Chapter 115
"Hey, I can see everything."
I spoke as I stood up.
Crackle, crackle.
The darkness wavered. Sparks of electricity flickered intermittently, revealing the camouflage-adaptive combat suit. It was a sealed full-body suit, so the face remained hidden.
Seeing the camouflage-adaptive suit reminded me of Rick Silva Núñez. However, the enemy before me was much smaller in stature than Rick. They were about the same size as me.
"You're not my assassination target. If you want to live, step aside."
The glow from inside the helmet burned a bright red. The voice was mechanically altered, devoid of any emotion. I let out a dry chuckle.
"It's been a while. It's rare to meet someone who looks down on me from the very first encounter."
"I'm not looking down on you. I'm a professional. I make an effort not to kill anyone outside my target."
I listened to the noise coming from the back room. Francec and Ren were still tumbling around, completely unaware that I was facing an enemy.
‘Something feels off.’
The pieces didn’t fit together. That small sense of discord was why I kept talking to this assassin.
‘From what Francec said, it felt like he hired some third-rate assassin.’
But the assassin standing before me, while seeming a bit eccentric, didn’t come across as third-rate.
They had an expensive camouflage-adaptive combat suit, and their footwork was remarkably balanced. Judging by the lightness of their steps, I doubted I could hit them even if I fired a shot.
More importantly, I hadn't noticed them entering the house until they were right in front of me. And I, of all people, had failed to detect them.
My combat instincts were usually right. There were rarely any mistakes. If there were, it would mean I was either gravely injured or dead.
"Do you even know who the man beyond this wall is?"
I asked as I slowly drew Crucis. I deliberately referred to them as a "man" rather than a "person."
‘The assassin Francec hired was meant to kill Ren Itanori.’
The assassin showed no reaction to my choice of words. That meant they weren’t the one Francec had hired.
"I know. But it doesn't matter to me. This is your last chance, boy. Step aside. I was instructed to leave as many witnesses as possible."
The assassin placed both hands on their waist and drew twin blades, gripping them in a reverse grip as they settled into a stance.
A dual-wielding weapon style with an unorthodox approach. One blade was about the length of a forearm, while the other reached up to the shoulder. The mismatched lengths would make it difficult to counter.
‘If they’re not here to kill Ren Itanori, then…’
The assassin before me had been sent by someone else. The assassin Francec had hired was probably already a corpse in some back alley.
‘This one was sent by Ivan Accretia.’
I followed Ivan’s line of thought, trying to piece together the flow of events.
‘If he wants to ruin the Emperor and Kinuan’s plans, he has to kill Francec much earlier than the predetermined time.’
That would collapse the grand scheme of the Emperor and Kinuan. The empire would be thrown into utter chaos.
Chaos, chaos, chaos…
My thoughts were nearing their conclusion. I was beginning to understand where this dual-wielding assassin had come from.
‘Their complete disregard for royalty, their confidence… And from Ivan’s perspective, what would create even greater chaos…?’
…This assassin doesn’t belong to the empire. They’re from Bellato or Corite.
If someone from Bellato or Corite were to assassinate the imperial crown prince… it would mean war. Especially with someone as popular among the people as Francec.
‘The Emperor and Kinuan planned to use Francec as the trigger for war! Those crazy old men!’
A curse nearly escaped my lips. Francec had been designated as a sacrifice to rally the empire’s unity before war. If the crown prince were killed by a foreign assassin, the citizens would unite without question and march into battle.
Right now, this was Ivan’s arrangement.
‘Ivan must have used some hidden channel to bring a foreign assassin deep into the heart of the empire.’
I could almost feel Ivan’s eyes watching me. His ominous gaze kept resurfacing in my mind.
‘Even if things go exactly as Ivan planned, war is inevitable. And it will come even faster than the Emperor and Kinuan intended!’
This wouldn’t be like the sporadic border skirmishes of the past. It would be an all-out war, one that would consume entire planets and continents in its flames.
But… if the war started now, the Custoria family would survive. Hemillas’s survival would also be assured. The military wouldn’t be able to purge its key figures right before total war.
I didn’t know what would happen after the war. But by then, I would have grown, and Ivan might already be seated on the imperial throne.
If I could just buy time, the era of the Emperor and Kinuan would pass, and the era of Ivan and I would begin. They would weaken, and we would grow stronger.
‘When the time comes, fulfill your role. You belong to no one but me, my Overseer.’
Ivan’s words resurfaced in my mind. The time had come, and I finally understood his intent. I also knew the task he had entrusted to me.
Clink.
My arm loosened, and the tip of my blade lightly touched the floor.
If Francec died, I would be held accountable for failing to protect him. I might even be executed. But I had my past achievements and the Custoria name as my backing. More importantly, Ivan would do whatever it took to keep me alive. If my judgment was wrong, then I would die.
"A wise decision. It’s not my place to say, but I’m incredibly strong. No one in this country knows me, though…"
The assassin slowly approached, eyeing my lowered arm. He intended to walk past me.
