Emperor Slayer (2)
'These guys are loaded, huh?'
The thieves' guild I actually saw was way different from what I'd imagined. I'd thought it had real hideout vibes when I had to trek through the sewers to find the secret entrance. But nope—once I got inside, the place was underground, sure, but way too bright. They'd hung expensive magic lanterns everywhere like Christmas decorations. And the guild headquarters? Built like some rich tycoon's mansion, all flashy and over-the-top. A letdown if you were expecting minimalist aesthetics or functional beauty.
The people were just as disappointing. Out front was this big open hall packed with uncles sprawled on the floor, passed out drunk after chugging at the tables. Hold up—one of those thief bastards was fat as hell. The guy could barely walk a corridor without his footsteps waking the whole house.
"New face. Who're you?"
No guards at the entrance. It wasn't until I reached the middle of the hall that some guy finally approached. At least this one seemed to have his head on straight. Though his breath reeked of booze, same as the rest.
I just threw it out there straight. "Heard you got the Rogue Master's Legacy here?"
If they got suspicious and stashed it away, my ring could track it anyway. Best to speed things up.
"A challenger, huh."
The guy scanned me from head to toe, then jerked his thumb toward the building. Not much to see with my robe pulled low, as usual.
"Talk to the front desk on the first floor."
……I'm here for the legacy, and they send me to the guild desk?
I followed his directions and stepped into the mansion-like HQ, finding the first-floor reception.
"Welcome! How can I help you?"
A total knockout with a perky voice greeted me—like she was pulling a decent salary. Felt less like a secret underground thieves' den and more like I'd wandered into a bank or department store in some ritzy neighborhood.
"Here? This is where the Rogue Master's Legacy is?"
Something felt off. Like I was on some hidden camera prank.
"Want to challenge for the Rogue Master's Legacy? Entry fee's 10 gold!"
"……."
What the actual fuck? 10 gold was a fortune for commoners, sure. But you could really challenge for that with pocket change?
I pulled some gold coins from my inventory—my shadow pouch—and handed them over. The receptionist immediately rang a bell on the desk, like we were in some bar hitting the golden bell for a prize.
"Thieves' guild! We have a new challenger!"
"No way, for real?!"
"Another idiot dumping 10 gold into the guild."
"That's a year's living expenses for a family of four commoners!"
"Dream in your bed, folks! Dreaming in reality ruins your life!"
Sneering thieves, every one of 'em. Meanwhile, the receptionist hauled out five boxes and set them on the counter.
"First trial: Lockpicking! Unlock all five of these guild-tradition locks in three minutes to earn the right to the next stage! Ready?"
Small box to bigger ones. Locks getting more complex. But for a pro thief like me—who'd cracked noble safes left and right—this was child's play. I finished before half the sand in the hourglass had fallen.
"Unbelievable! The challenger cleared all the locks in under half the time!"
"What's next?"
"Next trial: Throwing contest against the guild master!"
After a quick prep, we headed to the open hall out front for the showdown.
"Throw 10 daggers at the target—the higher score wins!"
Is this a theme park? I figured it'd be some cowboy duel, last man standing after trading blades. Not a carnival shooting gallery.
"Only one's passed the first stage in five years."
The guild master was a redhead with her hair tied back and a long scar across her forehead. Her cocky expression kinda ruined by the drool stain on her mouth—she'd clearly been napping until the receptionist woke her ass up.
"Begin the match!"
And we were off. She tossed her first dagger, nailing a casual 10 points. Targets marked 1 to 10, 10 being perfect.
That all she got?
I threw mine. No traps or bullshit—easy 10.
This ridiculous matchup? What if we both hit 100? Maybe "passing" just meant winning, and she always scored perfect to block everyone. Fine, then I'd make sure she didn't.
When she went for her second toss, I flung mine to knock hers aside. Mine kept flying, hitting her target's 10.
"Your throwing sucks!"
"Mana-controlling daggers is cheating!"
"Jealous? Do it yourself!"
Daggers weren't drones—you couldn't steer 'em after release, so second thrower had the edge. We played mind games, refusing to go first.
"Gap!"
But catching up to an early throw wasn't easy. She managed 7 daggers for 55 points; I threw all 10 for a clean 100. Clear win, no contest.
"Dirty!"
"Thanks for the compliment."
With the second trial done, the receptionist showed up with a wooden box.
"Final trial: Can you earn the legacy's approval?"
The box opened, revealing another piece of the Rogue Master's Legacy: sleek black leather longboots. Yeah, I remembered—the past Rogue Master in my visions wore boots like those when I got Blacksmith and Throw. Another legacy item.
"Put on the boots, please!"
"That's the trial?"
"Yes!"
What kind of trial was this? I kicked off one shoe and slipped into the legacy boot. Fit like it was waiting for me. Then the other. Perfect.
"Trial starting now?"
"Impossible! A new owner of the Rogue Master's Legacy has appeared!"
"What? The trial?"
"Legs thin and long enough for these boots—that was the third trial!"
What the hell. "Then why the first two?"
"Too many challengers for just the third—guild ops ground to a halt."
So the first two were fake trials to thin the herd?
"Those boots wouldn't fit my arm. And her leg went in?"
"What happens to the current guild master if a new Rogue Master rises? Fired?"
"Everyone, big applause for the birth of our new Rogue Master!"
Clap clap clap clap clap.
Dozens of drunken, partying thieves erupted in applause.
"This is ridiculous."
Cinderella's glass slipper or what?
Rogue Master's Legacy - Equipped Stealth.
Shadow Walk
Whatever—ridiculous acquisition aside, the Rogue Master's Legacy hooked me up with an insane skill.
Shadow Walk?
Usage examples flooded my head. Simple terms: turn your 3D body into a 2D shadow. Activate, and your volume vanishes—you become a literal shadow, slipping past attacks, hiding, and moving freely.
This is broken as hell.
Not a learned skill but gear-bound, so no levels. Way more practical than those low-level job skills with meh effects.
With this, I could assassinate the emperor right now.
Tempting to test it, but too many eyes. No need to advertise. Time to bail.
"Master! Lead our guild!"
Suddenly, the thieves' guild master was pledging loyalty.
"Why?"
"You're the one and only Rogue Master approved by the legacy."
This novel had zero Rogues, let alone a Master. But they had their own dreams and idols, apparently.
"Nah. Handle your own rice bowls."
I was already swamped running one orphanage. No interest in babysitting grown-ass adults.
"Master!"
I hit Stealth and Clone at once, sending decoys opposite ways. No one knew my skills—they'd never catch up.
Sure enough, I slipped out undetected.
Got everything I needed. Tomorrow night, the emperor dies.