I managed to get some training in with my new [Leader] skill at the weekly team training. I missed last and almost this week, so I compensated for going three days in a row, leveling the skill twice. It still doesn't do anything. Everyone was going to get dinner together, and they invited me, but I decided against going. It seemed too close to a party, and I still remember that a baneful party god said he'd watch me. I don't want to give him a clear picture since he has an "invitation to every party." I may be paranoid, but a blackout van that follows me to and from the institute doesn't help. I wouldn't have noticed it if Rob didn't point it out. I tried to approach it, but it conveniently drove off.

Next time I see that van, I'm throwing a rock through the window. It might be some media thing, but fuck it. The whole Strickland situation made it unfeasible for me to visit Rain at her new shop to help her out. It's an unnecessary danger for both of us. It's not like I won't be able to see her until I bring down the government's number one supplier of military arms, but the inconvenience is spreading into everything else. Honestly, the one place they would have a difficult time killing me, if they even are trying to, would be the capital itself. Too many cameras and witnesses. The fact that the blogger could smuggle in an explosive vest and a few magic items is an oversight on the fact that lower leveled people aren't seen as a threat. Guns and explosions exist, and they are a great equalizer. I wonder... Would starting a coup help me grind my [Leader] skill?

Dylan said the graveyard should be "up and running" by the end of the week, meaning Rob will be able to evolve soon. Duchess made progress with her tasks as well. She unlocked wind magic and claimed she was close to increasing her affinity to life. You can increase your affinities manually, but it's a tedious process that doesn't yield much. The task is to "increase" it, so an advancement of 1% would suffice. It requires a great understanding of the element and the appropriate resources.

Some geniuses already have the potential to have a great affinity, but their body is holding them back. Leveling and growing unleash the true might their elemental affinity can showcase. Duchess might be in a similar situation. All things considered, she's young and low leveled, and she has the potential for many powerful elements to bloom within her. Not only did she have a few affinities as a rank-F [Feathered Boa], she gained quite a few more with her rank-A [Brilliant Feathers] skill.

I need to head out and purchase some supplies. All the ore I stockpiled away has been consumed by Prometheus. He's a growing boy, but it would make me less concerned if he got physically bigger. I should probably make a bulk purchase, and the only place I know I can buy anything is the auction house. I would go in my plague doctor's clothing, but I don't know who's watching me at any moment. It won't be a good disguise if someone sees someone in a mask leave where I entered. I feel safe on either of my master's properties, but I don't want to risk it. The number one auction house wouldn't be number one if privacy wasn't a given.

I walk. I don't call for a taxi since the last time I was in a car with a Strickland, it was a trap that almost caged me. The auction company has a few houses in the capital, but I went to the nearest one. It isn't too far as the estates are near the wealthy business district. Not a lot of people are out today. It's still way more than any street in Bluefield, but it's not a lot by capital standards. Maybe it's a holiday or something. No, that would cause the opposite reaction.

Before I could even align my stray thoughts, I saw a black van drive off when I turned a corner. Alright, let's see what this is about. I try to catch up to it, but it gradually speeds up, forcing me to keep up. Public safety laws keep me from going too fast on foot if I'm not on the road, but that doesn't matter as I lose sight of them regardless. They slid around a corner and weren't there when I looked. Using my boots, I quickly run up the side of a building and spot the van again. Rooftop to rooftop, I traverse until I find the van abandoned by the side of the road. They had the time to rip off the license plate before fleeing. Weird that they decided to do that now instead of before stalking me. They must have committed to abandoning this vehicle. I looked inside and didn't find any loose items or anything indicating who was here. I examine my surroundings after this fruitless chase.

I'm in an unsavory part of the city, not too far from the motels. Shit, I guess I'll walk back. That chase felt shorter than it was. I wonder what my top speed is because it felt like I was getting close to it. With master Wang's training, I didn't have enough energy to worry about numbers, just moving my body. 'Something to do when I get back from the auction house.

As I walk, I hear a concerning snippet of a conversation as I pass by two people wearing gis and donning fox masks. They both have swords on their waist, not an uncommon sight in the capital, but they keep their hands on the handle.

"Should we be doing this?"

"Pick someone who looks lower class. It's righteous."

"Are you sure, brother?"

"We are in the wrong district to be doing this, but it'll be similar to taking out some trash. We already wasted so much time trying to locate the slums."

It was none of my business, so I kept walking, but the younger of the two yelled out in a justified manner, and I couldn't ignore it even if I wanted to.

"My name is Kendal Ken, and this is my new sword, Crushing Tiger!"

I hear a sword being unsheathed and wet meat hitting the floor. Somebody screams bloody murder on the streets of the capital. I turned my head to look behind me, and lo and behold, some poor passerby was transformed into hamburger meat. The people on the street have one of two reactions. Running away or whipping out their phones. Why wear a mask if you are going to announce your name? The swordsman flicks the blood off his blade and adjusts his disguise slightly. He wears a blue fox mask, and his 'brother' is wearing a red one. The red fox uses his thumb to pop his sword out of the sheath just so an inch of the blade is visible. All of the phones in a circle around him are cut perfectly in half. I believe that's a skill rather than a technique, but the distinction is unnecessary.

