A Hitman's Guide To Becoming A Hero

Dreams and ambitions.

These are the driving forces behind life. People spent their entire lives chasing things they desired. Money, power, love, recognition, revenge—every ambition started with something they wanted badly enough to pursue. The stronger the desire, the further a person was willing to go for it.

That was the foundation of the Plagues.

They weren’t simply random abilities. They were manifestations of desire, given form by something deeper within the human mind. The stronger the desire, the stronger the Plague.

And looking at Zero now, Nicholas finally understood just how terrifying that could become. A deep sense of dread settled within him as he stared at Zero.

’Such intense desires,’ Nicholas thought, looking at Zero as cold sweat ran down his face.

He’d never felt fear before—not when facing Tianzun, not when surrounded by armed soldiers in his past life, and not even when he was eventually nuked to death. Yet standing before Zero now, with that overwhelming energy radiating from both the man and the blade in his hands, Nicholas felt something he hadn’t experienced in a very long time.

But seeing and feeling the intense energy radiating from not just Zero but the blade in his hands made him feel that fear.

Zero’s energy flowed like a broken dam, spreading through the entire area with an intensity that made the atmosphere itself feel heavy. It wasn’t simply surrounding Zero; it was swallowing the space around him.

"My desire right now is to kill you. My blade and I will put an end to your madness," Zero said, pointing the blade headfirst towards Nicholas.

With the third eye, he could see energy moving from the sword into his body.

"Hahahaha," Nicholas’s laughter came in slowly before turning into a wild one. Then he stared Zero deep in the eye, "I came here hoping for a bloodless fight, who knew the first person I’d be meeting was someone like you. I won’t be holding back anymore. It’s safe to say that my own desires are to kill you as well."

Zero chuckled, "Then it seems we’ve both agreed on that. This will be a battle to the death."

Nicholas didn’t reply. Using his plague touch ability, two pistols materialised in both hands.

Zero spread his legs apart, holding his blade firmly with both hands.

Julie stood by the corner, feeling the growing tension between the two.

She wasn’t a part of the fight, but she could feel cold sweat running down her face just standing in their presence.

And although she couldn’t see it, it was clear it was because of the overflowing energy radiating from Zero at the moment.

’So his ability allows him to draw energy from the strength of his desires, and that energy is being sharpened into a weapon. In essence, he’s manipulating the Plague itself through his desires.’ Nicholas’s gaze sharpened. ’If his desire to kill me is what’s giving that blade its strength, then this battle is definitely not going to be in my favor. But if that’s really how it works... then there might be a way to turn it against him.’ Nicholas thought, his gaze sharpening as he looked at Zero, his hands curling around the trigger.

And then, in that instant, they both disappeared.

BANG BANG BANG!

Nicholas’s bullets tore through the rain from multiple directions, but Zero’s blade met them almost instantly.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Each bullet was split cleanly in two before it could reach him, the pieces scattering across the wet asphalt as Zero moved with impossible precision.

Nicholas switched between spatial distortion and anti-gravity, forcing the pistols to appear at different angles and accelerating the bullets beyond what a normal shooter could manage, but Zero continued to keep up with him. His movements blurred across the street, leaving nothing behind except white arcs from his blade and the shattered remains of Nicholas’s attacks.

Nicholas circled around him, constantly changing his position while searching for an opening and studying his opponent.

’The sword isn’t just cutting through my attacks. It’s absorbing the energy behind them.’ Nicholas’s eyes narrowed as he continued his barrage, watching the weapon carefully. ’So desires can actually be converted into energy... and that sword is capable of consuming the energy produced by my abilities.’ Nicholas thought as he continued with the ranged attacks.

Every time his spatial energy touched the blade, the weapon swallowed the force behind the attack and converted it into something else. The dark miasma surrounding the weapon wasn’t simply leaking from it; it was being produced by everything the blade absorbed.

The more energy Nicholas poured into the fight, the stronger the sword became.

’So desires can be converted into energy... and if they’re a form of energy, then that should work.’

Nicholas’s gaze lowered toward the weapon.

