The streets are unusually wide in this city. It seems the System has really changed the inherent design. Everything feels just a little bit too big for normal humans. As if a race of supermen came and rebuilt the doors and roads to their ideal specifications. Every couple of blocks, entrances to the metro appear.
I'm hoping we won't have to enter those.
From the looks of it, the sewage system has fallen apart to the point that it links up with the subway. In other words, there are three different levels to this dungeon. First, street level is already bad enough. You could spend days wandering inside the city without reaching the other side. Second, if you're brave or very stupid, you could go down into the underground level. But I bet there's all manner of nasty things in the darkness. Last, you can enter the skyscrapers and apartments. Just looking at the Tiendas Tower in the distance, I'm already getting an ominous feeling. Like I said, the System has a sense of humor. I wouldn't be surprised if that's where the boss is hiding. Doubtless, many Hunters are racing towards the center of the city right now hoping to find it there.
"Hei...I hear something." Suddenly my companion stops. The orange cat pokes its head out of her jacket and listens intently while flicking its feline ears. "Do you know what that is?"
I tilt my head. Now that you mention it, I do notice something. However, my hearing isn't as sharp as Yin's because of the level difference.
"Can you take us closer?" I say. We've avoided meeting anything for a few minutes, but as we get deeper, I except to start seeing bodies of both undead and Hunters. "I can't hear it well."
"Ahh, okay. This way!" Yin isn't used to taking the lead on these things. However, she quickly grabs my hand and tugs me along in-between a side alley. After a few seconds, I begin to understand what she's getting at.
*Dong!*
*Boom*
The noises must be coming from several blocks away. Now that we're closer, I think I can identify them to some degree.
"Back. We're going the other way! Back! BACK!" I hastily reverse and pull Yin with me. She throws a confused look after the sudden change.
"Hei?"
"System Skills. Someone's using System Skills!" I hastily put the pedal to the metal and start jogging. We'll go around whatever's going on to our right.
"Aren't those the abilities you were talking about before? The ones that let you do crazy things?" Yin catches on to what I'm saying and I'm grateful for her quick learning. "I thought you said no one would have any of those for a while?"
"I was wrong. I thought I might have seen some people using them the other night, but I didn't think it was possible." My explanation causes her to run faster. "This is bad, people who can use System Skills are on a whole other level from regular Hunters. We need to find some things for you to level up on now!"
"Is it really that bad?" Yin breaths heavily, her katana streaming out to her side. "Are they stronger than you?"
"Maybe." I spit tersely. "System Skills let you open up a whole new way to fight. However, at the end of the day, just because you have a great sword doesn't mean you can win every battle. True skill will outshine even System Skills. But it all depends on which one and who's using it. If it's someone talented who means harm, they'll be very hard to stop without multiple regular Hunters working together."
"So, what you're saying is...in this place where no one trusts each other, someone with a System Skill..." Yin stumbles on something and I haul her back up. Turning back, I see what it was. Someone dropped their club. A good sign. We're getting close to the frontlines.
