"Can't linger in battle... must escape quickly!" Raven's heart was in a state of extreme urgency.
He didn't want to risk his life against the White Mask before him, not because he thought he couldn't win or was afraid of the opponent, but because he felt it wasn't worth the effort.
He was primarily afraid of attracting the attention of some monster far away, which would truly make escape impossible.
He came to do a good deed, to protect them, but ended up getting himself into trouble because the object of protection was too strong. That would be a real joke.
However, the things one fears most often come true.
It's as if the Lower City inherently harbors a malevolence that subdues all defiance and luck.
While Raven was tactically maneuvering around the White Mask with part of his attention focused on monitoring the battlefield's changes from afar, the situation he least wanted to see occurred.
