The fiery explosion from the downed helicopter seemed to signal the man in the red demon mask to act. He rushed towards Daniel, blade still sheathed. As he entered Daniel's range, a flash of light erupted.
Clank! Slash!
But instead of the expected sound of flesh being cut, the assailant's blade was parried, and his right hand's tendons were severed.
The man showed no sign of pain, not even a grunt. He quickly switched the blade to his left hand as it fell, but the moment his left hand touched the hilt, another flash of the saber severed those tendons as well.
[Level 2: Player gains First Strike. Heals 2 points each time the controller of this card deals damage]
Unfazed, the man in the red demon mask stomped on the ground, attempting to retreat. However, Daniel was determined to capture him, suspecting he was the leader of the operation. He aimed for the assailant's feet and severed them.
With a wave of blade, Blood splattered as the man's feet were cut off, but he showed no pain. Using his stumps, he pushed himself backward, propelling his body off the highway and away from the barrier with enough force to land in the river below.
Daniel sprinted to the barrier and looked down, but the man had vanished into the river with a splash. Following him in the darkness was impossible, and his family still needed transportation, while Kim Yuna required medical attention. He turned back to his family.
"Is everyone alright?" Daniel asked. He saw that Envy had already tended to Kim Yuna and the driver, who were now asleep.
Envy nodded, and Koyuki watched over little Sylvana, who slept in her lap. At that moment, Mammon returned, carrying a black plastic bag that floated behind him. He placed it in front of Daniel, who opened it to reveal several heads inside. Daniel nodded at Mammon and tossed him a box containing Chromatic Philosopher's Stones.
"I'll owe you twenty Chromatic Philosopher's Stones. Just wait until I return to Sector Alpha City, and I'll pay you in full" Daniel said.
"Oh? I'll have you know that I want an 80% interest rate," Mammon declared, feeling a sense of superiority over Daniel for the first time since he got his ass handed by Daniel.
Daniel glared at Mammon. "Don't push your luck too much, or I'll have you on a diet."
Mammon said nothing, simply shrugged, and returned to his cage, resuming his act as a normal iguana munching on his half eaten banana.
Daniel checked for the nearest Whispering Hall information hub and found a branch in Seoul. He immediately called Albert. After a few rings, the call connected.
"My Lord, how may I help you?" Albert's voice answered from the other end.
"Can you send a VTOL from your nearest information hub in Seoul to pick us up? I don't know when the enemy's bounded field will disappear," Daniel requested.
"I'm already here, my lord," Albert replied.
Kim Yuna was currently resting in the VTOL's private infirmary, while the driver was recovering in the public area. Both of their legs had been reattached and were healing. Thankfully, Envy had cast healing spells to prevent infection, making the medic's job easier.
Patriarch Kim looked at his granddaughter with eyes filled with love and worry. He gently stroked her hair and let out a sigh.
"It's fortunate that it's only her leg," he said, as if trying to alleviate his sadness and frustration. "Even if she can't use the Kim family's sword arts anymore, it's a relief that she survived this ordeal."
He then turned to Daniel. "So... who are they, Mr. Emberweave?"
"That's what my people are currently trying to find out. Albert?" Daniel deferred to Albert, knowing his expertise in gathering information.
Albert nodded and stepped forward, consulting his tablet. "We are currently interrogating them, and we now know they are from the Mara Society."
"Mara Society!?" the Patriarch repeated, surprise and a hint of killing intent in his voice.
"Do you know who they are, Patriarch?" Daniel asked.
"They are an assassin group that appeared about seventeen years ago," the Patriarch explained. "I remember them well because they suddenly grew more powerful after my middle son's death. Worse, they seem to use the same blade arts as our family, but their techniques are more ruthless.
They use the pain they receive from their enemies to amplify their slashes, channeling their enmity to kill their targets." He paused before continuing.
"They have the same swift draw technique as us, but theirs can't cut steel like ours. However, even if they don't get attacked by their target, they can still kill them if the target is weaker or less skilled."
At this time, Albert tilted his head as he looked at the tablet in his hand. "There is another interesting point that we found about them, My lord."
"Tell us" siad Daniel.
"It appears they were all equipped with failsafe mechanisms to prevent interrogation and capture," Albert explained. "We discovered poison capsules in their lower molars. Additionally, we found magical insignias on their bodies that would trigger a self-poisoning spell if certain conditions weren't met.
However, neither of these failsafes worked, as their bodies had been pre-treated with an antidote, and the insignias malfunctioned for some reason."
"Are you suggesting that someone wanted us to capture them?" Daniel inquired.
"Yes, my lord," Albert confirmed.
"Continue your work, Albert. I expect a full report on what you can uncover about them by morning. Additionally, I'm giving you three days to locate their headquarters and seven days to find all their hideouts and safe houses. I've tolerated these people long enough. It's time they learned not to bare their fangs at us. They will serve as an example," Daniel said coldly.
"As you wish, My lord." Daniel bowed with reverence, his body shaking with excitement.