"Aahahahaha, you are our favorite VIP. Of course, we won't charge if it's not something important."
"I don't know but I think it is. Where do you keep Arkin?"
Temur watched Kim's face as he asked and he didn't see as much surprise as he thought. 'This man is good'
Kim frowned and said smoothly. "With the black axe of course. You should know this, you carried out the investigation yourself. Don't you see?"
Temur nodded along. "But we thought we should be careful and ask you as well while Jael deals with the Black Axe."
Kim's smile dimmed the more Temur spoke and now his face is a hardened mask as he stared at him. "Is this an attempt at a joke? Jael? To deal with the Black Axe? Have you finally lost your mind?"
Kim stood. "First, you came here, and I have to put on a smile for you disgusting fools; at least I was able to make some money from it, but now you think you are some special Iron rank that can take on the black axe by themselves?"
Temur also stood up and looked down at the man. "Maybe we are special Iron ranks. How else will anyone explain us wiping out the silent dagger and the black axe?"
Kim couldn't believe his ears. "You? A new Iron rank that hasn't even seen life in the Tower?" He was genuinely baffled, it's more than surprising.
He narrowed his eyes as he looked up at the dark eyes. This kind of boldness can only be a result of extreme stupidity, or did they have some kind of trick to pull? Then he blinked as he remembered something and he began to laugh.
".....ag! Do you think you can fight us because we sell you some poison? This is incredible," he clapped. "But you are forgetting something, I can't sell you a weapon that can be turned against me."
But Temur could; his sword flashed, and he was in front of one of the assassins in a flash. His sword shuddered and molded as he brought it down, the assassin was still confused as something hard and sharp entered his eyes and shattered his skull.
He felt a brief pain then permanent numbness.
Although the assassins can't use their power, they are still one of the strongest with the gang, the personal guard of Kim. They still have their training and bronze Awakener's body.
Maybe they can still....!!
Temur flung himself forward; his weapon already changed to a war axe. He swung, a sweeping strike that cut flesh like grass and bones cracking like dried twigs. "Have you forgotten? The difference between bronze and Iron?"
Kim shivered, his sweat chilled against his skin. 'How can this be? His guard suddenly regressed onze rank in the amount of power?' He checked himself internally, and his guess was right; he was now Iron rank!
He didn't know how it was done, but the only explanation was the mana-eating poison! How? Just how? His eyes shone with hatred as he watched Temur cut down his men like a practice dummy.
He raised his hand, and power gathered, 'I should use a sneak attack,' but he hesitated. Even as a silver rank, he knew he wasn't much; he's a common Codex holder, after all.
He's no warrior and likes to use people to achieve his goals. But now, the only thing to do is run! He turned, swiping away the large paper painting behind him, and revealed the concealed door that lay there.
Kim opened it with shaking hands but a black metal rope came out of nowhere and coiled around his neck. His gasp turned into choking as the rope jerked him back.
"Ah, Leader Kim. You still haven't answered my question."
The rope loosened and he gasped, vomiting pink foam as he coughed wetly. He looked up into the glaring eyes of Temur and he shuddered. "I surrender."