Chapter 12: Assasins

Their appearances were the usual assassin kind of clothes but colored black and with a mask covering their faces.

‹(Deathbringers)›

I then groaned inwardly when I saw the three intruders' titles below their names because I could clearly remember who they are in the game.

They are...

A group that was formed by a man who bore hate toward society. And by using that hate, he gathered everyone who was deemed as pathetic and made them into an assassin who'll one day cause an uproar on the whole continent.

Starting with killing royals, innocents for money, and more...

Soon I started pondering,

‹I never heard though that some assassination happened in the game...›

I furrowed my brows as I kept on thinking but not a thing could come out of my brain.

However, As we were running, I noticed that the three assassins stopped chasing us, and seemed to be chanting something.

Though, our legs didn't stop us from running.

So far, I was calm, that was a given because of Alfonso's mentality, so I tried to think of our situation right now.

Mary is fighting a beast that could danger us if we are near so we ran as far as we could,

While the three assassins chasing us have greater strength compared to ours right now.

No matter what I think, This is thoroughly planned...

Two grandmasters and one master, while we have only three masters and two above average. Kevin, Valentina, and the one master knight I brought. If we fought head-on, we might lose

But the other knights are left in the camp, so if we are able to call for reinforcement, we might be able to win. Well, I think that they have already sensed the danger and are going here, they were already alerted beforehand by Mary after all.

But currently, we are fucked, truly fucked! We need time for now.

I got too comfortable thinking I'm strong and because Mary is beside me...

Did I perhaps change the plotline? Without me noticing it? But I didn't do anything but just followed the flow of events though...

Well, I tried hunting and didn't stop Valentina to fight a stronger beast as Alfonso would, but I'm sure that even though I did stop her, she would still try to ascend, knowing her personality. She probably quarreled with Alfonso, maybe threatening him to null the engagement.

I mean what is the other reason she is even trying to hunt? It's to ascend, that is also why we stayed here anyway.

Since if she didn't try to ascend now, it would be harder next time. This is simply inevitable.

‹I should have just brought those knights! In the camp› I thought.

"..."

As I was pondering, three statuses of assassins emerged out of the blue, in front of us

"Enemies!"

I coldly warned when I realized that they have disappeared from our back

Soon the master knight moved when he heard me and then,

Katchang!!!

The sound of the dagger being deflected resonated as the master knight spoke,

"We'll face this, Young Lord, and Young Lady should go first and meet the other knights that are on the way here"

However, Valentina gripped her sword and retorted,

"I'll fight too! I won't leave my people behind"

I looked at Valentina as I cursed inside, ‹ Don't you see that they are buying time??? ›

At that moment, I looked at Christine and finally recalled something...

There was a maid that Valentina treasured but died, that's why she deeply hated Alfonso... However, Valentina never mentioned her again because of the obvious signs of guilt.

Why? It's because Alfonso used that maid to save Valentina from the assassins...

If I remember the assassin's target is Valentina.

But why am I just remembering this now?

It's because this past of Valentina and Christine was not mentioned in the game only a hint of it! The story started at the academy not when Alfonso was just a kid.

If I remember, the backstory of Valentina's description was just written like this:

/=============================\n [Valentina: A woman whose father put her into a political engagement with Alfonso, she wishes to please her father but she deeply hates Alfonso for his arrogance and willingness to use others for his own gain]

=============================/

See? But there were some hints in the game. Like Valentina sometimes mentioning a maid. Fans had theories about what happened to the maid that Valentina had, and that theory was made canon when they announced it on Twitter.

A theory why Valentina kept saying that Alfonso uses people.

It represented Alfonso used someone so he could keep someone he likes, and so she called him that way.

I mean fuck! How come I can just remember it?

I only liked playing. Though some mysteries were still unanswered.

In the game, we fans never knew what actually happened. People only speculated that Alfonso used a maid to save Valentina.

The events that are happening right now might have happened too in the game, but the only difference is that I merged with Alfonso and Valentina didn't need to threaten Alfonso to null the arranged marriage.

