Chapter 43

SIDE: Leiton Dorgwant

"Calling me is quite unusual, isn't it?"

On that day, the young explorer who was called to the Stone Shack complained to Gustaf.

"There are circumstances on my side too. So—"

"Yeah, I think I understand the situation. So, what do you want to do about those guys who are after that boy?"

The young man, with an unyielding smirk, interrupted Gustaf's words.

Since this was a common occurrence, Gustaf continued speaking without pause.

"Just take care of them. And can you deliver some of them to Bar?"

"Sure, sure. I'll do that much for free."

Gustaf silently stacked gold coins on the counter. Seeing this, the young man—Leiton—raised an eyebrow.

"Wow, five gold coins! You're really investing in this. Is that boy so important?"

"It's not that he's important."

Blushing slightly, Gustaf turned his face away. This reaction only gave Leiton more reason to tease him.

"It's just that he's worth it. That guy... Crow."

"Well, I'm not going to get involved in that. The amount is enough, and I'll do a good job."

Leiton lightly shook the gold coins in his hand, checked their weight, and then stuffed them into the pocket of his undergarment.

"Still, if it's Crow, can't he handle it himself?"

"Do you know him?"

Surprised, Gustaf asked, then lowered his tone as if he had come to a realization.

"Oh, you must have seen him somewhere."

"I haven't seen him directly. I just saw the aftermath of his battles."

"Bar ran out of the station in a panic. I peeked inside. It was quite a sight."

"You have a twisted sense of humor."

Gustaf spat out the words with a face that looked like he had bitten into a bitter bug.

"Anyway, I'll start now. It should be over quickly."

"That would be a great help."

Waving his hand, Leiton left, and Gustaf watched him go with a cold gaze.

Leiton walked through the midday streets.

Though he was armed, his slender frame made him look more like a loafer, and it was hard to imagine him as a fighter.

He left the slums and soon entered an alley.

Then, he kicked the wall and climbed onto the roof.

"Well, where are they?"

Leiton muttered in a carefree voice, as if he were out for a stroll.

No one could hear his words from the rooftops, where only birds flew above the city.

He whistled a tune as he leaped from roof to roof.

His movements were light and graceful, and anyone watching might have thought he was dancing.

With a light thud, he looked down at the alley below.

He was searching for the shadow watching the Stone Shack.

The assassins sent to target Crow and Niksky were three in total. He already knew this.

However, he didn't know where they were now.

Gustaf might have known. The old man was thorough enough to have gathered that information.

But Leiton didn't ask for such information.

He believed he could find them quickly, and he didn't think it was necessary.

He kept his pre-mission information to a minimum. That was his rule.

"There's one."

A shadow was watching the Stone Shack.

The man had set up a stall, but it was clear he wasn't selling anything.

He had goods on display and a sign out, but there was no effort to attract customers, and the quality of the goods was visibly poor.

The stall was positioned where the comings and goings of the Stone Shack could be faintly observed.

He was watching the Stone Shack with a half-hearted disguise.

If Crow or Niksky entered or left, the information would surely be passed to his comrades.

What about the other two?

Leiton pondered on the roof.

They might be patrolling the city, looking for Niksky and the others, or they might be watching likely spots. They could be waiting somewhere.

He lacked information.

Leiton memorized the face of the stall man and ran off to gather more.

He would kill him later.

In a dark abandoned house, two men were talking.

Both were renowned assassins.

The slender man in black, wearing tight clothing, used dual hooks to rip out the hearts of countless people.

His martial art had no name, but it was called the "Mindless Hook Technique" from his nickname, "Mindless."

The other man grumbled.

"Keh! Tough! A kid and one man, I can handle it alone!"

"Lord Running, please be quiet. I understand the wait is difficult, but we must not draw attention."

The man called Running was a mage.

He had basic magic for body enhancement and detection, and the power to burn enemy groups with lightning. After the thunder, only rubble remained. Known as "Thunderclap," he was famous for his short temper.

"Abyss, you must be bored too, waiting in such a cramped place. Please go and look for them."

"That won't do. From what I've heard, both are skilled. We must ensure we take them down together."

