"What...?"
Vayne was startled at first but quickly regained his composure. He had seen death many times before. He stepped forward and looked closer. The tall man—the one who had taken the parcel—was missing his right arm. There was a slit at his throat.
His eyes moved onto the others. They seem to have been assassinated. It didn't even look like a fight went down. Some of them drew their weapons but couldn't do anything.
"...What kind of—"
He stopped. The world had stretched again. Just like before. A sharp pain split through his head. Vayne stiffened.
"..Again"
But this time, it faded quickly.
The parcel.
He started searching around for the missing parcel—that's what he was here for.
"It's gone."
Vayne could not find the parcel at all. His eyes dropped to his wrist.
[SUSPENDED INDEFINITELY]
He slid his fingers on the display.
[ 7 UNITS ]
The scent of the skewer from earlier lingered faintly. His stomach growled.
Bzeep
Startled by the notification, his gaze fell onto his wrist.
[MISSIONS UNLOCKED]
[...]
[NEW MISSION AVAILABLE]
"...Huh"
This was completely new. He had never seen this before. The watch had only given him delivery requests until now.
"...Why now?"
He tapped on the screen.
[RECOVERY MISSION — ACCEPT?]
He was given two options.
[YES — NO]
He swallowed. The parcel was gone. But it seemed like something wanted it back.
"..."
His thumb hovered over the screen. A retrieval mission. Unknown variables. Unnecessary risk—But he needed the money. His thumb moved.
[NO]
Tap. For a second, nothing happened.
Then—
Bzeep
The screen changed
[...]
[RECOVERY MISSION ACCEPTED]
"...?"
He hadn't pressed yes. He paused for a moment then calmly said,
"So that's how it is."
He showed no signs of frustration or surprise. Refusal was not an option. The watch could be removed—but it wasn't worth it to find out what would happen.
[RETRIEVE]
[...]
[ITEM CLASS: STIMULANT — RESTRICTED]
[...]
[EFFECT: TEMPORAL PERCEPTION VARIANCE][...]
[RISK LEVEL: MEDIUM]
[...]
He sighed.
[...]
[LOCATION: WITHIN PROXIMITY]
"Here..?"
The sound of footsteps cut through the darkness.
Vayne turned around swiftly. A girl stood at the entrance of the alley. With a straight posture standing still damp strands of dark hair clung to the sides of her face, unmoving despite the rain. She looked at each of the bodies. Her eyes widened at the sight of blood. But she quickly regained her composure and looked at her wrist.
[LOCATION: WITHIN PROXIMITY]
She looked up and gazed at Vayne who wore a listless expression.
"...Was it you?"
She had a quiet but firm voice.
"Do you have the item? Answer me."
"I don't have it."
He said it flatly with no change in expression.
She looked at his body and found traces of blood on his sleeves.
"Then why do you have blood on your sleeves?"
Vayne tilted his head and glanced down at his sleeves.
"Oh, I fell down and got a bloody no—"
She lunged at him with a concealed dagger.
Vayne wasn't able to react in time—his eyes widened at the sight of the dagger approaching him.
Clink.
She was sent backwards with a deflect. She slid across the wet ground backwards.
Silence.
A figure stepped out of the shadows.
Moonlight shined on his long ash-gray hair as he rose up from the shadows. One hand rested on his pocket, and the other one lazily held a blade in a backhand grip.
A faint smile was seen on his face.
He was completely relaxed.
"Hah... that was close."
The girl steadied herself as she regained her footing. She tightened her grip on her dagger.
"..."
The man opened his mouth.
"You're taking this too seriously."
He was looking at the girl, who remained on guard.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm doing what I need to."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Do you need money that badly?"
"Yes."
About to lunge again she readied herself.
"He wasn't the one who killed them, and he doesn't have the item."
She stopped.
The silence was drowned out by the rain.
Her eyes shifted slightly.
"And how do you know that?"
The man turned around and looked at Vayne.
With a light demeanor and smiling he asked.
"Hey did you kill them?"
Vayne replied.
"No."
The man looked back at the girl.
"There's your answer."
He let out a smile.
The girl didn't lower her dagger.
"...That doesn't prove anything"
The man pointed at Vayne.
"Even if he's lying, he clearly doesn't have the item, just look at him."
The girl glanced at Vayne for a second then looked at the man again with suspicion.
"Relax, I don't have it either."
He showed his watch.
[LOCATION: WITHIN PROXIMITY]
Vayne broke the two up with his voice.
"Why did you save me?"
The man turned his neck a little and looked at Vayne.
"I need one of you to pass."
Silence.
The girl looked confused.
"...What is that supposed to mean?"
He didn't answer immediately.
He just looked at her. Then at Vayne. A faint smile still lingered on his face.
"It means that I don't need to win this one."
The girl still didn't relax.
"You're talking as if you know the reason behind the mission."
"Mission? Sure, you can call it whatever you want."
He almost cut her off before she finished talking.
"..."
Vayne spoke.
"You still haven't answered my question."
The man didn't turn around this time.
"I'm just here to watch. I need information."
The girl shifted her stance ready to pounce again.
"Then there's no reason for me to stop for you guys."
Vayne didn't respond. His gaze drifted slightly—not looking at the man or her. He locked onto the corner near a dumpster. The man paused. His eyes shifted to Vayne. Then followed his line of sight.
His expression changed.
"..Huh."
A slow, wide, unnatural smile spread cross his face. His eyes opened slightly wider—Fixing his gaze into the same spot.
"Good work Vayne."
He was unable to hide his eerie facial expression.
"Found you."