Cane turned, only to see an incoming fist heading toward his face.
He quickly sidestepped out of the way, backing off and facing the man who'd just spoke. Looking at the man... Cane wasn't too sure he'd actually stolen from him.
How ironic. I've been using Steal on so many people... Cane "materialised" the two Plasma Pistols into his hand. Only to be stopped by someone who I HAVEN'T stolen from.
The two men circled each other like tigers, as passing strangers gathered around to watch, forming a ring. Then, quick as lightning, Cane pointed his Plasma Pistols and unleashed shots at the opposing man, who reacted just in time, turning his skin a rough grey.
Seeing the energy shots dissipating on the man's skin, Cane quickly realised that his opponent had the commonly known skill, Stone Skin.
Just as the name suggested, Stone Skin turned your skin as grey as stone, providing immense durability and also increasing your strength and weight by 50%. At the same time, your skin could resist electrical conduction, though rapid temperature changes might make you explode.
Cane now knew one of his opponent's skills. However, the man opposing Cane definitely had one more - otherwise, one couldn't safely fight someone else within The Markets if one wasn't at Apprentice Combatant rank.
All these thoughts flashed by within milliseconds, but the man noticed Cane's carelessness and shot forward. Unluckily, he tripped on a protruding rock, smashing into the ground. If it wasn't for his grey skin, he might've blushed in embarrassment. As he began getting up, Cane switched his Plasma Pistol's mode, gaining a higher calibre.
Without waiting, he began to unload shots all over the man's back.
Being projectiles of a higher calibre, they punched into the man's Stone Skin with great force, sending him sprawling back into the ground. The man quickly kicked backward, gaining distance, and then pulled out an expandable energy shield.
"Ha! I know that gun model - it's the Plasma Pistol. You've already shot twice from both of them, which means you only have two shots remaining. How are you going to break my defence like this?" The man arrogantly laughed.
Seeing this, Cane shot the last two shots he could and then dissipated his Plasma Pistol clones. The man had almost deactivated his shield when Cane used Steal once more, "materialising" new Plasma Pistols into his hands.
He then began to continuously fire shots at the shield. He even alternated between firing, dissipating and "materialising", meaning his rate of fire wouldn't slow down.
Just in time. I've been looking for some proper target practice for my Plasma Pistol...
The onlooking crowd was shocked. They all cursed within their hearts, feeling pity for the man hiding behind his energy shield, unable to do anything but endure.
F*ck, this style of fighting is too disgusting.
Cane then dissipated both of his Plasma Pistols. Believing that he wasn't able to use his skill anymore, the man deactivated his shield, rushing at Cane once more.
Cane dodged the man's fist, grabbed it as it went past his face, and punched it with 9x strength.
Crack!
Instantly, cracks began to pattern all over the man's arm.
Both the man and the crowd were stunned once more. What the f*ck?
So, you weren't relying on guns because you had a weak physique? You used them just for fun!!!
The man's fist began to catch fire. This was his second skill, Cane noted. He could add flames to his fist?
Cane's hand was seared, and he quickly let go. He then used the Omnitool to wrap around his body, forming a kind of armour.
The two - one wrapped in Stone and the other wrapped in metal - began to exchange blows at high speeds. The constant shockwaves of each fist impacting the other's body was enough to blow the crowd's hair upwards.
Cane was easily overwhelming his opponent, the other man holding on simply because Cane felt like playing around. It was clear that his opponent hadn't received any sort of proper combat training.
As the two pummeled each other, Cane took the opportunity to shout at his opponent.
"It's true, I have indeed stolen much money today. However, I clearly don't remember stealing from you! Thus, as payment for slandering me, I'll be taking all of your money and items."
"What?!" The man snapped at Cane. Cane didn't bother to explain the situation anymore, directly using Steal on the man's energy shield.
He first blocked the man's next punch before smashing the shield into the man's face, leaving him stunned on the ground. Then, he swapped the clone with the man's real energy shield and dissipated the clone, leaving the man without anything.
Cane quickly repeated the process with the man's shirt. Seeing his shirt disappear, he stood up and punched toward Cane, fist flaming. Cane's dagger was waiting for the man's fist, which was pierced through.