"It's rude to film someone without permission."

A random person from the crowd yells, "Someone, call the enforcers!" Very generic stuff. I start to ignore the chatter from the bystanders.

The two men try to casually walk away, but they so happen to be leaving in my direction. For all the horror stories I heard of the capital, it took longer than I expected to see a wanton murder in the streets. If anything, it gave me a better impression than I already had. I don't stop these two. If it was my job, I'd hop right on. The last time I checked, I was not an enforcer.

The red mask does a dramatic twirl after passing me, pointing me out, and asking me a question.

"Your gi. What school are you from?"

"..."

"Wearing blood-soaked garbs so openly must be an open invitation, 'pity I don't have the time. To have your clothing so thoroughly soaked but unharmed shows great prowess."

He turned to continue walking, but my curiosity bettered me. I used [Scientific Insight+], and they both flinched like they felt my skill being used.

[Red Mask ???]

[Blue Mask Lv200]

Ah, shit. I preemptively use [Bolster Resistance] to double my slashing resistance before looking at the other bystanders. They backed off considerably, like curious zoogoers staring at a tiger that escaped its enclosure. The two swordsmen are the tigers in this analogy. More phones are out and recording these two. No one was recording when 'Kendal Ken' shouted his name, but he hasn't pulverized a person yet, so I don't see why they would.

If I can't avoid a fight and running away wouldn't be feasible given that they definitely have higher stats than me, I might as well play the publicity card and take credit for when the enforcers eventually get here. Blue mask pulls his blade out of his sheath and holds it like it has incredible heft.

"Should I take care of him, brother? That was an act of aggression, no?"

"Perhaps a challenge. Let me take care of it. It is but a fish, half your strength, if even that."

He ends his sentence by using his thumb to push his sword out of the sheathe, showing only an inch of the blade. Ah, shit. If it was just level 200, I could manage, but since I don't have a good measure of this man's strength, I don't know if I'm fucked or not. To brazenly kill someone in the streets requires insanity, balls, or connections to get you off scot-free. I don't want to find out how many boxes they checked off. Might as well throw in a generic question for the cameras.

"Hey, why'd you kill that person?"

I feel dozens of stings all over my body. White marks appear all over my skin like someone tried to cut me one hundred times with a knife, dull enough to struggle against warmed butter. Red Mask drops his sword and falls to the ground, covered in wounds from the reflected damage. My resistances aren't as useful against one big attack, but I can weather an infinite amount of little strikes. Red Mask struggles for his blade, his fingers finding the hilt before passing out.

"Brother!"

Blue Mask rifles through his gi before finding a scroll. Before I could worry about what was inscribed inside, he knelt and pasted it onto the Red Mask's body. A warm glow highlights his wounds and slowly closes them. While kneeling, he points his hefty blade at me before trying to say something. I cut him off and talk before he can.

"It turns out cutting random people has consequences. Why don't you two wait for the enforcers."

His knuckles go white as he grips the sword with anger. In one fluid motion, he stands and swings upwards and brings his blade back down, cutting me like an upside-down V. He does this at a distance, but I can feel the pressure of the world on my body, where he would've cut me if he was closer.

-398

(-113)

-400

(-113}

[Resistance: Force 252 > 265 (365)]

"What sorcery is this?"

Blue Mask touches his chest, where he feels the reflected damage. He grabs his sword with two hands and holds his sword above/behind his head. He crouches slightly. It looks like he's about to hit a baseball with the most scuffed stance I've ever seen. I don't know swordsmanship to know if this is a proper stance or not, but even I can see many openings. I summon my barbed sword in a spray of blood. For good measure, I [Bolster Resistance] in force, top off my health and regenerate my mana to full with [Broken Bones].

"What a heinous blade, but I can tell it is a rank-A weapon or higher. I can overlook your transgression if you give me your sword."

"I'll give it to you. Blade first. Until it reaches the hilt."

Blue Mask swings his sword, and I can almost feel the ripple of crushing energy before it reaches me. I want to doge, but I also want to see if I can take it. I advance instead of doing any fancy footwork or defending. Master Wang would be proud.

-1275

(-300)

The attack doesn't push me away in a blast of kinetic energy like I expected. Instead, the sword tries to grind me into the ground. If anything, it gives me traction for my next attack. Instead of swinging my sword or doing a fancy maneuver, I tackle the man. I even use [Battered Bones] to launch myself a little more to sweep him off his feet. We both tumble to the ground, but I have the upper hand. I sit on his chest and punch him in the head until he stops moving. It took only two. He must have been in low health. I gave him a few more for good luck before ripping the scroll off the Red Mask.

After getting up and collecting the swords, the enforcers swarmed the area.