"Kill her if you find out where she has been hiding! She's been a real bother!" An old man, around 50s, ordered me. It's my new client.

He gave me photos of a woman with a ponytail, her eyes are that of a serial killer's, and the uniform...

I know this person!

"I understand. And how much is she?" I ask casually, flipping through the photos that he handed me.

"Don't give me that crap! I'm just going to pay you after you've done your job, because I can't be sure if you'd actually find her. Heard she's always switching hiding places. So until you can't assure her death, I will not give you as much as a cent!" With that as his farewell, the old man stormed off. The cup of coffee that we have served him has barely been touched. The steam from it has already been faded away, and the coffee itself is already warm. I have finished mine so I won't take his.

I sighed as I realize that a cup of coffee is wasted today...

--•--

I can't be careless now. My target is someone I know. No matter if she is my friend or not, I won't hold back! I won't let my connections drag me down from doing my work properly!

I finally head to the place where my tracking device led me to. It was convenient because she's sitting next to me in school. All I had to do was stick it to her clothes without her noticing.

The place where I am now... Why does it feel familiar?

Shaking my head to shake that thought off, I silently headed to the front door. I already have a lot of items with me necessary to pick locks, but unexpectedly, the door was open. As I opened it without any so much as a creak heard, I felt a presence behind me. My target, holding a blade on my nape.

"Were you the killer of my parents?"

I stayed still for a good 10 seconds before finally answering, "I don't remember anyone who I killed."

"YOU MONSTER!"

She dashed to me, trying to really stab my nape. Thanks to my reflexes, I quickly dodged it, grabbing her arm, raising it up and throw her off down from her old-fashioned porch. Unfortunately, it was not enough to hold her down. Instead, it fueled her anger even more. Her attacks are unstable and unpredictable.

She jumped up, gripping the knife tightly and firmly, with both hands, using gravity in her advantage.

She's screaming. She's shouting with all her might. Her voice is full of nothing but vengeance, anger, and despair. Why? Why are you doing this?

As she's a mere centimeter from me, I slapped the knife away from her hands. And, as she's distracted from her weapon, I tried to punch her abdomen, but she blocked it in an instant, which only sent her feet dragging on the ground. Her injuries are very light and minor. If she hadn't blocked my punch, she might've flown like a free bird, hit a tree or two, and acquire a concussion from the impact.

"Someone must have put money on top of my head, and that's why you're here, no?" She waited for my response, but nothing came out of my mouth. "Hahahaha!" She hysterically laughs. In the place where there's only a rundown house in the middle of a forest, her voice reverberates. "Finally! Finally!" She said with great desperation in her eyes. Her tears all around her face... She's a fragile little girl. She's just a fragile little girl!

"I finally get to meet you, YOU KILLERRRRR!!!!" She again dashed to me, this time with more strength than before. It'd be dangerous to continue this any longer. For the both of us.

If her bloodlust drains, I can take the upper hand and kill her, using that as an advantage. But only if my energy doesn't drain before her bloodlust does.

No matter how many times I land a hit on her or how long I can keep dodging and blocking her powerful attacks, it won't matter.

This is a mere battle of endurance. Once either of us drains, it will be the other's win.

So, who will get to take a life today?