novelraw Chapter 6 : Chapter 6
Chapter 6 : Chapter 6
Chapter 6: Assassination
A plan must be established carefully.
The opponent is a Wizard.
I must not approach carelessly.
They are a being on a completely different level compared to small fry like the Black Hound.
‘The one who cast the Force Fields on those hunting dogs must have been that Wizard. There’s no way such underlings could cast magic themselves.’
Wizards are a cunning lot.
If I fail to eliminate them on the first attempt, a second opportunity won't come easily.
Ered recalled the spells he had witnessed so far.
‘At first, they used something like a beam. After that, lightning, fire arrows….’
A Prominence’s specialty is not magic. Nevertheless, he was well-versed in it.
It was to hunt Wizards.
To kill an enemy, one must know the enemy well.
‘They are all spells of the 2nd Circle or lower.’
That was the commonality of the magic the target used.
The Wizard of the Wetlands is likely a 2nd Circle Wizard.
‘A Wizard in the "Practitioner" stage.’
The Wizards of the Republic have specific titles for each circle.
The 1st Circle is "Novice," and the 2nd Circle is "Practitioner."
‘2nd Circle, huh.’
They should be at a level where they can manifest basic magic without restrictions.
‘Is there a possibility the Wizard used only 2nd Circle spells or lower on purpose to hide their full strength?’
It probably isn't high.
‘If they were a higher-class Wizard, they would have been drafted to a more important front.’
Unless the Republic is full of fools, there is no reason to deploy a high-circle Wizard to such a remote area.
Of course, this is merely a deduction.
It would be troublesome to jump to conclusions.
One must always assume the worst.
***
“I will execute the operation tonight.”
Late at night.
Ered went to Sailo and declared his intent.
“Are the preparations finished?”
Sailo welcomed the news with an excited voice.
For someone who had been tormented by the Wizard, it was news like rain after a drought.
“If you need troops, I’ll give you as many as you want. Even if I have to seek cooperation from other companies for additional troops—”
“I don't need them.”
“Hm? What does that….”
“I will move alone.”
The Wizard is residing in a natural fortress.
The number of troops they command must be significant.
A frontal breakthrough is dangerous.
Assassination is the only answer.
“Hmm.”
Sailo could not easily open his mouth.
“You must be strong. Much more than I think.”
He hesitated while gauging Ered's reaction.
“But if by any chance something goes wrong with you, I won't escape a reprimand. It would mean I sent a precious Prominence to his death alone.”
“I’ll tell you honestly. Support troops will only be a burden.”
Ered rejected him flatly.
No matter how much an elite soldier might fly or crawl, it’s meaningless.
They wouldn't even reach the toes of a Prominence.
***
A night where even the moon was hidden by clouds.
Good weather for an assassination.
Today, he wore camouflage gear instead of his uniform.
He intended to become friends with the darkness.
All preparations were finished.
Ered left his assigned quarters.
Every time the Imperial soldiers encountered him, they stood stiffly and saluted.
He accepted the salutes the first few times, but later replaced them with a nod.
Eventually, he reached the wetlands.
Beyond the soggy ground, a river was flowing.
The width of the river was approximately 20 meters.
‘The guard is tight.’
Even from afar, the number of Republic troops stationed on the high ground was considerable.
Therefore, swimming across the river is an unwise choice.
No matter how careful one is, it’s a position where they are bound to be spotted by the enemy.
Bullets would rain down before even crossing half the river.
Getting hit by a gun itself isn't scary.
I can just avoid it.
However, if I'm discovered from the start, the mission will be hindered.
‘In that case.’
Ered took a few steps back.
Whir!
He activated the mana circuits in both legs simultaneously.
After a running start, he leaped across the river in a single bound.
His entire body soared high through the darkness.
He reached out toward the cliff looming ahead.
Thud!
He hung precariously, relying on a protruding rock.
“What was that?”
A voice was heard from atop the cliff.
“I think something just passed over the river?”
He held his breath in silence.
The light of a lantern poured down onto the river water.
“There’s nothing there?”
