Author’s Appreciation-:

Once again, I apologize for the interruption.

I would like to sincerely thank Scsr_87 for the Golden Tickets. I’m truly happy and grateful to know that my previous message reached you. Your support means a lot to me and motivates me to keep writing.

I would also like to thank Nathan_Barber for supporting my story. Every bit of your appreciation encourages me to keep improving and to make this journey as exciting and enjoyable as possible.

Thank you both for believing in my story, and I hope you’ll continue this journey with me.

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Rare Card – Reaper’s Gauntlet

A black steel gauntlet designed for assassins who strike from the shadows. Hidden within it is a razor-sharp 30-centimeter retractable blade, capable of extending and retracting in an instant.

Abilities:

Hidden Blade: Instantly deploys a 30 cm retractable blade for swift close-range attacks.

Reinforced Guard: Durable enough to block swords, claws, daggers, and other melee weapons.

Silent Mechanism: The hidden blade extends and retracts with almost no sound.

Grip Enhancement: Slightly increases the wearer’s grip strength.

Description:

Strike once. Kill swiftly. Leave no trace behind.

Leo had bought the gauntlets from the system store after seeing just how useful their abilities could be.

With a quick thought, he released the card.

A pair of black steel gauntlets materialized right in front of him.

Their surface was smooth and matte black, with faint silver engravings running along the back of the hands. They looked sturdy without being bulky.

Leo picked them up and slipped them onto his hands one at a time.

The moment he fastened the straps around his wrists, the gauntlets fit snugly against his hands as if they had been custom-made for him. They didn’t hinder his finger movements in the slightest.

Curious, Leo examined the gauntlets carefully before focusing on the hidden blade.

He lightly flicked his wrist.

Click.

A razor-sharp blade nearly thirty centimeters long shot out from beneath the gauntlet, stopping just beyond his wrist.

The entire motion was smooth and almost completely silent.

Leo swung his arm a few times before giving the blade a light slash through the air.

Whoosh.

The blade cut through the air effortlessly.

Satisfied, Leo flicked his wrist once more.

Click.

The hidden blade instantly retracted back into the gauntlet, leaving no trace that a deadly weapon had been concealed inside.

Only then did he release the Chain and Sickle from its card form.

The back of the truck was way too cramped to practice with a weapon like that, so he just strapped the Kusarigama to the side of his belt.

After that, Leo stood there silently, going over his mental checklist one last time.

Weapons. Ammunition. Food. Medicine.

Everything was there. Satisfied with his prep, he slung his rifle across his back, pulled the hood of the Robe of Shroud over his head, and stepped out of the truck.

Outside, Danny and Linda were busy practicing the exercises he had taught them the day before. Their movements were still pretty clumsy and stiff, but they were taking it seriously.

Not far away, little Lily was sitting on a mat, happily playing with her bunny doll.

The moment the truck door clicked open, all three of them looked over. Danny and Linda froze, clearly surprised to see Leo fully geared up for a fight. Danny quickly walked to him .

"Sir... are you going into the city?"

Leo gave a simple nod.

Danny hesitated for a second, trying to gather enough courage to speak up. "Sir... can you take me with you?"

Leo shook his head without a second thought. "It’s too dangerous. You’re still too weak. You can go if you want, but I can guarantee you won’t come back alive."

Danny swallowed hard. Leo’s blunt words completely crushed any hope he had of tag-along.

Without another word, Leo reached into his robe and pulled out a Glock pistol, handing it over to the young man. "Keep this. It’s for self-defense. While I’m gone, look after the truck."

With that, Leo turned and walked away toward the city. His black robe swayed gently behind him as he melted into the bustling crowd of survivors.

Danny stood frozen, watching the spot where Leo had vanished. He let out a helpless sigh. Linda walked up beside him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, offering some quiet support.

Danny tightened his grip around the heavy pistol, and his eyes gradually grew firm.

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Leo blended into the crowd of survivors and walked through the gates of Rendell City.

Even though he looked a bit out of place, wrapped in a long hooded robe, nobody paid him any attention. It was as if his presence naturally faded into the background.

Once he was inside the city, Leo casually turned down a quiet alleyway.

Not long after, three men hurried into the alley after him. But when they looked around, their expressions changed.

Leo was completely gone.

"Where did he go?" A bald man with a long scar running across his cheek growled, looking around in annoyance.

One of his companions, a guy with squinty eyes, scratched his head nervously.

"Boss, this guy seems difficult to deal with. Why don’t we find another target?"

Smack!

The bald man slapped him hard across the back of the head.

"I don’t need spineless bastards in my team. That guy just earned a tidy sum from the military. From what I’ve heard, the money he’s carrying is enough for the three of us to enjoy ourselves in Rizen City for months."

The eyes of the other two men immediately lit up with greed.

Seeing that they were hooked, the bald man grinned sinisterly.

"Besides... there are three of us. And all three of us are superpower users. So what if he’s one too? Can he fight all three of us by himself?"

The two men exchanged quick glances and nodded.

The bald man waved his hand, gesturing toward the street. "Let’s go. We’ll find that bastard."

A short distance away, Leo stood completely still in the shadows, watching them leave. He had noticed someone tailing him long before he even entered the city gates. That was the exact reason he had deliberately led them into this dead-end alley.

The Robe of Shroud had perfectly masked his presence, allowing him to step aside into the dark and slip away right under their noses.

Listening to them talk, a cold impulse to just kill them right here crossed his mind.

However, when the bald man mentioned that all three of them had superpowers, Leo suppressed the urge.

He wasn’t scared of them. He just wasn’t confident he could take down three superhumans at once without getting hurt or making a scene.

Leo slowly clenched his fists inside his sleeves.

Once again, it came down to this. He just wasn’t strong enough. That was why small-time flies like these guys felt brave enough to target him.

If someone eventually figured out the true nature of his actual abilities, it wouldn’t be three random thugs coming after him. It would be entire factions. Entire powerful organizations.

Thinking back on the last few days, Leo realized he had gotten a little careless. Helping Danny’s family, treating the whole Freedom Convoy to dinner .He didn’t regret doing it, but those actions had definitely put a spotlight on him.

He took a slow, deep breath, clearing the frustration from his mind.

"Strength..." he muttered quietly to himself. "In the end, everything comes down to strength."

A dangerous glint flashed beneath the deep shadow of his hood.

"It’s time to hunt."