Fop attacked before my body ca to a hard stop.
Twisting on the ground, I raised my knees just in ti to block a double hamr fist ant to drive deeper into the wooden floor. I opened myself up for the follow-up, counting on my absurd technique to absorb most of the force. And sure enough, it did. Wrapping myself around one of the attacking arms, I twisted hard.
A crack split the air, followed by a surprised scream. I didn't wait for him to recover; summoning a revolver, I fired point-blank into his throat. Blood spurted, but the bullet only dug skin-deep. Another blow ca, rocking my jaw. I fired again. A third strike followed, and he seed to realize he couldn't break , so he tried lifting and slamming into the ground instead.
I let go before the first heave, my mind flicking to the internal clock on my technique. Ten seconds left.
He lunged to grab , but I dodged, spinning around and calling forth Curse Piercer. It bit halfway through his ankles, forcing him to one knee and leaving the back of his head exposed. I took a reinforced sledgehamr to it. His body went slack, and he dropped like a tree.
The hamr ca down three more tis, tal humming with Cursed Energy, before his transformation began to reverse.
The fourth swing crushed his skull like an overripe fruit, shattering the weapon. My breath ca hard, and I tossed the weapon aside.
The venom was gone, as was my technique, leaving exposed but not weakened.
You have reached Lv. 20
Class: Sorcerer – Level 20 (2nd Grade)
Titles: Touched by the Sparks of Black, Julius the Immortal
Techniques: Inverse Lv. 6
Health: 1620/1700
Cursed Energy: 1100/2400
Stamina: 1500/1700
Stats:
STR: 136 5 AGI: 175 10 PER: 145 5 VIT: 179 5
END: 177 5 CP: 240 30
Skills:
Cursed Inventory Lv. 8
Hand-to-Hand Combat Lv. 7
Cursed Energy Manipulation Lv. 7
Cursed Energy Reinforcent Lv. 6
Stealth Lv. 6
Curtain Lv. 7
Gun Mastery Lv. 6
Acrobatics Lv. 6
Swordsmanship Lv. 7
Binding Vow Lv. 4
Reverse Cursed Technique Lv. 7
Mace Mastery Lv. 4
Hamr Mastery Lv. 4
Staff Mastery Lv. 4
Free Points: 60 → 0
I dumped half into Cursed Energy and spread the rest among my other stats.
Cracking my neck, I summoned Curse Piercer and scanned the room. The guards had inched closer. I stopped when I locked eyes with Barbara, who'd appeared as if from nowhere.
"So—do we keep going, or are you ready to renegotiate?"
"The Queen has conditions. The first five jobs will be at no cost. You'll be publicly blad for the deaths of the Joker, the sorcerer, Two-Face, and the Russian."
My eyes widened.
"You rked the Joker?"
"He was a particularly difficult thorn in the Queen's side. She decided it was ti."
My eyes narrowed. "I'm fine to keep fighting, you know. I've got new weapons, stamina to spare, and a growing distaste for your boss. I ca in good faith."
She chuckled. "Your pass at Hugo Strange didn't go unnoticed. Ballsy—using yourself as bait like that."
"Yeah, well… slow and careful isn't my style."
"Then it's only natural you take the fall for tonight," she said. "After all, you started it."
"But your boss gains more than anyone else," I countered. "Ivy doesn't want to share. She might act like she's above it all, but she's just like every two-bit warlord—double-crossing and status climbing is in her blood. She wants all the territories for herself, and she'll get them by uniting everyone against . I'm sure she's relieved not to be tied to the Sorcerers anymore."
Her lips tilted slightly—she'd caught my aning.
"Your life, the contracted services of Ivo, and a business relationship are paynt enough," she said.
"Not quite," I replied. "I don't work for free, not for anyone. And I reserve the right to tell the story as it happened—so I don't burn my Justice League connection."
"You think they'll buy the self-defense argunt again?"
"Let worry about them. They might be pissed, but they'll reconsider as long as I bring results." I placed a hand on Ernest's corpse and vanished it along with his whip. The whip was arguably stronger than the sword, but I had to protect my League ties.
"One job," Barbara said at last. "You keep your pocket change as paynt, but you and your people are banned from Ivy's territory. Final offer."
I shrugged. "I can live with that."
The walk out was quiet, the guards parting to let through. A sha I didn't get to fight more—but the jump to the edge of Grade 2 was a nice consolation.
Back at the safehouse, Selene and the team were mid-argunt when I walked in.
"Hands off, Selene—I'm fine!" Will growled.
"You're bleeding out your side," she insisted.
"Only because that quack used a stapler instead of stitches," Will snapped. "Can you believe that?"
"You didn't have to take that knife. eting Strange was my job."
"Well, I told you how I felt about him putting you in danger," Will shot back.
Tyler, who'd been silent, finally spoke. "The boss won't like this."
"I got the mission done, didn't I?"
"Yeah, but any idiot can see it was a test," Tyler said. "We went to bat for you. Your crap is going to get us killed."
"Not tonight, it's not," I said, stepping from the shadows.
Tyler and Selene moved back. Will glared.
"Saves the trouble of asking," I said. "Anything else you want to tell , or should we test the magical contract you all signed?"
The three exchanged glances before Will answered.
"He wants to et face-to-face—park by the river, noon, two weeks from now."
"And you gave nothing away?"
"Only what you said—that you've got what he needs to finish what he started with Blockbuster."
I nodded. "How was he?"
"Deranged. Got that crazy look… like those old Joker photos."
A small smile touched my lips.
"Kind of like the one you've got right now," Will added. "Sothing wrong, boss?"
"Just thought of sothing funny. You'll find out soon enough." I leaned against the doorfra.
"I would say congrats on a job well done, but it wasn't your job, was it, Will? You're here to work for , not play bodyguard to your very capable girlfriend. You weren't supposed to make contact with Strange unless under special circumstances, and chivalry doesn't count. Next ti you disobey, you'll be lucky to walk away with just a cut."
I pressed my hand to his side. He grunted as I channeled Reverse Cursed Technique, healing most of the wound but leaving the surface raw.
Turning to Tyler, I gestured for him to follow.
"Your next mission is simple—find a good gym, a nutritionist, and sobody to teach you how to fight."
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