Cane then shot the dagger's blade forward with the button on the back, digging it deep into the man's arm. As his opponent writhed and screamed in pain, Cane took the opportunity to steal the man's pants as well.
Finally, Cane decided to end his fun. He first stole the rest of the man's clothes, burned them, and then smashed him in the temples with 9x strength. The man foamed at the mouth, unconscious.
Under the clothes, Cane found a wallet, a dagger, a mechanical watch and another Pathfinder.
He stole those as well.
Watching down at the man's pathetic visage, Cane left some parting words of advice.
"Failure is the mother of learning. Wait. Was it the mother of success? Well, anyway."
The crowd parted way as Cane turned to leave, all of them feeling bitter within their hearts. Not once had they ever seen such a vicious style of fighting, to the point where your enemy would be left stripped on the ground.
One person in the crowd even felt pity on the naked man, and covered his unconscious body with a cloak.
Cane stole that as well.
The crowd once again cursed. F*ck, can you please act like a human for a moment??? You can't even leave him with a final bit of dignity!
Most of The Black Markets were filled with villains, not monsters.
Cane? He... he was definitely monstrous, okay?
...
Cane felt quite giddy in his heart.
Underneath his mask, he was constantly breaking into grins, snickering and laughing like a fool. Indeed, Cane couldn't help but laugh at the memories of his previous fight.
He was heading to an Information Broker, one of the more expensive ones. He needed a LOT of information.
As they say, knowledge is power.
Walking next to him, The Wanderer was also breaking out into grins and snickering. That fight had been quite funny.
Speaking of, he'd taken the time to help Cane during the fight. Wanderer decided that Innate Luck wasn't quite powerful enough, only activating during times when Cane was powerless.
Thus, The Wanderer decided that he'd help Cane whenever he felt like it. The spike of rock which Cane's opponent had tripped on was actually the doing of Wanderer, where he'd conjured a spike of ice, disguising it as rock and keeping it invisible. Only after the man had tripped on it did he take off the invisibility, making it simply seem as if no one had noticed the rock previously.
Indeed, both Cane and The Wanderer were devious fellows.
As Cane wandered along the road, he was quite satisfied. He nodded to himself. As expected, fighting is a great way to earn money and practise.
Cane licked his lips, even anticipating his next fight. If he didn't take all of his enemies' possessions, then he wouldn't be called Cane anymore!
Another benefit to fighting, which Cane wasn't aware of yet, was reputation. Almost immediately after leaving, word spread of a man in a white mask and an amorphous black cloak, who fought viciously and even stripped his opponents of everything they owned after the fight.
This knowledge spread to the Information Brokers spread around The Black Markets, and when Cane had finally reached the entrance to an expensive-looking Information Broker, they already knew about him.
He entered the building. Along the way to the Information Broker, he'd been using Steal once more. Though they tried to run from him, Cane was fast enough that they couldn't escape his range of 6 metres in time.
Thus, he left another trail of empty wallets, though his own was full.
"Ah! The Stripper, is it?" A joking tone rang out from the front desk of the store. "At least, that's what I'll call you. After all, you do seem to love stripping people."
Cane looked offended, but he let it slide. Even the most cheap Information Broker was heavily protected within The Markets. He couldn't afford to offend anyone above his own level, so Cane couldn't attack.
"I'd prefer the name... Thief." Cane's reply was swift and calm.
The man at the front desk noted down the name, preparing to send it across the Information Broker network. He then looked up, asking a question.
"So! Would you... wish to buy our famous Info Index?"
The Info Index? Cane was interested in the name.
"Sure." Cane paused for a moment. "Well... what is the Info Index?"
The attendant was somewhat stunned, but smiled and continued. "The Info Index is an index on most of the skills, monsters, people and locations within the City."
He took out a small contact lens. "It's here. Just stick one on your eye, and you can see and overlay on your vision. It'll tell you all you need to know about what you're looking at."
Cane was tempted once more, quickly buying one. He directly stuck the Info Index onto his right eye.
"Now... I need the names and info of all the people who've bought bear-like mechs. Go as far back as you'd like."
Cane's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Just find them."