One Stone, Three Birds (5)
Assassination Captain stared at the monster with cold eyes, his grip tightening on his sword.
‘This is… insane…’
He tried to maintain his composure, but a groan escaped his lips.
“…Lost Hope… They are truly dangerous.”
Even the scattered remnants, driven mad by the Dark Mage's magic, were no easy foes.
He, the leader of the Assassination Squad, had rarely faced opponents who charged with such disregard for their own lives.
Five out of his twenty assassins were already incapacitated.
The thought of facing them with their sanity intact sent chills down his spine.
And the ringleader, who had just begun to reveal his true nature, amplified that chilling sensation tenfold.
The distance between the leader and his men provided the Assassination Squad with a brief window to observe.
“Kyaaaak!!!”
With a chilling smile, the ringleader slaughtered his own subordinates.
That alone wouldn’t have been so different from the others they had cut down.
But while the ringleader seemed to lack the reason to distinguish friend from foe, his movements were ruthlessly calculated.
A cruelty designed to instill terror and inflict maximum pain.
As a result, a few of the remnants regained their senses, only to meet swift deaths.
Assassination Captain glanced at Zeke.
‘You… protected the young lady from these monsters… alone?’
He couldn't fathom Zeke Clayman, by himself, being able to stop this.
‘Even if he reported this, the higher-ups would have prioritized the bigger picture…’
Would they have believed that enemies existed outside of Eustia's intelligence network?
Furthermore, the power of the black magic wielded by Lost Hope was bizarre.
This strange ability was so outlandish that it was impossible to believe until witnessed firsthand, making the report even less reliable.
They would have investigated to a certain extent and dismissed it, letting them slip away once more.
So, Zeke must have intended to show Eustia directly.
‘Who are our true enemies…?’
The potential repercussions of failing to notice these individuals sent shivers down his spine.
It was fortunate that they were able to confirm the existence of this enigmatic group now.
“Zeke Clayman.”
He called out, and Zeke turned his head with an impassive face.
“…Do you have any information on that monster?”
“His movements are quite something.”
“…So you know nothing.”
“They’re not bad at all.”
“…Can you move now?”
“Ugh. My legs. Seem to be. Affected by magic.”
Assassination Captain frowned.
Something felt off, but he didn't have the time to dwell on it.
The monster was approaching.
He had slaughtered most of his own men, effectively reducing the enemy's numbers. It was a bizarre tactic for a leader, but none of the assassins felt grateful.
“Hmph. You are all sacrifices.”
The monster's gaze, filled with madness, fell upon the Assassination Squad.
Assassination Captain opened his mouth.
“There’s only one target. Assassination Formation.”
At his words, the remaining assassins gripped their swords, their faces taut with tension.
*
Clang!
Clang!
Clang!!
Slash!!
One member of Lost Hope against fifteen hunters.
They resembled hunters surrounding a beast.
But this beast was no ordinary animal.
Zeke watched the familiar fighting style with interest.
He was so engrossed in observing the monster's movements that he almost forgot to maintain his act when Assassination Captain had addressed him.
‘Oh my, you little rascal. You’re not half bad. Your swordsmanship is trash though. Well, this is what a real fight is.’
A thick, viscous killing intent, saturated with malice, surged like a storm.
The assassins faltered, their bodies stiffening under the oppressive aura.
In that instant, Teeth, without a moment's hesitation, lunged forward, his daggers flashing.
Thud! Thud! Thud!!
Every ounce of his being was focused solely on killing.
Wounds meant nothing to him as he aimed for vital points, offering only what was necessary, even using a fallen comrade’s body as a shield.
His entire body was painted crimson with cuts.
The more wounds that adorned his body, the wider the smile that bloomed on his face.
‘To think this is all you’ve got, even with your past overwritten. Well, I guess it makes sense, considering you lack the fundamentals.’
But even that was enough to overwhelm the Assassination Squad.
‘Those movements, they’re all calculated. He’s deliberately showing cruelty to instill fear, then capitalizing on their hesitation to create openings. He knows he can't win with skill alone. So he embraces the pain, focuses on the kill.’
Nod.
It was the same fighting style Zeke had used in the past against stronger opponents.
Of course, the problem was that what started as calculated movements eventually became instinct, ingrained deep within him.
"Hehehe…"
Teeth let out a grotesque chuckle, his face smeared with blood.
It was a sight that sent chills down the spines of all who witnessed it.
Assassination Captain's eyes wavered.
He could feel the blood run cold in his veins.
“Damn it… That monster…”
Ten of his assassins were already dead.
Only five remained.
The monster wasn't overwhelmingly skilled.
But he fought recklessly, as if his life meant nothing, and dodged fatal blows with the smallest of movements at the last possible moment.
And the instant a blade found its mark on him, his own daggers would strike back with deadly precision.
He seemed impervious to pain, even with blades embedded in his flesh.
He would pin an assassin’s leg down with his foot, then relentlessly stab at their chest with his daggers.
Despite the delayed reaction, it was always their comrade who fell first.
As another assassin fell and Assassination Captain rushed in for a killing blow from behind, the monster twisted the blade already lodged in his flesh and attacked with it.
Thud!
An unexpected assault.
The blade pierced Assassination Captain's shoulder.
He stumbled back, clutching at the wound to staunch the bleeding.
‘How… How can a human be like this?’
The four remaining assassins were all pale with fear.
These were not the expressions of those who had diligently reaped lives like farmers harvesting crops.
This was a brutal fight.
Every move was a gamble, every attack a reckless disregard for one's own life.
One wrong step meant death.
Yet, the monster charged forward, seizing every opportunity, however small, to strike like a beast and finish off his opponents.
Even the most rigorously trained assassins valued their lives.
Assassination Captain had never encountered such frenzied attacks.
