Lamon's pupils constricted at the sight of the newcomer. He recognized the robes and was familiar with their methods; the piercing lightning from the previous blue-robed man had left a deep impression on him.
The man chuckled lightly. "First time we're meeting. You can call me 'Hyena.' You have something I want, which is why I was waiting here for you."
Lamon didn't answer. Behind Hyena's casual smile hid a dangerous killing intent. No matter how much of a smart-aleck Lamon usually was, after this series of events, he knew when to be serious.
Run! That was the first thought that popped into Lamon's head. He immediately spun around and dashed toward the deep darkness of the alley.
Lamon was a deliveryman, after all. The running speed he had built up over the years was nothing to scoff at. Within a few breaths, Hyena was left far behind, completely out of sight.
Did I shake him? Lamon thought with a hint of pride, glancing back. But when he turned his head forward again, the sight before him made his jaw drop—Hyena was standing right in front of him, not far away! Lamon looked around. He was still at the same alley entrance where he had first met Hyena.
How is this possible?
Hyena let out a sinister laugh and took a blue crystal ball from his pocket. "Surprised, aren't you? This is a Spatial Crystal Sphere. It can create a barrier within a certain range, designed specifically to capture you."
"Capture me? You really think highly of me," Lamon retorted, though his heart skipped a beat.
"Hah!" Hyena gave a strange smile, his eyebrows and mustache twisting into odd angles. "The[Prism]is too powerful. We have to be cautious. You've felt its power by now, haven't you?"
"You mean those flames?" Lamon asked, feigning nonchalance. He was starting to understand that the red-robed man had stuffed something incredible into him. Now, all he wanted was to figure out this thing's power and value.
"It seems you've figured it out. That is precisely the copy ability of the[Prism]. But unfortunately for you, your energy fluctuations were detected by my energy radar. Surrender now, and I can grant you a less painful death."
Lamon smiled faintly. He was very satisfied with the information he had just gathered. The[Prism]did indeed have a copy ability, and the flames he had used in the black-market clinic had come from the red-robed man. But what satisfied him even more was that this short conversation had bought him precious time to think. Lamon turned his body and once again ran into the dark alley.
He had already figured it out. Hyena's so-called "Spatial Crystal Sphere" was something like a "ghost wall," capable of teleporting any object that ran past a certain range back to its wielder. That left only one question—the effective range. As long as he could figure out the sphere's range, he could use the terrain within that area to launch a surprise attack on Hyena. After all, when it came to familiarity with the city's streets and alleys, who could compare to a hardworking deliveryman? The hidden purpose of his earlier conversation with Hyena had been to buy time to replay the process of his escape and teleportation in his mind. Now, he had confirmed the Spatial Crystal Sphere's effective range—about two hundred paces.
Seeing Lamon run away again, Hyena showed not a shred of concern. He laughed heartily. "Run! Go ahead and run! You can't escape the palm of my hand."
But this time, Hyena miscalculated. He waited for a long time, but Lamon's figure never reappeared. The smile on his face slowly froze.
"No way. Did that kid actually escape my barrier? Impossible, absolutely impossible!"
Hyena quickly chased in the direction Lamon had fled. He was certain that this kid, who had only just acquired the[Prism], had no ability to break his barrier. He was more likely cowering in some corner within the barrier. At this thought, a smile returned to Hyena's grim face.
Sure enough, Hyena found a footprint at a nearby alley entrance. The mix of stagnant water and mud made the print exceptionally clear. Judging by its size and depth, it belonged to a young man. Hyena grinned again and entered the alley.
It was a dead end. The end of the alley was piled high with bags of garbage, and the air reeked of a fishy stench. It was clearly a dumping spot for the nearby residents.
Amidst a pile of gray-black trash, a pair of white sneakers stood out. Hyena recognized them as Lamon's. He walked over with a sinister smile.
"Stop hiding. I've found you."