“That’s strange. I definitely….”
“Must be a bird. Or a crocodile.”
At least it isn't a person.
The soldiers concluded as such.
It’s an obvious thing.
It is impossible for a human to cross a river 20 meters wide in a single bound with pure strength.
“Right?”
The footsteps of the soldiers gradually grew distant.
By the time the sound was completely gone.
Ered resumed his actions.
Applying strength to the hand gripping the rock, he leaped up a dozen meters at once.
Chak.
The moment he landed on the high ground, he lowered his upper body and hid in the nearby bushes.
‘The first gate is passed.’
He pulled his senses to their maximum.
First, he had to grasp the terrain of the high ground and the form of the encampment.
He began drawing a three-dimensional map in his head.
The movement paths of the enemies.
Footsteps.
Scents.
The direction of the wind touching his skin….
He meticulously analyzed every factor.
The light sources installed on every watchtower were as bright as day.
Dozens of soldiers were patrolling the entire area of the watchtowers periodically.
‘They’re determined not to let even a mosquito in.’
The troops defending the base numbered at least 1,000.
Equivalent to two battalions.
‘The Wizard must be in the center.’
Wizards do not borrow the power of magic stones.
They are beings who have accumulated mana within their own bodies.
If he activated a mana detection circuit, he could easily find the target's location.
However, that was a poor approach.
The moment he used mana detection, the Wizard would also sense the ripple of mana.
‘How shall I cook him?’
His deliberation was not long.
Ered pulled a large number of throwing knives from the sheath worn on his thigh.
Swish!
He scattered them into the air one by one from between his fingers.
The throwing knives flew through the darkness.
The top priority targets were the sentries on the watchtowers.
They fell one by one.
He thought he heard a gagging sound, but it soon became quiet.
They couldn't even scream.
It’s natural.
He aimed for their throats on purpose to eliminate them quietly.
Thud!
Immediately after, even the soldiers patrolling in pairs side-by-side slumped over.
After finishing a round of cleaning, he sharpened his hearing.
The reaction of a living being was no longer felt within a 50-meter radius.
‘Next is….’
He gauged the time.
He had grasped all their movement paths.
Another patrol group would be passing by here soon.
‘They're here.’
It was just as he guessed.
Ten people in total.
The number is quite large this time.
‘Maybe I should have brought more throwing knives.’
Well, it doesn't matter.
There are more than enough ways to take a life besides that.
Thud.
Thud.
In the meantime, the patrol group approached within arm's reach.
He moves toward them.
Holding the last pair of throwing knives in each hand.
“…Huh?”
The soldiers, who belatedly recognized his presence, furrowed their brows.
“Who—”
Ered instantly ramped up his speed.
The brow.
The temple.
And the heart.
He ruthlessly pierced their vital points with the throwing knives.
Puk.
Puk.
Puk.
His hands moved restlessly.
To the point where the throwing knives appeared as multiple afterimages.
The soldiers tumbled down one by one.
All dead.
Questioning remained like dregs in the eyes of the soldiers from whom life had escaped.
When he faced the Black Hound, he took his time disposing of them on purpose.
It was to sharpen his combat senses.
Like a cat playing with a mouse.
The situation is different now.
Fast and concise.
It was to prevent the engagement from becoming pointlessly long.
Ered exhaled the breath he had been holding.
He had assassinated them all without issue.
‘Since there are no witnesses, it counts as an assassination.’
Exactly one minute since infiltrating the enemy camp.
The number of Republic soldiers he had taken down neared twenty.
Ered concealed the corpses scattered everywhere in the bushes, then climbed atop a watchtower that had lost its owner.
He had a two-minute window before the second patrol group arrived.
As he applied strength to his eyes, the mana circuits around his eyes stood out.
As the iris contracted and the pupil dilated, he was able to take in more things.
‘Found him.’
His gaze, scanning the entire camp, fixed on one spot.
A middle-aged man wearing a robe.
A snow-white gas was floating from the man's hand.
It seemed he was in personal training.
That is mana.
Clear evidence that he is a Wizard.