"How much were you paid?"
At my question, the assassin stopped. He tilted his head slightly, as if he were smiling beneath his helmet.
"Enough to change not just my life, but the lives of many others."
"But this will lead to war."
I knew combat, but I had never experienced war. Even battles alone created countless tragedies. I could imagine the scale of catastrophe war would bring.
"Not my problem."
The assassin’s response was indifferent.
"…I see."
I exhaled quietly as I answered. Though only a brief moment passed, my thoughts stretched long. Countless faces flashed through my mind.
Buzz—
I raised Crucis, blocking the assassin’s path.
"I have to stop you. This isn’t right."
I had made my decision. The assassin studied me with a tilted gaze.
"There’s no such thing as right or wrong in this world, kid."
I knew that much. The world was far too complex to be divided into simple right and wrong.
"Maybe not for the world, maybe not for you… but for me, there is."
Because I decide what is right.
"In the end, it’s all just ashitabi—I am right, and others are wrong. Such youthful arrogance, boy. But your fleeting springtime will wither like a blossom beneath my blade."
The assassin murmured as if reciting poetry. Then, he took light steps backward.
"Shut up and come at me, you idiot."
I smirked. The assassin’s form wavered as if disappearing into thin air.
Clang!
We clashed.
* * *
I, Lukaus Custoria, fought against the unknown assassin.
To put it simply, within less than a minute, my left prosthetic arm was severed and sent rolling across the floor. There was no excuse. I had simply lost in close combat.
Though it had only been less than a minute, it felt like I had fought for days without sleep. Time stretched unbearably long, and the weight of exhaustion crushed my mind.
"Haaa…"
For the first time since the fight began, I was able to catch my breath.
Alright, let’s assess the situation again.
First, the house we were fighting in was completely wrecked. The walls were shattered, and the windows were broken. Every time we clashed, furniture and walls crumbled, turning the place into an open battlefield. Scattered across the floor were items worth more than my entire salary, all reduced to debris.
"What… what the hell…?"
Francec’s horrified voice came from behind me. Since part of the wall had collapsed, he could now see what was happening through the gaps.
It seemed even he hadn’t anticipated a situation like this. Ren had long since screamed herself unconscious.
I still had to protect Francec while fighting. I had no idea how long it would take for reinforcements to arrive.
The second surprising factor was the assassin’s identity. I hadn’t learned her name or background, but…
‘A woman…’
Through the cracked remains of her helmet, I caught a glimpse of her face. Because of her bulky combat suit, I had assumed she was a man, but I was wrong. Her face was covered in scars, just like those of a veteran warrior or soldier.
‘…And she’s made of flesh and blood. Even her limbs aren’t mechanical.’
I wasn’t sure whether it was due to her advanced combat suit or some form of biological enhancement, but she had physically overpowered me in close combat without any mechanical augmentation.
If not for Akies Victima, I would be dead. This assassin’s combat ability far exceeded that of a mere cadet. She was at least on par with an elite Imperial Guard—possibly even stronger.
Crackle, crackle.
Electric sparks flickered from the severed end of my left prosthetic.
Fortunately, I wasn’t the only one catching my breath. The assassin had also engaged in high-speed combat and needed a moment to recover.
Regardless, our first clash had cost me my left arm. Once we both regained our breath, I would have to fight under severe disadvantage.
"You fight in a strange way. It’s not Imperial combat techniques…"
The assassin said as she removed her broken helmet, tossing it aside. Without the voice modulation, her tone was sharp and clear.
There was one thing still working in my favor—the assassin didn’t understand Akies combat techniques. She seemed to sense the unnatural optimization in my movements, making her wary of attacking recklessly.
"Your Highness, to be honest, I might lose this fight. I’ll buy time, so you should run."
I spoke without looking back.
Whoooosh—
The strong winds unique to high-rise buildings swept through the ruined house, carrying shattered glass and dust into the air.
‘Goddamn it.’
Unluckily… a cloud of fine dust and debris blew straight into my face. I shut my left eye and kept only my right cybernetic eye open.
And my opponent was a seasoned warrior.
She seized the moment when my vision was temporarily narrowed and dashed toward my left.
‘Fast and precise judgment.’
She had every right to be confident in her strength.
Whoosh!
The assassin leaped and spun as she closed in from my left. I didn’t see it with my own eyes, as my left eye was still closed—I judged it purely by shadow and sound.
I ducked my head, narrowly avoiding her blade, and lifted my leg to kick her.
I didn’t care if my leg got cut. I was outmatched in pure skill and experience. I had to acknowledge that if I wanted to exploit her openings.
My strengths lay in Akies Victima and the unique nature of my prosthetic limbs. Even if I lost a limb, I had to continuously create variables, forcing the fight into a situation favorable to Akies combat techniques.
‘Go ahead, cut my leg.’
Because the moment you do, my blade will tear through your torso. Your pristine entrails will get their first glimpse of the outside world.
