Chapter 8 The Assassin's Den
Vaelith’s POV
The knife missed my throat by inches.
The assassin moved again instantly.
Vark shrieked beside me.
“MASTER HE TRYING TO KILL US!”
“I noticed!”
Another knife collided against my arm as I blocked it instinctively.
Much stronger than ordinary assassins.
The masked figure dashed forward again without hesitation, twin daggers flashing beneath the moonlight.
Their movements were clean. Precise.
Every strike aimed directly for vital points.
Neck. Heart. Eyes.
Whoever this person was… they genuinely wanted me dead.
I sidestepped another slash narrowly before grabbing the assassin’s wrist.
“You’re persistent.”
The assassin twisted sharply, slipping from my grip unnaturally fast before driving a blade toward my ribs. I blocked again.
CLANG!
The force pushed me backward slightly.
Even enhanced by the Dungeon Core, this body still wasn’t fully adapted to combat yet. The assassin clearly noticed.
Because the attacks became even more aggressive.
Three knives shot toward me simultaneously. I dodged the first.
Blocked the second. The third grazed my shoulder. A sharp sting spread across my skin immediately.
“…Annoying.”
The assassin didn’t answer. Not a single word since appearing.
Vark pointed angrily.
“MASTER! STAB THEM BACK!”
“I’m trying not to kill them!”
The goblin looked confused.
“Why?”
Because killing every stranger I met would become a problem eventually. I still needed allies. And judging from the assassin’s skill level, they clearly belonged to some organization.
Potentially useful.
The masked figure lunged toward me again. This time faster. The daggers spun beautifully through the air before aiming directly toward my throat.
I leaned backward slightly. The blade missed by centimeters. Then I grabbed the assassin’s arm again. Harder this time.
“You can stop now.”
The assassin’s eyes met mine briefly.
Cold. Murderous. Then suddenly, a hidden blade shot from beneath their sleeve toward my chest.
My expression darkened instantly.
This person really wasn’t holding back.
Fine. I twisted violently.
CRACK!
The assassin gasped sharply as I slammed them against a nearby tree.
The dagger dropped from their hand.
But instead of surrendering, they
immediately reached for another blade.
My eyes narrowed dangerously.
“…Seriously?”
The assassin attacked again. No hesitation. Straight for my throat.
Something inside me finally snapped.
Enough. I moved instantly.
Far faster than before.
I stepped past the incoming blade effortlessly. Grabbed the assassin’s wrist.
Then drove my hand directly into their chest.
Silence. The assassin froze completely.
Blood spilled slowly from beneath the mask. Their body trembled weakly before collapsing against me.
Vark gasped dramatically.
“MASTER WON!”
I stared down at the dying assassin silently.
“…You should’ve stopped.”
The assassin’s eyes slowly lost focus.
Then the body collapsed lifelessly onto the forest floor.
Vark immediately rushed forward excitedly.
“Food!”
“…That is not food.”
The goblin looked deeply offended.
“Everything food.”
I ignored him while staring at the corpse.
Something uncomfortable twisted inside my chest. I hadn’t wanted this outcome.
But the assassin never intended to let me walk away alive.
The system suddenly appeared before my eyes.
[Kill Confirmed]
[Low-Tier Mana Available For Absorption]
I frowned slightly.
“Absorption?”
The system immediately responded.
[Place Hand On Target]
[Absorb Residual Mana]
I hesitated briefly before crouching beside the corpse. Then slowly placed my hand against the assassin’s forehead.
The moment I did, crimson mana surged violently through my arm.
The body twitched once. Then glowing blue particles began flowing directly into me. A strange warmth spread through my chest instantly.
The system flickered repeatedly.
[Mana Absorbed]
[Minor Energy Restored]
[Memory Fragments Detected]
My eyes widened slightly..Memories flashed through my mind briefly.
A hidden camp..Masked figures training.
A woman wearing silver earrings.
Then… pain.
The connection abruptly ended.
I immediately pulled my hand away.
“…What was that?”
The system answered calmly.
[Residual Memories May Be Extracted During Mana Absorption]
That was disturbing.
Vark pointed at the corpse proudly.
“Master eat soul!”
“I did not eat a soul.”
“…Tiny soul?”
Before I could answer, every instinct inside me suddenly screamed danger. My head snapped upward instantly. Figures emerged silently from every direction.
Masked assassins surrounded us completely. At least twenty.
Vark panicked immediately.
“MASTER WE SURROUNDED!”
I slowly stood to my feet. Every assassin held weapons already aimed toward us.
One wrong movement and we’d become pincushions.
A tall assassin stepped forward slowly.
Then looked toward the corpse beside me.
The killing intent in the air became suffocating instantly.
“…This may look bad,” I admitted.
Several assassins immediately moved.
I reached for my mana instinctively, then something slammed violently into the back of my head.
CRACK!
Pain exploded through my skull. My vision blurred instantly. The last thing I saw before darkness consumed me… was Vark screaming.
“MASTER!”
I slowly opened my eyes and immediately regretted it. Bright light burned my vision.
I blinked several times before finally focusing. Tent ceiling. Wooden supports.
Ropes around my arms. I was tied to a chair.
Beside me, Vark hung upside down from another chair while struggling violently.
“MASTER AWAKE!”
“…Unfortunately.”
My head throbbed painfully.
Several masked assassins stood nearby watching us carefully.
One of them immediately punched me across the face. Pain shot through my jaw.
“Talk.”
I spat blood sideways.
“You people always this friendly?”
Another punch. Harder.
Vark gasped dramatically.
“MASTER FACE!”
“I’m aware!”
One assassin grabbed my hair roughly.
“Why did you kill him?”
“He attacked me first.”
A fist slammed into my stomach before I could finish speaking. I coughed sharply.
“Lies.”
“Actually true,” I muttered painfully.
Another hit. Honestly, these people were starting to annoy me.
Vark glared furiously despite being tied up.
“YOU UGLY HUMANS STOP HITTING MASTER!”
The entire tent went silent briefly. One assassin slowly turned toward the goblin.
“…Did the goblin just insult us?”
Vark puffed out his chest proudly.
“Yes.”
I closed my eyes briefly. We were definitely dying. One assassin immediately raised a dagger toward Vark.
“Wait,” I said sharply.
The assassin paused. I exhaled slowly.
“He’s harmless.”
Vark gasped dramatically.
“MASTER BETRAY ME!”
“Please stop talking.”
The tent flap suddenly opened.
Another masked assassin entered quickly.
“The boss wants to see the killer.”
Silence followed briefly. Then the assassin added coldly…
“She wants to see the killer now.”
So the leader was female.
The assassins untied me roughly before dragging me outside.
Dozens of masked assassins moved through the area silently while watching me carefully.
I was dragged toward a larger black tent near the center of the camp. Then shoved inside.
Candles illuminated the room softly.
Maps covered one side of the tent.
And sitting calmly in the center… was another masked assassin.
She slowly crossed one leg over the other.
Then gestured toward the chair opposite her.
“Sit.”
I remained standing.
“I’ve had enough chairs today.”
A knife suddenly flew past my face.
FWIP!
It embedded itself into the wall behind me.
I didn’t move. The masked assassin tilted her head slightly.
“…Interesting.”
Then slowly, she removed her mask.
I froze briefly.
Beautiful. Long dark hair spilled over her shoulders while sharp blue eyes studied me carefully. Her face was calm
. Cold.
Dangerously attractive.
Not what I expected from an assassin leader.
“Why am I here?”
The woman laughed softly. Amused.
Then she leaned forward slightly.
And finally answered.
“You killed one of us.”