A large number of Republic soldiers were concentrated around the Wizard.
It seemed they were escorting him.
Ered made a gun shape with his hand.
Pit!
A small spark rose at the tip of his index finger.
Using the spark as a bullet, he aimed.
Toward a place far from the Wizard's quarters.
Whish!
The spark flew in a straight line toward the target point.
After generating a spark again, he sent it flying several more times to nearby spots.
A red flame slowly rose.
Once caught, it began to spread at a rapid speed.
“Fire!”
Commotion broke out at the untimely fire.
Soldiers scooped up buckets of water and ran hurriedly toward the spot of the fire.
In the process, a significant number of the guys guarding the Wizard's side scattered.
‘Shall I head out now?’
Taking advantage of the commotion, he advanced toward the center of the Republic base.
It was a calm gait.
To the point where one wouldn't think he was an assassin who had broken into the middle of the enemy camp.
He encountered groups of soldiers several times in the process, but….
Puk.
Puk.
He gifted them silent deaths as well.
“There’s a fire in the barracks?”
A middle-aged man's voice was heard not far away.
It is the Wizard.
The guy had not yet left his spot.
Just as planned.
Ered set the fire to a moderate scale on purpose.
Because if the fire was serious, the Wizard would avoid the area.
Or he would step in himself and try to put out the fire using magic.
He slowly drew his Arcane Sword.
The well-sharpened blade contained a chilling blue light.
He walks toward the Wizard.
His footsteps gradually quickened.
Boom!
He pushed off the ground with his right foot.
Dirt rose in reverse like a fountain.
He narrows the distance in an instant.
He ruthlessly struck down with the sword he gripped tightly with both hands.
Kaaang—!
That blow did not reach the Wizard.
A force field flared up between the two, blocking the path of the sword.
‘Force Field? Is he maintaining it at all times?’
The ambush is a failure.
He’s a more thorough guy than I thought.
“What—”
Astonishment flashed across the Wizard's face.
If not for the Force Field, he would have met death without even knowing what hit him.
“W-Who are you!?”
Only then did the Wizard's guards recognize Ered's presence.
Every one of them failed to react until Ered executed the first attack.
“It’s an Imperial!”
The six guards scrambled into combat stances.
In the end, it was a meaningless act.
Thud.
Ered harvested the heads of the guards one by one.
By the time they had pulled their swords halfway, three had already fallen.
The remaining three met their end without being able to swing their drawn swords even once.
“You crossed the river?”
The Wizard muttered to himself.
Doubt was dwelling in that voice.
If he had swam across the river, he surely would have been spotted by the sentries?
“Wait. You are….”
The Wizard's brow narrowed.
His gaze reached Ered's red pupils.
“A Prominence. You monster!”
Only then did the Wizard accept all the unrealistic situations unfolding before him.
The opponent is an Imperial Prominence.
That fact alone was enough to explain all these unrealistic situations.
Three fire arrows were fired in succession from the Wizard's fingertips.
Arrows flying with fierce momentum.
But in Ered's eyes, they appeared slow enough to make him yawn.
At that moment, the Wizard reached out again.
Whoosh!
A fan-shaped gust of wind suddenly swirled.
The fire arrows caught in the gust added acceleration.
He failed to react in time.
It was too late to avoid it.
He crossed both arms in an 'X' shape.
Pung!
He waved his hand, clearing away the acrid smoke.
The power of the fire arrows was considerable, but his arms were fine.
It was thanks to the fact that he had instantly activated a mana circuit that resists fire damage to minimize the harm.
Even so, Ered's expression was not bright.
In the process of blocking the fire arrows, a significant amount of the Red Magic Stone's mana had escaped.
‘I shouldn't let myself get hit anymore.’
The Wizard maximized the effect by mixing two types of magic.
He’s a guy with plenty of combat experience.
‘He’s not an opponent to be taken lightly.’
That makes it more fun.
Ered's face brightened.
He couldn't contain his joy.
“…Crazy bastard.”
Smiling in this situation?
The Wizard trembled as if he were disgusted.
