The wind whipped fiercely across the rooftop of the tall, old building on Cardio City's West side. Dust and grit stung their eyes as Noah and Asher looked down at the aftermath of the fight far below.
Noah sighed, leaning against a rusty ventilation duct, looking distinctly disappointed. His eyes scanned the street where Liam's group had just departed.
"I didn't expect much, but man, it's ending too fast," Noah said. "I picked somewhere a little farther away so the effects of stun Tattoo Guy wouldn't reach me, but it ended up blowing in my face."
"It seems like Liam found out the loophole in that guy's power and instantly killed him," Noah continued, a frown creasing his brow. "But I can't tell how."
"Ah damn, I should have moved closer!" Noah slammed a fist lightly against the wall. "I can barely see what Liam did too, with those black things of his."
Asher could only nod mutely, shivering slightly in the high-altitude breeze. He, too, could barely see what happened from this distance, so he couldn't comment much. The glimpse of inky tendrils was fleeting and confusing.
But one thing was for sure, Asher couldn't even begin to gauge Liam's potential. That alone might mean he really is the real deal, someone who could rival Noah. The thought was unsettling.
"On the other side, it was done too," Noah said, shifting his gaze towards a different street corner. "That big guy from before got captured again. Not that it's surprising, though, it was 1 vs 3."
Asher followed his look. He hadn't paid much attention to them, but as Noah said, Bog had already been pinned down again by the Arcane Keepers – Uma, T, and Vecro.
Asher snorted, a bitter edge to the sound. "Serves him right," he said, remembering the sucker punch in the prison.
"You're still angry about him hitting you?" Noah asked, a hint of amusement in his voice as he glanced at Asher.
"Of course, I am!" Asher said, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. "I won't be satisfied until I pay him back!"
"Well, you can always do it now," Noah said, grinning widely and gesturing vaguely towards the distant scene. "Before they cart him off."
"Are you crazy?" Asher said, eyes widening. "They'll capture me too!"
"True," Noah conceded, the grin fading slightly. He shrugged. "That guy over there can control gravity or something. I doubt his power can stop me from using my teleportation, though, unlike that dead tattoo guy. So I'm not worried."
"Good for you," Asher mumbled, looking away.
Noah didn't seem to take any of them as a threat. But for Asher, his ability might be totally useless against them. The image of being pinned by T's gravity lock flashed in his mind.
Once again, he was reminded of how weak he actually felt. Standing next to Noah, watching Liam's lethal efficiency… Even though he didn't think his power sucked or anything, against someone like Noah, he really is nothing. A wave of depression washed over him, making the wind feel colder.
"So, how long are you going to keep watching?" Noah asked, his tone suddenly shifting, becoming sharper. He wasn't looking at Asher anymore. "The fight is already done."
At first, Asher thought Noah was talking to him and almost immediately stammered out an apology.
But then he noticed Noah's gaze was fixed intently on a deep patch of shadow near the rooftop access door, somewhere behind him.
Noah clearly wasn't talking to him.
"So, you noticed," a smooth, calm voice came from the dark part of the building, hidden by the deep shadow cast by a crumbling parapet.
A figure detached itself from the gloom. He moved silently, boots barely making a sound on the gravel-strewn roof.
"Don't be alarmed," he said, raising both his hands, palms open, in a gesture of peace. He wore sleek black clothes that seemed to absorb the light, a long, dark scarf wrapped around his neck and lower face, leaving only sharp eyes visible. He looked like a modern ninja. "I'm not your enemy."
Asher gulped, his heart leaping into his throat. He hadn't noticed at all that someone was there, even though it was just a few meters from where he stood. How long had he been watching them?
"So, are you going to tell us who you are," Noah asked, his voice deceptively pleasant, a dangerous smile playing on his lips, "or do I need to beat you up first?"
"Let's not go there," the mysterious guy said, his voice muffled slightly by the scarf but still clear. His eyes crinkled, perhaps in a smile. "I'm sure I can't win against you."
"Is that so?" Noah said, tilting his head slightly. The pleasant tone didn't match the intensity in his eyes. "That's disappointing. I thought you would be more brave, coming from a big criminal group and all."
"Wait, is he a friend of that Shark Guy?" Asher blurted out, taking an involuntary step back.
"No, no, wait! You're wrong!" the ninja guy said quickly, shaking his head. He lowered his hands slightly. "My name is Will, I'm from Twisted Fire."
"Oh," Asher said, recognition dawning. "The other group?" Serpent's Slaughter, Twisted Fire – they were the major players stirring up trouble.
"That's right," Will confirmed, nodding. "We're not friends with that Shark Guy. In fact, you could say we're enemies." He glanced meaningfully towards the street where Zack had fled.
"So, what do you want?" Noah said, cutting straight to the point. "If all you want is to watch their fight, you wouldn't stay here like this, revealing yourself."
"Of course," Will said, his gaze locking onto Noah's. "I'm here because I want to talk to you."
"What do you want from me?" Noah asked, the smile still fixed in place, but colder now. "Whatever you want, don't expect me to give it away easily, though."
Will tried to smile too, though it was hard to tell beneath the scarf. His eyes held a calculating glint. "I've heard a lot about you from my boss," he said. "As expected, you're no ordinary person. The reports didn't do you justice."
Now Asher remembered clearly. Wasn't Twisted Fire the group that had once actively tried to recruit Noah before Joker Roulette even formed? They'd seen his potential early on.
"Our boss still opens his arms widely for you," Will said, spreading his own arms slightly in a welcoming gesture. "Why don't you join us instead of staying in this small, insignificant group called Joker Roulette?"
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