344 - - The Night of the assassin

"So?　Are you going to apply?　I'll just tell them, even though they'll probably turn me down.

"Yes, please."

The room is minimally lit, further dimming the impression of a featureless man. He is in a residential area of Fast, in the Guild of Assassins, a place where he has a lot of things to do and consequently has been away from the guild for some time.

The room is still dark even with the use of night vision, and the outlines are not clear. Is it not because of my skill, but because the background walls, fittings, and clothes are all in the same tone?　

My title, [Eye of Verus], detects deception, concealment, and falsehood. The title works because the man who opened the door for me and the people who stay in the shadows look different when I look at them. But John Doe in front of him remains featureless. Now that the room has been cleared out and it is just John Doe and myself, I can't check it again, but it must be working.

Hmm?　I don't think this face is real. Come to think of it, Peter also disguised his hair color as black in case he was detected. Is it something other than deception, concealment, or deception?　Maybe he simply has a high skill level or an eye.

Something black disappears from John Doe's hand. What is it?　I'll ask Peter later.

"Well. I'm almost sure he'll say no, but before that, there's no guarantee when he'll respond."

John Doe flutters his hand with the same expression on his face.

His face is as emotionless as ever. I'm not wearing a mask, but I'm wearing a hand-me-down from Peter's gear and I'm a ninja. No, well, maybe I'm just used to Gentiles (players) dressing funny... No, wait, it was so familiar that it didn't seem strange to me, but is Peter's outfit strange in this fake Europe?

"Well, if they say no, it's smart to give up. Assassins can't complain about being killed if they run into each other at work. --You're a lucky man, aren't you?

John Doe's finger moves and a window opens.

I see, that black thing is John Doe's e-mail. I remember that Verna sent me a butterfly, and the positioning of the resident's e-mail was a whisper of a spirit or something like that.

"Hey ....... No, I'm not prying into <>.

John Doe leans forward, stops, and leans back in his chair.

Mr. Peter, your ironclad poker face is about to collapse, what kind of work do you usually do?　The reason this place was cleared of people is because <> are involved, right?　

This won't be exposed by me, will it?　I'm sure John Doe will be fine, but I'm a little worried. I am a little relieved when I remember that I used to be unaware of the guild before I joined it.

--Come to think of it, John Doe has seen right through me. He must have some kind of [eye] skill or title. Probably related to the gods.

I get a work order form and go outside. It is night outside, but the darkness is thicker inside the assassins' guild.

As soon as I step outside, Peter invites me to a party. He is a black-haired work version with a fox mask. The fox mask was made by Kuzunoha with the right materials. The fox masks have a [recognition blocking] function, so I should wear one now that I've joined the party. I asked Peter to wait outside, since I could only accept jobs in the assassin's guild solo.

"Did you get it?"

"I got it. I feel like I'm being doubly match-pumped."

Match pumping, a method or act of self-staging. Recently, I learned that it is to light a fire with a match and extinguish it with water from one's own pump.

"Let's get to cleaning up, shall we?"

Peter smiles briskly. Cleaning up equals assassination.

Tonight is assassination night for those who want to buy the house Roy and his friends are buying across the street from the general store. By the way, the client is anonymous, but it's Ochazuke. <

To request a nomination, reply to the mail sent by the guild or select the quest from the menu. The same is true for adventurers' guilds and production guilds, but usually, after receiving a request, there is a process of going to talk to the client directly. In the case of assassination requests, there is no such process, and the work is done without seeing each other.

I saw Peter at the corner of the street and knocked on the door of the assassin's guild right after he received the request so that other players would not receive it. Since they are waiting for each other, it is only natural that they respond quickly and that they receive a reply of permission.

The destination is the store and workshop of the former across the street from the . Our entry route is through the roof, but the tiles have fallen.

"This place is more shabby than I thought."

It's nice and easy to get inside the building, but I didn't expect the back side to be so damaged.

"I was told that the destroyed player's base will be destroyed even in the correct timeline, just as items used during the event will not be returned," he said. I heard it's a gradual process because the event "never happened" for the residents.

"By the way, I think Roy and his friends were saying that it costs money to repair their base: ......"

< side. I see...it is broken from the direction where it was exposed to the yellow dragon's breath brought out by the black lilies.

"I heard it's cheaper than the usual restoration, but it's a lot of work..."