‘Once the incantation ends, a magic circle is manifest. If he gestures toward the target, the magic activates.’
He had roughly grasped the Wizard's pattern.
‘The probing battle is over.’
It’s about time for a counterattack.
He ran forward while holding the sword with his right hand.
While the Wizard was engrossed in chanting, Ered pulled out his pistol with his left hand.
A gunshot would ring out, but this was no longer the time to worry about that.
Bang—!
As expected, the bullet did not pierce the Wizard. It was due to the Force Field.
It doesn't matter.
Magic is not invincible.
Bang!
Bang!
He pulled the trigger repeatedly while approaching the guy.
Six rounds, seven rounds….
Crack—
A crack appeared in the once-firm Force Field.
“Tch.”
The Wizard's complexion hardened.
A situation had arisen where he could no longer pour out attacks while relying solely on the Force Field.
Stopping his attack magic, the Wizard hurriedly began chanting a protection spell.
‘Now.’
Ered raised his output as much as he could.
But the Wizard was one step faster.
Around the time he reached point-blank range, the Wizard regenerated his Force Field.
“Don't even think about it.”
The guy let out a cold laugh.
The newly generated Force Field appeared much more solid than before.
It seemed he had poured in quite a bit of mana.
‘I tried to save mana as much as possible, but.’
It can't be helped.
He infused mana into the Arcane Sword.
As the sword and mana touched, a resonant hum vibrated.
Red mana filled the groove etched in the center of the blade.
Like blood flowing through a vein.
As the realm of mana expanded rapidly, red mana overlaid the entire blade.
“Try blocking it well. It’s time to verify your skill.”
Angry muscles bulged on his arm gripping the sword.
‘I cut.’
The red mana flickered fiercely like flames.
As if to swallow everything.
Whish—
A vertical line of intense red was drawn.
With a splintering sound like a log breaking, the Force Field shattered to pieces.
He had no intention of stopping there.
“U-Uh... ?”
The Arcane Sword, which had entered while cutting the Wizard's right shoulder, slashed diagonally down to the guy's left flank.
“You couldn't block it?”
As he withdrew the sword, blood was scattered everywhere.
Blood gushed out from the Wizard's mouth.
“Do you, do you even know, the source of that power, you use?”
The emotion dwelling in the Wizard's eyes was clear loathing.
“People always seem to get talkative right before they die.”
“Someday, the Empire's hideous, underside will be revealed, a day will come….”
Hideous underside?
Funny.
“Thanks to you, I had fun.”
Ered fully savored the sense of elation rising through his entire body.
A showdown with a life on the line is always thrilling.
“Well. Then.”
The entertainment is over, so now it’s time to officially sever the guy's windpipe.
Just then.
A large amount of mana was released from the Wizard.
“Dear me.”
The space seemed to distort and then expanded rapidly.
Boom!!
Ered's body staggered significantly.
‘What a grand farewell.’
As an aftermath of the explosion, the skin of his entire body became tattered like a rag.
There were even parts where the bone was exposed.
It was a bit dangerous this time.
The Wizard had one trump card left.
‘Indeed, I shouldn't let my guard down until the very end.’
Ered clicked his tongue.
Was it because it was a strike with a life on the line?
The Wizard's self-destruction attack had power equal to a 3rd Circle spell.
Even for a Prominence, a weakness exists.
The Red Magic Stone embedded in the dead center of the chest.
If the Red Magic Stone is destroyed, the mana circuits cannot be used.
Right before being caught in the explosion.
He had protected the Red Magic Stone by covering it with both hands.
In the process, both his arms became rags, but the Red Magic Stone was safe.
‘The mana loss will be significant.’
He activated his mana circuits to full capacity.
Broken bones slowly set.
Torn skin slowly sealed together.
Other tattered parts were also rapidly recovered.
It was thanks to devoting himself to physical regeneration without sparing mana.
Ered picked up the Wizard's headless head rolling on the ground and vanished into the darkness.
“Emergency! All troops, assemble!!”
“That way!”
The shouts of the Republic soldiers were heard distantly like an echo.