Prey

In the dark, secluded alley beside the Sanson Bar.

Saul stood silently in the shadows, waiting for someone to arrive.

His left hand slipped into the straight-cut pocket of his jacket, gently rubbing a snow-white pendant adorned with a gold chain.

Meanwhile.

Baron Percival's indifferent voice echoed in his mind:

"This Mystical Item is called 'Sunfire.' It can release a searing light that dispels darkness within twenty meters and inflicts tremendous damage on corpses and Wraiths.

"Or you can call it 'Assassin Bane.' Without shadows, the concealment ability granted by the 'Shadow Ring' automatically stops working.

"Whether this succeeds or not, get rid of that little pickpocket.

"Also, visit the manor in the Northern Suburbs and deal with everyone who has seen the pickpocket over the past few days. Make it look like an accidental fire..."

Faint footsteps came from outside the alley. Someone seemed to be creeping closer.

-even though the person was moving very carefully, none of it could escape the ears of a Sequence 8 Beyonder of the Hunter Pathway.

Saul broke off his thoughts and looked up.

"Tap, tap, tap..."

The footsteps drew closer, and a human silhouette had already appeared in the darkness.

Saul drew a soft breath and discreetly tightened his grip on Sunfire, ready to strike a killing blow the instant he received the documents.

Just then, however, the footsteps abruptly stopped.

A slightly trembling voice came from the alley entrance. "Are you Mr. S-Saul?"

Saul paused at those words, then seemed to guess what had happened. A scornful smile curled his lips as he replied, "I am."

He distinctly heard the speaker sigh in relief.

The footsteps resumed.

A minute later, a disheveled tramp in ragged clothes, giving off a faint stench, appeared before Saul.

He bent forward in a fawning half bow and raised his right hand:

"This is... a gentleman gave this to me outside just now. He told me to pass it on to Mr. Saul."

Saul nodded lightly, took the note, and unfolded it in his hands. By the faint moonlight, he made out the few lines written on it:

"I have the goods.

"Give me the antidote first, then we can finish the exchange."

An address in the East Borough followed.

I knew this would happen... Little rat, you seem to have forgotten your lesson from last time... Seeing Lorry attempt to bargain, Saul could not help sneering. He held the note beneath his nose and took a deep sniff.

The tramp opposite him stared, his mouth falling half open.

Saul snorted, his voice turning cold:

"Get lost."

The tramp froze for two seconds, then turned and fled without hesitation. Amid a flurry of panicked, stumbling footsteps, he soon disappeared.

"Whew-woo-"

Saul pressed two fingers to his lips and blew a sharp whistle.

Soon, a large group emerged from deep within the alley, some running in and others climbing over the walls on either side. At a glance, there were at least twenty of them.

Their faces were vicious, and they carried iron bars, daggers, axes, and assorted other weapons.

"The plan's canceled.

"You can go back."

Saul gave them a casual glance, then burst into a full-speed sprint toward the alley entrance.

The little rat is quite cunning... But that makes him interesting prey... Saul thought as he tracked the lingering scent on the note.

Then he spotted the tramp from earlier standing by the roadside, looking blankly from side to side as though searching for someone.

Saul was not at all surprised.

He had already guessed that Lorry would not be stupid enough to wait where he was. His nostrils twitched a few times, and he immediately turned to pursue him toward the southeast.

"No matter how much you struggle, little rat, all you can do is render a few traps I set in advance useless and cost me a little more time.

"Is the 'Shadow Ring' what gave you the confidence to think you could take me on, little rat, or escape my senses?

"Heh heh, where can you run? When have you ever heard of prey escaping a hunter's grasp?"

It was almost midnight.

Apart from homeless tramps, there was practically no one on the streets.

The wind drove a few dark clouds across the Crimson Moon. In the deepening darkness, Saul raced along like an arrow.

East, south, then east again... With a Hunter's extraordinary sense of smell, Saul could clearly sense the scent left by the note's owner growing stronger.

That meant one thing:

He was now quite close to his target.

Suddenly, Saul's eyes lit up. In the distant darkness, he saw a familiar figure fleeing frantically farther away.

His Hunter instincts told him that person was Lorry!

"Heh heh, found you, little rat." Saul chuckled, his speed surging explosively as he rapidly closed the distance between them.

Hearing the movement behind him, Lorry hurriedly looked back. When he saw Saul only a few dozen meters away, panic flashed in his eyes.

He gritted his teeth, abruptly turned around, and stopped.

Saul stopped seven or eight meters away and chuckled:

"What's wrong? Not running anymore?

"Still not using the 'Shadow Ring,' even now?"

He delivered two habitual taunts, looking certain of victory. His left hand had already closed discreetly around Sunfire, ready to activate it at any moment.

Lorry asked gravely, "Where's the antidote?"

"Where's what the baron asked for?" Saul countered. Then he reached into his pocket with his right hand, pulled out a white porcelain bottle, and flung it over. "Here's your antidote."

Lorry's expression shifted slightly. He glanced up at the white porcelain bottle, then dodged without hesitation, letting it smash heavily against the ground.

The porcelain bottle shattered. There was nothing inside.

The corners of Saul's mouth curled upward:

"You actually didn't catch it?

"Aren't you worried it might have been the real antidote?"

"I don't believe you'd let me go-even if I followed your instructions and stole Duke Negan's documents." Lorry snorted coldly, conflicting emotions in his eyes.

A hint of mockery appeared on Saul's face. "Since you know everything, why stop? Hoping for a dignified death?"

Lorry remained silent for over ten seconds. Then a strange smile suddenly appeared on his lips.

"Who dies... is still up in the air

."

The sight put Saul on high alert. He instinctively tensed and discreetly surveyed his surroundings before finally narrowing his eyes at Lorry:

"Are you trying to scare me?"

Lorry shrugged and said casually:

"I'm not that bored.

"Doesn't Baron Percival love quoting Emperor Roselle? Has he never told you this?

"When a hunter pursues what he considers prey, he also becomes prey in the eyes of other hunters.

"And another thing...

"Weren't you wondering just now why I wasn't using the 'Shadow Ring'?"