Night swallowed the Sunwood region whole.
Moonlight barely pierced the thick trees as Daniel moved like a shadow among shadows, his breath steady, his presence erased. Every sense was stretched to its absolute limit.
Daniel: "Sensei, how many men do you estimate we'll find once we track them?"
Sensei: "More than ten, that's for sure."
Daniel: "Sensei, this path has faint traces of earth elemental mana. All this residual suppression magic is pointing toward the northeast. In that direction… isn't the Grey Hills watchtower?"
Daniel's eyes glinted.
Sensei: "They didn't move her far. The probability of Aurelia being in the watchtower has increased to over eighty percent."
Daniel: "Then let's move faster."
Sensei: "Correct. The enemy must be defenseless now. They are confident in their work and would never anticipate someone tracking them."
As Daniel reached the Grey Hills region, he placed his palm on the ground.
The earth answered.
krkkkk—thmm
The soil rippled silently beneath his hand.
Daniel: "Earth Sense."
Sensei: "Seismic perception active."
Inside Daniel's mind, the world unfolded—footsteps etched into stone, heartbeat vibrations echoing through bedrock, distant voices carried through hollow rock veins.
Sensei: "Hostile presence detected. More than twelve. Mostly elemental users."
Daniel stood up as mana surged through him.
Daniel: "Sensei… shall we begin the extermination?"
Daniel merged with the shadows, cloaking himself in darkness itself. A lone guard stood one hundred meters ahead, acting as a lookout.
Daniel raised a finger and gathered mixed mana—fire and air—condensing it into a faint spark of lightning. A soft crackle danced across his fingertips before vanishing as he released it.
The spark struck nearby stone.
The guard turned his head.
Guard: "Huh?"
In the next instant, Daniel appeared beside him.
A simple kitchen knife, coated in compressed wind mana, sliced through the air like an invisible blade.
shk
The guard's head fell before his body realized it was dead.
Daniel: "No noise. No witnesses."
He stepped forward—and disappeared.
fwshh
Wind wrapped around him, folding light and sound. Shadow merged with air.
Daniel: "Shadow Step."
The world blinked.
One moment he stood beneath the trees—next, he was behind another sentry adjusting his spear, its blade glowing faintly with fire mana.
yawn
shk
A blade of compressed wind slid across the man's throat.
thk
The body collapsed soundlessly.
Daniel: "Two."
Sensei: "No alarm triggered."
Daniel moved again.
fwsh—fwsh
Two men stood together near a rock outcrop.
Guard One: "You think the girl's worth this trouble?"
Guard Two: "The Viscount pays well."
Daniel appeared behind them.
Daniel: "Not well enough."
CRACK—ZZZT
Lightning flashed—silent but lethal.
Their bodies convulsed violently.
thud—thud
They collapsed, faint smoke curling from their armor.
Sensei: "Hybrid fire-air discharge confirmed. Extremely powerful."
Sensei: "Basic elements are already deadly, but once combined, their output becomes immeasurable."
Daniel: "Heh… King's blood really works wonders. Next."
The watchtower loomed ahead, half-ruined stone rising from the Grey Hills like a broken fang.
Daniel crouched, eyes narrowing.
Daniel: "Multiple layers of defense."
Sensei: "Yes. The inner perimeter is guarded by someone with high magical authority. Be careful. High-threat target detected."
Daniel: "What about Aurelia?"
Sensei: "She is still outside your Earth Sense range. If you can't sense her, neither can I."
Daniel continued forward.
As he approached the high-threat zone, he inhaled slowly.
Daniel: "Water plus dark."
The air shimmered.
pssssshh
A dense mist rolled outward—cold, heavy, and unnatural. Unlike before, it swallowed sound itself.
Daniel moved within it like death given form.
Target: "What is this… fog again—?"
thk
A wind-forged blade pierced straight through the man's heart.
glrk
Daniel twisted his wrist.
The blade dissolved, leaving no wound.
Sensei: "Silent elimination. Efficient."
Daniel: "Keep count."
One by one, the guards fell.
thk—shff—crrk
Bones snapped.
Breaths vanished.
The mist thinned.
Sensei: "Daniel, I am detecting Aurelia."
