Chapter 26: Assassin vs. Assassin (2)
What is the most important thing for an assassin?
Some might say stealth techniques, and some might say patience.
In the village Harang belonged to, the importance of swordsmanship was unusually high, but hidden weapon techniques were also considered a crucial part of an assassin's basic skills.
‘The advantage of being able to attack safely from a distance is enormous, after all.’
That was right.
Hidden weapon techniques were good for catching opponents off guard, but their biggest merit was the ability to inflict damage from afar.
That was why so many of his peers in the village had dedicated themselves to hidden weapon techniques.
Most Godoks in their childhood feared directly stabbing opponents with blades.
Of course, Harang had thick nerves in that regard and was fine, but it was a clear fact that he had to resist the numerous barrages of hidden weapons from his peers.
Especially one of the guys among the final 30 had shown skill so outstanding that it wasn't an exaggeration to say he was born for hidden weapon techniques, causing Harang quite some trouble.
Of course.
‘Though it’s incomparable to those crude hidden weapon techniques.’
Harang looked at the middle-aged man who was desperately running away while scattering hidden weapons.
It was a mess.
His focus on escaping made his accuracy terrible, and he wasn't producing any proper power either.
At this rate, it was no better than simply throwing stones.
‘It would have been different if it were that guy. No, in the first place, I wouldn't have had the leisure to be idly reminiscing like this.’
So, it was good.
He didn't want to risk his life fighting even after coming out to the outside world.
Even if there was a fight, fighting moderately and leisurely like now suited his temperament.
Of course, that was only Harang's thought.
For the middle-aged man, Daereon, who served as the Fixer for the Travion Gang, it was an extremely urgent situation, anxious and restless, feeling as if his heart would leap out.
Swiiish-!
Thunk!
“No, that thing!”
The swiftly thrown dagger bounced off the opponent's bare hand.
“If that’s the case…… take this!”
Tuduk, tududuk!
Shuk, shushuk-
“This is crazy!”
The Caltrops (sharp iron objects resembling chestnuts) laid on the ground while running were also skillfully avoided as the opponent kept closing in.
Besides those, even though he threw and ran away with all sorts of things like a ready-to-fire crossbow, poison-coated shuriken, and nets, the distance between him and the opponent did not widen.
Hearing the footsteps getting closer and closer, cold sweat trickled down Daereon's forehead.
‘Damn it, I really didn't want to use this…….’
Finally, all the items inside his Robe were depleted.
Clutching the very last one in his hand, he frowned.
He had no choice.
This was an item he bought by investing half the money he had saved up while working as a Fixer so far, a 'genuine magic tool' that was no exaggeration to call the second most precious thing after his own life.
It emitted smoke with an unpleasant smell to block the opponent's five senses, obstructed the opponent's movements with magic sticky substance, and even contained a slight paralysis poison component…… an A-Rank Magic Tool produced by none other than the Blue Magic Tower!
However, using this meant incurring an expense far exceeding the activity funds received from the Swordsmanship Guild, putting him in a situation where the incidental costs were greater than the primary ones…….
“Are you all done?”
‘Son of a bitch!’
Daereon stopped thinking.
He cast aside his hesitation too.
No matter how expensive the magic tool was, it wasn't more precious than his life.
Activating the switch on the round object in his hand, he glanced back and threw the magic tool forcefully.
Thump-!
Fushuuuuu-!
“Hm?”
‘Nice!’
The sound of the sword clashing with the magic tool!
It was fortunate.
If the opponent had dodged it, he would have inevitably been caught, but thankfully, the guy striking the magic tool allowed the magic to activate in a good position.
It seemed he lacked experience fighting opponents who used magic.
However, Daereon did not stop running away.
Thoughts like ‘Now that the effects of the magic sticky substance and paralysis poison are in play, wouldn't I have the upper hand?’ had long been discarded.
That guy was a monster who surpassed the common Expert Mid-level found across the continent, aiming for a level higher than High-level.
‘And at such a young age too…… That crazy Travion bastard, he called such a monster child just one of the insignificant thugs?’
After throwing the magic tool, he continued his escape for quite some time before finally stopping his steps.
Hah, heok, he was so out of breath it felt like his organs would spill out.
His shoulders, his waist—there wasn't a place that didn't ache from the extreme tension.
‘Still…… I survived……!’
That's right.
Daereon nodded to himself as he thought.
He survived.
He had ultimately survived.
In this moment, neither the anger towards that Travion guy nor the regret over consuming numerous pieces of equipment surfaced.
Only the fact that he had survived from the young man who kept asking strange questions mattered.
Of course.
“That last thing, what was it?”
“……”
“Ah, perhaps this is what they call a magic tool? I’ve heard of it. The magicians gathered on the eastern side of the continent often make strange things…… It really is fascinating. I wish I had a few things like this too…….”
A subtle desire.
As if implying that if Daereon could give him a few of these things, he might find it in his heart to spare him—hearing such subtle coercion, tears welled up in Daereon’s eyes.
He didn't have any.
All he possessed was a moderately good sword bought from the forge three days ago, and 17 Silver carefully tucked away in his pocket.
But would that meager amount be enough to pay for his life?
No. It wouldn't.
It wasn't even a matter of value in the first place.
The things just mentioned were like spoils of war that would naturally follow if his life was taken, not objects for negotiation at all.
Then what should he do?
How could he appease this monstrous young man and preserve his life?
Daereon decided to first try the time-honored tradition of appealing to emotions.
“Oh my, Boss! Please just spare my life! If I die, who will take care of my fox-like wife and rabbit-like children at home! Moreover, my sick old mother waits with bated breath, wondering if I might get hurt while earning money, or meet a violent end somewhere…….”
