"Hold your fire."
The mage captain raised a hand sharply, signaling his teammates to stand down. His voice carried authority, but also a hint of curiosity as he stepped forward to address Lucas directly.
"Little brother," he began, wearing a calm smile that didn't reach his eyes, "there's no need to get worked up. This Secret Realm is a competition ground, and meeting others like us is only natural. There's no reason for unnecessary conflict."
He paused, eyes narrowing as he studied Lucas from head to toe. The faint smirk on his lips suggested disbelief—how could a mere Level 43 assassin stand so confidently before five high-level fighters?
"This place concerns the rewards of the Secret Realm," the mage continued smoothly. "Even if you're from a big guild, we won't yield. In here, everything depends on strength."
Lucas stayed silent, watching them with that same steady gaze. The mage found it irritating—there was no fear, no uncertainty, just calm defiance.
"Alright then," the captain finally said, spreading his hands in a gesture that looked friendly but wasn't. "We won't make it difficult for you. How about you quit the Secret Realm on your own? It'll save everyone time."
It was a warning disguised as advice. If this boy had any hidden background, the guild would avoid unnecessary trouble. But if not—then he was simply prey.
"Quit?"
Lucas raised an eyebrow and chuckled softly, his amusement cold. "You really think you can make me do that?" He spun his dagger lazily between his fingers. "Fine. Let's see whose abilities are stronger."
That calm, confident tone lit a fire under them.
After all, they'd already scanned him. They knew his level, his profession, and his supposed weakness. Five Level 63 players versus one Level 43 assassin—the gap was enormous.
"Ha! You don't know what's good for you," the archer sneered, drawing back his bowstring. "We gave you a chance to leave peacefully, kid. Don't blame us for what happens next!"
"If you won't walk away," the swordsman growled, lifting his massive blade onto his shoulder, "we'll gladly send you back to the city ourselves."
The shield warrior banged his shield against the ground with a thunderous clang, his tone icy. "Hope you've got a resurrection badge, boy. You'll need it."
Behind them, the priest had already moved several steps back, positioning himself next to the mage captain. He knew assassins well—get too close, and a single backstab could end him. His caution was almost professional.
The mage adjusted his stance and cast a glowing blue barrier around himself. His eyes gleamed faintly as he gave one final warning. "Last chance. Will you leave… or die here?"
Lucas didn't answer.
"Then don't blame us," the mage said coldly. "Attack!"
The shield warrior charged forward like a roaring bull, his heavy armor shaking the ground. He planned to crush Lucas before the boy could even move. A quick combo—Charge into Shield Bash—was enough to finish low-level assassins instantly.
But just as his strike came down—Lucas vanished.
His body dissolved into shadows, leaving only a ripple of darkness behind.
"Huh?!" The shield warrior's strike hit empty air with a booming echo. "Invisible? No, that wasn't stealth—it's too fast!"
"Careful!" shouted the priest, his voice trembling.
The mage smirked confidently. "He dares vanish in front of me? Amateur move." He raised his staff high. "Detection Technique!"
Winds of blue energy spread outward, sweeping across the clearing, searching for Lucas's hidden form. Yet seconds passed—nothing. The shadows remained empty.
"Where did he go?" The archer turned in circles, bow still raised. "Did he run away?"
The mage frowned. "It doesn't matter. He's too weak to survive this place. Let him hide."
"Damn it," the archer cursed. "I should've just shot him dead!"
They relaxed slightly, assuming the assassin had fled.
Then—
Two cold streaks of steel flashed like twin serpents through the air.
The archer froze mid-breath. His eyes widened as black daggers pierced straight through his neck.
Lucas appeared behind him, silent as death, his voice a whisper at the man's ear. "You talk too much."
The archer's body disintegrated into white light before he could even scream.
The others stood stunned.
"He—he killed him?!" the swordsman shouted in disbelief. "How did he bypass the detection spell?!"
"Xiaochuan's down!" The shield warrior's expression hardened as he charged again, fury burning in his eyes.
Lucas didn't move. He simply smiled and disappeared once more, melting into shadow.
