It was already nine o'clock at night when Aliff and Ana finished closing the store. The lights were turned off one by one, leaving the room in darkness. They exited through the back door.
Ana walked towards her car, parked neatly behind the café, while Aliff followed behind with a leisurely stride.
"Alright, Aliff, I'm going home," Ana said as she opened her car door. "Drive safely, okay?"
Aliff leaned against the open car door, a small smile appearing on his lips. "I should be the one saying that. Your house is far, and the roads are quiet tonight. Don't speed, especially since it's late now."
Ana shook her head, smiling. "Yeah, yeah, I get it!"
Aliff raised an eyebrow. "By the way... where's my salary?"
Ana took a small wallet from her bag and pulled out a small pouch of coins. "Hmm, here, take it." She extended her hand, offering 20 gleaming gold coins.
"Not bad," Aliff said as he accepted them with a satisfied smile. The coins quickly went into his pants pocket.
Ana sighed. "Alright, I'm really leaving now."
Aliff nodded, closing the car door for her. "See you tomorrow."
Ana's car slowly pulled away, its taillights growing smaller before disappearing around the bend.
Aliff stood for a moment, enjoying the soft evening breeze that ruffled his hair. "I should head home too," he muttered to himself.
With his hands in his pockets, he began walking home.
***
The evening breeze rustled gently through the branches of trees lining the quiet road. The dirt path was pitch black, illuminated only by the full moon that occasionally hid behind clouds. Aliff walked calmly, his black shoes crunching softly on the dry leaves. To his right and left, a dense forest stretched out like an impenetrable black wall.
"This flat really is depressing," he muttered to himself, recalling how empty his residence had become. Since the murder incident, many residents had fled. Only people like him—those with no choice—remained there. And the forest behind the flat... that place had its own stories that were better left unthought of on a night like this.
Suddenly, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Something felt off. Aliff stopped in the middle of the road, his breath visible in the cold air. Without rushing, he bent down and picked up a stick lying on the edge of the path. It was long enough, with a rough surface against his palm.
*Swish!*
A sword sliced through the air suddenly from behind. Aliff spun around in a fluid motion, the stick in his hand deflecting the white blade just in time. "Wow," he said flatly, "sneaking up from behind? How unsporting."
From behind the trees, three other figures emerged, surrounding him with their gleaming pale swords under the moonlight. Aliff sighed. "Four against one? You guys really lack confidence, huh?"
He didn't give them time to respond. With movements as graceful as a dancer, Aliff spun his body, the stick in his hand creating a whirlwind that forced the attackers to step back. Dry leaves swirled around them, dancing in an odd ballet created by his motion.
"Now," Aliff said while adjusting his grip on the stick, "let's see how serious you are about wanting to defeat me!"
The four figures in black cloaks stood forming a perfect circle around Aliff, wearing white masks.
They all attacked Aliff at once.
*Swish!*
The first sword slashed from the left. Aliff moved his stick in a graceful circular motion, easily deflecting the attack. Two more attacks came almost simultaneously from the front and back. His body flowed like water, dodging with perfect millimeter precision.
"Unfortunately, that's not enough to touch me!"
*Clang! Clang! Clang!*
Each clash created delicate chimes, sparks of blue and gold light. Aliff smiled slightly. "You know this is pointless, right? You're still too weak; you can't even touch me!"
Without warning, he struck the tip of his stick against the ground. *Thud!* The vibration lifted small pebbles into the air. With lightning speed, his stick spun - *thwack! thwack! thwack! thwack!* - sending the pebbles flying straight toward the white masks.
"Come on, try to dodge all of this!" Aliff said with a smile.
*Creak!*
"Ha!"
The first mask shattered. Then the second. Third. Fourth. The pieces of white porcelain fell like petals on the ground, revealing the faces that had been hidden all along.
The attacks came at an incredibly high speed, especially since they were small and numerous, making it impossible for them to dodge.
Aliff tossed his stick aside.
"Alright, you guys lose," Aliff walked towards the four of them, "even though you've now become S-Rank Heroes, you're still not on my level. Well... what can I say, I'm just too strong even though I haven't fought in a long time."
"Long time no see, my little friends who are still rude!"