Erik crept discreetly atop the targeted structure, and the crowd riveted to the screens watched with rapt concentration. As the viewers waited for Erik's next move, hushed murmurs permeated the chatrooms and platforms.
"Seems tough," one spectator said as he tapped away at his computer. "Two guards are inside; they'll attack and alert the others if they notice anything. Wonder what he'll do?"
Another, on the other hand, was full of praise, saying, "Look at how he's analyzing the situation. The youngster is bright. He's just seventeen, yet he knows more about how to do this than many seasoned mercenaries. He is very brilliant."
The reaction was replicated throughout the internet: a combination of anxiety, excitement, and absolute astonishment at the young man's skill.
Erik was in a difficult position, and everyone was watching to see how he handled it.
They'd seen him outwit the hooded guy in the alley, travel the city, and even hunt down the kidnapper during a riot.
They were watching him skulk on a rooftop, preparing for a new assignment. They were fully aware of the situation's complexities, knowing that one wrong move may risk the hostage's safety.
"He's been cautious about not gaining attention, focusing on gathering information first," said a seasoned spectator with a profound grasp of such operations. His approach was methodical and exact. He isn't merely depending on his physical abilities."
Many others agreed, noting Erik's strategy of following the robot from the riot and utilizing it to bring him to the building as proof of his intellect and tactical understanding. They were filled with admiration and respect as they watched Erik's every action and choice.
Simultaneously, discussion raged over whether the captive was in the building or another place where he could get a hint out of the situation. "What if it's just another hint leading to the real location?" wondered someone.
Others speculated that the guarded entrance indicated something important. The conjecture added to the suspense and excitement as the crowd waited for Erik's next move.
Erik's awe for his deft moves, incredible physical capability, and, most of all, his strategic thinking grew with each passing instant. As the suspense increased, all eyes were locked on the live broadcast, and the whole city held its breath, waiting to see what the young mercenary would do next.
***
Erik took a deep breath and focused his sight through the little rooftop window on the soldiers. He was crouched down on the rooftop, unseen for the time being, his mind occupied with calculations.
<Okay, two guards in the room,> he said, beginning his internal assessment. <It's a storage room, cluttered but spacious enough. I could make use of that.>
<Noise,> he acknowledged, knowing that one wrong step could set the coins clattering, alerting the guards before he could act. <I better avoid those,> he decided, marking a mental pathway around the hazards.
He observed the guards' positions and movements. <They're alert but focused on the door, not the window. I could use that,> he reasoned, seeing the guards' half-turned backs to the window.
<Quick and silent,> Erik reminded himself. <I need to get in there and take them down before they can raise an alarm.> He had the advantage of surprise, but that would last only a few precious seconds.
He stretched his fingers and rotated his shoulders to ease the stress. <Okay, Erik,> he told himself as he prepared to move.
<You've done worse in the past. Let's get started.> Erik braced himself for the struggle ahead by taking one last look at the chamber below. He knew what he needed to do; it was simply a matter of doing it.
He decided it was time to move, pushing aside his doubts and bracing himself for action. Erik softly unlatched the window on the rooftop. He raised it with studied tenderness, letting himself have a tiny opening.
He slithered through with care, his motions as fluid and quiet as a phantom in the darkness. He merged into the shadows as soon as his feet hit the littered floor of the storage room, his presence almost invisible to the untrained eye.
Erik proceeded with the precision of a seasoned infiltrator, navigating his way amid the strewn cases and other goods. His gaze was fixed on the two robotic guards, and his senses became alert to any shift in the robots' postures or concentration.
The robots did not flinch; their backs were still turned towards him. They were utterly unaware of Erik's presence, which would be a fatal error.
Erik drew closer, his footsteps barely audible against the stone floor. He sprung into action when he was finally within striking reach of the closest guard.
Erik stretched out, his hand clasping around the robot's neck in a fast, graceful gesture. He used his augmented strength to apply lethal pressure, tearing the robot's head from its body in one smooth motion.
Erik seized the falling corpse before it could strike the ground and alert the other guard. With the same breath, he flung the severed robotic head at the other guard.
When the robot heard the sound, it spun abruptly, its mechanical eyes settling on the projectile heading towards it. But Erik was already there when it turned.
Erik was on it before the second guard could comprehend what was happening. He killed it with the same brutal efficiency. His hand flew out, catching the robot's neck, and with a quick, lethal pull, the robot's head parted from its body.
The two guards fell to the ground silently. Erik loomed above them, a shadow in the weak light, his presence as subtle and lethal as a ghost in the night, even though the sun was still shining.
The only sound in the room was the faint hum of the false metropolis outside. Erik had entered the building unseen, eliminated the guards, and successfully penetrated inside without making a sound.
Erik switched his focus to the entrance that the guards had been guarding now that his initial hurdle had been overcome.
His task needed to be completed, and he knew the ultimate test awaited him. But for the time being, he took a deep breath before plunging farther into the unknown.
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