The Deceitful One

Monday, 18th April 1581.

The warm spring breeze blew through the desolate streets of Damascus, bringing with it the pungent smell of charcoal and smoke from the factories.

Although it was almost four in the morning, the factories continued to operate non-stop. After all, they couldn't help it. Most of the workers had already quit their jobs and were beginning to form worker unions.

These unions fought for the right to be paid fairly and to keep the jobs in the hands of humans and not machines. They had lived long enough under the oppression of the wealthy. And now they were making their stand.

Hence, the factory owners did not have any choice but to gather as enough people as possible and work overtime in order to meet the production quota.

Bryan stood on the empty street under the illumination of a flickering lamppost as he gazed toward the factory area. That region had a blanket of black smoke perpetually hovering above it.

He couldn't help but sigh, "With the advent of the age of steam, the industrialists and the royalty promised us a better life…"

He then turned to look toward the direction of the slums, "But is that true for everybody?"

Feeling complex emotions, he walked aimlessly through the empty city streets as he thought of the current problems Damascus was facing.

He was earlier on night patrol with Emma and the duo had just finished it and gone their separate ways. Unknowingly, he had arrived at the central area of the city.

Bryan was able to see the Damascus Clock Tower in the distance. He stopped in his tracks and looked at the towering giant and faintly smiled, "I wonder what the scenery from up there is like…"

The moment this impulsive thought took root in his mind, Bryan was unable to get rid of it. Without thinking any longer, he dashed toward the clock tower as he slowly began to smile brightly.

The childlike innocence and mischief that he had bottled up deep within himself after the death of Jamie, had finally emerged as it began to fill his heart.

Perhaps it was because he was finally going to become a Transcendent soon or maybe it was because he was beginning to get closure, but for the first time in a long time, Bryan felt alive.

As he ran across the empty streets and passed by the apartments and buildings, his figure appeared to be a black blur.

Unbeknownst to Bryan, his physical attributes were gradually beginning to increase and solidify as he got closer to advancing to a Rank 1 Transcendent!

As Bryan neared the base of the clock tower, he noticed two people in police uniforms patrolling the area around the tower.

They were currently standing together and chatting with each other as they yawned from time to time. Bryan's lips slowly curled up into a mischievous smile as he cast Shadow Concealment.

The surrounding shadows enveloped his body entirely as he disappeared from the spot. He then covertly approached the two policemen.

"Two more hours until the night shift ends." The young police officer yawned as he rubbed his weary eyes.

The other police officer was about to reply when all of a sudden he burst into laughter, "Hahaha! Carl, what the hell is wrong with you? Are you really feeling that hot?"

"Huh? What do you mean, sir?" The young police officer looked at his senior and asked with a puzzled look.

The older officer pointed his finger to Carl's crotch area as he began to laugh even louder, "So young but so small! Hahaha!"

Carl looked down and found that at some point, his pants and boxers had fallen all the way down to his ankles. His face flushed red as he bent over to pick them up, "H-How did this happen!? I didn't even realize."

While picking up his pants, he saw that his senior police officer's pants and boxers had also dropped, just like his, "Sir! Yours as well!"

The senior police officer stopped laughing as he looked down. His eyes turned wide as he yelled in embarrassment, "How the fuck!?"

While both the officers were picking up their pants and boxers, they heard an eerie and maniacal voice behind them, "Kekeke, delicious! Balls…are my fa-vou-rite!"

Both of them turned around in astonishment and what they saw sent chills down their spines. They saw a tall figure dressed in a colorful clown costume.

The clown had green hair, a face painted with white makeup, and a large red ball placed at the tip of his nose. He was currently looking at them as he grinned from ear to ear, displaying his sharp yellow jagged teeth.

Both the officers fell to the ground in utter shock and fear as they hugged each other and screamed, "Aaaaahhh!! Ghost!"

The clown slowly walked towards them as he stretched out both his hands as he tried to grab both the officer's scrotums. The duo got up in panic, turned around, and ran for their lives!

However, a few steps later, they fell to the ground as they hadn't worn their pants properly yet. They got up and began to run again but the same thing happened a few moments later.

They kept running and kept falling to the ground as their faces were now covered in tears, snot, and soil. Finally, they decided to abandon their pants and boxers behind and flee butt-naked.

All the while, they continued to scream, "Ghost! Ghost! Somebody help!!"

The clown saw them disappear into the distance and soon he too dissipated into gray smoke. In the distance, right by the clock tower, Bryan who was still using Shadow Concealment, broke into a peal of raucous laughter.

A few moments later he wiped the tears from his eyes, "Hah, that was fun, kekk!"

He then turned around and jumped as high as he could and grabbed onto one of the bricks protruding from the wall of the clock tower. Soon, he began to climb agilely like a monkey climbing a tree.

Within a few minutes, he had scaled the majority of the tower. He grabbed the railing and climbed over to the platform placed right by the large clock dial, just slightly underneath the number 6.

Bryan then turned around and the view that greeted him left him completely mesmerized!