Chapter 25
Chapter 25
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 25
Chapter Title: Chapter 5: Grabbing the Tail (1)
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The leader of the Blood Sword Unit, Zard, ground his teeth.
His face was covered by a mask, so no one else could see his expression, but that didn't stop the rage boiling up inside him.
"-My disappointment is immense, Leader.-"
The man displayed on the semi-transparent screen, Baldemar von Rustal, showed no interest in his counterpart's feelings.
He simply spat out what he wanted to say, a sinister smile on his lips.
"-The Blood Sword Unit is one of the top assassination organizations in the Alteria Empire. And yet, you couldn't even handle a single terminally ill patient.-"
"Your eyes must be for decoration, Baldemar von Rustal. A 7th Circle powerhouse just looks like a patient to you?"
Zard shot back in a cold tone.
News had spread quickly that Martin had reached the 7th Circle and held his own against Vincent von Eglite, an 8th Circle master.
The nobles of the Alteria Empire were genuinely thrown into panic by the unexpected report.
After the sudden death of the previous family head, everyone had assumed House Adalbert was finished.
But what was this?
Martin hadn't just awakened his unique ability—he had demonstrated strength that would make him a fitting family head right then and there.
The nobles who had dismissed him were left stomping their feet in frustration.
Zard, who had tried to assassinate him, felt an immense sense of crisis.
"If you'd given us accurate information from the start, we would've handled it differently. Yet you're shoving the blame onto us? There's a limit to shamelessness."
"-I'll admit we failed to properly verify the young master's strength. But since when do assassination groups move based solely on client intel? Isn't gathering your own information standard procedure?-"
Baldemar smirked obnoxiously.
Zard imagined tearing him apart right there, but it was just a fantasy—he couldn't say a word.
"-Whatever the reason, the fact is the Blood Sword Unit failed the contract. You have two choices: pay the penalty fee, or continue the mission. Your call.-"
"......"
Zard couldn't respond immediately.
The Blood Sword Unit had always succeeded in every assassination.
Their infamy, built on that record, was what allowed them to rule the shadows. Backing down now would shake the organization's prestige.
But continuing to target Martin was no easy task.
The 7th Circle was a realm acknowledged as that of true powerhouses on the Krasian Continent, with only about a hundred such individuals in the entire empire.
And Martin had reached that absurd height at just eighteen.
To take him down would require throwing everything the Blood Sword Unit had at him.
That alone was dire, but an even bigger problem remained.
'He's not alone anymore.'
Until recently, Martin had been nothing but a powerless invalid.
On top of that, living on borrowed time.
But now? Things were different.
He was the young master of House Adalbert, a position no one could deny.
Even with opposition from branch family heads and elders like Baldemar in front of him, it was meaningless now.
Through his duel with Vincent, Martin had solidified his standing within the family. Assassinating him through that wall?
Absolutely impossible.
Zard reached his conclusion swiftly.
"We'll pay the penalty fee..."
"-By the way, keep this in mind. Once it's confirmed the contract failed, our family's knights will move out. Toward Kasio Mountain.-"
Grind.
Baldemar's blatant threat made Zard grind his teeth.
But he swallowed his fury and pressed on.
"Do you have the guts for that, Baldemar von Rustal? The Blood Sword Unit has received support from generations of Rustal family heads. If I spread the word, House Rustal is done for."
"-Oh? Planning to go down alone, are you?-"
"No. You'll be the only one dying. We just melt back into the shadows—don't forget that."
"-Hahaha. To think the dog I raised would bare its teeth at its master. You're putting up quite a fight, Zard.-"
"If you get it, cut the empty threats. We'll pay the penalty, so call off the contract."
"-No need for that.-"
"...What do you mean?"
"-The Jade Dragon Knights are already on the move. They should be arriving at Kasio Mountain by now.-"
Zard shot to his feet without realizing it.
The Jade Dragon Knights—House Rustal's signature order—heading to Kasio Mountain meant one thing.
They intended to wipe out the Blood Sword Unit.
"You bastard!"
"-Space-type unique abilities are truly convenient. They make distance irrelevant. Think you can escape the Jade Dragon Knights? You could if you abandon everything you've built, but if you're that resolved, I suppose I can't stop you.-"
Zard burned with rage but couldn't respond rashly.
