Chapter 6: The Night of Hunting (2)

Chapter 6: The Night of Hunting (2)

"A surprise attack...!"

Thunk!

Before he could complete his exclamation, a dagger found its home in the mouth of the knight.

"What are you vile creatures doing... cough!"

Soon, the weapons of the assassins inevitably cut short the lives of the knights in tow.

And so, the assassins, having swiftly dispatched three knights in the Chimseong Palace, emerged from the shadows, casually shoving the bodies aside.

In contradiction to their reputation as solitary operators, the assassins also enjoyed forming groups to effectively snuff out their adversaries.

"Did they anticipate our arrival?"

Assassin Number 18 mused, his gaze resting on the metallic plates affixed to the throats and hearts of the fallen knights.

Moreover, the number of knights on night duty was double their intel, and they were patrolling in trios rather than pairs.

Even with meticulous preparation for the initial attack, this was an odd scenario. It appeared as if they knew an attack was imminent.

"It's a surprise attack!"

"Gather and be on guard!"

Already, the palace was alive with warning cries.

'But nothing changes.'

The original plan had been to eliminate all life within the palace.

And they possessed the might to do so.

Even though it was late for an assassination, all they needed was to fulfill their objective.

'If we begin from the lower ranks and erase upward... hmm?'

While contemplating this, a question flickered in the eyes of Assassin Number 18.

His original team consisted of seven members, excluding himself.

But he only counted six.

"Where did one disappear? Solo action was strictly forbidden..."

Then.

Sssss-

A sinister sound, akin to a serpent slithering on the ground, reached Number 18's ears.

As Number 18 and the other assassins involuntarily turned towards the noise.

Thunk!

A noise resembling something shattering echoed from the exact opposite direction.

Once more, Assassin Number 18 swiveled his head towards the sound.

"....!"

The sight of a beheaded assassin, collapsing, filled his vision.

"What is happening...!"

The assassins' eyes were filled with confusion.

However, their confusion didn't last long.

Number 18, quickly deciphering the situation, instructed the remaining assassins.

"Halt your advances, keep watch around."

In the face of an invisible adversary, to continue was the same as suicide.

They closed their ranks, covering each other's blind spots.

The assassins quickly formed a protective formation, seemingly well versed in such a tactic.

With that, silence began.

Yet within this silence was a palpable tension.

The unseen enemy had managed to assassinate two of them, unnoticed.

A momentary lapse in concentration could result in immediate death.

'There are no blind spots in our vision. At this rate, we shouldn't lose any more members... huh?'

Something peculiar caught Number 18's eye.

Darkness.

At the corner of his vision, the darkness was shaking oddly.

As if it were sentient.

Despite his familiarity with darkness, this was a form of darkness he had never witnessed before.

As Number 18 was entranced by this strange darkness.

It appeared to ripple with laughter.

Absurd as it seemed, it was the only fitting description.

The moment Number 18 felt a chill run down his spine at this spectacle,

Crack!

A peculiar noise echoed from behind.

Sensing impending danger, Number 18 swiftly turned his head to see,

Crumble!

But.

Clang!

The assassins squaring off against Priscilla were formidable adversaries. They seemed to be the cream of the crop among those who had infiltrated the Chimseong Palace that day, holding their ground against her onslaught.

In fact, they were beginning to gain the upper hand.

"Arrgh!"

A cry of pain tore through Priscilla’s lips as the relentless attacks found their way through her magic.

The accumulating injuries were taking their toll.

And then.

"You...!"

Just as an assassin broke through her protective magic, poised to plunge his sword into her heart, Zion acted.

A single step.

He moved between Priscilla and the assassin, his hand extending forward.

Swoosh!

The trajectory of the assassin’s blade was diverted, guided by the Black Star pulsating in Zion’s hand.

He seized the moment.

Crash!

In a blink, the assassin’s heart was obliterated.

"Who...?"

Priscilla watched, her eyes filled with questions.

Before the lifeless body of the assassin whose heart Zion had crushed could hit the ground, Zion was already a shadow dashing towards the remaining assassins.

Crash, crash, crash!

Each move took a life.

There was no evading or resisting him.

This was not a battle anymore.

It was a massacre.

'What a disaster.'

Observing from the sidelines, Number 4 frowned at the bloodshed, a sinking feeling taking root.

Even the formidable mage had not seen this coming.

The enigmatic figure, however, wreaking havoc amongst the assassins - boasting superior skills and shrouded in an unidentifiable power - was indeed the root of this failure.

He must have efficiently eliminated all the assassins infiltrating other parts of the palace.

'Who could have anticipated such a presence in the Chimseong Palace, a place we had assumed was deserted.'

An unforeseen factor.

A substantial enough factor to single-handedly overturn the situation.

Step, step.

Just as Number 4, who was observing Zion striding towards him after dispatching all the assassins, prepared to surrender.

Whoosh!

He hurled himself towards the window behind him, not towards Zion.

He opted for flight over fight.

“.......”

Zion did not pursue Number 4, but rather dispelled the Black Star enveloping him.

"Zion... The Prince?"

A voice, filled with disbelief, came from Priscilla as she recognized Zion, but he offered no response.

His gaze was fixed on the rapidly receding Number 4, and the black thread extending from his fingertips trailing behind him.

Soul Thread.

This ethereal strand, visible only to Zion, was one of the techniques of the Black Star. Once linked, it allowed him to track the target within a certain radius.

The Soul Thread would lead him straight to their lair.

'I will be there soon.'

From the moment he became conscious of his surroundings, Zion had never allowed those who targeted him to live.

If a hundred set their sights on him, he would annihilate a thousand. If a thousand targeted him, he would decimate ten thousand.

Thoroughly, leaving no room for unexpected variables.

This instance was no exception.

Within Zion's eyes spun a single black star, its languid glow resonating.

It was an indication that the Black Star had finally transitioned to its first stage.

***

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