Tank Top

Nathan saw how his opponent nervously tightened the grip on his javelin before raising his arm and throwing it with all his might at Nathan.

Nathan twisted his body and narrowly dodged the javelin before taking a step toward the tank top.

"Weren't you going to catch it?"

Nathan looked at the tank top like he was crazy.

"Are you crazy? There's no way I can catch something like that."

The tank top frowned and grabbed another javelin out of thin air while Nathan took another step closer. Since Nathan was getting closer and had a knife, the tank top decided to prioritize speed rather than power, so he threw the javelin without exerting himself too much.

However, Nathan bent his body to the side even before the javelin left the tank top's hand. It was like he could see the future.

He was just analyzing the tank top's moves and the javelin's trajectory with Peerless Perception. But the tank top started getting worried.

He had worked for the Vijang Syndicate as muscle for some time now. And before that, he had wandered around doing whatever he could to earn money. It wasn't anything extraordinary. But he had built up a necessary sense of awareness.

Strong people—dangerous people—had a certain way of acting, being, talking, and walking. All of them were unique. But after seeing and encountering enough of those types, the tank top could tell.

Nathan wasn't just an ordinary young man. There was the way his eyes seemed to see through everything. But it was also how he confidently walked toward someone throwing missiles that tore through the air with enough power to soundlessly pierce the tent's rough cloth.

The tank top knew what happened to humans who took his spears head-on.

They turned into Swiss cheese.

Unfortunately, the tank top didn't know what else to do. Retreating back into the tunnel wasn't an option. And if he left the entrance, the two intruders might head in and either ambush him or discover something that was supposed to be secret.

They wouldn't be able to leave the tunnel alive, no matter what. But if they entered while the tank top was still alive, the tank top would be stuck on gutter-scrubbing duty.

The tank top threw another javelin at the steadily approaching Nathan. It should have been harder to dodge the closer he got. But Nathan didn't struggle.

"Fine. Dodge this!"

The tank top grabbed a javelin in either hand and, with a step forward, propelled both javelins forward sequentially like a windmill. If Nathan dodged the first, he wouldn't be able to dodge the second. Even if he somehow did, the tank top had already grabbed a third and begun throwing it.

However, contrary to the muscular tank top's expectations, Nathan didn't dodge or get hit by the first of the three javelins. He grabbed it out of the air with deceptive ease. The tank top was already stunned for a moment when Nathan knocked the second javelin down from its path.

But he had already started throwing the third, so he finished the motion and let the weapon fly.

The tank top had already accepted it when Nathan smacked the third javelin into the ground as well.

He sighed.

The tank top knew when he had met his match. It wasn't like he didn't know how to fight in close quarters with his javelins. But his strength lay in throwing them. If that didn't work against Nathan, he would be better off not even trying to fight him.

"Wow, you're smart for someone working for the Vijang Syndicate."

The tank top shrugged as Nathan stopped walking.

"Well, as you can see from the lack of a leather jacket, it's more like I'm working with them rather than for them."

"Then, I'm guessing you don't know what they're hiding down there."

The tank top shook his head.

"No, sorry. I'm just an extra layer of security."

"I see. And how long do these javelins last for?"

The tank top shrugged.

"A day or so. I don't know how long they'll stick around after I'm dead, though."

Nathan nodded and got within a few steps of the tank top. 

Marcus stepped out of his hiding spot while processing the tank top's words.

"What? You're not going to kill him, are you, Nathan?"

Nathan turned around and looked at Marcus with a blank expression while simultaneously extending his arm and skewering the tank top from under his jaw, killing him immediately.

"What are you—!"

"Shh! There are still more people down in the tunnel, you idiot."

Marcus barely managed to restrain himself from lashing out again. But Nathan was too much.

"Why did you kill him?"

Marcus' voice was tense as he whispered to Nathan.

"Are you kidding me?"

"No. He had surrendered. We could have brought him to justice—proper justice!"

Nathan pointed at the dead tank top.

"Are you saying this isn't justice? He harbored no qualms about trying to kill us. He has killed before. He worked with the Vijang Syndicate. A painless death is the greatest justice he deserves."

"But still—"

"I was hoping you had started to see reality for what it was. But it seems you are still stuck in your fantasy."

"Just because I don't think you need to kill everyone doesn't mean I'm delusional. And did you forget our deal?"

Nathan shrugged.

"If you're going to continue being unreasonable, I'll just break my word."

Marcus sighed.

"Is there any way for you to stop killing everyone?"

Nathan tilted his head.

"Well, if everyone's already dead, there won't be any need for me to kill them."

Marcus groaned in frustration as he put the back of his thumb against his forehead while reconsidering his decision to work with Nathan.

Nathan was doing much the same. He had noticed Marcus' strong sense of justice, so he had hoped he would become a proper vigilante. If he did, he could work from within the system and if shit went sideways, he could take the fall.

But as things stood, Marcus was becoming more and more of a hurdle. Nathan adjusted the grip on his javelin.

'I should just—'

"Fine."

Marcus raised his hands in defeat.

"Do it your way. I'm out of here."

Nathan raised his eyebrows in surprise before smiling. He turned to the tunnel on the other side of the tank top's corpse.