[Skill learned: feather steps]
A strange mechanical voice rang in my ear as I grinned.
'It is getting interesting now.'
_Whir!
The assassin slashed his dagger at me again, but instead of dodging, I stepped in close, feinting left before driving my knee toward his abdomen.
He blocked it with his forearm, but the force pushed him a few steps back.
"SURGE."
Before he could react, a sudden rush of water poured down from the sky.
Grace, her hand raised, cast a spell from earlier; just this time, it was larger than before.
But this wasn't the end, just as the water settled down, she quickly cast another spell.
"FREEZE."
Suddenly, all the water turned into a frost layer, momentarily halting the assassin's movement.
I didn't waste the chance and charged straight in.
_Crack!
The frozen ground cracked under my feet as I pushed off, channeling mana into my legs.
I coated my sword in mana and slashed down on him.
The assassin's eyes widened as he realized what I just did.
After all, only experts could manipulate mana to just degree.
My blade sliced forward, the sound of shattering frost echoing a heartbeat later.
_Clang!
He recovered quickly, whip lashed upward, catching the blade mid-swing, sparks bursting between us.
I twisted my wrist, letting the force slide off instead of resisting.
The motion drew him off balance for a heartbeat, enough for me to slip inside his guard.
His dagger flashed toward my throat.
I ducked under it, sweeping my leg across the frozen surface.
I lunged forward, driving my shoulder into his chest. He reeled back but recovered instantly.
I swung low, forcing him to jump back.
He retaliated, the whip cracking through the air; it tore across my sleeve, leaving a shallow line of blood along my forearm.
I darted sideways, breathing through the burn.
When the next lash came, I ducked under it and stomped hard.
_Crack!
Cracks spiderwebbed through the frost, and the surface beneath his heel gave way.
He slipped, only slightly, but it was enough.
I surged forward, feinting a high slash. He raised his dagger to block, and I let go of the sword mid-swing, spinning on my heel.
'Time to end it.'
My empty hand caught his wrist, dragging him forward with his own momentum.
He turned with the motion, driving his knee into my gut. The impact stole my breath, but I didn't let go.
I pivoted, twisting his arm upward in a lock.
"AGH!!"
He hissed and countered again, whipping toward my face.
I ducked, feeling the air split above my head, and rolled across his back, still holding his wrist.
The dagger tore free from his grasp as I landed behind him. I caught it mid-air, reversed the grip, and spun.
He turned at the same instant, claws slashing toward my neck.
His nails grazed my skin, but my blade was already moving.
_Stab!
The dagger drove home, sliding cleanly between his shoulder blades.
He jerked once, his eye widened, then he went still.
I staggered back, blood dripping from my arm onto the fractured ice.
The assassin collapsed soundlessly, his weapon falling beside him.
For a moment, I just stood there, letting the adrenaline fade.
"T-That's…"
Grace's voice trembled, but I barely heard her.
My reflection on the ice caught my eye, and my face twisted in a grin.
'Damn it… I just killed someone. So why am I smiling?'
I covered my mouth to hide the wide grin that was still plastered across my face, as I forced myself to calm down.
'It's been so long, so long that it felt like eternity. I can finally move around without the mind-numbing pain of a fractured core. I am finally free of my curse.'
"THAT'S AMAZING!!"
Grace suddenly came running toward me, voice full of excitement.
"We actually killed an advanced-rank assassin!"
My sentiments ended there.
'We? Who's we?'
"And the way you moved, oh my god! Are you a hidden expert or something!?"
'Girl… are you right in your head? A man's dead, and you're jumping excitedly over his corpse.'
"Calm down. This isn't over yet."
Just as I finished speaking, a sudden flutter of wings echoed overhead.
Dozens of birds shot into the sky, startled by something in the distance.
'More are coming.'
"We need to hide," I said sharply.
"Oh! Alright!" Grace stammered, immediately falling into step beside me.
I grabbed her wrist and pulled her toward the treeline.
The frost cracked beneath our feet as we slipped behind the thick roots of an old oak.
I placed my hand on the bark, feeling the tree's mana flow, and matched it with my own.
Then, channeling that same flow, I transferred it through Grace's wrist.
She shivered. "What is this? I feel something warm… inside me."
"…Just stay silent."
'I have my doubts, but this girl definitely has a few screws loose.'
[Skill Learned: Stealth]
Our presence faded, merging with the natural mana around us. To the naked eye, we were gone.
The faint rustling of leaves filled the silence. Grace crouched beside me, a faint redness coloring her cheeks and a strange sparkle in her eyes.
'Yep. Definitely not normal.'
My senses prickled; someone was approaching.
I gestured for Grace to stay still. Her grip tightened on her sword instead, eyes shining with dangerous excitement.
Moments later, two figures clad entirely in black stepped into view.
They moved with perfect precision, silent, deadly, coordinated.
"There."
One of them spotted the corpse and rushed toward it. The other followed without a word.
While they examined the body, I motioned for Grace to move.
We quietly circled the tree, stepping lightly until the forest swallowed our silhouettes.
After several tense minutes, we finally reached a safer distance.
I released Grace's wrist and exhaled.
"Phew. That was close," she said, letting out a nervous laugh. "It's starting to feel like a real action novel now."
"You're a serious nutcase," I muttered.
"Huh? What was that?"
"Nothin—" I stopped mid-sentence.
A powerful presence pressed against my senses, cold, oppressive, and close.
_Russle!
A shadow stepped out from the bushes ahead.
"So, you were here… Young Miss."