Sunny climbed out of the sewer grate and into the alley.
He closed the grate behind him and stood up. His clothes were covered in muck and grime. He stank. But that didn't matter. He needed to get moving.
The Wilderness was outside the city walls. That's where the real monsters lived. That's where he'd find his next Beast. He started walking toward the main street. Then he heard the voices. Loud. Urgent. Coming from the street ahead.
Sunny stopped at the corner of the alley and looked out.
His blood went cold.
The street was packed with soldiers. At least fifty of them. All wearing the royal guard's silver armor. All armed with swords and spears. All moving with purpose.
Leading them were three figures that made Sunny's instincts scream danger.
[SCAN INITIATED]
[TARGET 1: MARCUS STEEL]
[LEVEL: 34]
[CLASS: KNIGHT CAPTAIN]
[DANGER: EXTREME]
[TARGET 2: LYRIA FROST]
[LEVEL: 32]
[CLASS: BEAST MAGE]
[DANGER: EXTREME]
[TARGET 3: DORIAN BLACK]
[LEVEL: 31]
[CLASS: SHADOW HUNTER]
[DANGER: EXTREME]
All level thirty plus. Sunny pressed himself against the wall. His heart pounded. These weren't ordinary soldiers. These were elite.
What were they doing here? In the slums?
He strained to hear their conversation.
"—reports say he was last seen in this district." The voice belonged to Marcus, the Knight Captain.
"Are we certain it's him?" Lyria asked. She was a tall woman with white hair. Ice crystals floated around her hands.
"The assassin could be anywhere in the kingdom by now."
"The evidence is clear." Dorian spoke quietly, but his voice carried. "King Aldric was killed three hours ago. A single strike through the heart. No guards saw anything. No alarms were triggered. The only trace left behind was dark mana."
Sunny's mind raced. The king was dead? Assassinated?
"A Beast with teleportation abilities," Marcus continued. "Probably shadow-type. That narrows it down. Not many Tamers in the kingdom have access to those."
"The Council wants him found immediately," Lyria said. "They've declared martial law. Anyone suspicious is to be detained. Anyone who resists—"
"Is to be eliminated," Dorian finished.
The soldiers spread out. Some entered buildings. Others searched alleys. Sunny's breath caught. They were searching everywhere.
He needed to leave. Now. But the street was blocked. Guards at both ends. More coming from the sides.
He was trapped.
"Check every corner!" Marcus shouted. "The assassin is still in the city. He can't have gotten far. His Beast's teleportation has limits. Find him!"
Sunny slowly backed deeper into the alley. His mind calculated. He was level two. They were level thirty plus. If they found him, he was dead.
Not because he'd done anything. But because he looked suspicious. Because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Because he was covered in filth and blood from the sewers. In a kingdom under martial law, that was enough.
He turned to run. And came face to face with a soldier.
The man had entered the alley from the other end. Young. Maybe twenty. His eyes widened when he saw Sunny.
"You! Stop right there!"
Sunny didn't think. He just moved. His hand shot to his arm. The mark glowed.
"Void Slime!"
Black mist exploded from the mark. The Void Slime materialized between him and the soldier. Six red eyes stared at the man. Toxic green mist swirled inside its translucent body.
The soldier stumbled back.
"Dark Beast! He has a dark Beast!"
No.
No, no, no.
Sunny's blood turned to ice. The soldier's shout echoed through the alley. Through the entire street.
"DARK BEAST IN THE WEST ALLEY!" The soldier drew his sword. "I found the assassin!"
"Damn it!"
Sunny didn't wait. He ran. The opposite direction. Deeper into the alley.
Behind him, he heard shouting. Footsteps. Dozens of them.
"Surround the area!"
"Don't let him escape!"
"That's a shadow-type Beast! It matches the description!"
The Void Slime followed him. Its body bounced along the ground. Fast. Keeping pace.
Sunny turned a corner. Another alley. Then another. The slums were a maze. He knew these streets from his memories. He could lose them. But then a figure dropped from above.
Dorian. The Shadow Hunter. He landed directly in Sunny's path. Silent as death. His eyes were cold. Calculating. In his hands were two curved daggers.
[WARNING: EXTREME DANGER!]
