The alley was silent, save for the faint rustle of silk.
Astro moved like a shadow, his body dissolving into a thin wisp of purple smoke as he drifted behind the assassin. His intent was clear—end this fight quickly, quietly.
But just as he reached striking distance, the assassin's head twitched slightly. His lips curved into a sly grin.
"Tch. Did you really think you could sneak up on me?"
With a flick of his finger, the threads lining the alley trembled—so fine they were almost invisible, but stretched through the air like veins. They resonated faintly, like the strings of an instrument touched by the wind.
Astro's purple eyes narrowed. He noticed?
It wasn't that the assassin had keen ears or sight—the threads themselves had vibrated when Astro's smoke brushed against them. He realized, with quiet surprise, that they were so delicate he hadn't even sensed the magic woven into them. A net… not just for binding, but for detection.
In a blink, the threads coiled, wrapping around his limbs and torso. The assassin yanked them tight, smirking with cruel satisfaction.
"Got you. You mages all look so scary when you're free. But once you're tangled in my web…" He pulled harder, and the threads bit in, "…you're just flies waiting to be drained."
'That sounds disgusting', Astro thought quietly.
But he didn't flinch. His calm expression didn't change, even as the strands cut faint lines against his skin.
The assassin leaned closer, smug. "No begging? Fine. I'll finish this fast."
Astro's body shimmered—then unraveled into purple smoke.
The threads cut through nothing.
"What—!?" the assassin's smirk shattered. He staggered back, eyes darting, realizing too late his prey wasn't where he thought.
The assassin's instincts kicked in. He whipped his hand, sending threads slashing through the air, and vaulted across the alley to a nearby rooftop. His movements were sharp, survival-driven.
Astro stood below, one hand in his pockets, his expression unreadable. Only the faint glow of purple wind shimmered across his palm on the other hand..
Astro tilted his head slightly.
"Not bad. Those reflexes saved you."
The assassin clicked his tongue, masking his unease with a crooked grin. "Heh. Don't get cocky, boy. You'll only last long enough to amuse me."
Above, the threads unraveled into the night like a spider spinning a killing field.
Astro's calm voice cut through the silence.
"Let's see who lasts longer."
The air thickened. The real fight was about to begin.
Astro raised his left palm, purple wind swirling and condensing into a ball, its edges crackling like a storm contained in his hand. With a sudden burst, he kicked off the ground—purple wind erupting from his feet like jets—propelling him skyward.
The assassin reacted instantly, threads whipping out in a blur, weaving into a dense shield before him. The clash came in a heartbeat—
BOOM! The purple wind ball smashed through the silk barrier, shredding it apart with a violent gust.
But the rooftop was empty.
Astro's eyes flicked—he felt it. A faint killing intent, threads trembling to his side. The assassin had slipped around, crouching to leap down from the other side of the roof.
Astro's boots landed lightly on the rooftop tiles, but before the assassin could descend, a sudden gust erupted—
Astro blurred. In a single dash, purple wind coiled around his frame, carrying him across the rooftop like a phantom.
In a flash, he was behind the assassin.
"...What's wrong?" Astro's voice was calm, mocking. "Afraid of a mage you can't trap?"
The assassin turned around to slice with a hidden knife on his sleeve—nothing.
His breath caught. He looked back again, and there—
Astro was already standing in front of him, purple wind swirling faintly around his figure, his eyes glowing with sharp amusement.
The assassin's composure cracked. For the first time, his confidence faltered as he realized—
Even as an assassin, even with his threads—
He couldn't keep up with this mage's speed.
He threw the knife at Astro while jumping backwards. Astro casually dodged against the throwing knife.
The assassin crouched low all of a sudden, slamming both palms against the rooftop.
Sharp, needle-like threads shot upward from the ground, growing like deadly spikes.
Astro's eyes narrowed. Too slow.
Before the threads could fully sprout, a burst of purple wind exploded beneath his feet. In a flash, Astro darted forward and did a round kick, his heel crashing against the assassin's chest with a thunderous kick.
"—ghk!" The assassin staggered, thrown back several meters, skidding across the tiles. The threads withered instantly, severed from their master's palms.
The assassin coughed, trying to steady himself, but Astro didn't give him the chance.
Purple wind surged, wrapping around his arms. In the blink of an eye, two solid batons of condensed air formed in his hands. His feet flared with a burst of jet-like propulsion, launching him forward.
BAM!
The assassin's body jolted from the baton strike, his vision spinning. Before he could recover, Astro's palm pressed firmly against his face.
A sphere of compressed purple wind snapped into existence, trapping the man's head inside.
The assassin clawed wildly at it, threads lashing out in desperation, but the suffocating prison cut off every breath.
His strength faltered. Within seconds, the dizziness overtook him. His body sagged, and his movements stilled.
Astro's eyes didn't waver. With a sharp flick of his hand, the purple wind dissipated into the night air.
The assassin collapsed in a heap.
Astro crouched, checked his pulse, and exhaled. Alive. Good.
Without a word, he hoisted the unconscious body over his shoulder. The night was quiet once again, save for the faint rustle of threads snapping uselessly in the breeze.
Astro glanced at the distant church steeple, his gaze steady.
He'll wake up there… and he'll talk.
With that, he vanished into the shadows, carrying his captive back toward the hidden church for interrogation.