Black Hood: Season Two by Nick Venom (management books to read txt) 📕

“You’re right, he was the strongest. That mantle is now mine. As for Black Hood, his scythe is his strongest weapon. Strip that from him and he’s nothing more than a mortal man. A mortal man who will die the most gruesome death.” Raide claimed, tugging at his tank top covering two large tattoos. His initials, slurred together, were painted on his stomach. 

“You’re right, Sartori. However, be wary of Black Hood. Who knows how he got the advantage over Wick. He could have an ace up his sleeve.” Johnny warned him.

“You’re overthinking it, Owl. Not even the gods could topple me. I’d like to see a mortal man try it. Send rumors that I challenge him. I want to unmask Black Hood and let him grovel at my feet.”

TBC…

“He challenged me?” Spec whispered while sitting on the roof of a building overlooking the restaurant. He had on a new cloak, this one feeling and being cheap. However, he needed to mask his appearance and limit his sightings. 

“Yeah, a few hours ago. Maybe he’s afraid of you lingering in the shadows, so he decided to call you out and shine a light on the darkness-prowling rat.”

Spec glared at her as she chuckled to herself.

“I’m kidding, ease up Spec. It won’t kill you to take a joke.” She turned towards the restaurant. “Anyways, let’s focus on Owl first. We kill him then head towards Raide. However, we need to draw out his paranoia, so we can’t kill him instantly. Let him act on his paranoia and once he’s crazy, then we snap his neck and call it a day.”

“That’ll take weeks. I want this done today.” He grumbled. “Let’s finish the job and spare the citizens of the Slums of his mayhem.” 

Rock smiled, staring at him. “Oh, are you finally feeling pity for them?”

“Shut up,” He muttered. “Let’s kill Owl already.”

“Calm your jets, we’re here to stalk Owl and wait for a perfect opportunity to strike. Fight here and we risk innocents being involved. Let’s keep our eyes on Owl and wait for him to go somewhere more… rural.”

Spec muttered something under his breath, remaining on the roof. He gripped Deathstriker tightly, eyeing Owl who sat at a table inside the restaurant. 

As the two laid in wait, a cold blast of air hit them. The cold air was followed by several more waves. Rock glanced up, noticing a snowflake hit the area in front of her. “It’s snowing.” She muttered.

“It is wintertime,” Spec added. “It’s about time there was snow.”

“Yeah, but winter has been delayed multiple times before. I’m surprised to see its descent here.” She quietly muttered, her eyes focused on Owl. “Last time it almost hit spring before the first snowfall.”

Spec nodded, his mind ignoring the cold temperatures and possible piles of snow blocking his assassination of Raide. If they weren’t quick, it would become too cold for them and all of their plans would be cut short. Then, Raide would use the winter to fortify his base and hold out against them during the spring, leading to more casualties. 

He could care less about the casualties, but his task was to kill Raide and he planned on completing it. 

A half-hour later and Owl had left the restaurant, heading towards Raide’s hideout, Maximum Security---Wick’s old headquarters. Spec and Rock tracked him, crawling from roof to roof. They, however, stopped a block away from the headquarters, standing in an empty park. Owl grabbed a coin from his pocket and flung it at a curled-up street rat. The coin hit the kid’s shoulder before rolling into his view. The street rat grabbed the coin and sprung up, racing in the opposite direction of Owl. He had been tricked and scammed out of a coin.

“Damn, street rat.” He muttered, turning away from the park and towards the headquarters.

Rock whispered to Spec, “now!” Spec nodded, both jumping off the roof. Spec landed awkwardly on the ground, sharp pains rising through his body. Rock landed on the ground, curling her body and rolling to dissipate the energy. They both rushed forward to greet Owl with their weapons.

Owl noticed their arrival, brandishing a shortsword. However, he was slow on the brandishing, being caught in the stomach by Rock’s circular weapon. Spec wrapped his scythe around Owl’s neck, pulling him in closer. “Where is Raide?” He asked.

“You’re Black Hood and this-” He pointed at Rock “-must be your apprentice. I-I wasn’t expecting t-this.” 

“Apprentice? He’s my apprentice if anything.” Rock retorted.

Spec ignored her. “Where is he?”

Owl laughed in his face. “You really want Raide? He’s too strong for you!” He bluffed. He wasn’t sure who was stronger, Raide or Spec, but he needed to instill fear into Spec before their eventual duel. “He’s a god amongst men! He cannot be defeated by a mortal man! Only the Godking can smite him!” He spewed.

Spec decapitated Owl, watching as his body rolled off his neck and landed on the ground with a nasty splat sound. He released his grip on Owl’s body, letting it hit the cement hard and paint the ground. 

