Chapter 176: Where Did She Go?
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 176: Where Did She Go?
"This commotion... it looks like Dim Snake Eye. It’s alright, Nimo. I can handle him..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Nimo’s figure suddenly bolted past her.
"Nimo!"
Ivy didn't even have time to stop him before his silhouette dissolved into the encroaching shadows.
Watching the direction Nimo had charged, Ivy stomped her foot in frustration.
"Honestly! Why won't that guy listen to me at a time like this? Doesn't he know how terrifying it is to get separated within the Dim Kingdom!"
She clenched her small fists, her gaze fixed intently on the spot where Nimo had vanished.
"Next time I get the chance, I’m definitely writing both of you into my book!"
As she spoke, Ivy slowly relaxed her grip.
...
"Cough... Where is this?"
Kairos opened his eyes to find himself in a murky Shadow World.
"Shadow Power? No, this level of shadow control shouldn't be possible within the Academy."
He looked around warily, then turned his gaze to the side.
"Um... we might have been ambushed."
His words came to an abrupt halt.
The white-haired loli who had been standing right next to him was gone. Only Gamie and Little Gamie remained.
"Uh... where is she?"
Faced with Kairos’s question, Gamie thought back for a moment.
"Hmm... Sister Xiaobai said she found an interesting place, then she dove into the shadows beneath her feet and disappeared."
"Huh?"
Kairos was utterly bewildered.
"She dove into the shadows... and disappeared?"
If that was the case, didn't it mean she also possessed Shadow Power? Could the current situation have something to do with her?
For a moment, Kairos didn't know how to process what was happening.
Seeing the anxiety surfacing on Kairos’s face, Little Gamie leaned in.
"Brother Kairos... are you scared? Don't worry, even if Sister Xiaobai isn't here, we can protect you!"
Kairos shook his head at Little Gamie’s promise.
"Forget it. I don't need you two worrying about me."
Being protected by two little girls... he felt like he’d lose too much face.
"Alright then. Since you're fine, we’ll go look around elsewhere. Come on, Gamie, let’s see if we can find Sister Xiaobai."
With that, Gamie pulled Little Gamie away, leaving Kairos standing there alone in the middle of the chaos.
"They... they just left?"
For a split second, Kairos felt a pang of regret. But since he had already spoken, he wasn't going to take it back now.
Kairos surveyed his surroundings, his thoughts gradually cooling.
"If I remember correctly, Professor Ivy mentioned this kind of scenario. It’s called the Dim Kingdom. Supposedly, only the leader of the Assassin Association, Dim Snake Eye, has mastered it..."
Kairos remembered Ivy’s past teachings exceptionally well.
If his memory served him, the defining characteristic of the Dim Kingdom was the inversion of the surrounding physical space with the Shadow World, followed by the empowerment of everything within that shadow realm.
Essentially, it dragged the targets from the real world into the world of shadows. The original physical area remained unaffected; people there wouldn't even realize someone had activated a skill.
"Is the Shadow Faction really this persistent? To kill me, they actually brought in Dim Snake Eye..."
Kairos watched his surroundings with vigilance, slowly drawing a Silver Greatsword.
A second later, several Shadow Puppets manifested around Kairos, surrounding him completely.
Looking at these puppets, Ivy’s explanation of the Dim Kingdom resurfaced in his mind.
“These Shadow Puppets correspond to the shadows of people in the real world. As long as the person in the real world is alive, these puppets cannot be truly destroyed; they can only be temporarily dispersed...”
Thinking of this, Kairos identified the weakest point in their formation and charged forward with his Silver Greatsword.
BOOM!
Accompanied by a massive explosion of flames, Kairos successfully broke through the encirclement. Within moments, he had put a significant distance between himself and the Shadow Puppets.
Seeing them continuing to pursue him, Kairos stomped his foot. A breeze swirled beneath him, lifting him into the air.
Whoosh!
In short order, Kairos had left the pursuing puppets far behind.
"I’m not sure how to break the Dim Kingdom... Professor Ivy never explained that part. If all else fails, I’ll have to pin my hopes on Bai."
As Kairos was thinking mid-air, a massive roar erupted nearby.
RUMBLE!!!
The massive shockwave disrupted Kairos’s flight, forcing him to stop.
"More Shadow Puppets? No, they don't use explosions like that."
Once Kairos landed, he saw the scene below. Over a dozen massive Shadow Puppets had formed a perimeter, trapping someone inside.
Kairos recognized the person instantly.
"Nimo!?"
Kairos froze. He hadn't expected Nimo to appear here.
"Did he come here just to find me?"
Without hesitation, Kairos hurled the Silver Greatsword. The blade transformed into a whirlwind, instantly dispersing half of the Shadow Puppets.
Seeing a temporary gap in the encirclement, Nimo quickly scrambled out.
"Kairos! You really are here!"
Upon seeing Kairos, Nimo rushed to his side.
"Are you okay? This place is dangerous; we need to find a way out."
In response to Nimo’s concern, Kairos caught the returning Silver Greatsword and nodded.
"I’m fine. By the way, didn't Professor Ivy come with you?"
Nimo looked a bit embarrassed at the question.
"Professor Ivy... I think I forgot to bring her in with me. But knowing her, she should be arriving soon."
Nimo then asked, "Anyway, what happened while you were gone? Was the Shadow Faction persecuting you?"
Kairos coughed. "Cough... you could say that."
As they spoke, the massive Shadow Puppets began to rise from the ground again. Simultaneously, an even more gargantuan Shadow Puppet appeared in the center of the battlefield.
[Shadow Puppet - Dim Snake Eye Lv.105]
"It seems both of Ivy’s students are gathered here."
Dim Snake Eye’s voice echoed from all directions.
"It’s a pity I can't seem to lock onto her location. But since both her students are in my hands, I doubt I’ll have trouble finding her."
As he spoke, Dim Snake Eye and his horde of puppets began to close in.
Facing the ten-meter-tall Dim Snake Eye, Kairos raised his Silver Greatsword, holding it across his chest.
"So, your goal is Professor Ivy?"
Dim Snake Eye chuckled. "Indeed. Why? Do you want to play the hero for your little teacher?"
His voice was dripping with mockery.
"You couldn't even beat the tenth-ranked assassin in the Association. It’s truly pathet—"
Before he could finish, a storm swirling with seven elements exploded from Kairos, forcibly cutting off Dim Snake Eye’s words.
Dim Snake Eye was stunned by the sight.
"H-How many?"
Seven?
Before he could even react, the seven elements surrounding Kairos began to coil around the Silver Greatsword.
Wind, Fire, Lightning, Water, Earth, Wood, Ice.
Then, two brand-new elements emerged from Kairos’s body.
Light.
And the superior element of the Shadow Faction—Darkness.
Nine Elements swirled around the blade of Kairos’s sword, radiating a terrifying pressure.
Beside him, Nimo was at a loss for words.
"Kairos... you broke through again?"