leyak immediately tried to counter with a spray of its acidic blood.

“…It’s all yours now, Mr. Jeong-Hui!” Xiaodan called out.

He was already in the air, having sheathed both of his daggers and clenching his fists tightly as he activated Sage Period, known by the glow of his emerald eyes.

“Ripper,” the embodiment of my assassin-class proficiency. “Breaker Fist” “Breaker Kick,” the embodiment of my martial arts proficiency .

Together…what results is the apex of my journey so far–I haven’t mastered it yet, but now is as good as training as ever! He thought.

“Crushing Riptide!”

Around his arms and legs, a supernatural strength bubbled, resulting in an exuberant heat at his knuckles, toes, and heels as swiftness guided him downward.

He descended on the crazy-eyed, white-maned spirit with a flurry of instantaneous, smoothly-combined attacks as he spun around into a series of kicks and a flurry of swift punches that were launched with the seamless agility of “Ripper”.

In the trail of his hands and feet, the leftover heat displayed itself in a dazzling, yet warm light that twinkled like the stars of the night sky, flourishing like the evergreen.

The result was a combination attack that optimized both speed and attack potency, leaving a dozen shock waves following the aftermath of his attacks after he landed.

[Spirit: -600. Remaining Spirit: 2100/3600]

The Leyak was flung back, decimated by the mixture of assassin abilities and martial arts techniques that surpassed human limitations.

He stood tall, catching his breath as he felt the muscles on his forearms and calves burn intensely after pushing his body past its limits for that momentary assault.

“Woah…That was amazing, Mr. Jeong-Hui!” Xiaodan hopped in excitement, slapping him playfully on the shoulder, “I didn’t know you were a practitioner of martial arts, too!”

“Yeah…” He laughed a bit.

–Just then, he realized:

Where’s the prompt for defeating it? He thought.

Suddenly, the harrowing presence was right before him–moving swiftly as he glanced to the side with his heightened perception to see that daunting, man-eating maw of the disembodied head–broken, battered, and spewing blood.

It was on the brink of death from his previous attack, going into a frenzy as it had its jaws unhinged wide enough to swallow him whole as he could see thousands of teeth inside of its deathly maw.

But, it didn’t reach him. It wasn’t his own doing that saved him from the jaws of the entrail-displaying, evil spirit.

Xiaodan acted swiftly, stepping forward as they planted their foot down with a strengthened force, holding a resolute, iron-tight stance as they swiftly jutted their fist forward only an inch forward.

“Purge Cannon,” Xiaodan invoked internally.

It was a one-inch punch, clad in a purple energy that took the shape of spewing, miniature dragon heads.

As their knuckles slammed against the Leyak’s flared nose, the compact attack dealt the finishing blow, causing the haunting head to explode into chunks of decrepit flesh like a balloon–popping with an ear-ringing release.

Though brief, the resulting breakage of the sound barrier howled, releasing a gust of wind that propelled outwards in all directions.

“…Nice save,” he finally muttered out.

They’re strong…For just being level twenty-two, that’s some serious firepower. It goes without saying their martial arts abilities surpass mine, he noted.

Xiaodan held their planted stance for another moment, holding their fist forward that exuded a residual steam before returning to their jovial, playful nature, sticking their tongue out, “Just call it even!”

“Hey, wait…! We’re not in a party!” He suddenly realized.

“Oh, I guess we aren’t,” Xiaodan put their finger to their chin, “What about it?”

“You got all of the experience for yourself, then!” He let out.

All the adrogynous figure replied with as their lengthy, silken locks of soft silver draped over their slender shoulders was a playful snicker.

Venturing down the street once more, they remained ever-cautious after such a grotesque, haunting encounter.

“I’ve got to ask…” He began to say.

“I’m not telling you what privates I have!” Xiaodan playfully interrupted him.

“…Not what I was going to ask, but okay–point taken,” he sighed out, continuing, “That name of yours–it isn’t Korean, is it? If I’m not mistaken, it’s Chinese, right?”

Xiaodan looked at him with a small smile, walking directly by his side before nodding, “Correct! You know your stuff,” they laughed quietly, “It means “little dawn”…kind of overbearing, isn’t it?”

“I think it’s nice,” he said, looking at them.

The silver-haired, adrogynous figure blushed just a tinge before returning their gaze forward, “Enough about that! What’s your name mean? I’ve never heard it before.”

He scratched his cheek a bit before adjusting his black, fingerless gloves, “There’s a few meanings…but my Mom always told me she chose it with the “Quiet and Splendid” meaning in mind.”

“That’s quite a name to live up to, isn’t it?” Xiaodan laughed.

“Right?” He smiled.

It was only a small glimmer of reprieve, but for the time being, they felt safe as they crossed the blind roads.

“Say…” Xiaodan began.

“Hm?”

“Do you know where we’re going? No offense, but it’s as black as can be out here–I wouldn’t trust myself to find the back of my own hand,” Xiaodan asked, looking up at him.

It was a fair enough question. Due to the circumstances, they had to walk practically arm-to-arm in an effort not to lose sight of one another.

“Ah…Well, I’m pretty positive I know where we’re going,” he said, looking up.

There was really no point in looking upward; the blackness of the mystical night blocked all except the faint glimmers of the scarlet clouds above.

“Pretty positive? I dunno how reassuring that is,” Xiaodan smiled wryly.

“Don’t worry–I know where we are,” he said, “I’m not that inept.”

He shifted the position of the backpack that he wore on his back, hardly feeling the weight due to the natural strength of his [Equip].

“So, this group of yours…Have you been with them for a long time?” Xiaodan asked.

“Hmm…A couple months now, yeah. “Gangcheori”, I think it’s safe to call us the strongest group in Korea, at least,” he boasted with a bit of a smile.

The look the wavy, silver-haired adrogynous figure gave them was as if asking “Are you really a prime example of that?”, but he dissuaded that on his own.

“Don’t take me as an example. Our executives are crazy powerful,” he assured them.

Xiaodan stared at him as if inspecting him for a moment before replying, “…You’re plenty impressive yourself, you know?”

“Really?” He bashfully scratched his cheek.

“Yeah, those were some awesome moves you showed off back there. I felt in perfect synch with you despite just meeting you, Mr. Jeong-Hui!” Xiaodan explained.

He chuckled, “Same to you then.”

After carefully traversing the hellish night, avoiding any instances of abnormal noises around them–he finally managed to guide the two of them back to the back part of the colossal hotel.

“This is it,” he said.

“We’re going in through the back? Not very welcoming, is it?” Xiaodan joked.

“Yeah, yeah. Look at the world around us right now,” he replied.

Opening the door, he entered to find even the lights within the hotel were almost non-existent, save for a few lit candles spread through the halls.

“Creepy,” Xiaodan mumbled.

“It’s not usually like this…trust me,” he told them, cautiously stepping in.

Is everything alright here? It’s certainly eerie, he thought.