The alley behind the Inferno Club had fallen silent.
Moments earlier, it had been guarded by six armed men. Now they lay scattered across the wet pavement, groaning in pain or unconscious.
Rainwater trickled along the cracked concrete, carrying away drops of blood and broken pieces of metal from the shattered gun.
Jace stood in the center of the alley, breathing steadily.
The Ember Dagger glowed faintly in his hand, its red veins pulsing softly like a heartbeat.
He stared at the weapon for a moment.
That burst of power earlier—the flash that destroyed the gun—had surprised even him.
He hadn't meant to do it.
It just… happened.
"Guess we're both still learning," he muttered under his mask.
A low groan came from one of the guards behind him.
Jace turned.
The man struggled to sit up, staring at the glowing dagger with wide, terrified eyes.
"W-who… who are you?" he whispered.
Jace tilted his head slightly.
"I'm the guy who just saved your boss from making a very bad mistake."
The guard shook his head frantically.
"You don't understand. Kane will—"
A sudden chill swept through the alley.
The guard's voice died instantly.
Jace felt it too.
The temperature dropped several degrees in a matter of seconds.
The warm glow of the dagger intensified in response.
Jace's muscles tensed.
He knew that feeling.
Slow footsteps echoed from the darkness at the far end of the alley.
A tall figure emerged from the shadows.
Long gray coat.
Broad shoulders.
Eyes glowing faintly beneath the dim alley light.
The Shade.
The man Jace had encountered at the van.
The enforcer who had nearly crushed him.
The Shade's gaze swept across the fallen guards before settling on Jace.
"You again," he said calmly.
His voice was deep and steady, carrying the weight of quiet confidence.
Jace shrugged slightly.
"Miss me?"
The Shade stepped forward slowly.
"Hand over the dagger," he said.
"Mr. Kane is very eager to get it back."
Jace twirled the blade once in his grip.
"Yeah, I figured."
The Shade's glowing eyes narrowed.
"You stole something you do not understand."
"That seems to be a theme tonight," Jace replied.
The Shade stopped a few feet away.
"Give it to me," he repeated.
Jace lowered the blade into a defensive stance.
"Come take it."
For a moment, neither man moved.
The rain continued to fall, tapping softly against the metal fire escapes above them.
Then—
The Shade attacked.
He moved like a blur.
Faster than any normal human.
His fist shot forward with terrifying speed.
Jace barely dodged in time, the punch smashing into the brick wall behind him and cracking the surface.
Jace countered instantly, slashing the dagger toward the man's arm.
This time, the blade connected.
A flash of red energy erupted from the strike.
The Shade staggered back a step.
For the first time, surprise flickered across his face.
Jace grinned behind the mask.
"Guess the knife works on you after all."
The Shade flexed his arm slowly.
A thin line had appeared across his sleeve where the blade struck.
But beneath the fabric, his skin remained unharmed.
"Interesting," he murmured.
Jace's smile faded slightly.
So it wasn't that easy.
The Shade lunged again.
Jace ducked under the attack and spun, kicking the man in the ribs. The impact pushed The Shade back several feet, but he barely seemed affected.
The man's glowing eyes burned brighter now.
"You fight well," he said.
"But you cannot win."
He charged forward again.
This time his fist connected with Jace's chest.
The impact felt like being hit by a speeding car.
Jace flew backward and slammed into a stack of metal barrels.
Pain exploded through his ribs.
He gasped for air.
Okay.
That hurt.
The Shade walked toward him calmly.
"You are skilled," he said.
"But you are still human."
Jace forced himself to stand.
"Yeah," he muttered.
"Working on that."
The dagger pulsed again in his hand.
Hotter now.
Stronger.
Almost like it was reacting to the fight.
Jace tightened his grip.
If this thing really had power…
Now would be a good time to use it.
The Shade stepped closer.
"Last chance."
Jace raised the blade.
"No."
The dagger suddenly flared.
A surge of heat shot through Jace's arm.
For a brief moment—
Everything slowed.
The falling raindrops.
The flickering lights.
Even The Shade's movements.
Jace moved instinctively.
He darted forward faster than he ever had before.
The dagger cut through the air in a blazing arc.
A shockwave of red energy burst outward.
The Shade was thrown backward across the alley.
He crashed into the steel door of the nightclub, denting the metal.
Both men froze.
Jace stared at the dagger in disbelief.
"…Whoa."
The Shade slowly pushed himself up.
His coat was torn now.
And beneath it—
A faint burn mark glowed across his chest.
For the first time, the supernatural enforcer looked… annoyed.
"You will regret that," he said quietly.
Distant sirens suddenly echoed through the streets.
Police.
The Shade glanced toward the sound.
Then back at Jace.
"This isn't over."
With that, he stepped backward into the shadows.
And vanished.
Jace exhaled slowly.
"Well," he muttered.
"That went better than last time."
---
Minutes later, police cars screeched to a halt outside the club.
Officers rushed into the alley with weapons drawn.
But the masked fighter was already gone.
Detective Elena Cruz stepped out of her car and walked toward the scene.
Her sharp eyes immediately took in the damage.
Unconscious guards.
Cracked brick walls.
Burn marks across the pavement.
And the massive dent in the steel door.
She knelt beside one of the guards.
"Who did this?"
The man hesitated.
Fear flickered across his face.
"He… he came out of nowhere," the guard said.
"Like a shadow."
Elena frowned.
"Did he say who he was?"
The guard shook his head weakly.
"No."
"But… people around here are already talking."
Elena stood.
"Talking about what?"
The guard swallowed nervously.
"They're calling him something."
Elena crossed her arms.
"What?"
The guard glanced around the alley before answering quietly.
"The Vigilante."
The word echoed in Elena's mind.
She looked up at the rooftops surrounding the street.
Somewhere out there, the mysterious fighter was already disappearing into the city.
Whoever he was…
He had just made his presence known.
And now the entire city would start hearing his name.
---
High above the streets, Jace stood on a rooftop watching the flashing police lights below.
Rain dripped from his jacket.
The Ember Dagger still glowed faintly in his hand.
He slipped it back into its sheath.
"'The Vigilante,' huh?" he murmured.
He didn't choose the name.
But somehow…
It felt right.
Jace turned and disappeared into the night.
And across New York City—
A new legend had just begun.