Chastised by Abyss, Running kicked the ground in frustration.

After days of surveillance, there had been no significant results. The uncertainty was causing cracks in their relationship.

Though they were called assassins, both were officially explorers.

However, their strength was well-known, and they had gradually taken on more jobs targeting humans.

The man watching, Fort, was also an explorer.

Compared to the two, he was chosen for his scouting skills rather than his strength.

He could fight decently, but he was not as strong as the two.

However, in non-combat situations, the two were outmatched by Fort.

"Ah, they're here."

Fort's regular report arrived.

Running opened the letter tied to the pigeon and scowled.

"What is it?"

"Nothing again."

He crumpled the letter and threw it to Abyss.

Abyss opened it, said nothing, and burned it with a candle.

"Ah! How much longer will this take?"

"We have no choice but to wait. Fort will eventually catch their tail."

"I hope so."

Abyss agreed.

A few hours later, the regular report arrived again.

It was an invitation to the afterlife for them.

"Here, here. It's probably just—"

Running opened the pigeon's letter as usual and stopped.

"Abyss! They're here!"

"Is that so?"

Abyss, who only replied with a single word, was actually pleased.

This meant the joint mission with the constantly complaining Running would soon be over.

"A man who looks like Niksky entered the Stone Shack. We can't let him escape. Let's go."

"Keh, I'll burn him to a crisp."

The two stepped out of the abandoned house but stopped immediately.

In front of them stood a man.

"Who are you?"

"Hehe. I'm like a stand-in for the man you're looking for."

"Are you crazy? Get out of the way."

Ignoring him, Running tried to pass, but Abyss stopped him.

"Wait. This man—"

"What? What are you saying, Abyss? We need to hurry."

"Even if we go, no one will be there."

Leiton smiled and looked at the men.

"The information you just got was a false alarm."

"Of course!"

Abyss drew his two hooks. Both hooks were aimed at Leiton.

"You're the hook user... Abyss, the 'Mindless.' A big catch."

"You... 'Bloodsmoke.'"

"You know me well. If you know, it would be appreciated if you didn't resist and died. I don't like unnecessary labor."

As he spoke, Leiton placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"If you're the enemy, then I have no problem burning you!"

Cutting off the conversation, Running jumped back and began to chant.

"Rip the clouds, lightning that runs, come to my hand, burn my enemy, 'Flame Lightning'!"

"Pathetic, not knowing the difference in power."

Leiton jumped to the side. The lightning passed by him and exploded far behind.

Abyss's hooks attacked Leiton as he landed.

A horizontal slash to knock away the weapon, followed by a thrust to pierce the heart. That was the usual pattern.

"Simple."

However, the first hook was deflected. It was cut in half mid-swing, and the tip fell to the ground.

"Wh-what!?"

Abyss gasped.

The weapon was infused with ki.

It was naturally reinforced and could pierce rock.

Yet, it was easily cut.

Looking at Leiton, there was no trace of ki. In a natural state, Leiton had destroyed the ki-infused hook.

"What are you doing!?"

Running shouted from behind.

He had forgotten that his magic had been avoided and was now blaming Abyss.

However, this was not the time to be concerned with such things.

"You... how...?"

Abyss knew Leiton's name and his nickname, "Bloodsmoke."

But he didn't know how Leiton fought.

Neither did Running.

And from Running's perspective, there was no trace of ki.

Abyss's hook technique had been blocked by a slender young man. Anger naturally turned towards Abyss.

"Ah, this is so troublesome! Abyss, get out of the way!"

Shouting, Running began to chant again.

Immediately, several lightning bolts flew in a fan-like pattern. Each one had the power to kill if it hit.

While being careful not to get caught in the blast, he kept his eyes on Leiton.

This was the result of his experience and skill.

"If you're going to involve your ally, you need the power to finish off the enemy."

Leiton, still smiling, didn't move.

Abyss, who had narrowly escaped the lightning, watched this carefully.

Abyss was shocked.

His shock was greater than any he had ever felt.

The lightning had hit Leiton directly.

