Christian, having already stopped the car, was listening to the bodyguard beside him relay the current situation. He then heard the bodyguard's small protest, as he was against the idea of continuing to move, but in the end, he had no choice.
Christian's heart started pounding. Excitement surged through him at the thought that he could finally get his hands on Damian, and he couldn't help but tighten his grip on the wheel.
He couldn't help but praise the idea behind the highly advanced device he had used, and the one who had proposed it: Eva!
It was a very small device, one that only needed to be placed on the car, where it would naturally stick. Then, upon receiving the signal, it would emit some kind of electronic waves that affected the vehicle… and then boom!
The car malfunctioned and stopped moving.
Because it would seem like the engine is not working at that moment, and after some time it would start working normally, it would even make it hard to pinpoint that the problem was artificially induced.
This was naturally not the only thing he prepared… or more accurately, Eva prepared!
"Stop the car immediately!" Because after driving for just a short minute, this was what the bodyguard said between his intermittent breathing, while holding his head.
His tone was a frantic one, filled with panic, and as he started darting his head in every direction, he seemed to be searching for a possible culprit, possible pursuers, or even a car that was following them.
And Seeing him like that… seeing these behaviors, Christian felt that Nina was a million times more disciplined, as he didn't feel a shred of hesitation, even when she was taken by surprise and ambushed while driving a motorcycle.
Her skills, as she assessed the situation at that time, were on another level!
And he couldn't help but compare them.
One was trained in a harsh environment just to kill, and the other was someone who trained in essence but seemingly in a friendly environment.
He realized that essence was not everything… not the cure for everything. Even though he could withstand the gas more robustly, the highly advanced sleeping gas that one wouldn't notice until he was already asleep, especially without an antidote like the one that could save the sleeping Damian and the still awake but shrinking Brian.
It was clear that strength, if not used properly, was meaningless!
These thoughts raced through his mind in an instant, as he still didn't pause his actions. Christian didn't wait for the man to gather himself and regain his composure, for if he did, he would have noticed his strange behavior… the car hadn't come to a complete stop but was still crawling at a very low speed, after all.
Instead, he took out the prepared gun with a silencer, and while making sure it would stay unnoticed, at least for the first bullet, he aimed carefully first… and then finally fired!
With a voice not too loud at the start, but still noticeable, then the muffled sound that followed, the first bullet was shot!
It was not aimed at his head, the small target, as he feared the man would dodge it. Instead, he opted for more guaranteed results this time by aiming at his chest.
One shot was quickly followed by several more, until the man finally seemed to understand the situation.
Christian saw with his own eyes how the man opened his mouth and seemed to want to say something, but he didn't care for that and his attention was more on his wounds… how that although there were trails of blood visible where the bullets had struck, tearing through the fabric of his opponent's clothes, the wounds were not as deep as he had expected. Even the shock of each bullet's collision would have been much less severe had the target been on solid ground instead of the inside of a moving car.
So, in that moment, he understood that he had underestimated his opponent, even after everything he did… he had miscalculated.
Still, he continued firing with the pistol loaded with those special kind of bullets, knowing that if it had not been for their unique properties, for their special tip, they might not have affected the man at all.
And while doing that, he released his grip on the wheel, replacing it with the carefully crafted dagger he had prepared… The pistol was not going to finish things after all.
Still, Christian knew himself well and understood how he could use the essence he had in just one attack. Beyond that, he would have to rely on his body… on his raised constitution!
With pain and likely death looming if the situation didn't change, the man in the black suit finally tried to gather himself, and then he made his move.
Normally, he would have looked down on ordinary weapons, sneering at the futile attempts of the one beside him. But in his current state, where he couldn't even concentrate properly, he was now learning the hard truth… how even so-called useless weapons could be fatal if one was "careless" enough!
Christian suddenly saw a flash, and in that moment, the pistol was gone from his hand, taken along with a punch that grazed his arm. But he didn't flinch or waste time blinking in shock. Instead, he brandished his dagger and counterattacked without hesitation!
He engaged in a fierce, close-range battle, inside the violently swaying car, where every movement was a struggle not only against his opponent but also against the unstable footing beneath him. And the confined space turned the fight into a brutal clash of instincts and reflexes… there was no room for elaborate maneuvers, no space for dodging without slamming into the car's interior, after all.
Maintaining balance was becoming the hardest thing to do as they collided with the seats, the doors, and anything in their way, while the smell of gunpowder mixed with the sharp tang of blood filled the air.
Moreover, whether this could even be considered a proper fight, he didn't know, as the bodyguard's attacks were wild, landing in the wrong places, making dodging a little easier for Christian. But despite that, even he was unable to finish him. And it wasn't because he couldn't land a proper hit… no, it was because his strength wasn't enough to deliver a serious injury!
They continued like that for some time, with the car eventually crashing into something and coming to a halt at one point… and Christian felt exhaustion creeping in, just from putting his all into his attacks.
The few grazes he had taken actually left him with more injuries than the previous two fights he had combined.
… and he didn't like how this fight was going and found himself surprised by the sheer tenacity of the man in front of him.
His previous fight with Nina had also taken some time, but that was because he struggled to land a proper hit. This time, it was different… it was because the man in front of him simply refused to fall!
He wondered if all those trained in essence were … has the tenacity of "cockroach," or if the man in front of him had mastered some specific technique… and that thought finally pushed him to make a different move.
Christian, who had been saving the little essence he had for a decisive move, couldn't wait any longer. He felt that while he could probably keep going for a little longer… he didn't want to. And so, he finally made his move.
It was a swift, stealthy strike… one that cut deep, leaving a vicious gash on the already wounded chest of the man in front of him. And for the first time, he saw him falter, his body swaying, nearly collapsing under its own weight.
"Just fucking fall down already!" Christian growled, already prepared to follow up with more attacks. But then, at last, he saw the man's legs give out, and he slumped into his seat… on his own!
With unfocused eyes and ragged breaths, the man barely managed to rasp out, "Y-you… will pay… for—"
Christian, irritated beyond words… by this whole fight, by the nonsense, and most of all, by the third-rate villain line, had no patience to hear another word. Without hesitation, he struck again.
Even after that, he didn't celebrate too soon. Instead, he focused on making sure the man in front of him had truly drawn his last breath.
But as he stared into those vacant eyes… eyes that still seemed filled with desperation and resentment, he couldn't help but waver, even if just for a moment…
Fortunately, his Danger Awareness skill flared up.
A signal of imminent danger.
Meaning… the fucker was still alive!
… Moreover, he still has the strength to deliver a fatal strike!
In an instant, the hesitation in his gaze vanished, replaced by a cold, merciless glint. And without another thought, he drove the dagger cleanly into the man's neck.