fiction; made-up story; fable; fabrication; myth
offender; criminal; culprit
level; standard; water level
security guard; doorkeeper
influential person; powerful person; big wheel; big gun; power behind the throne
to take (seat, position, course, office, etc.); to assume; to ascend (the throne); to accede; to start (on a journey); to commence
postbox; mailbox; post; position; post (e.g. goalpost); post- (e.g. post-Cold War)
around there; near there; or thereabouts; or so; such a matter; such a thing
to be playful; to gambol; to be amused (with something); to play; to sport; to frolic
addition; supplement; appending; appendix
increasingly; more and more; decreasingly (when declining); less and less
walking; strolling; roaming; wandering; exploring
leading; guiding; commanding
calm; composed; leisurely
operation; management; handling; manipulating (to one's benefit); manipulation; influencing
though; although; be that as it may; nonetheless
random attacker; slasher; demon who brings misfortune to houses or people he passes by
to fall behind; to lag behind; to lose (race, contest)
killing a would-be avenger; having the tables turned on someone (e.g. by a challenger); being beaten at one's own game
reliable; trustworthy; hopeful; promising
suspicious-looking; shady; questionable; dubious; fishy
to cease; to desist; to cut it out; to lay off (an activity); to drop (a subject) to abolish; to resign
suddenly; abruptly; unexpectedly
by the way; incidentally; sometimes; occasionally; precisely (at that time); exactly
alley; alleyway; teahouse garden; path through a gate (or through a garden, etc.)
to get slightly dirty (all over)
overcoat; greatcoat; cloak; wrap; mantle
to pull over one's eyes (e.g. hat); to wear pulled down over one's eyes
for (e.g. "she dances well for an eight-year old"); considering it's (something or someone)
passerby; pedestrian; foot passenger
draft; draught; cold air entering through the crack of a door or window; cooling off of a relationship; draft of cold air between two persons
drawing a katana and attacking in the same stroke; doing (something) suddenly and without warning; doing without prior notice
structure; construction; posture (e.g. in martial arts); pose; readiness; determination
riddle; puzzle; enigma; enigmatic; mysterious
to sink (into); to get depressed
compliance; conformance; adaptation; (immediate) response; (rapid) reaction
intercept; interception; counter-attack
jumping sideways; flying sideways; running hurriedly (with one's body bent forward)
to dodge; to evade; to avoid; to sidestep