Normally, this would be a time to celebrate.

Running's lightning was powerful, and the battle should have ended.

However, Leiton didn't move.

The magic had no effect.

"Damn! What did you do!?"

Frustrated, Running shouted. But Leiton didn't respond.

"Anyway, you're done here."

Ignoring the airborne Abyss, Leiton approached Running.

To Abyss, it seemed as if Leiton had moved in an instant.

With a single swing of his sword, Running's body was sliced into pieces.

There was no death scream from Running.

Abyss landed and repositioned his hooks, one of which was now just a stick.

Despite what he had just seen, his confidence didn't waver.

Leiton wasn't using ki. How he had cut his weapon was a mystery, but he was still a vulnerable body without ki.

One hit from his hook would be fatal.

With his skills, it should be possible. He recalled his training.

He had killed many martial artists and pierced many monsters.

The techniques he had honed over a lifetime should be enough to handle this man.

Believing this, he positioned his hooks.

"You seem capable of conversation, so I'll say this. I'd like you to back out of this job. My work is complete with just the lookout and the mage."

"After all this, you want me to back out?"

"I can pay you a fee."

"Are you kidding me!?"

Anger increased the ki covering his body. It was no longer a thin light but a white flame enveloping him.

"No matter who you are, 'Bloodsmoke,' such a proposal—"

"It's a deal-breaker, then."

Interrupting the angry words, Leiton sighed.

"One hit from me, and it's over. You can run if you want."

"That's not an option."

Without taking a stance, Leiton began to speak.

"My body, which you called vulnerable, can actually use ki."

"Then, use it quickly! Dying without resistance would be a shame."

Leiton chuckled. Seeing this, Abyss's anger grew.

"Yes, my body has a special condition. I can only use ki for a moment. That's why I need these tricks."

He glanced at Running's dismembered body as he spoke. The body was so finely sliced that it was hard to believe it was done with a single strike.

"Are you trying to beg for your life by revealing your secret?"

"Where did you get that idea?"

Leiton repositioned his sword with one hand. He had become serious.

"I'm telling you because you're about to die."

"You!"

Abyss lunged. His speed was like the wind, and his hooks were surrounded by it.

"Disarming and then a fatal blow. Indeed, simple and strong."

However, Leiton remained calm.

He disarmed Abyss, along with his wrists.

"Goodbye."

With a casual remark, he swung his sword at the shocked Abyss.

With one swing, Abyss's body was disassembled.

Blood pooled around him, but Leiton's smile didn't waver.

"Well, I still have work to do."

Leiton muttered coolly.

No one would think he had just killed someone.

The next day, a package arrived at the guards' station.

"Mr. Bar, a delivery for you."

"Oh, oh."

Bar, exhausted from running around to cover up the incident, gave a casual response to his subordinate.

Days had passed since the attack, and the guards' injuries had healed. On the surface, the station was functioning normally.

They were stationed in the city as usual, responding to complaints and resolving issues.

These functions had been restored.

The current problem was silencing witnesses and spreading rumors to replace the truth.

This had been tiring, and the amount of gold coins used was significant.

The arrest following Haman's complaint had been a mistake.

Such an incident must not happen again.

Haman's relationship needed to be reconsidered.

This was what Bar was thinking.

The troublesome case was almost over, and it was just a matter of finishing off the parties involved.

The three hired were all skilled and would easily take care of that demon-like child.

So, he had thought.

He had forgotten that the demon, Crow, was under Gustaf's protection.

He opened the delivered package.

It was probably a bribe.

If you were on good terms, crimes would be overlooked. Many influential people approached Bar with this in mind.

It was unusually heavy.

Perhaps it was alcohol. No, it didn't feel like a liquid. Maybe it was fruit. No, sometimes it was just gold.

With a slight sense of anticipation, Bar looked at the box inside the package. There was a letter on top.

The paper read, "Returning it to you."

Bar tilted his head. The message was strange. This wasn't a bribe.

He opened the box to check the contents.

"Ah...!"

Bar was so shocked that he fell off his chair. The box also fell to the floor with a thud.

Inside were three right wrists.