Even if he fled and tried to rebuild, he'd need skilled assassins and capital to form a new organization.
Fleeing now meant losing it all, and he couldn't operate as an assassin without it.
He'd become a target for other groups, too.
Killing the Blood Sword Unit's leader would boost their fame immensely.
Even if he escaped successfully, problems would linger.
Baldemar von Rustal wasn't just vile—he was obsessive.
He'd hunt relentlessly until he confirmed Zard's corpse.
"-Come now, Zard. Last chance. What's your choice?-"
"You... won't die easy."
"-Doesn't matter. As long as I achieve my goal, this body's life means nothing.-"
"Hoo. We'll continue the contract..."
BOOM!
That was when it happened.
A massive explosion rocked the air.
The shockwave shook the entire building as a bonus.
Zard bellowed in fury.
"Baldemar von Rustal!"
"-......Don't misunderstand. It wasn't me.-"
Baldemar replied calmly.
But the bewilderment on his face was clear.
"If not you, then who the hell..."
BAM!
Before Zard could finish, the office door burst open.
One of his subordinates rushed in, shouting.
"Disaster, Leader!"
"Who's attacking?!"
"Martin! Martin Adalbert has invaded!"
"What?!"
A scream-like shout escaped Zard's lips.
He was utterly dumbfounded.
'How the hell did he find this place?'
The only noble who knew the Blood Sword Unit's base was Baldemar von Rustal.
Even he knew only because the unit had been founded with Rustal family support.
No one outside past Rustal heads had ever pierced their secrets.
Yet Martin, freshly minted young master, was invading? Zard couldn't comprehend it.
"-Poor subordinate management, Zard. Isn't keeping mouths shut basic for assassins?-"
Zard turned to Baldemar at his words.
He wanted to explode in anger, but he couldn't.
He'd conversed with Baldemar countless times and thought he was used to it.
He'd been wrong.
Baldemar's sinister grin evoked a demon, overwhelming Zard completely.
In the end, he turned to his subordinate.
"How many enemies?"
"Two! We've only confirmed Martin Adalbert and Sien Eglite."
"Just two?"
Zard's expression shifted.
Even a single knight order from House Adalbert would spell doom.
But two? That changed everything.
Baldemar reached the same conclusion.
"-I wondered why the young master's movements weren't leaked. Must be because there are only two. With space domination, secrecy is effortless. Either way, it's good for you. You can handle that number.-"
"...And what about you?"
"-I'll just watch. So this time, make sure you kill the target.-"
"What if we fail?"
"-To think the Blood Sword Unit's leader would speak of failure. If you really think you'll fail—-"
Baldemar paused.
His smile deepened, making Zard flinch.
"-Die with everything you have.-"
His eyes were ice-cold, unlike his smiling mouth.
The order was absolute.
Refusal wasn't an option for Zard.
* * *
The day after his duel with Vincent.
Martin left the mansion with Sien.
They raced toward Kasio Mountain at full speed.
Even a knight at peak physical condition would take at least two days running all out, but the two could use spatial translocation.
By chugging potions like mad, they arrived in half a day.
"Finally, I can beat the crap out of those damn bastards."
Sien grinned ferociously.
Hadn't she vowed it after the dungeon ambush?
She'd uproot the Blood Sword Unit.
The opportunity had come far sooner than expected, which thrilled her.
"We'll find out who ordered it, too."
"Honestly, I hope it's the Rustal head. Weakest among the branch heads, but the noisiest. Plus, he's sneaky and underhanded."
"No proof, so jumping to conclusions isn't great, but yeah, I'd prefer it was him."
"So we can tie him to it and take him down for good?"
"Exactly. Though first, we gotta crush these guys."
Mid-conversation with Sien, Martin turned his head.
They'd killed a few assassins on the way, so the enemy knew they were invading.
Killing intent poured from all directions.
It felt like the whole mountain was alive. The intent was so sharp, no birdsong or wildlife stirred.
"Battle hasn't even started, and it's this intense... This'll be tough."
"How about changing your expression before lying, Martin?"
"Uh. That obvious?"
