Timeless Assassin

(Planet Wu Tang, Su Yang's POV)

After graduating from the Rodova Military Academy, Su Yang enlisted with the Regal Mercenaries Guild, a group regarded as one of the strongest in recent years, their prestige soaring after they absorbed much of the elite talent left adrift by the collapse of the Black Serpents Guild.

For him, it was never meant to be a permanent path, only a year-long trial to temper himself in the brutality of real missions, to learn how the universe truly functioned outside the walls of academies and clan halls, before returning to the clan's fold as a more seasoned adult.

However, today, as he sat within the guild's mess hall surrounded by the rowdy clamor of warriors boasting of their kills and rattling their coin purses, he received an urgent message.

"Yang, this is an urgent letter for you," said the mail lady, handing him an envelope marked with the Su family's seal.

Su Yang cracked it open with a curious smirk.

"It has the family's seal… I wonder what it could be?" he muttered, expecting some formal request or tedious clan duty, only for his expression to darken as he read the words inside.

[Su Yang, return to Clan's Fold immediately.

The matter is urgent. Speak to no one, carry nothing, and leave at once.

Be careful. Trust no one.

-Patriarch,

Su Tang]

"Huh? Why has father recalled me so urgently?" he whispered, his lips twitching in mild confusion, as his heart skipped a beat.

'Is father sick?'

He wondered, as he immediately rose from his seat and began casually strolling out of the guild hall.

Once outside, his golden eyes glimmered faintly as he scanned his surroundings, while [Absolute Vision] expanded outward to cover every blind spot.

His steps appeared relaxed, but his entire body was alert, his senses stretched taut as bowstrings, as he made his way toward the hangar bay.

*Step* *Step*

He walked without hurry, yet fast enough to look busy.

However, it wasn't long before he felt it—

A faint disturbance in his blind spots, coupled with muffled sound of footsteps that weren't supposed to be there.

Someone was tailing him.

And although he had no idea why, since his father sent him such an ominous letter, he automatically assumed the worst and began running, as he took a sudden detour into a narrow street, in hopes of shaking his pursuers off.

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

The echo of pursuit behind him confirmed it.

There were indeed men trailing him, as he scanned their mana signatures to find out their tier.

'Three warriors… all Transcendents,' he realized grimly, his jaw tightening as his stride broke into an all out sprint.

The air rushed past him as his cloak whipped at his heels, the cobblestone beneath his boots striking with sharp rhythm.

His pursuers followed immediately, their aura leaking faintly now that they no longer cared to hide.

*Huff* *Huff*

For twenty minutes he ran, and for twenty minutes they followed, regardless of whether he weaved through alleys or markets, as despite running at his top speed, and taking several sharp turns, he still couldn't shake them off.

Then, suddenly, hope appeared for him in the form of two patrolling local officers in iron-gray armor, as he realized that they might be able to give him some temporary respite.

"Officers!"

He screamed, before stumbling in front of them, his chest rising and falling as sweat lined his brow.

*Huff* *Huff*

"May we help you, young man?" one of them asked, their eyes narrowing as they glanced at Su Yang, then past him.

Su Yang turned slightly, his golden gaze falling on his three pursuers, who had halted in uncanny synchronization, their attention suddenly fixed on a nearby wall and a merchant's display of trinkets, as they feigned the casual stance of innocent travelers.

Just as he had expected, none of them dared to act with two Transcendent patrol officers standing at his side, and hence he decided to make the most of the situation.

"Those men," Su Yang said coldly, pointing without hesitation, "I think they were trying to rob me."

*Step*

The three froze for a split second before darting off, their figures blurring as they bolted into the crowd.

"Hey! HEY! Stop right there!" one of the patrol officers roared, before instantly giving chase, their armored boots pounding against the stone as their voices carried over the din of the street.

Thankfully for Su Yang, it was all the distraction he needed to slip away.

Not wasting a breath, he melted back into the flow of shadows, slipping through the cracks of the cityscape with practiced ease, his steps swift and silent as he cut his way toward the hangar bay.

*Step* *Step* *Step*

Five minutes later, he arrived at his destination and wasted no time to find a departing craft.

"One ticket to Su Prime, please," he said curtly at the counter, his voice low as he pulled a makeshift hood over his golden hair, concealing the proud gleam of his appearance.

The clerk nodded, took his money and handed him a boarding slip, as within moments he joined the small queue for boarding.

He kept his head bowed, his aura subdued, his ears sharp as he scanned the crowd for signs of danger.

'What's going on? Why did the clan recall me so suddenly? And who were those men tailing me?' he wondered, his mind racing with questions as unease crawled down his spine.

But then the gates opened, and the passengers filed into the transport craft, the hiss of pressure seals locking behind them as the ship's interior lights flared to life.

*Vrrrm*

The hum of the engines vibrated through the hull, the familiar rhythm of departure settling into his chest.

'Finally… I should be safe now,' Su Yang thought as he allowed himself the faintest breath of relief, his body easing back against the seat, when suddenly—

*BZZZT*

*KABOOOM!*

The entire vessel erupted in a deafening blast, light and fire consuming the cabin in an instant, as the walls tore apart and metal screamed into shrapnel.

The force hurled Su Yang forward into a maelstrom of chaos, his last thought before the inferno swallowed his senses—

'What the fuck is going on?'