Hyena reached out, grabbed the white sneakers, and pulled. All he saw was a wet wooden stick stuck in the shoes. There was no sign of Lamon.
Hyena: "What the..."
From the darkness, a figure leaped from a low wall nearby, swinging a brick with immense force straight at Hyena's head. Hyena's mood had just shifted from smug to confused; he never would have imagined that a mere deliveryman could set such a trap. With a CRACK, the brick solidly connected with Hyena's head. His body lost its balance, and he fell to the ground.
"Haha!" Lamon couldn't help but laugh out loud. He triumphantly put his shoes back on, and then, fueled by excitement, delivered a few more whacks with the brick. "So you guys are afraid of bricks too, huh? That's what you get for hunting me, that's what you get…"
This was the plan Lamon had devised in his desperation: if he couldn't escape the barrier, he would defeat his opponent within it! Leveraging his delivery-route familiarity, he had immediately thought of this alley—a perfect spot for an ambush. His only worry had been whether Hyena would be knocked out by a brick like a normal person. After all, a brick was the best weapon he could find, just like how the red-robed man had used one on him.
It seemed his gamble had paid off.
Wait, paid… off?
Hyena grabbed his hand and shakily stood up. His face was now covered in blood, adding another layer of ferocity to his already grim features. Lamon felt as if his wrist was about to be crushed.
"You little brat…" Hyena squeezed the words out through his teeth.
"Uh… wait, bro, I… I was just kidding just now. How about we talk this over first? Look, I don't know what this[Prism]is, and I don't want this troublesome thing. I'll give it to you, and you let me go, okay?" Lamon said to Hyena with a sincere expression.
"Ha ha ha ha…" Hyena laughed, his fury turning into amusement. "It seems you really don't understand your situation, kid! The fact that you can use the[Prism]'s power means it has already fused with you. If I don't kill you, how am I supposed to take it?"
"Wha—" Lamon was dumbfounded, his mouth hanging so wide his jaw almost dislocated. Are you kidding me? That red-skinned ghost (Lamon's nickname for the red-robed man) hit me with a brick and tore my clothes, and on top of that, he stuffed such a dangerous thing into me? Isn't that a death sentence?
"Enough nonsense. Time to die!" Hyena stepped forward, his left fist transforming into solid rock.
"Wait, bro, wait, there must be another way! Let's calm down and think, there must be another solution!" Lamon waved his hands frantically.
"Think about it in your next life!" Hyena didn't hesitate, his rock fist hurtling straight for Lamon's head.
BOOM— "Ah—" Lamon squatted on the ground, covering his head. But Hyena's fist never came. He looked up, surprised to find a tall, thick rock wall standing in front of him.
"What is this…?" Lamon was completely bewildered.
BOOM— Hyena shattered the rock wall, his figure emerging slowly from the crack. "Ability copy? I didn't expect you to have developed the[Prism]'s power to this extent. You've got some real talent, kid. Now try this on for size!" Hyena made a grasping motion with his right hand, and a rock slowly formed in his palm.
No, what's going on? Did I make that rock wall? When did I copy your ability? A million questions flew through Lamon's mind.
"Die!" The rock in Hyena's hand grew to a meter in diameter. He pushed his palm forward, and the rock flew toward Lamon at high speed.
"Oh god! This is really it this time!" Lamon ducked to the ground, trying to dodge.
After a long moment, the rock still hadn't hit him. He opened his eyes again to see the rock shattered in pieces on the ground. Hyena's eyes had rolled back in his head; he stood stiffly like a statue, no longer breathing.
Dead? Who did it? Lamon looked around in shock.
"Tsk tsk, a freshly-baked[Prism]vessel, already targeted by the dogs of[Sky-Curtain]." A fashionable, slender young woman leaped down from a nearby rooftop and landed in front of Lamon.
She smiled playfully and beckoned to Lamon with a finger. "Hey, newbie. Want to live? Then come with me. Right now, in all of GrayHaven City, you're the most valuable piece of cargo, and also the most fragile."