The Rust Ravens operated out of a derelict sky-transit station, its crumbling platforms offering a commanding view of the grimy market street below. Intel from Roric, cross-referenced by Shift's discreet digital probing, suggested three to four members would be present, likely armed with crude melee weapons and perhaps a scavenged slugthrower. Their leader was a brute named Grackle, known for a heavy hand and a dull wit.
As Umbra, Kai moved with liquid silence through the decaying infrastructure, his "Shadow's Embrace" passive from his Anima Affinity Specialization making him exceptionally hard to detect in the moonless gloom. His Anima Core Stability was at 82%, the "Neutralizing Agent" consumable having unexpectedly cleared some of the minor Anima "static" caused by District 7's polluted air.
He located the Rust Ravens on a high, exposed platform, huddled around a flickering fire barrel, their harsh laughter echoing faintly. There were four of them, as predicted. Grackle, a hulking figure with a scarred face, was idly sharpening a large, rusty cleaver.
Kai decided on a direct, swift approach. He wanted to test the "Shadow-Coil Strike" in active combat, to see if the misdirection worked against human opponents. He dropped from an overhanging gantry, landing almost silently behind a stack of corroded plasteel crates just meters from them.
One of the Ravens, sensing something or perhaps just spooked by a rat, turned. His eyes widened as he saw the dark, hooded figure of Umbra rising from the shadows. "Who the—"
Before he could finish, Umbra struck. Kai focused, channeling his Anima, visualizing the coiling, deceptive motion. 'Shadow-Coil Strike!' His fist shot out. The faint, dark aura around it flickered, not just trailing, but seeming to bend the light around his arm for a split second. The Raven, tracking the initial trajectory, flinched to parry, but Kai's fist wasn't where he expected it to be. It connected solidly with his jaw, the added Anima damage sending a jolt through the man. He went down with a surprised grunt, out cold.
[Shadow-Coil Strike: Successful. Misdirection effective against biological target. Anima Damage Dealt. Hostile Neutralized. EXP +10.]
The other three Ravens scrambled to their feet, shock and anger on their faces. Grackle roared, hefting his cleaver. "Get him, you slags!"
Two charged, one with a metal pipe, the other with a length of heavy chain. Grackle lumbered behind them. Umbra met the first with another Shadow-Coil Strike, this time a leg sweep. The shadowy distortion around his leg made the Raven misjudge the speed and angle, and he stumbled directly into the path of Kai's follow-up elbow strike to the temple. He collapsed.
The chain-wielder swung his weapon in a wide, whistling arc. Kai ducked, the chain hissing over his head, and activated his Dermal Plating on his forearms as he rose. The scales shimmered into existence just as he blocked a desperate downward swing of the chain, sparks flying. He then unleashed a rapid series of normal strikes, his enhanced strength and speed overwhelming the Raven, who soon joined his comrades on the ground.
Now it was just Grackle. The brute was surprisingly fast for his size, his cleaver a blur of rusty metal. He fought with a wild, desperate ferocity. Kai, using his agility, dodged and weaved, looking for an opening, the System flashing warnings about his Anima Core Stability dipping below 70% due to the sustained Dermal Plating and repeated Shadow-Coil Strikes.
He needed to end this. Grackle lunged, cleaver aimed at Kai's head. Kai sidestepped, activated another Shadow-Coil Strike, and aimed not for Grackle's head, but for his weapon hand. The shadowy distortion around his fist was more pronounced this time, almost like a tangible tendril of darkness. Grackle, expecting a body blow, tried to adjust, but the strike landed squarely on his wrist. There was a sickening crunch of bone. The cleaver clattered to the platform.
Grackle howled in pain, clutching his shattered wrist. Fear finally replaced the fury in his eyes. "Who… what are you?" he stammered, backing away.
Umbra didn't answer. He stepped forward, a figure of pure, silent menace. Grackle, his will broken, turned and fled, stumbling down a rickety emergency ladder, disappearing into the darkness below. Kai let him go. A fleeing, broken leader would spread more fear than a dead one.
[Hostiles Neutralized: 3. Hostile Leader: Routed. Combat Efficiency: High. Shadow-Coil Strike effectiveness: Confirmed. EXP +45.] [Anima Core Stability: 65%. Sustenance Advisory: Tier 2 assimilation recommended.]
The familiar hunger gnawed at him. He quickly and grimly attended to the "sustenance" requirement with one of the unconscious Ravens, the act no less repulsive than before, but a grim necessity.
[Tier 2 Sustenance Assimilated. Anima Core Stability Restored: 93%.]
He searched their meager camp, finding a small stash of credits, some low-grade stimulants (which he ignored), and a detailed hand-drawn map of several back-alley routes and hidden stashes used by various small-time crews in the area. This map was valuable intel.
As Umbra slipped away, leaving behind a scene of disarray and fear, Kai felt a cold sense of accomplishment. The Shadow-Coil Strike was effective. He was growing stronger, more dangerous. But each successful hunt, each step further down this shadowy path, also carved away a little more of the Kai he once was, replacing it with the efficient, predatory focus of Umbra, the rising power of The Crimson Coil's enforcer. The duality was becoming a stark reality.