‘This… This isn’t just a lack of reason. It’s like he lives in a different world entirely.’
The inside of his mouth tasted of blood.
Slash.
Slash.
Slash.
Thud!!!
The monster lunged at another assassin who had been backing away.
Another subordinate fell.
Only three remained.
“Khahaha…!”
Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud! Thud!!!
As if to taunt them, the monster laughed maniacally, stabbing repeatedly at the corpse of his latest victim.
The sight made the remaining assassins grind their teeth.
“Don’t move!!!”
Assassination Captain roared as they twitched, ready to attack.
No one felt the sting of this defeat more than him.
He had spent years nurturing each and every one of them.
Blood trickled down his chin from his tightly bitten lip.
His hands trembled uncontrollably.
‘Am I… feeling fear?’
A wave of chills washed over him.
Anger, fear, and hatred, a torrent of emotions, churned within him.
He took a deep breath.
His eyes narrowed.
He could not afford to lose any more of his men.
Assassination Captain clenched his jaw and raised his sword, aiming for a killing blow.
‘Even if it costs me my life, I will end this monster here.’
Then, he spoke.
“You three, return to the Eustia mansion immediately and report this.”
But his subordinates refused to obey.
“Leader!”
“We can’t do that!”
“Please reconsider!!!”
Assassination Captain’s voice boomed, silencing their protests.
“Silence! That’s an order!!! Leave this instant!!!”
The monster paused at his uncharacteristic outburst, his head snapping towards the source of the commotion. They clenched their fists.
“We’ll bring reinforcements.”
With a final, resigned clench of their jaws, they obeyed their leader’s command.
‘Reinforcements…’
The monster tilted his head, watching them flee, a predatory glint in his eyes.
He clearly had no intention of letting them escape. He lunged towards them.
Assassination Captain intercepted him, his sword flashing.
“You monster!! Die!!!”
“Khahahaha!!”
*
‘The Assassination Captain is trying to take him down with him.’
Teeth’s body was nearing its limit.
If Assassination Captain was willing to die, he might be able to take the monster down with him.
Of course, Zeke understood the leader's resolve.
It was only natural for him to want to eliminate the sinister monster who wielded such dark magic, especially knowing the threat it posed to Eustia's safety.
What would happen if they both died here?
It wouldn't be a problem, most likely.
Lost Hope's danger had already been relayed to Eustia.
The fleeing assassins would report everything in detail.
And even if this particular monster died here, it wouldn’t eliminate the threat of Lost Hope entirely. They were a large organization, and this was just one of their members.
‘But… our dear Assassination Captain's life is more valuable!’
His true motive, of course, was simply that Eustia owing him a favor would make his life a little easier.
Furthermore, if Teeth survived, the threat would remain, a palpable source of fear.
Zeke had the marked dagger, so he could track and eliminate him later.
He had made up his mind.
‘Right, time to intervene. A good ending is crucial for a successful performance.’
"Haaaaah!!!!"
Assassination Captain charged with his sword, while Teeth met his advance with a chilling grin.
Zeke rose from his spot.
And threw the bread in his hand.
Wheeeeooooosh!!
The bread soared towards Teeth.
It flew at just the right speed, timed perfectly with Teeth’s dagger aimed at the Assassination Captain's leg.
Thud!
Simultaneously, Zeke enveloped Teeth’s body in mana.
Clang!
Assassination Captain's sword met an invisible wall, Zeke's mana barrier.
And Teeth’s dagger plunged deep into the Assassination Captain's leg.
"Damn it!!!"
The Assassination Captain gritted his teeth, his final blow thwarted.
Teeth turned towards the source of the flying bread.
Zeke projected his voice directly into Teeth’s mind.
- Teeth. This is not your place to die.
The monster reacted instantly to his voice.
It seemed the remnants of his past, overlaid with the bloodlust, kept him from completely losing control.
His eyes darted around, searching for the source of the voice until they landed on the dagger.
“D-Dark Mage?”
- Indeed. Are you so eager to end your feast of blood today?
“…That’s…”
- Do not despair. Rivers of blood will flow again. I shall show you a wider world.
“…For Lost Hope.”
- You have made our name known here. That is enough for today. Retreat.
“Yes… As you command.”
- Until I summon you again, leave the capital city and gather magic stones. Kill and kill again, those weak monsters of this land. Then, I shall grant you even greater power.
“Aaaaah… I swear my loyalty to you.”
Teeth turned and fled without hesitation.
Assassination Captain couldn't just let the monster escape after that sudden change of heart and mumbled words.
But the wound on his leg hindered him.
“Zeke Clayman!!! Stop him!!!”
“My body… won’t… move.”
“Damn it.”
It was time to drop the act.
Zeke spoke.
“Leader, were you planning to die just now?”
“…”
“That monster is just the tip of the iceberg. If you had died here, preparing for the rest of them would have been even more difficult.”
Assassination Captain looked around at the corpses of his fallen comrades.
He closed his eyes tightly, then opened them again, his gaze fixed on Zeke.
“Very well… I will let Lady Hela decide your punishment. You’re not planning on running away now, are you?”
“No. My place is at Ramielli Academy.”
“Good. I understand. I shall inform Lady Hela myself… However, the crime of concealing such vital information…”
Assassination Captain couldn't bring himself to threaten Zeke with punishment anymore.
Lost Hope was a dangerous organization.
They could manipulate the minds of ordinary humans, turning them into weapons, and their leader-class individuals were on a whole other level.
‘Did he orchestrate this entire attack, knowing he would draw the attention of the Assassination Squad…?’
He had come here alone to protect Iriel, knowing full well that he would be pursued. He had played all his cards.
‘This report just got longer.’
He let out a deep sigh.
The death of his comrades was always a possibility, but he had never imagined losing so many at once.
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