Lung in this timeline was far more...cowardly if I were to put a word to it; his territory was still massive due to his size and power. However, he made it a point to avoid fights where he is outmatched, as in not ramped up.
He preferred to fight enemies like Armsmaster or Glory Girl when he was already ramped up and prepared for it. In all honesty, it only made him more dangerous as he was far more cautious now and choosy in his battles.
Not much changed with the Empire, nor any of the other smaller gangs in Brockton, although the Merchants were now rarely seen. Coil's mercenaries were also far more widespread, as well as the Undersiders, the 'small-timers' in this city, didn't hit the ABB as hard anymore.
In all honesty, the city was a more...stable wasn't the right word, but it wasn't as chaotic as the world of the Worm webnovel. Speaking of which, the big three of this universe, the triumvirate, well, they have been missing for quite some time now.
Perhaps their little secret organization that thinks they are so smart kicked the bucket, or they were trapped somewhere, who knows? No, that it mattered to me, if the apocalypse came and I was able to construct a ritual to replicate teh horn of the end, well, it would be perfect symbolism.
A horn sounding the end, and the end of this world coming to pass, well, who could resist such an opportunity to try and reach the root? I've stated this before, but while I may not be as arrogant as more magi, I was, in the end, one of them.
Walking up the stairs, and clicking a button disguised as one of the bricks, the door slowly opened, except instead of goign into the library, it was to a side entrance. One of the nifty benefits of owning an old building and anything else it entails, my family had ample time to construct so many passages to exit from.
Either way, it gave me ample time to prepare the reinforcement spell and feel the gears of my magic circuit active, sending a familiar jolt of pain throughout my body. Both the spell and magic circuits are activating to use such simple magecraft, yet to a normal person, this pain would be the equivalent of a burn, perhaps.
I also made sure it didn't just stop at my own body; my cane was also a mystic code for close combat. Either way, I eventually came across a wooden door, the one leading me outside, around the corner of the library. Still, it was hidden out of sight and unnoticed to nonmagi people.
Opening it up slowly, the mystic code that made up my shows activated, causing a dark mist to form around me. Good for distorting camera images and concealing my presence; that, and it heightened the idea that I was a Cape of some kind, perhaps new or perhaps simply unknown.
When I was outside, I began to quicken my pace, but still walked, becoming my caped persona. "Crow," a simple name but one that evoked mystery and intrigue, drawing my assaliants' attention toward me.
Which as I approached the front of the library, I saw them still trying to lockpick the window. Which was odd, considering that this was Brockton, and while it would be strange to see someone break into the library, breaking into a place isn't.
Taking the time to get in undeteced though, that was a new one and something that would require further investigation, well, I could knock one of them out. Although they are low-level grunts, the odds are that the information they may have will be minuscule.
"Well, now isn't this a sight, youngesters goign to their local library, but it is currently close so I have to ask, why are you here?" I said to them, surprising the three possible ABB members.
When I spoke, my mask would distort my voice, making my sound much older than I was, further separating this identity from myself. When they heard me, they fumbled with the lockpicking tools, dropping them and looking toward me angrily.
"Goddamit, why don't you mind your business, old man? Maybe it'll save you a couple of broken bones even if you are a cape!" The first one shouting as he got out a strange... no, it couldn't be.
It was a mystic code. How the hell did one of these clowns get their hands on one of these things? The time itself was a simple enough, but several runes were carved into it, designed to make it far stronger and sharper than a normal knife, hell, it could probably damage my own.
The other two got out...crowbars of all things that have been significantly strengthened, not as much as my cane, but still.
"Well now...I have far more questions now than I did originally. Tell me, you little shits, where did you get those handy tools of yours?" I said with a far deeper voice, with my anger easily seen now as a flock of crows began gathering on the rooftops.
My familiars, and while I couldn't use their eyes to look around the surrounding area, I assumed whoever made these codes was watching. Meaning that if they moved, these familiars would help me locate them, and keep an eye on them if I don't.
That and I like crows, I like the idea of having an entire murder as my eyes and ears in this city, practical and stylish. Bringing my cane up, I saw the three charging in the first one, being the knife wielder.
He swung down on me, probably expecting me to either take the hit head-on or use my arm to block it. He would then slice through it and stab me, letting his two friends ample opportunity to try and 'break my bones' as they said.
Smiling underneath my mask, I quickly moved to the side using my heightened human agility, thanks to reinforcement to sidestep them. I lowered my cane and went for the legs, instantly breaking his right one and sending him tumbling forward.
How did I know I broke his leg? The bone sticking out was a clear sign that I did, alongside the bit of blood flowing down it now. I saw the knife slide forward, hopefully out of reach, but I had no time to truly check.
The other two were coming in closer, one raising their crowbar high, the other low. Perfect strategy for amateurs, but even if I am a magi, I'm far more experienced with close combat than long range.
"Erdspirale." I subtly chanted.
(Earth Spiral)
A not very powerful spell, one that lacked mystery and concepts to draw upon, but simple enough for manipulating the earth element. Either way, two spikes jotted upward, impaling the two grunts in teh legs, stopping them in their tracks.
They screamed in terror as it happened, dropping the crowbars as they did so. Walking up to them as they tried to force their legs out, not knowing that they needed to remain in place if they wanted to survive.
Once I was in front of them, I snapped my fingers and began to chant a simple hypnosis spell.
"Lasst die Narren, die nicht sehen können, nur sehen, was ich will!" I shouted, as their eyes glossed over.
(Let fools who cannot see, see only what I wish)
Normally, I'd use this spell to make people forget any magecraft they might've seen, make them forget. In this case, though, it was more so to get any information they might have more easily, rather than plain old torture.
Useless on normal magi, though, effective on normal people.
"My one and only question is this, ABB grunts, where did you get these weapons, or if you want me to be more specific, who modified them?" I said as I picked both of the crowbars up, ignoring the knife for right now.
"We-We-We were given them by Oni Lee...w-w-we have no idea where the-they came from." He said whilst stuttering, but that only led to more questions.
Like, how did Oni Lee get Mystic Codes? I saw the man from a distance before and during one of his fights; he didn't have the air of a magus, nor were parahumans ever able to become a magus in the first place.
Basic interference between teh alien parasite embedded in their brains, and the magi circuits which, while they had a connection to the soul, were still physical. Causing a friction between the two, which was hilarious considering the factthat Scion and his species wished to outlast the heat death of the universe or multiverse in this case.
Reaching the root was a good method to do so, as it essentially made one immortal, or so it appears anyway, and with their abilties well, who knows, they may just do so. Then again, they might have encountered beings like us before. They did go to other worlds to gather data and reproduce.
Who was I to say another version of the human order didn't have its own magecraft? Shaking my head, I discarded these thoughts and continued my line of questioning.
"Where is Oni Lee?"
"I-I-I..." before he could finish his sentence, his head burst open like a balloon.
Blood and brain matter were scattered around me, and on my mask and clothes as well. Looking over, I saw the third grunt come out of his hynosises and scream in terror seeing his dead friend.
Looking over, I saw that the man with teh injured leg had gotten up, but it was healed now. Which shouldn't have been possible, not unless he had another mystic code up his sleeve.
However, he had his left hand raised, and his body, it felt wrong and distorted like I was looking at a corpse. On his left hand, though, his middle finger was missing as it was now bleeding profusely.
His face, though, was twitching uncontrollably, like someone else was in the driver's seat. Although even if the guy was still standing, his leg was still twitching and bleeding, as though it was simply forced back together rather than actually healed.
"Well, now this night just got a whole lot more complicated." I said with a tip of my hat as I got myself ready for an actual fight.