63 Chapter 63: Art-piece

"Who's there? Come out!" 

Usui shouted cautiously as he protected Hazel behind him.

Hazel was taken aback when he first moved towards her. She frowned as her eyes darted across the trees. 

She could sense two...three..five... no ten people approaching them. They were too close for them to escape. But, what troubled her was the pressure she was feeling, it just showed that there was someone else along with them.

Hazel looked at the broad back of the person who was desperately trying to protect her. She couldn't help but roll her eyes at his antics. 

'She slapped herself mentally as she cried out, 'Just why did she have to be in disguise?'

Nevertheless, she remained silent. She just had to hold the urge in, 'Keep it in! Don't slip up now, not when he is leaving soon.'

All these thoughts happened within a short minute. 

Feeling the sense of foreboding approach closer, she instinctively tugged at the back of his shirt in fear as her eyes drifted across the woods. Usui felt his shirt being pulled strongly, thinking that she was scared. He turned around and said, "Don't worry, I'm here. I will protect you.'

Hazel glanced at him as a face overlapped with him striking the exact words. Her eyes trembled slightly but she shook her head and smiled at Usui helplessly.

'Don't lose yourself, Hazel.'

Usui again misunderstood her when he saw her close to tears. He stretched his hand out intending to caress her cheeks when they heard a rustle.

Usui stopped his action in shock. He stared at his hand which involuntarily moved to caress her cheeks. But, he didn't give it any thought as he turned to face the intruders.

Usui saw ten people exited from the woods surrounding them in an instant. All of them draped in the same attire - fully black with a hood over their heads. They had a black mask covering their mouth and nose, gloves covering their hands, with small knives arranged around their waist and a sword sheathed on their back. 

Usui grimaced as he thought, 'Assasins.'

He moved closer to Hazel by instinct. He was worried about them catching them off-guard. Upon seeing them stop just meters away from them, Hazel's face darkened.

Her eyes shifted across each one of them and realized that the weakest among them was of rank 5 and the strongest being incapable of detecting. Her eyes zeroed on the middle guy whose cold eyes were on her from the start. Seeing her focus on him, he had an evil smirk on his face.

Her thoughts came back to the person protecting her. She wondered about how she would fight without throwing away her secret.

Usui focused on the middle guy who seemed to be the leader and asked frostily, "Who are you, people?"

The middle guy tilted his head and smirked, "I don't think you need to know about us."

Usui scoffed, " What made you think I will listen to your words?"

The middle guy snickered as he said, "We didn't. We were just warning you so that when we report back we could make it like you made us attack even though we gave you a way out."

Usui snorted. He was very clear on how these guilds worked. Even though it looked like they were giving you a way out, they would attack you once they finished off with their target. That was their way of excitement in their life. 

Usui unsheathed his sword and faced them as he backed away towards the pavilion.

He murmured as he moved backward with an eye on them, "Princess, Run away when you see a chance.

Hazel asked disgruntled by his words, "Huh? What?" 

Usui glanced at her with a grim smile, "Take this as my apology. I don't think they will leave without catching you. I can hold them back for a while, so use that chance to escape or hide somewhere far away."

Hazel's lips twitched hard when she heard him.

'Ha?! You want me to run? Do you take me as a spoiled princess who knows nothing other than dressing up? Who saved your ass last time, idiot?!!! '

She screamed in her mind but put a weak smile on the surface. She looked at him for a minute and nodded calmly, "Okay."

'Want to prove yourself? You sure can!! '

Usui stared at her for a second before he laughed softly, "Isn't this the moment where you should show concern for me?"

Hazel closed her eyes as she was trying hard to control her facial expression. She spoke aloofly, "Aren't you the one who asked me to run? Then why do you want me to waste my concern on you."

' Hypocritical bastard!!!!! '

His smile widened but in the next second, he grabbed her hand making her look at him. He tightened his hold on her and said seriously, "Be safe."

Hazel watched him turn to the enemies with her brows twitching in annoyance. She tapped her feet impatiently as she tried to control the anger within her.

The clashing of swords made her open her eyes. She observed the blue sword in his hands which emitted light each time it clashed. Usui focused his mana on the sword and the sword brightened. He swiped it against the three assassins who jumped up, dodging the attack.

The assassins drew out their knives midair and fired at him. Usui blocked a few of their strikes before dashing swiftly towards them. He arrived near one of the assassins in a split second.

He could see the assassin's eye widen slightly before the hilt of his sword hit its face, making the assassin crash against a tree.

Hazel's eyes widened admirably seeing him in action after his recovery. His sword skills were sharp, neat, and fast. She watched as he defeated two assassins within a minute. 

Her eyes narrowed when she saw the rest gang up on him, 'Did everyone think she was just an art piece?'

Usui handled all of them neatly. His moves were so fast that her eyes were unable to keep up with his attacks. She saw him getting a few scratches here and there but none too serious. But the same can't be said for his opponents. 

Many had broken arms, swollen faces, and some even laying unconscious on the ground. Her eyes wandered back to Usui and thought whether he had any weapon which was hiding his level from the rest.

Hazel's face soon darkened when she saw an assassin bring out a poisoned knife and attack him from behind.