The kick I threw now was a trap. My real attack was the follow-up slash as I spun. If she tried to retreat to evade my strike, I would swing Crucis in a sweeping motion, using it like a boomerang to cut her down.
In an instant, I had prepared a double-layered trap, pushing her toward checkmate.
Thud!
But the assassin did something unexpected. Instead of dodging, she deliberately collided with my foot, using the impact to propel herself.
Whoooosh!
She barely grazed my kick but still launched herself toward the outer wall. At this distance, even if I threw Crucis, I wouldn’t be able to hit her.
‘This cunning…!’
She hadn’t even trained in Akies Victima. Just how much real combat experience did she have to make that kind of decision? My silent curse was as much admiration as it was frustration.
As she flew backward, her gaze flickered toward Francec.
Fwhip!
A flash of light burst from her hand—a needle-like projectile shot straight at him.
Swish!
Francec dodged, shielding Ren in his arms. He was royalty, the crown prince of the empire. His prosthetic enhancements were top-tier, and he had undergone basic combat training. A half-hearted attack like that wouldn’t hit him.
"Tch."
The assassin clicked her tongue, gripping an exposed steel beam as she landed against the building’s outer wall. She was trying to scale it and break into Francec’s room.
Clang!
I reacted instantly, hurling Crucis. The blade tore through debris, shattered walls, and smashed through windows, racing toward the assassin.
The assassin extended her arm, grabbing onto another beam to evade Crucis. I hadn’t expected that throw to kill her anyway. I just needed to delay her.
I clenched Graken Vuth between my teeth and sprinted forward, reaching out with my right arm to smash through the wall, creating a path.
"Hey, you—!"
The assassin’s eyes widened as she realized my intent.
With Graken Vuth still in my mouth, I grinned. The edge of the blade nicked my lips, drawing a thin line of blood.
Rumble!
I leaped and drove my heel into the floor. The high-powered impact, combined with a spinning motion, sent a violent tremor through the building, causing part of it to collapse as if an earthquake had struck.
The section of the outer wall the assassin had been holding onto crumbled, sending her tumbling downward. But with her agility, she would easily ride the falling debris and make her way back up.
‘That’s why… I’ll be your companion on the way down.’
I hurled myself at her, committing to freefall together.
Bzzzt!
Extending my right arm, I pulled out my pre-heated shock pistol and aimed at the assassin.
Boom!
The moment she saw the barrel, she made a sharp leap to the side. She couldn’t possibly have known the exact power of the shock pistol, yet she instinctively widened her evasion radius. Truly a seasoned fighter.
But my shot wasn’t meant for her. It blasted apart the debris she had been using as a foothold. With that, there was nothing left to support us beneath our feet.
We plummeted endlessly.
Whoosh!
As I fell, I flipped in midair, kicking off my shoes and gripping Graken Vuth between my feet. With my remaining right hand, I continuously adjusted my aim with the shock pistol. Without my left arm, this was the best I could do.
The assassin and I were hurtling downward at a terrifying speed. The world seemed to collapse around us, as if reality itself was falling away.
‘Ruina, you better not mess this up. Crucis isn’t the only one I love.’
…Well, maybe I did favor Crucis a little more.
Bang! Bang!
I fired the shock pistol in rapid succession. Despite having no footing, the assassin twisted and maneuvered through the air with impossible precision.
I had no idea how she was pulling it off, but it was nothing short of incredible.
Even after forcing the battle into a rapidly changing situation, the assassin's combat prowess remained unwavering. Like me, who had trained in Akies Victima, she adapted seamlessly to shifting environments and circumstances.
"Looks like you're out of ammo?"
She muttered amidst the rushing winds. Dragging her blade along the outer wall, she slowed her descent until we were at the same height.
In reality, I had one shot left.
I lowered the shock pistol's barrel slightly, pretending to let my guard down, only to snap it back up in an instant. Just as I had predicted, she had drawn closer. My chance had arrived.
Ruina was my personal weapon. There was no way she could know how many rounds were left in its magazine. Since I hadn’t completely emptied it, I could use this deception to my advantage. At our level of combat, counting bullets was second nature.
Ammo deception was a crude trick, an improvised feint. But in a battle where the situation changed by the second, even simple tricks became effective.
The more chaotic the battlefield, the harder it was to account for every possible variable. Under such conditions, people unconsciously overlooked basic deceptions.
The barrel of Ruina aligned perfectly with the assassin. I poured all my focus into pulling the trigger. If this worked, I promised myself I would take care of Ruina before Crucis from now on.
Crunch!
But before my finger could even reach the trigger, it snapped.
The assassin had flicked her foot with precise control, brushing past my hand just enough to break my index finger. Her technique was absurdly refined.
"You're adorable. You actually fell for that?"
She spoke with a relaxed tone. In the end, I was the one who had been fooled by a basic trick.
‘Looks like you're out of ammo?’
…Thinking about it now, I felt disgusted at how stupid I had been for believing those words.
And the ground was getting closer.