"Of course. You think a 7th Circle powerhouse gets scared facing these clowns?"
"Well, leaving aside 7th Circle—we're space ability users, that's the problem for them. Their stealth is meaningless against us."
Martin's face, staring ahead, brimmed with leisure.
The moment he entered Kasio Mountain, he'd activated Distortion of All Things.
To detect spatial vibrations.
His detection net spread, flooding him with information.
A small village sat midway up Kasio Mountain.
But that was just the surface—underground facilities pulsed below. Hundreds neared that hub.
He grasped their movements and hiding spots in real time.
"First wave is about forty. All heading our way, though dispersed to form an encirclement."
"That's not all, right, Martin?"
"Nope. Add in the scattered ones, and it's over two hundred."
"Just an assassination group? Why so many?"
"What can you do? The world's wide, and full of idiots."
"Isn't it a noble's duty to help such fools repent their sins?"
Sien stepped forward, Zweihänder slung over her left shoulder.
She knew they were outnumbered, but felt no fear.
Assassins couldn't use their signature stealth ambushes.
No matter how many, what was there to fear?
"The ones at eleven o'clock are coming first."
"How many?"
"Fourteen. Three can use aura."
"Pathetic. They should've filled with elites, and that's all?"
"Uh. Someone I know just barely awakened aura this year..."
"Wanna die?"
"Sorry!"
Sien raised her left fist. Martin ducked quickly. Life was precious.
"Sigh. Anyway, I'll handle them. You used a lot on detection."
"This much is nothing now."
"I'm itching to fight."
Grinning belligerently, Sien gripped her Zweihänder's hilt with both hands.
Whoosh.
The silver aura-wreathed blade pointed at eleven o'clock.
Then she activated her unique ability, Space Repulsion.
RUMBLE!
At her will, silver aura swirled fiercely around the blade.
"Oh? You can deploy it on your own now?"
"You think I'm an idiot? Fail a technique I've already mastered?"
"To say that after failing how many times in practice..."
"Fine. After this fight, I'm punching you once."
"......Spare me."
"Nope."
Sien coldly replied and kept channeling power into the Zweihänder.
SCREECH!
The blade shuddered under the strain, but she ignored it.
"Found them! Martin Adalbert and Sien Eglite!"
"Kill them all!"
The Blood Sword Unit assassins finally appeared.
Red garb and masks hid their identities; their crimson blades gleamed murderously.
Sien just snorted.
"You lot think you can kill me? Hilarious!"
She swung the Zweihänder with all her might.
The power within the blade unleashed, surging toward the assassins at eleven o'clock.
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The white torrent pulverized trees, rocks, and grass indiscriminately.
The three lead assassins aura-infused their swords and struck with full force.
But it was futile.
Even their all-out aura shattered first, then their blades. The torrent devoured their arms, then entire bodies.
The three elite assassins vanished without leaving corpses.
"Evade!"
"Scatter!"
The rear assassins scattered desperately.
Sien sneered.
"Think you can escape?"
As she finished speaking, she yanked the hilt upward.
Then the impossible happened.
The white torrent split into three, pursuing the assassins.
Individual power weakened, but Sien didn't care.
Unlike the dead elites, the rest couldn't block it.
BOOM!
The targeted assassins shredded in an instant.
The first group was annihilated in one strike.
"Martin, other enemies?"
"Second and third groups from seven and two o'clock. Same numbers and makeup as the first."
"Then I'll take seven. Heading to the mid-mountain as soon as I'm done."
"Okay. I'll go ahead and wait."
"As if. I'll finish first."
Sien snorted and moved out.
Martin turned toward two o'clock.
He stepped forward—not onto ground, but air.
With each step, his body lifted into the sky.
The flight symbolizing a 7th Circle master unfolded.
He sped toward the new group and soon faced them.
Fourteen strong, three aura users, just like before.
"Hey there."
Martin greeted leisurely.
But the assassins couldn't speak.
Chills racked their bodies at the sight of him.
They couldn't even move.
The sudden paralysis filled them with dread and terror.
"Anyone know where the leader is? Tell me, and I'll kill you clean."
Martin smiled brightly.
He truly believed he was granting mercy.
He knew how blissful a painless death was.