The swordsman tried to anticipate the attack. "He'll go for the priest next!" he shouted, moving to intercept. "Wind Instant Slash!"
He dashed forward, wind wrapping around his massive blade as he swung behind the priest, expecting to catch Lucas mid-backstab.
But no one was there.
Instead, a flicker of movement caught his eye behind the mage captain.
Lucas had appeared again—his dagger slicing clean through the mage's protective barrier as if it were paper.
"What the—?!" The mage stumbled back, shocked. "How did he break my shield so fast?!"
"Ring of Fire!"
The mage reacted instantly, summoning a blazing circle of flame that exploded outward in all directions. It was a powerful defensive spell, one meant to repel all nearby enemies.
The explosion shook the clearing, heat waves rippling through the trees.
But Lucas didn't fall back. Instead, his form shimmered again—and reappeared just outside the blast radius. He moved so swiftly that the flames barely touched him.
The mage's pupils shrank. "Impossible—"
"Kiss of Death!"
Lucas's voice cut through the roar of fire as he lunged forward. His dagger carved a cross-shaped slash across the mage's waist. The glowing wound pulsed with dark energy before the mage even had time to scream.
Then he was gone—disintegrating into white light, just like the archer.
Silence fell for a moment.
The priest's hands trembled, the glow of his healing spell faltering. The swordsman stared, eyes wide. The shield warrior took an involuntary step back.
Two members of their team—Level 63 elite players—had been taken down by a single Level 43 assassin. It didn't make sense.
The mage captain had been wearing enchanted robes and had a full-strength magic barrier. His defense should have been more than enough. And yet… Lucas's attack had sliced right through it.
"What kind of power is that?" the priest whispered, his voice shaking.
"He didn't escape," the shield warrior growled, realization dawning. "He's hunting us."
The forest grew eerily quiet. Every rustle of leaves, every whisper of wind felt like a threat.
The swordsman tightened his grip on his blade. "Stay close. Watch the shadows."
Lucas's faint voice drifted through the mist. "You should've listened when I told you to walk away."
A chill ran down their spines.
The next instant, Lucas struck again. A blur of shadow appeared behind the priest.
The healer gasped, barely managing to raise his staff before a dagger slid neatly across his throat.
He vanished before his body could even hit the ground.
The shield warrior roared in rage and charged blindly, his shield glowing as he slammed it forward. "You coward! Fight me head-on!"
Lucas did exactly that.
He met the charge with a spin, his dagger flashing in a wide arc. The blow struck the edge of the shield, creating a burst of sparks that blinded both for a heartbeat. Then, faster than the warrior could react, Lucas's blade slipped under the shield rim—driving deep into his armor's weak point.
The warrior's eyes went wide. His shield dropped with a heavy clang as his body shattered into light.
The swordsman was the only one left.
He stared at the empty forest around him, panting heavily. "How… how is this possible?"
Lucas emerged from the shadows once more, his expression unreadable. "You relied too much on levels," he said softly. "Not enough on skill."
The swordsman roared and charged with everything he had, swinging his massive blade with desperate strength. Lucas sidestepped effortlessly. One clean motion—his dagger sliced across the man's chest, ending the battle instantly.
The swordsman fell to his knees, disintegrating into the same fading white glow as the others.
When silence finally returned to the forest, Lucas stood alone amid the faint light left by their defeated forms.
Five against one. All higher level. All dead.
He cleaned his dagger on the edge of his cloak, eyes calm. "You should've stayed quiet."
He crouched and quickly looted their dropped items—gold, materials, and several scrolls. Then he straightened, turning toward the direction of the Tree of Life once again.
The forest wind rustled through the branches, carrying faint traces of smoke and magic.
"First the Elf Court," Lucas murmured. "Now this. If this Secret Realm wants to test me, then let it."
He sheathed his dagger and disappeared once more into the shadows, heading deeper into the heart of the forest—toward the Tree of Life.
Behind him, faint glimmers of white light faded completely, leaving no sign of the Wild Wolf Guild or their arrogance.
End of Chapter 132 – "Brazen Attack."
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