I could just choose to run away and save myself right now since it's Valentina they are looking for.

But looking at this situation, I guess Alfonso stayed with Valentina and Christine, rather than go meet with the knights. I can now see how Alfonso used Christine as a way for Valentina to live

‹He probably used Christine as a meat shield and to buy more time for Valentina. Something unexpected could have also happened›

"..."

Soon I realized that Valentina's stubbornness might have caused the tragedy of her maid.

Well... If she did indeed run away, the outcome of this is that all these knights would die. So I can understand where she is coming from.

I then stood firmly as I watched the events unfold in front of my eyes.

No wonder in the game Valentina always blamed herself that she was too weak.

I guess I can prevent this tragedy by giving them a hand with my abilities. Unlike the Alfonso that existed before, that guy was too weak to help and needed someone as a sacrifice

Tak! Tak! Tak!

Blue light formed in Valentina's sword while the middle-aged master knight spoke as he understood that Valentina will not back down here.

"I'll take care the right grand master,

Kevin, face the other grand master with the other knights."

He then looked at Valentina as he shook his head, "Be careful my Lady, that guy is in the same rank as you"

He didn't even look at me, as if he expected that I'm too weak to even fight alongside Valentina. It's understandable though

Soon, Valentina already dashed toward the master assassin named Arvin

While Kevin, the master knight, and above-average knights fought with their corresponding enemies

Kevin faced Kratos, The master knight faced Baldemor, and lastly, Valentina faced Arvin.

Clang!!!

Then a colliding sound of metals continuously followed

.

.

.

As I watched them clash, Valentina's performance was impeccable.

She might have less experience than that assassin but her adaptability was too fast.

In every exchange of blows, she immediately learns and gets faster and stronger.

‹ No wonder she became one of the strongest. ›

But I didn't slack off, as I also went for the opportunity to back Valentina.

"..."

Clang!

Blocking the attack that almost hit her, Valentina then looked at me in surprise.

But soon didn't pay heed to it since she is fighting. If she gets distracted now, she'll lose her life after all.

Even so, while we were fighting, I still kept on observing the surroundings.

So far... The fight between the middle-aged Master knight or in short [Romel Dunes]

Is having a hard time fighting the grand master Baldemor.

It's to be expected, his enemy has a higher rank than him.

While Kevin and the two knights seem to be winning for now, however, if they prolong the fight even more. The two above-average knights would be tired shitless and only become a burden.

For Christine? Well, she's just standing there, what can she do anyway?

"..."

"Fuck!"

I cursed inwardly as I looked at the situation and Valentina who was just doing good earlier get exhausted as seconds passed.

‹ She might be adapting at a rapid pace, but she'll eventually tire out because of the fight earlier with the beast. ›

Soon, I charged forward to give time for Valentina to rest.

—[Super Slash]—

Katchang!!!

The assassin named Arvin immediately blocked my attack but I followed it with a deadly attack,

[Brute Thrust]

The assassin's eyes widened when he saw me use my ability then soon, a sound of flesh being stabbed resonated from my ears as I felt my body shiver in irritation.

Making my eyebrows twitch and frown in the process

Why did I frown? Because I missed the place I'm aiming for, instead of his heart, I stabbed his shoulder.

My perfectionism quickly surged up when I noticed this, while I continuously felt an uncomfortable feeling of wanting to try again, and perfect the thrust I did earlier.

It was so annoying, fucking annoying!

It's as if my mind is telling me that I'm pathetic for not being able to perfect such a simple thing.

However, Valentina soon followed my attack with another one of her deadly abilities toward the assassin that was distracted by my stab.

With Valentina's elegant slash coming forward like a wave of death,

—★Ting★—

A moment of silence happened, then suddenly,

Spruuckk!!!

[Blade of Verse]

The assassin's left shoulder was eradicated in an instant with his dishevelled black clothes and hair, making his mask fall in the process.

A man's pale face with an appearance in his 30s then emerged as his left hand fell to the ground with blood gushing out of his sliced shoulder.

