The air was thick with tension, the scent of metal and gunpowder lingering as Alix dodged between fallen soldiers. Each step was calculated, her breathing steady, but inside she knew this was only the beginning.

Behind her, Shin silently followed the trail of bodies she had left in her wake, his steps methodical. He had waited for this moment, to finally catch up with Silver Fox.

From above, Kara perched, sniper rifle in hand, her eyes fixed on Alix's every move. In her scope, the crosshairs aligned with deadly precision. Alix was her target, but this was no ordinary hit.

THE WARNING

Julian, from his lookout position across the street, scanned the building through his binoculars. His gaze swept the windows, then froze. Kara, positioned on a distant rooftop, was preparing to take a shot. He barely had time to think before adrenaline kicked in.

"Alix!" Julian's voice crackled over the comm, urgency breaking through the calm they had maintained. "Get out of there! Now!"

But Alix had already sensed it. Something was wrong.

Julian's heart pounded as he sprinted across the rooftops. Every instinct screamed at him to reach Alix in time, but the distance felt impossibly long. He could see Kara steadying her aim, about to pull the trigger. 

SHIN VS ALIX

Alix moved swiftly through the dimly lit building, her senses heightened, aware of every shadow. Just as she approached the balcony, a sharp metallic sound sliced through the air—a shuriken, spinning toward her with deadly precision. Instinctively, she flipped backward, her body twisting acrobatically as the shuriken whizzed past, narrowly missing her.

Before she could land, Shin dropped from above, landing in a silent crouch in front of her. His dark figure moved like a wraith, his eyes locked onto her with lethal intent. Without hesitation, Alix reached for her gun, the cold metal in her hand steady as she aimed. But Shin was faster. In one fluid motion, he flung a barrage of shurikens at her.

Alix fired, each shot perfectly timed. The bullets collided with the incoming shurikens, deflecting them mid-air with sparks of metal. Her focus narrowed, she squeezed off more rounds toward Shin, but he darted to the side, his speed almost unnatural. He drew his twin katanas, the blades gleaming under the faint light. With precise, graceful movements, he began deflecting the bullets, the ringing clash of metal-on-metal echoing through the corridor.

Shin closed the distance in an instant. Alix dropped her gun and rolled to the side, narrowly avoiding his first strike. In one smooth motion, she unsheathed her own blades, the familiar weight of the twin swords steadying her as she blocked his next attack. Sparks flew as their blades met, the force of the impact vibrating up her arms.

Shin pressed forward, his strikes fast and relentless. Alix parried and dodged, her agility keeping her just out of reach of his lethal slashes. She countered with her own attacks, her movements fluid as she spun and struck. Each swing of her blade was met with Shin's quick, precise deflections, the sharp clang of metal ringing in the tense air.

They moved like two dancers, each strike and counter a calculated step in their deadly dance. The clashing of their swords grew more intense, their footwork mirroring each other's as they twisted, parried, and struck in rapid succession. Alix's heart pounded, her muscles straining with the effort, but she refused to give Shin an inch.

Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw it—a glint from the adjacent building. Kara, OrgaCorp's sniper, was in position. Alix barely had time to react. A shot rang out, the bullet tearing through the air toward her. Before she could move, Julian appeared from her side, his body slamming into hers, pushing her out of the way just as the bullet struck him in the chest.

The force of the impact sent Julian tumbling over the balcony's edge. Alix reached out, but it was too late. He disappeared from view, falling silently into the night below.

The world seemed to freeze around her. Shin paused, his blades still raised, watching as Alix stood at the edge of the balcony, her breath coming in sharp, ragged gasps.

Alix barely registered the weight of Julian's body pressing into hers. Her hands trembled as she reached for him, the horror of the moment washing over her.

"Julian!" she breathed, her voice hoarse. Her gaze darted downward, but the shadows swallowed him whole.

RYDER NARRATING "And there it was. In the blink of an eye, a moment transformed into a nightmare. Our hero, with all the bravado of a reckless kid, hurled himself into danger for a woman he barely knew—well, at least, that's what he thought. The way Alix moved? It was hard not to admire. But to save her? That's a different story."

"A wave of fury washed over her, fueled by the image of Julian falling. Her vision narrowed, zeroing in on Shin, who stood smirking before her. How dare he enjoy this? she thought, her blood boiling. She couldn't let him win; not after what just happened."

Alix launched herself at Shin with renewed aggression.

Her attacks came fast and fierce, a whirlwind of slashes and strikes. She fought with reckless abandon, her movements fuelled by rage, her every swing aiming to cut down the man who now stood in her way.

Shin, however, seemed unfazed, dancing around her with deadly precision. His eyes gleamed with excitement as he dodged each of her blows, narrowly avoiding the tips of her blades. "This..." he said with a grin, "...is the best fight I've had in decades!"

But Alix didn't care. She didn't respond. Her only answer was the furious sound of her swords slicing through the air, each strike heavier, faster. She was relentless, pushing Shin to his limits.

OrgaCorp soldiers, lurking in the shadows, gathered behind Alix. A barrage of gunfire erupted from behind her. Bullets whizzed past, forcing Alix to stumble, her rhythm breaking as she turned to avoid the incoming shots.

Alix rolled forward and grabbed one of her guns and filling the magazine, she shot at the soldiers. The distraction was enough.

Shin moved quickly, his instincts sharper than ever. With a swift lunge, he drove his blade into Alix's side.

The sharp, burning pain radiated through her body as she gasped, dropping to her knees. Blood seeped through her suit, the crimson stain spreading fast. She looked up at Shin, disbelief clouding her expression.

Shin stood over her, his face softening, regret flashing in his eyes. He hadn't meant to end it like this—not so soon, not like this. "I'm sorry," he whispered, pulling the sword back. "I didn't mean to... not yet. I didn't want this battle to end."

MISSION FAILED

Shin took a step back, his face tightening with frustration. The thrill was gone. His eyes lingered on Alix, and the disappointment seeped into his expression. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. He wanted more—the chase, the intensity, the skill of his opponent—but now it was over.

"Too late... perhaps," Shin muttered under his breath.

The soldiers moved in around them, their guns still aimed at Alix. But Shin remained still, his eyes on her, a silent tribute to a fallen opponent worthy of his skill.

Alix collapsed to her knees, her vision blurred, body aching from the relentless assault. The mission was over, and she had failed.

As the guards closed in, her thoughts drifted to Julian, lying somewhere below, possibly dying.