How do you become a master thief?
Not by quick hands or sharp eyes.
It is all about the mind.
The storm split the night sky with silver lightning. Rain hammered the cliffs as a lone figure stumbled forward, lungs burning. His breath came in ragged gasps, each step sending mud sliding beneath his boots. Behind him, shadows moved with terrifying speed—martial artists, their pursuit silent except for the splashes of rain and the crunch of earth.
He reached the cliff's edge. Below, the sea thrashed, black and merciless. Nowhere left to run.
"Hand it over," one of the pursuers said, voice steady, his hand outstretched. "The manual does not belong to you."
The thief's eyes darted. His body trembled as if cornered, yet a spark lit in his gaze. He inched backward, heels hanging dangerously over the cliff. Even the martial artists hesitated, wary of driving him to desperation.
Then his lips curved.
A smile.
With a flick of his wrist, the thief hurled the manual high into the storm. Lightning illuminated the book for a heartbeat before it vanished into the roaring waters below.
"You fool—!" one pursuer shouted, reaching forward.
But the thief only raised his middle finger, grinning like a madman. And without another word, he leaned back and fell into the abyss.
The pursuers rushed to the edge, peering down. The sea swallowed him whole. For a moment, the storm carried only the sound of waves and thunder. They believed he had chosen death.
Until the sea stirred.
A dark silhouette emerged a small, sleek boat cutting across the waves. Hands pulled the thief aboard.
Dripping wet, he reached up and peeled the false skin from his face, revealing a different man entirely. His soaked clothes came off next, and from beneath the wrappings of his body, he withdrew the real treasure the authentic martial arts manual, untouched, dry, and safe.
His henchmen broke into laughter, clapping their hands in awe.
"What else would you expect from the master thief?" one said, bowing his head.
The thief smirked, holding the manual aloft like a prize.
This is just the start boy's there's more things to steal out there! And this is one will just be one of our smallest performance
A successful heist.
And so began the tale of a small, vicious criminal from the modern world who would rise to become the greatest thief in another.