For the first time since the fight began, a faint smile appeared on Nicholas’s face.

Zero noticed it as he slashed the last bullet.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I was wondering why your attacks always seemed to get me even when I dodged." Nicholas slowly raised his hand, his gaze remaining fixed on the blade. "Now I know."

Zero’s smile widened.

"Then you should also understand that you’re already in trouble." The moment his voice fell, Zero disappeared.

Nicholas’s Third Eye caught the movement.

’Left.’

He twisted his body.

CLANG!

Zero’s blade scraped against Nicholas’s materialised weapon as he barely managed to intercept the strike. ’His attacks aren’t limited by the actual length of the blade. The will behind his desire is extending the attack beyond its physical range.’ Nicholas’s eyes sharpened. ’So dodging the blade itself isn’t enough. I have to make sure I’m not anywhere along the path of the attack.’

But Zero didn’t stop.

The blade immediately changed direction.

Nicholas blocked again. But his attacks weren’t simple, even though he was trying to intercept and redirect the attacks, Zero was extremely good with the blade. He moved it like it was a part of his body.

CLANG!

A third strike came.

Zero’s movements became increasingly difficult to follow. His body seemed to slip through the gaps between Nicholas’s reactions, appearing exactly where Nicholas didn’t expect him to be. Before Nicholas could adjust, the blade tore across his shoulder, sending a sharp pain through his body.

Nicholas retreated several steps, gritting his teeth while studying his opponent.

Zero didn’t give him a breather, moving from where he was again.

’He’s not actually moving faster than me.’ Nicholas ducked beneath another slash, feeling the blade pass dangerously close over his head. His eyes narrowed as the realization finally clicked. ’He’s manipulating the distance.’

Zero suddenly appeared directly in front of him.

Nicholas’s eyes widened.

’There.’

He twisted sideways.

The blade passed within an inch of his chest.

Nicholas immediately retaliated, driving his fist toward Zero’s stomach.

Zero brought his sword down.

Nicholas stopped his fist before it touched the blade.

His eyes sharpened. ’Don’t touch the sword.’

He stepped back.

For the first time, Zero’s expression changed.

A hint of surprise flashed across his face.

Nicholas had figured it out.

"You’re learning quickly," Zero said.

"I don’t like wasting time."

Nicholas raised his hand.

Gravity suddenly descended around Zero, compressing the entire area beneath an invisible force. The asphalt beneath his feet cracked under the pressure, nearby vehicles groaned as their frames strained against the sudden weight, and even the rain seemed to collapse toward the ground.

Zero’s knees bent slightly, but he didn’t fall.

Instead, his sword began to pulse.

The dark substance embedded within the hilt spread across the blade like veins. Nicholas watched through his Third Eye.

His expression changed as he watched the energy disappear into the blade. ’It’s absorbing the gravity too.’

The sword was feeding on the ability. Zero suddenly straightened as the pressure disappeared.

Zero raised his sword. "Your abilities are powerful."

His grin widened. "But that’s just it. Power without proper control is useless!"

Nicholas immediately activated spatial distortion and shifted several metres away.

Zero’s blade tore through the space where he’d been standing.

BOOM!

The attack didn’t simply cut the air.

It split the distorted space itself.

Nicholas’s gaze sharpened.

’If that thing can absorb my abilities and use the energy against me, then fighting him normally is pointless. Reminds me of a really annoying person,’ Nicholas thought with a frown.

He lowered his stance.

Zero stood several metres away, his sword resting casually against his shoulder, while Nicholas lowered his stance and materialised another gun in his hand.

For several seconds, neither man moved. The rain continued pouring around them, washing blood into the cracks of the asphalt as both silently studied the other. Nicholas tightened his grip around the weapon.

"You’re a difficult opponent, but I think I’ve figured out how to deal with you."

The dark miasma surrounding Zero’s blade suddenly surged, and the casual smile disappeared from his face.

"Then come and prove it."

Nicholas’s eyes narrowed.

The next instant, both men disappeared.

[A/N: Thanks for Reading! Please don’t mind the unstable release rate. Still trying to fix things up with the new writing & editing schedule]

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