[ENEMY LEVEL: 31]
[SURVIVAL CHANCE: 0.02%]
"Stop running, assassin." Dorian's voice was quiet. Deadly. "You killed the king. You won't escape justice."
"I didn't—"
"Your Beast tells a different story."
Sunny's mind raced. This was impossible. Level thirty-one versus level two. Even with the Void Slime, he had no chance.
But surrendering meant death. They thought he was the assassin. They'd execute him on the spot. He had to fight.
"Void Slime! Acid Shot!"
The Slime obeyed instantly. Its body compressed. Then it launched a glob of black acid at Dorian.
The Shadow Hunter didn't even move. He raised one dagger. Shadows erupted from it and formed a shield. The acid hit the shield and sizzled harmlessly.
"Weak," Dorian said.
He moved. Fast. Impossibly fast.
One moment he was standing. The next he was in front of Sunny. Dagger raised.
Sunny tried to dodge. Too slow. His body was too weak. His speed too low. The dagger came down.
Then the Void Slime threw itself between them.
The blade pierced the Slime's body. Black and green liquid sprayed everywhere.
[VOID SLIME HP: 87/120]
The Slime activated Mana Drain. Its body latched onto Dorian's arm. Six red eyes pulsed. Glowing.
Dorian's expression changed.
"What—"
His mana was being drained. Fast. But he didn't panic. He raised his other dagger and sliced the Slime in half.
The creature fell apart. Its body dissolved into mist and retreated to Sunny's arm.
Dorian looked at his hand. His mana was lower. Not by much. Maybe five percent. But enough to notice.
"Interesting Beast," he said. "But not enough."
He stepped forward.
Then Marcus arrived. The Knight Captain rounded the corner with ten soldiers. His armor gleamed even in the dim alley.
"Dorian! Status?"
"Found him. He matches the description. Dark-type Beast. Shadow abilities. Attempting to flee."
Marcus looked at Sunny. His eyes were hard.
"You killed King Aldric. You used your Beast to infiltrate the palace and assassinate him. Do you deny it?"
"Yes!" Sunny shouted. "I didn't kill anyone! I don't even know what you're talking about!"
"Then explain the Beast." Lyria appeared behind Marcus. Ice crystals orbited her body. "Shadow-type Beasts are rare. Very rare. And you just happen to have one? The same day the king dies?"
Sunny's mind worked frantically. They'd already decided he was guilty. Nothing he said would matter. The evidence was circumstantial. But in a kingdom under martial law, circumstantial was enough.
He looked at his options. Three elite fighters. Ten soldiers. All blocking his escape.
Behind him, more soldiers were coming. He could hear their footsteps. He was surrounded.
Level two versus level thirty plus. No chance. No hope.
Unless...
Sunny's eyes went to the sewer grate ten meters to his left. Partially hidden by trash. The soldiers hadn't noticed it yet.
If he could reach it. If he could get back underground. He might survive.
"System," he whispered. "Do I have any abilities I can use?"
[DING!]
[CURRENT ABILITIES]
[VOID SLIME: RECOVERING - CANNOT SUMMON FOR 5 MINUTES]
[FUSION SYSTEM: REQUIRES 2 BEASTS]
[NO COMBAT ABILITIES AVAILABLE]
Of course.
Sunny looked at Marcus. At Dorian. At Lyria. Then he made his choice.
He ran.
Not toward the grate. Not away from them. Directly at Marcus.
The Knight Captain's eyes widened.
"Foolish!"
He swung his sword.
Sunny dropped. Slid under the blade. His body screamed in protest. He wasn't agile enough for this. But desperation made him faster.
He passed between Marcus's legs. Then he scrambled to his feet and ran. The soldiers shouted. Chased.
But Sunny had gained three seconds. Three precious seconds.
He reached the grate. Grabbed it. Pulled.
It didn't budge.
"No!"
Footsteps behind him. Getting closer. He pulled harder. His muscles burned. His fingers bled.
The grate shifted. Opened.
Sunny dropped inside.
Into darkness.
Into the sewers.
The last thing he heard was Marcus's voice.
"Seal all the exits! He's in the sewer system! I want every tunnel searched! The assassin dies tonight!"