Of course that wolf-like bastard didn't bother hiding his trail. In fact he seemed to make it all the more obvious where he had gone via a trail of flesh blood leading the cat forward. Anyone could understand he was purposefully guiding her into a trap.
However, she still followed despite knowing that.
Even her cute face couldn't hide the vivid gloominess that the feline felt; only now did she put together what that otherself's warnings were alluding to. A fact she may have released earlier if not for her desperate desire to leave her past life as far behind her as she could. Something that should be obvious.
A wolf like that bastard? There was no way they would let up their hunt when they have already drawn first blood on their prey. It just so happened that she was a prey he was willing to go to the ends of the known universe and beyond for.
As she headed on the streets slowly lost a lot of the vigour that they previously contained.
Those once bustling crowds are replaced with shifting figures that hide just out of sight - occasionally seeing the visage of that psychopathic ikeman lingering just out of reach. Clearly having fun in watching her begrudgingly trot along to his tune. A factor she was not surprised with at all.
Surely one that applies enough pressure so that a lesser entity finds themselves without the ability to fight nor think rationally.>
His mind games were obvious.
Every time he appeared only to disappear, whether he made it obvious due to standing in the open or only a flicker in her peripheral vision that could be a mistake, it would weigh on the subconscious. It was completely undoubtable that doubt would set in. Such methods were cruel but effective.
Him and his family have always had a talent for the performing arts… Although they're even scarier in combat with him not being the outlier. It can only be considered worse when he cheats by having years upon years of experience with more weapons than an expert can name~!
If only I could be as hopeful as you; that bastard has never played by the rules chehehe~!
Letting out the closest thing to a sigh that she could manage at the moment.
Plus you are fighting him with the strength of an impressively super powerful cat thanks to our abundant spiritual energy while that bi-blue bastard was no less, maybe more, monstrous than we were. Not to mention he at least has a humanoid form as default. We don't even have opposable thumbs~.
Oh my~ if only we had someone who wanted to research all of these dimensions changes~!
<...>
She was stubborn, not stupid, so she knew a backhanded comment when it was thrown.
Not that she could defend herself.
It was her that refused to accept either of those other cats could possibly be right; now the consequences of that were right in front of her.
Specifically standing atop the roof with a bunch of thugs standing all around him as well as slowly coming out the streets to surround the cat. Although it was clear that those goons were confused. Like they were going through pre-rehearsed actions without knowing why.
A smug wolf-like smirk graced the colourful bastard's face as he lazily squatted on the side of the roof with a veritable bonfire just behind him. One arm draped over the guard of a sword that had been pierced into the rooftop while the other on some skewered meat. Chewing away as loudly as he could.
That noise sent more of a shiver down the cat's spine nevertheless he hardly cared about diminishing her displeasure, quite the opposite, in fact.
"Am imprshed you acwually came~♪" His words slurred due to the meat which appeared quite taught with little fat.
Although some people weren't as impressed with his cavalier attitude. Standing at a "safe" distance (behind some of the toughest looking ruffians) were a group of people who were dressed far fancier than the other humans. Even if they couldn't begin to compare to the opulence of the bastard.
Those men clearly didn't trust each other - she could see it in their eyes as they looked between one another - yet they trusted that monster even less.
Although the look they gave wasn't merely one of distrust.
It was one of fear.
"You promised the gambler yet you bring us a cat?!"
"We put a lot of money into this operation and left ourselves open to attack!"
"Plus the lost revenue from wasting all this time so you can kidnap a fucking girl to lure of a cat?"
Their questions were reasonable but he seemingly ignored all their complaints; using guard of the sword as a pivot point to move his arm so that his hand could pick that bastard's ear. An act that only seemed to annoy his supposed investors even more. He just kept chewing away while his eyes slowly moved.
Almost as if trying to find something.
Although it was clear he failed as a slight frown came to his face as he finally finished chewing.
"Well, I guess two out of three ain't too bad, but you guys want me to lure the last one yet I still don't see that crippled hag anywhere." "Heh we had a feeling you wouldn't be competent so my boys have likely already taken great care of her so as to warn that gambler that consequences do exist even for a winner~."
For a moment the world seemed to free as the little black cat had no clue what those guys were on about while an unusual pressure slowly oozed out of that ikeman. A smile slowly formed on those perfectly shaped lips. But, despite his innate beauty, it felt more akin to the uncanny valley.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Just another story.
That was all the gambler wanted to hear from the courageous woman, the first she had met in her brief time free to walk the world, who didn't reject her.
In front of her was a collection of men who didn't even bother to turn to her; cackling in front of an inferno that they dumped more out in. Within those flames one could barely make out the charred remains of a humanoid figure. That gambler didn't even pay attention to that as she looked above the body.
There she saw a familiar face with a chain already detached from the body below.
"Do you wish to go to the otherside?" It was a simple question that finally made it so those thugs noticed her presence - their laughing stopping as an uncertain fear crept up to invade every inch of their being. Just her presence alone caused their entire existence to freeze. Their lives flashing before their eyes like many had before.
Desperately searching their memories for a way to escape that creature yet, like all before, they failed to come up with a method. Unable to accept the fear while also letting it guide their actions. It caused them to immediately lash out at her.
At least they tried.
Crimson threads had long been used to bound every single joint thus making movement impossible.
Even then the gambler paid no heed to those arrogant young fools as she held the rim of her bowler hat firmly over her eyes. That unsettling smile is still present on her face. Unable to be wiped away as that woman simply nodded to the question proposed by the entity of the unknown.
Without ceremony she lashed out with those metal claws to pierce the forehead of that woman; a brutal act that was rewarded without any bloodshed. Instead her body began to scattered into motes of light to head on to somewhere else entirely. For a second that gambler just stood there.
Arm still outstretched as if imitating a certain famous painting that may not have even been created.
Although it begged the question…
Was she the deity reaching out to give Adam hope or was she Adam desperately grasping for gods hand.
She didn't provide any help in guessing as she reached into her jacket once more to pull out that familiar yet unique lighter. Once more lighting herself a cigarette as she stared into where the mirror would be if it were a hand mirrior that she held. A wry chuckle left her lips.
"… What a shitty hand nyehehe." -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
"Jehehe~ care to run that one by me again~?" "Oi, bastard, did you not learn to pay attention to someone be-"
That fully grown & muscular man didn't get the chance to even know how he died; the bastard simply flicked his wrist with a throwing knife appearing in his hand. Simply throwing it to pierce right through that man's skull. Yet it was far more akin to a water balloon the way his head simply exploded.
Finally he stood up to once again remind all those people just how much he outclassed them. The smirk on his face barely fading as he let out a lighthearted sigh. Not even bothering to grab his sword as he finally walked to the gang leader in charge of collecting the hag in question.
"Really is a shame…" None of that gang leader's men could even find the will to move however that didn't stop that bastard from ending them all mercilessly. Flicking his hand about to tap each of them once. The result of that simple action causing their bodies to deform in grotesque and foul ways beyond human comprehension.
Their lives didn't even get snuffed out despite the monstrous scene; their agonising screams made everyone realise just what kind of beast they were dealing with.
"B-but how is this any different to what you did to that little girl!"
"Good question~♪" Despite his words he thrust his hand forward towards the gang leader's chest only to come out of his back with a fleshly organ in his hand.
Still beating as he viciously pulled his hand back out and brought the heart with it.
Taking a bite out as he threw the meat skewer to land in front of the cat.
"So~ do you want a bite~?" Turning back to look at her with a blood soaked smile.