Daniel: "Is she alright?"
Sensei: "She is in deep sleep. A sleeping potion is still active."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
Daniel: "I'm late."
Sensei: "But not too late."
Only one presence remained outside.
Grond stood near the base of the tower, his hand resting on the ground, eyes closed.
Grond: "Come out, assassin."
Daniel stopped.
Daniel: "He felt the earth move."
Sensei: "Earth affinity: master-level."
Grond opened his eyes.
Grond: "You erased my work. Sloppy."
Daniel stepped into view.
Daniel: "You kidnapped the wrong person."
Grond smirked.
Grond: "And you came alone."
He slammed his staff into the ground.
BOOOOM
The earth erupted.
Stone spikes burst upward.
Daniel leapt.
fwsh
Air magic caught him mid-flight.
CRASH—CRACK
Boulders hurled toward him.
Daniel: "Earth plus fire."
His foot slammed into the ground.
MRAAAAM
Molten cracks split the stone, turning rock into slag.
Grond's eyes widened.
Grond: "Hybrid casting…?"
Daniel vanished.
FWSSHH
Grond turned—
THUD
A kick slammed into his ribs, sending him skidding across stone.
Grond: "GRAAAH!"
He roared, raising both hands.
KRKKK—BOOM
The earth swallowed Daniel whole.
Daniel: "Dark plus earth."
The ground liquefied.
Daniel emerged behind Grond.
SHK
A blade pierced Grond's shoulder.
Grond screamed.
Grond: "You—!"
Daniel twisted.
CRUNCH
Grond collapsed, blood soaking the stone.
Daniel: "Now Die."
A pulse of dark mana surged.
Grond's eyes rolled back.
Sensei: "Target neutralized."
Daniel: "Let's get Aurelia."
He entered the tower.
Torchlight flickered.
Vorik stood calmly in the central chamber.
Aurelia lay on a stone bed behind him.
Vorik: "I wondered when the baron's hound would arrive."
Daniel stepped forward.
Daniel: "Step away from her."
Vorik smiled.
Vorik: "Impressive work. Truly."
He raised his hand.
MRAAAAM—FWOOOO
Wind screamed through the chamber, pressure blades slicing stone.
Daniel crossed his arms.
Daniel: "Light plus earth."
A radiant barrier formed.
CLANG—SCREEEE
Wind shattered against light.
Vorik: "A hybrid caster…"
Daniel: "No. An assassin."
Daniel vanished.
FWSSHH—CRASH
Vorik spun, summoning mist.
Vorik: "Water—!"
Daniel's fist smashed into his jaw.
CRACK
Vorik flew backward.
Daniel followed instantly.
Daniel: "Fire plus dark."
Black flames erupted.
FWOOSH—SCREAM
Vorik rolled, barely escaping.
Vorik: "You can't kill me here!"
Daniel: "we will see."
Daniel raised his hand.
Daniel: "Air plus lightning."
ZZZKKK—BOOOOOOM
Lightning detonated.
The tower shook violently.
Vorik slammed into the wall, armor shattered.
COUGH
Vorik: "Monster…"
Daniel stood over him.
Daniel: "You threatened my world."
Daniel turned to Aurelia.
Daniel: "Light."
A soft glow enveloped her.
Sensei: "Daniel, poison detected in her system."
Rage flared within him—but he restrained it.
Daniel: "Heal."
Light washed over her body.
Aurelia stirred.
Aurelia: "D-Daniel…?"
Daniel caught her gently.
Daniel: "I'm here."
Her eyes widened.
Aurelia: "I knew… you'd come…"
She collapsed against him.
Daniel held her firmly.
Daniel: "You're safe."
Behind them, Vorik groaned.
Vorik: "You think this ends it…?"
Daniel looked back, eyes cold.
Daniel: "No."
Daniel: "This is only the beginning."
A compressed wind blade struck Vorik's neck.
THUD
He went unconscious instantly.
Sensei: "Extraction advised."
Daniel lifted Aurelia.
Daniel: "Let's go home."
As dawn crept over the Grey Hills, the shadows retreated.
But one thing was certain—
The Viscount had declared war on the wrong assassin.
And the Akuma was awake.