Part-234

  James slowed his pace, his senses sharpening as he sed his surroundings. In the months since he'd acquired the system, this heightened awareness had saved him more times than he cared to t. As he walked past a venieore, he caught a flicker of movement in the refle of the gss window. He couldn’t quite make out the details, but it was enough to firm his suspi: he was being followed.

  His heart rate quied, but he didn’t panistead, James tinued walking, appearing oblivious as he mentally mapped out an escape route. His body tensed, ready for a, but he maintained his casual stride. It wasn't the first time he'd been pursued, and he doubted it would be the st. However, something about this enter felt different. More dangerous. More personal.

  He turned into a narrow alley and used the dim light to slip into the shadows. As soon as he was out of sight, he leaped up onto a low wall, his movements swift and soundless. Perched above the alleyway, he crouched low, blending into the darkness like a phantom. He waited, his eyes narrowing, ears straining to catch the fai sound.

  The eerie silence was soon broken by the shuffling of footsteps, soft and measured. He watched as two girls passed by, ughing and chatting, seemingly without a care in the world. But James khey weren’t the ones following him. His instincts, honed by tless battles and close calls, told him that the real threat was still lurking nearby.

  A moment ter, four men appeared at the mouth of the alley. They moved casually, but James could sehe underlying tension in their bodies. They were searg for something—or someone. He gripped his wooden sword, feeling the graiure of the hilt under his fingers, and smirked.

  "Looking for someone?" James’s voice echoed down from above, causing the four men to jolt in surprise. They looked around frantically, trying to locate the source, and finally, their eyes nded on James perched on the wall, watg them with an amused expression.

  The shortest of the group, a nky teenager with an unruly mop of hair, blurted out, "How did you know?" The others shot him a look of exasperation, and one of them—a broad-shouldered man eared to be the leader—sighed deeply, rubbing his temples.

  "You idiot," the leader muttered under his breath. "We weren’t supposed to say anything. Now we’re exposed."

  James chuckled, twirling his wooden sword pyfully. "You guys arely subtle, you know. ime, try not to look so obvious when you’re tailing someone."

  The leader's eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms, trying tain some sembnce of trol over the situation. "It doesn’t matter. We’re here for you, anyway."

  "Oh? And what makes you think you take me on?" James jumped down from the wall, nding gracefully in front of them. He was tired, but his spirit was far from broken. In fact, this ued enter was exactly what he o test his progress, and the thought of using his wooden sword to its fullest potential sent a thrill through him.