Peter says in a tone of voice that does not sound like much work at all.

He is a little far away, but he puts his fox mask back on and braces himself for the presence of others.

Peter: You're going to be a great ninja!

Homura: I like the equipment you gave me.

The good thing about drop goods is that some of them can be equipped regardless of the size of the character. Peter has got a higher rank of ninja-specific equipment.

Homura: Is this an abandoned house expedition?

Peter: It's rougher than the last time I was here.

Homura: Leo seems to like exploring abandoned houses.

Peter: Please don't invite me, I won't be able to do my job.

Certainly when Leo mixes it up, it goes in the other direction. Leo is supposed to be a ninja, too: .......

Peter: Sometimes there are guards on patrol, so be careful.

Homura: Yes, yes!

During the transitional period when the area was transformed from a slum to a commercial district for gentiles, there were many patrols of vacant houses. < and attack them. I am sorry for this, so I sometimes bring in some food to the guard station.

Now that we are inside the building, we switch conversation. Some of the walls are beginning to crumble, and there are places where you can almost step through the floor. Or rather, there is a visitor who has stepped through.

Homura: If you're using this house, why don't you pay to fix it up? You just use the place and don't pay for it.

Peter: You have to be the owner of the place!

Homura: That's true.

Peter: I've used it a lot as a hunting ground, so I'll donate a little to Roy and his friends.

Homura: I heard they are going to clear the land once?

Peter: If it breaks down this much, why don't we just let it fall apart cleanly and save on demolition fees?　

Homura: Speaking of which, how do you determine the time?

Peter: It's time for your knight to take a bath!

Homura: What?

How did you know what time to take a bath?　Cal's chase!　No, but--

Homura: I don't think the bath is physically visible from here: ......

Peter: Phew!　

Two black ninjas creep noiselessly toward the shadows moving silently by the window. I am dressed in black, but my hair is still white. My fox mask and [Utsuroshin] are very active. I haven't done much for the Assassins' Guild, but I have [transport], so it's not hard for me to move without making a sound.

But it seems that during the events of the large-scale battles, he has been killing residents and gentiles, and his achievements as an assassin have been increasing without his being aware of it. During the event, I was not counted as having assassinated , and I did not have any titles or guild skills, but my achievements were outstanding.

I was completely unaware of the assassination achievement until I went to the assassin's guild a while ago. I mean, was it an assassination? .......

Before I get to the room I want to go to, I sink one of the prowlers who was walking around. As I get closer, I hear a low rumbling, as if crawling on the ground, which makes me feel restless.

Homura: How many are there?

Peter: A lot of people whispering, it's quite horrifying, isn't it?

"This place is ......."

"Here's an angle from here: ......"

"Master Blue Knight's room: ......!"

"Oh, that edge of the glass!"

"Mr. Lengard's room has no light.

"The rumors that have been circulating are definitely a trap, just a trap!"

"If there's a 0.001% chance I'd like to see a knight in hot water."

A lot of people are swarming to the window, who look like they are loud and excited at maximum whispering. What are those wall-to-wall skills?　A gecko?　Literally, black shadows are shimmering around the windows from above and below. I'm afraid the whole wall is going to slam into the street.

Homura: You don't mind if we tear this building down, do you?

Peter: Please feel free to w

Homura: <>

Peter: Hey!

Smile and wipe out .

Peter: What if there are guards?

Homura: Ah.

Peter's words stop the meteor rain. --Too late!

I and Peter are floating on the rubble with the magic I cast on us. The crumbling wall that rattles and crackles, the floor that is clean through and piled with debris and no shadow.

Homura: Well, I stopped early. .......

Peter: Two N! They're buried somewhere around the www.

Homura: .......

Peter points to a spot where a piece of crumbling debris has been moved.

Homura: Oh, there's Roy.

They move the debris out of the way and find Roy pinned under two guards in armor.

Peter: Ah. Did you pick up on the rumor and bring the guards with you?

Homura: Too much bean

Peter: a person who lost a battle by being wound up on the World Wide Web.

I'm sorry, I didn't do it on purpose. I just poured out a lot of revival medicine I got at the casino.

"Ugh. ......"

The two guards and Roy cringe as their wounds disappear cleanly.

Homura: Okay, that's settled!

Peter: awww, that's too rough.