Even so, the assassin still kept his calm as he distanced himself from us and soon touched the ground with his right hand,

Valentina then tried to kill the assassin with her remaining strength before he could finish what he was doing, however,

—Kwang!—

the circle was already drawn with his blood.

The formation of the circle soon immediately glowed while he chanted strange words

"๒єครՇ รย๓๓๏ภ"

As he whispered those words, a beast with the appearance of a jaguar immediately galloped out of the circle with its wide mouth open.

=============================/

|Panthera Onca|

-Rank: Above Average

/=============================\n

"Roar!"

At the same time, Valentina stabbed the heart of the assassin and killed him.

Even so, the beast has already gotten out of the summoning process and tried gnawing my face.

[Super Slash]

I immediately used my ability in response but to my surprise, the beast's claw reached my chest.

Splutter!

Blood then splattered all over the place as I felt the burning sensation flooding me.

‹It hurts!›

But even though I was in such pain, I still kept my sophisticated look.

I even felt even more irritated because I'm hurt by such a lowly being.

Tak! Tak! Tak!

A red light began to form on my sword at that instant because of anger.

I was able to learn how to gather mana around weapons and even use them around my body during the fight I had with the beasts.

However, I didn't use it in front of everyone, except for Mary.

So I expected that Valentina might get surprised by this.

"..."

I could immediately feel her gaze emitting surprise and worry at that moment, however, I didn't pay any heed to it.

She even tried to move and help me, but unfortunately, she is too exhausted for using her remaining strength.

………

(Kevin's Side)

In the place of constant sounds of swords colliding as they resonate all over the place.

Kevin stood there with his two above-average knights, visible to notice that they are getting tired.

"Huff! Huff! Huff!"

The two knights panted, however, there was no rest for them, as the waves of the assassin's dagger continued.

If it wasn't for Kevin, they would have already died, even so, they were also not that weak.

They had years of experience in fighting, skills that made them stay and fight evenly, and the fact that they are facing a grand master was already a feat to be admired of.

Kevin might be higher in rank, but the difference in skills and experience between the two knights and him had a huge gap.

If it wasn't for the two knights either, Kevin would have not stood a chance in front of this grandmaster.

Suddenly,

Clang!!!

One of the knights flew like a bullet from the impact of the assassin's attack.

Hitting its head on the tree, the knight then was left unconscious.

The assassin then grew petulant, his dagger glowed violently in the form of violet, then soon,

A lacerating sound of flesh followed.

Spruuckk!!!

The other knight that was fighting got stabbed in his stomach as the assassin kept grinding his dagger, deeper and deeper.

The knight then groaned in pain but saw this as an opportunity to kill him.

"Kevin!!!"

The man shouted,

"I know!"

Kevin muttered with a grim expression, then suddenly,

Tak! Tak! Tak!

Yellow particles of light formed on his sword.

———Ting!———

In the blink of an eye, Kevin's sword was sheathed, and the sound of flesh being split apart sounded.

Spruck! Spruck! Spruck!

The assassin's body was separated into two and fell to the ground with a huge

Thud!

however, the knight that the assassin stabbed was also split apart, the same way as how the assassin died.

Kevin then knelt out of exhaustion while panting heavily.

He realized, Fighting a grandmaster at this level was very difficult, and he started to wonder if Romel was doing well. Because Romel is just a master that doesn't have someone to back him up.

He quickly glanced where Romel was fighting the grandmaster,

Only to see a man's head flying toward him.

Looking at the familiar lifeless eyes of the knight...

"..."

"Romel..."

Kevin's eyes widened in terror, as he felt a shiver going through his spine.

The assassin then shrugged his shoulder, as he knelt to rest for a bit.

"He was a tough one." the assassin then muttered nonchalantly and turned his head toward the direction of Valentina.

Realizing that the assassin's target is her, Kevin immediately dashed toward Valentina with his remaining strength, while the assassin was still taking a breather.

 

Next Update: Friday