The elevator ride felt longer than usual.
Aiden stood alone inside, watching the floor numbers climb one by one. The faint hum of the machinery echoed through the small space, mixing with the distant sounds of the city outside.
Ignis leaned against the back wall, arms folded, eyes half-closed.
"You're quiet," she said.
"I'm thinking."
"About the man in the alley?"
Aiden nodded slightly. "About what he said. And what he didn't."
Ignis opened one eye. "People like that rarely lie. But they also never tell the full truth."
The elevator chimed softly as it reached his floor. The doors slid open, revealing the dimly lit hallway of his apartment building.
Everything looked normal.
But something about the air felt… wrong.
Not dangerous. Not hostile.
Just… off.
Aiden stepped out of the elevator, his footsteps quiet against the polished floor. The corridor stretched ahead in a straight line, doors evenly spaced on both sides.
Too quiet.
He slowed.
Ignis noticed immediately. "You feel it."
"Yes."
The sensation was faint, like a thin thread brushing against his awareness. If he hadn't been paying attention, he might have missed it entirely.
But now that he'd noticed it, he couldn't ignore it.
Someone was here.
They reached his door.
Aiden stopped just short of it.
Ignis tilted her head slightly. "Inside."
Aiden nodded once.
No forced entry.
No broken lock.
No visible signs of intrusion.
Whoever was inside had either:
Picked the lock cleanly
or
Never needed to.
Aiden reached for the handle—but instead of opening the door, he stepped back.
"Stay behind me," he said quietly.
Ignis smiled faintly. "I was planning to."
He opened the door.
The apartment lights were off, leaving the living room in soft shadows. The curtains were half-drawn, letting in thin strips of city light.
At first glance, nothing seemed out of place.
The table was where he left it.
The chairs were undisturbed.
No broken furniture.
No signs of struggle.
But someone was there.
Aiden could feel it now—clearer, sharper.
A presence near the window.
Then a voice spoke from the darkness.
"You're more cautious than I expected."
A figure stepped forward, emerging from the shadows.
Black clothing.
Light armor beneath the coat.
No insignia.
And in his hand—
A thin, curved blade.
Aiden didn't move.
"Red Viper?" he asked calmly.
The man smiled faintly. "If I were from Red Viper, you'd hear me coming."
"Then who?"
The man tilted his head. "Does it matter?"
Ignis stepped slightly to the side, her eyes studying him. "He's not lying. His presence is… muted."
The assassin's gaze flicked toward her. "Interesting companion."
Aiden ignored the comment. "You broke into my apartment. That usually means you have a job to do."
The man's smile didn't change.
"Yes," he said. "And it involves you not walking out of here."
The blade moved.
Not a warning strike.
Not a testing swing.
A direct, lethal thrust toward Aiden's chest.
Fast.
Precise.
Silent.
But Aiden was already moving.
He shifted to the side, the blade passing just inches from his torso. His hand snapped up, grabbing the assassin's wrist before the man could recover.
For a split second, their eyes met.
The assassin looked surprised.
"Too slow," Aiden said quietly.
He twisted the man's arm, forcing the blade away, and drove his elbow into the assassin's ribs.
The impact knocked the air out of him. The man staggered back, barely keeping his footing.
But he didn't panic.
Instead, he smiled.
"Good," he said. "That confirms it."
Aiden frowned slightly. "Confirms what?"
"That you're worth the trouble."
The assassin lunged again, faster this time.
His movements were fluid, almost graceful. The blade cut through the air in a curved arc, aiming for Aiden's neck.
Aiden stepped back, letting the strike pass, then countered with a quick kick to the assassin's knee.
The man stumbled—but instead of falling, he used the motion to spin, turning the stumble into another attack.
Ignis watched from the side, eyes sharp. "He's trained. Not guild standard."
"I can tell," Aiden replied.
He drew his own blade.
The moment steel met steel, the atmosphere in the room shifted.
The assassin's smile widened.
"That's more like it."
Their blades clashed again.
And again.
Each strike was fast, controlled, aimed at vital points. No wasted movement. No dramatic swings.
Just efficient, lethal technique.
But Aiden was faster.
Stronger.
More precise.
After the fourth exchange, he saw the opening.
The assassin overextended slightly, his balance shifting forward.
Aiden stepped inside the attack and struck.
His blade stopped just short of the man's throat.
Silence filled the room.
The assassin froze.
Then… he laughed.
A quiet, amused sound.
"Well," he said, "that answers my question."
Aiden's eyes narrowed. "What question?"
"Whether you'd survive the first attempt."
Aiden pressed the blade slightly closer. "Who sent you?"
The assassin's smile didn't fade.
"No one important. Just someone curious."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you'll get."
Before Aiden could react, the assassin's body blurred.
Not a movement.
A distortion.
Like smoke dissolving into the air.
And then—
He was gone.
No sound.
No trace.
No mana signature.
Just an empty room.
Ignis stepped forward, her expression thoughtful. "He wasn't trying to kill you."
"I noticed," Aiden said.
"That was a test," she continued. "A probe. Someone wanted to see how you'd react."
Aiden lowered his blade slowly.
"And now they know."
He glanced around the apartment.
Everything was still intact. Nothing stolen. Nothing destroyed.
The assassin had come for one reason.
To measure him.
The system flickered into view.
[Hostile Interaction Detected]
Threat Source: Unidentified Faction
Assessment: Testing Phase
Warning:
Future encounters may escalate.
Aiden dismissed the message.
He walked to the window, looking out at the city lights below.
"They've started," he said quietly.
Ignis stood beside him. "Yes."
"And this was only the first blade."
Aiden's eyes hardened slightly.
"Next time," he said, "I won't let them leave so easily."