“I see. But isn’t it a bit funny for an assassin to say such things?”
“Th-that is…… This is the first time…….”
“It didn’t seem like the first time?”
“It’s true! I’ve done many jobs as a Fixer, but this is the first time I’ve tried to kill someone directly, and as I said earlier, trying to provide for my sick old mother, fox-like wife, and rabbit-like children…….”
“Hmm…….”
“……”
‘It’s not working!’
What a cold-blooded person, devoid of blood and tears!
That thought momentarily crossed his mind, but it was quickly followed by the realization that this was the natural reaction.
Why would someone who was just targeted for assassination feel even the slightest stir of emotion, no matter how much the attacker appealed to sentiment?
It's okay. It was okay.
Everything said so far was just to buy time; the real desperate measure to save his life was just beginning.
Something the opponent desperately wanted.
But something he couldn't obtain even by killing him, an intangible asset, not weapons or wealth!
“Inf-information!”
“Yes?”
“I will give you information! I, I know a lot! From who the mastermind targeting the Eddy Family and you, Boss, is, to who is behind them, and how to protect yourself from them!”
“Hm.”
“Besides that, while working as a Fixer until now, I’ve picked up all sorts of stories and rumors! No, even if I don’t know it right now! Boss, if there’s anything you desire, this younger brother is confident he can find it out, no matter what it takes!”
“Hmm…….”
This time, Harang too felt a bit tempted.
Of course, he wasn't particularly curious about who the mastermind was.
It was obvious it was the Travion Gang's doing, even without asking.
However, the point that the man had heard various pieces of information while working as a Fixer.
And the point that he would find out anything, even if he didn't know it right now, moved his heart.
‘I need to continue investigating information about the village anyway, and I don’t even know how to do that kind of thing…….’
He thought it wouldn't be bad for him if someone else did that work.
Of course.
“Do you not trust me? No, I am Daereon! A man among men whose reputation for being nothing but a corpse without loyalty in my hometown echoed beyond the neighboring village to the surrounding cities! If I hadn't fallen for a friend's persuasion in my youth, I would have lived a life contributing to society, perhaps diligently serving in the guard or teaching swordsmanship to kids in the countryside, Ah! That's not to say that I meant you, Boss, who lives an organized life, are not living diligently or that I said this to be sarcastic, not at all, it's just that because I'm foolish and dull, I sometimes make slips of the tongue, but if you could find even this aspect endearing and show a handful of mercy, this Daereon will gladly become your hands and feet and pledge loyalty…….”
‘He’s much lighter than his first impression.’
The problem was whether he could trust such a frivolous person.
For now, he decided to think about it later.
Thwack!
“Kkeuleuk……!”
“There are many ways to make someone unable to lie.”
Of course, those methods were all inhumane, but he didn't care.
Why show mercy to someone who tried to kill him in the first place?
He should be grateful just for being spared.
“Shall we go back then.”
Having knocked out Daereon, Harang quickly headed back the way he came.
Thinking about it, if there had been another assassin while he was chasing this guy, it could have been a serious situation, but fortunately, nothing like that happened.
‘I only received training to kill people, I never thought about protecting them, so I’m inexperienced.’
Well, if he was inexperienced, he just needed to practice.
Just like getting used to the ways of the outside world, and getting used to the Commercial City Marzen.
Thinking that, Harang nudged Underboss Pale awake.
Poke poke
“Mr. Pale? Wake up.”
“Ugh…… Huk! What is it?”
“You fainted for a moment.”
“……Fainted? Me? Why?”
“Because I knocked you out.”
“……”
“……”
“……”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why on earth would you do something you need to apologize for…… No, that person?”
“Yes, he’s the assassin who targeted us.”
Harang said it nonchalantly, and Pale looked back and forth between the unconscious middle-aged man and the black-haired young man with eyes mixed with confusion, suspicion, and astonishment.
‘This person is an assassin? Really?’
‘It’s true. How on earth?’
‘No, why did he knock me out…….’
‘What happened during that time?’
Various questions arose.
However, there was no one to answer those questions.
To be precise, the young man before him was the one who could resolve all doubts, but the aura he currently exuded somehow conveyed a feeling that made him difficult to approach easily.
‘If, if this guy subdued the assassin all by himself…….’
Just as Pale's thoughts were flowing in a direction they had never gone before.
Harang opened his mouth.
“For now, let’s go to the hideout.”
“Uh, what?”
“I said let’s go to the hideout. Boss Eddy is also very drunk, and it seems there’s a lot to ask this assassin. You too, Mr. Pale, but I personally have a lot of things to ask as well.”
“……Right. Well, it’s obvious that damned Travion brat did this without even looking…… but I am curious about that. How on earth did that guy, with his capabilities, manage to get such a highly skilled person……”
The questions kept piling up.
However, Pale decided to listen to Harang for now.
He judged that staying outside was dangerous, and perhaps due to tension, or perhaps because he was knocked out by a blow to the neck, his whole body felt tired, which was also one of the reasons.
Thus, he returned to the hideout with his boss, Eddy, locked the assassin in the underground prison, and fell into a deep sleep without realizing it.
He felt it was right to discuss things tomorrow when the boss was sober, whatever the matter might be.
About 4 hours passed like that.
At a time when it was still quite early for the morning sun to rise, deep in the dawn hours.
Eddy and Pale, upon hearing the urgent report from a subordinate, couldn't help but have their minds jolted awake as if splashed with cold water.
“Harang…… raided the Travion Gang? By himself?”