Leading them were two men in matching black suits with earpieces—far more professional than street thugs.
"Geese's people?" Cloud's heart plummeted.
He knew his recent rampage would attract Geese's attention eventually, but he hadn't expected retaliation this fast—and right when he was at his weakest!
"Dammit, when it rains, it really pours!"
CRASH!
The apartment's already-rickety wooden door was kicked clean off its hinges.
Two suited men led several underlings inside, only to find an empty room.
The lead one spoke into his earpiece: "Mr. Billy, target's not here. Might have already fled."
"He won't get far." Billy's icy voice crackled through the speaker. "This area's locked down. He's a rat in a cage. Find him, break his limbs, and bring him to Mr. Geese!"
"Yes, sir!"
Cloud hid on the second floor of an adjacent abandoned building, watching everything through a broken window.
In his current state, forget fighting these guys head-on—he couldn't even run fast.
His only advantage: he knew this slum's layout like the back of his hand.
These past few days of prowling hadn't been wasted.
Which alley was a dead end, which dumpster could hide a person, which building's sewers connected to another street—he'd memorized it all.
"Want to catch me? Let's see if you've got what it takes." A fierce glint flashed in Cloud's eyes.
A game of cat and mouse officially began in this maze-like slum.
...
"Damn, is that kid part eel? Blink and he's gone!" A thug with a steel pipe leaned against a wall, gasping for breath.
"Split up! Mr. Billy gave a direct order—we must catch him today!" The suited squad leader barked at his men.
Cloud clung to the shadows of a high wall like a gecko, holding his breath.
Once the squad passed, he slid down silently.
He knew passive evasion was a dead end.
His gaze fell on a pile of construction debris nearby—broken rocks, rusty rebar, and... several bricks of excellent quality.
"Old friends, we meet again." Cloud picked up a brick, a cold smile playing at his lips.
Hiding in the shadows, he waited for a straggling enemy to pass. Then a brick descended from above, landing precisely on the back of the man's skull.
[Plunder successful! Obtained: "Basic Staff Technique (Incomplete)"]
Cloud didn't linger. After the hit, he immediately relocated.
"Contact! He's here!"
More people converged on his position.
But Cloud was unruffled. He slid down a thick drainage pipe he'd already scouted, vanishing into another alley like a ghost.
For the next hour, Cloud channeled the essence of The Art of War and guerrilla tactics.
Traps. Ambushes. Feints and diversions.
Despite their numbers, Geese's men couldn't catch the phantom-like figure. Instead, they kept getting picked off one by one.
The suited squad leader was on the verge of a breakdown.
"Mr. Billy, we're... we're taking heavy losses! That guy... he's too slippery!" He cowered behind a wall, screaming into his earpiece.
A moment of silence, then Billy Kane's rage-suppressed voice: "Useless! All of you, useless! Can't even catch one wounded dog! Stay put. I'm coming personally!"
Hearing this, Cloud's eyes lit up.
The main event is finally arriving?
He knew this was his real target.
If he could "plunder" something good from Billy, today wouldn't be a loss!
He deliberately revealed his position, luring Billy to an abandoned auto repair shop.
The space was open but cluttered with scrapped cars and parts—good for hiding, and it would limit Billy's staff range.
Soon, Billy Kane's tall, lean figure appeared at the shop's entrance. Three-section staff in hand, eyes cold as knives, he walked in slowly.
"Come out." Billy's voice echoed through the empty building. "All this hiding—is that supposed to be skill?"
Cloud poked his head up from the roof of a junked bus, grinning. "Against you people, why would I need honor?"
Billy's eyes narrowed. His wrist flicked, and the three-section staff instantly transformed into a silver whirlwind, sweeping toward the bus roof!
"Fire Dragon Pursuit Staff!"
The howling staff wind tore through the air with a piercing shriek, arriving before Cloud in an instant.
Cloud's pupils contracted. A split-second before impact, he threw himself backward, letting the staff wind graze past his nose.
The fierce gust stung his cheeks.
So fast! So strong!
Was this the power of Geese's top enforcer?
But he wasn't afraid. If anything, he was more excited.
He flipped off the bus, grabbed a half-height scrapped tire as he landed, and hurled it at Billy with everything he had!
Meanwhile, Cloud had already used the opening to close the distance!
He knew—against a long-range weapon, his only chance was close combat!
Billy reacted instantly, retracting his staff to block and trying to create distance.
But Cloud stuck to him like glue. Fists, elbows, knees, kicks—every scavenged street-fighting technique exploded out at once.
The moves weren't pretty, but every strike targeted vitals. Vicious and dirty.
Billy was caught off guard by this flurry of "thug-boxing" and found himself forced back.
"You filthy hyena!" Billy roared. Seizing an opening, he drove a savage elbow into Cloud's chest.
"Puh!"
Cloud felt like a sledgehammer had struck his chest. Blood sprayed from his mouth as he was sent flying.
In "Sage Mode," his body was just too fragile!
Billy's eyes flashed with vicious satisfaction. He moved to finish Cloud off—but suddenly his foot slipped.
He looked down. Somehow, the floor was covered in slick motor oil!
Now!
Cloud forced through the agony and hurled his last hidden brick with all his remaining strength!
The brick traced a perfect arc through the air, aimed at the opening Billy's stumble had created—his face!
Billy's expression changed. He hastily swung his staff to block.
CRACK!
The brick shattered.
But it bought Cloud the most precious 0.1 seconds.
His figure shot forward like an arrow, launching one final attack.
And in his mind, only one thought remained.
"Plunder! PLUNDER!"