Under the moonlight,
David's slim figure stood opposite the four members of the Uzumaki Gang, his presence unwavering.
Outnumbered and outsized, David should have been at a disadvantage. But his aura told a different story. He stood firm, exuding the fierce intensity of a dragon on the verge of awakening. The air around him seemed to tremble, his silent rage palpable.
Yet, despite his fury, his mind was sharp and focused. A quick glance revealed the situation clearly: four opponents, none equipped with heavy weaponry or anti-magnetic gear. His chances of victory were at least 90%.
His voice was low and hoarse, cutting through the night air, "I don't know who you are, but I'll give you one warning: Leave. Now. Before I get truly angry."
A shrill laugh broke the tension. One of the Uzumaki Gang members stepped forward, crimson eyes gleaming with bloodlust. "Hah! A cocky little brat, aren't you? Do you even know where you are?"
He snapped his arm forward.
Shing—!
A pair of mantis blades shot out from his wrists, gleaming under the moonlight with a chilling, metallic glint. These prosthetic weapons were notorious for their deadly speed and razor-sharp edges, easily capable of slicing through bone like butter.
"Yeah, this is the f*****g City of Night!" another gang member shouted, his voice dripping with malice as he pulled out a kinetic pistol, the click of its loading echoing ominously. "This isn't your cushy homeland. You don't get to play hero here!"
The third thug grinned, slowly drawing a katana from his waist, its blade shimmering with an eerie green light. "I wonder… what color your blood is, you arrogant little punk."
Dissol, the apparent leader, spoke coldly, his eyes fixed on Lucy, who lay unconscious behind David. "Do what you want with him later. First, secure the girl. I need the copied data."
"Jiejiejie—!!"
Without warning, the Mantis Blade wielder's body flickered, turning into a blur as he dashed toward Lucy. His speed was blinding, almost supernatural.
David's eyes widened slightly.
This wasn't just the power of the blades. This man had other advanced prosthetics. Judging from his enhanced speed, it was likely a Sianwestan Type 1, produced by Zeta Technology. Although inferior to the Type 5 used by elite military forces, it was affordable and effective—a favorite among street thugs and cyberpunks for its short bursts of near-invisible speed.
From the far end of the alley, a group of scavengers and mercenaries watched the scene unfold.
One of the scavengers muttered, "Damn, these Uzumaki guys are packing some serious gear. Mantis Blades, Sianwestan Type 1, an Arasaka kinetic pistol… That's a fortune in tech right there."
Another spat in frustration, "Figures. I wanted payback on that brat for last night, but these gangsters will carve him up before we get the chance!"
Orisi, their leader, cursed, his voice seething with anger, "Those bastards are gonna shred that Dragon Kingdom kid. I wanted his head, damn it!"
Meanwhile, the mercenaries whispered among themselves, their faces grim.
"Boss, these Uzumaki goons are no joke. Their implants are better than ours."
"No kidding. Rogge's men won't stand a chance if they get in the middle of this."
"I just hope the kid's body isn't too messed up. Rogge will be pissed if we can't deliver the target intact…"
"Looks like our payday is slipping away… 100,000 euros, gone just like that."
Amidst the whispers and distant laughter, Dissol's voice echoed through the alley, dripping with arrogance, "Listen, brat, I don't have time to play around. Hand over the data now, or your little hacker friend dies."
His cold gaze shifted to the Mantis Blade wielder, who grinned wickedly and lifted Lucy by the collar, her limp body hanging like a ragdoll.
"Jiejiejie—! You watching, kid? How about I slice off her pretty little head? Bet the blood will look real nice splattered across these walls!"
His laughter echoed, cruel and mocking.
Then, without warning—
Boom!
A violent gust of wind surged through the alley, howling like a storm. It whipped at their clothes, sending dust and debris swirling through the air.
The epicenter of this fierce wind? David.
His power—the magnetic field—was reacting to his emotions, surging uncontrollably. The intensity of his aura was suffocating, a force of nature that seemed to bend reality itself.
Slowly, David lifted his head. His face was pale under the moonlight, sharp features carved with cold fury. But it was his eyes that froze them in place—dark, bottomless pools filled with a terrifying, inhuman rage.
A dragon's rage.
"You…" His voice was low, trembling with murderous intent, "…are all dead."
Dragons have reverse scales. Touch them, and you die.
Lucy was David's reverse scale. His partner, his friend—the one person he couldn't afford to lose.
In that moment, there was no hesitation.
No mercy.
A flash of light.
The Mantis Blade wielder's body was hurled backward, crashing into the wall with a sickening crunch. His eyes bulged with shock, his limbs twisted unnaturally. Before he could even scream, his head snapped to the side, the life fading from his eyes.
The other gang members barely had time to react.
David's body blurred, moving faster than they could see. A metallic hum filled the air as the very ground beneath them seemed to ripple, magnetized by his power. Shards of metal, nails, and debris were pulled from every direction, swirling around him like a deadly cyclone.
"Impossible…!" one of them gasped, raising his pistol. But before he could fire, his arm was wrenched sideways, the weapon ripped from his grip by an invisible force. It spun in the air, discharging uselessly into the night before crushing his skull with bone-shattering force.
The katana-wielding gangster tried to run. He didn't get far. The blade was yanked out of his hands, flipping mid-air before plunging through his back, pinning him to the wall like an insect on display.
Dissol's confidence shattered. He stumbled backward, horror etched across his face. "W-What are you…?!"
David's figure appeared before him, eyes cold and merciless. "You threatened my partner."
His hand reached out, fingers curling as the air around Dissol vibrated. His metal limbs creaked, joints bending at unnatural angles. He screamed as his body was crushed by the invisible grip of magnetic force.
With a flick of his wrist, David hurled him aside, his body crumpling like a tin can against the concrete.
Silence fell over the alley.
The scavengers and mercenaries stared in stunned disbelief, faces pale as death.
Orisi's voice trembled, "That… that's not human…"
David stood amidst the carnage, shoulders heaving with each breath. Slowly, he turned, his expression softening as he knelt beside Lucy.
His voice was barely a whisper, "You're safe now."
The dragon had been provoked. And as the legends say—anyone who touches a dragon's reverse scale… will die.
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