“That’s one less on the Kill Order, now let’s deal with Raide,” Spec remarked, grabbing the corpse and moving it into bushes. Rock followed his lead, grabbing the head and chucking it into the bushes.

“I told you, we’re following my plan. Let his paranoia get the best of him and---when he’s at his lowest---strike.” Rock told him, kicking one of Owl’s legs, that was peeking out of the bushes, deeper into the shrubbery.

“When I’m at the lowest, how about when I’m at the highest?” Raide asked, showing up from the roof they left. He smiled creepily as he jumped off, landing on the cement harshly. His feet broke through the cement, creating a small creator around him. 

Spec and Rock froze, staring at the beast of a man standing in front of them. 

“How did you find us?” Rock whispered, her voice sounding meek.

“I’m not only brawn but brain. I figured out that you would attack my right-hand man before me, so I followed Owl since he woke up. Now he’s dead and you are the only people in sight.” He approached them. “Like gods before me, let me play with these mortals how I see fit; torturing them till they draw their final breath.”

***

“How is the Holy Grail team’s progress?” Jayden asked. He sat on his throne, looking down at a kneeling Edwin.

“According to Croft, Liliana has been more efficient as a leader. They’ve been clearing houses nonstop since the Redbrights sudden collapse. However, their progress has stalled.”

“What happened?” Jayden asked, stroking his chin.

“They had been working overtime to clear out the bases housing the several gangs of the Slums, but---if Rock is pacing Spec---they should be finished with Owl. This means that they’ll reach Raide Sartori soon. They can’t progress without the assassins jumping in first.” Edwin explained.

“I see,” Jayden muttered. “For the time being, start taking control of as many buildings as they can. We need to squeeze out the corruption, one building at a time.” Jayden ordered.

“I will relay your order to Croft.” Edwin bowed his head. “However, I must add one thing. Rock has taken a man from the Slums under the pretense of ‘protected contraband’.”

“A young man?” Jayden questioned.

“Apparently, so. Croft has claimed that the man is incredibly intelligent and will work well in the intelligence division. He has asked for him to be put under me.” Edwin reported.

“Rock has gotten her near-accurate intelligence from this young man?”

“Yes, sir.”

“That is fine, let him be put under your command if Rock allows it. Anyways, rise, Edwin. I’ll need a favor from you.”

“Yes, sir,” Edwin said as he stood.

“Get Liliana out of there. If they’re facing Raide, then she’ll be of no help. Get her out of there before it becomes too dangerous for her. She won’t be able to do anything in front of that beast.”

“Yes, sir.” Edwin bowed his head before turning to the door. He opened the door and headed outside.

Jayden ordered Blue in, who approached the throne, bowing her head. “How is Alessio?” He asked her.

“He has calmed down, but still lashes out. However, his temper tantrums are now sparse and few.” She reported. “His personal maid, Iris, has been doing her best to keep his head down.”

“Good, reward her. Anybody that could stand his temper tantrums while being a seventeen-year-old deserves five kingdoms.” He told her with a smile. “As for Alessio, continue his sword and magic training. If he wishes to surpass me, a simple fireball skill and defeating a rookie in the army won’t be enough.” She raised her head, nodding before leaving Jayden alone in the throne room.

“My body is damaged beyond repair. That boy needs to grow up… quickly.” Jayden’s body was plagued by an infection that will result in his body being broken down and his lifespan cut in half. Alessio is his only chance of having a proper heir before his death.

TBC…

“What do you mean I have to leave? I’m the leader of this team.” Liliana declared, staring at Baxter Croft, the real leader of the Holy Grail team.

“Princess, it’s become too dangerous for you. Kaye has sighted the assassins with Raide at a nearby park. They’re going to fight there.” He told her.

“There’s no way you’re leaving without me.” She told them, stomping her foot on the ground to prove her stubbornness.

“Princess, you need to leave now!” Croft demanded, glancing at Presley Hawkins, one of his comrades. “We need to assist the assassins in defeating Raide.”

“I want to help Spec!” She shouted.

Croft put a finger to his lips, shushing her. “Princess, keep your voice low. I already warned you about speaking his name.”

Liliana turned her back on Croft and touched the wall in front of her. The team took over Spec’s house and changed it into their base of operations. During their tenure at Spec’s home, they established raids against the leftover gangs left in disarray and cleaned up the bodies caused by Spec and Rock.

She turned around. “I’m going with you, that’s final.” She declared, glaring at Croft. He didn’t cower in front of her teenage glare, something that lacked the intensity of Spec; he was afraid of his glare, something that had been finely tuned during his fifteen years in the Slums - creating a monster of a glare.

Croft glanced at Hawkins again, nodding his head. Hawkins nodded back, brandishing her fists. Liliana noticed the strange nod, turning towards Hawkins. She caught