The four assassins stood motionless, their gazes shifting between Imina—who regarded them with cold indifference—and Sakeer, whose figure was concealed beneath a dark robe.
The air grew thick with tension.
Then—
Bang! Bang!
The assassins sprang into action. In perfect unison, two lunged toward Imina while the other two charged at Sakeer.
"What a joke."
"They think we're the prey?"
The two assassins moving toward Sakeer advanced in complete synchronization, their footfalls eerily light, their movements so seamless that they almost appeared as a single entity.
Then—
Swish!
One of them suddenly leaped into the air. From beneath his sleeve, a silver gleam flashed—a small hand crossbow mounted to his wrist.
Boom—
A muffled snap followed. A silver bolt shot forth, slicing through the air with barely a whisper.
Yet, the most startling part was that the second assassin—who had been trailing closely behind—had vanished entirely.
Sakeer exhaled lightly.
"That's not how you use stealth."
With a casual step, he sidestepped the incoming projectile with ease.
Then—
He lifted his left foot.
Crack!
A pained shriek tore through the night as his kick landed precisely against an unseen figure in the shadows.
The missing assassin was forced out of his concealment, his body crumpling as he staggered backward. Blood spurted from his lips, his chest caving in under the sheer force of the blow.
Sakeer lowered his foot, his gaze shifting toward the airborne assassin, who had yet to even land.
"Stealth attacks only work in ambushes. Using them in open combat is nothing short of foolish."
The assassin's eyes widened in terror.
Meanwhile—
"Ahh—!"
The other two assassins let out strangled screams.
Imina had already finished them off.
She stepped over their lifeless bodies, her expression unfazed.
"Do you want one alive?" she asked, her voice as cold as ice.
The last remaining assassin shuddered.
Boom!
He swallowed hard, his throat convulsing as cold sweat dripped down his forehead. Yet, despite his fear, his voice remained sharp, trembling with forced defiance.
"You have no idea who you've crossed." His tone wavered. "If you come quietly, you might survive. Otherwise, you'll both die here. No one can save you—"
Sou!
Before he could utter another word, an arrow pierced his thigh.
"Ahh—!" The assassin let out a wretched scream.
Imina strode forward without hesitation, kicking him to the ground. Then, raising the heel of her brown boot, she stomped down—hard—directly onto his wound.
"AAAHH—!"
His agonized cries echoed through the deserted streets.
Yet, despite the commotion, not a single soul stirred nearby.
Sakeer lowered the small Silencer staff in his hand and spoke calmly.
"Ask him where they're stationed."
The Silencer was one of three short staves he had recently acquired. The other two—Poison Purge and Disease Cure—were purely for support magic.
Like enchanted scrolls, these staves could only cast first- or second-tier spells. Even so, purchasing all three had cost him a hefty 600 gold coins. Fortunately, his current reserves sat comfortably at around 9,000 gold coins.
"AAAHH—!"
A fresh wave of screams filled the night.
Moments later, Imina dragged the now-unconscious assassin toward Sakeer. Her sharp amber eyes gleamed as she arched a slender brow.
"He's a member of the Six Arms' assassination unit—trained under 'Thousand Kills' from Eight Fingers."
Her voice was crisp as she continued.
"They're currently stationed at a manor outside the royal capital."
Sakeer's brows lifted slightly.
"Thousand Kills?" His lips curled into a smirk. "I thought these were just some low-tier slavers from Eight Fingers' trafficking division. I didn't expect them to be enforcers under Six Arms."
He chuckled. "Looks like we've caught a much bigger fish than I anticipated."
Imina frowned slightly. "Are you sure you want to go after them?"
Though she hadn't known much about Eight Fingers before arriving in the kingdom, the sheer weight of their influence had become painfully clear.
Even now, with just the little intelligence she had gathered, she could already tell—
They were enormous.
For such a powerful organization to operate within the kingdom for so long, it could only mean one thing—deep and inextricable ties to the nobility.
Sakeer exhaled softly.
"I'll take care of the rest."
"Don't worry."
With a calm expression, he lifted the unconscious assassin onto his shoulder, then glanced at Imina.
"There might be a surprise waiting for us tomorrow."
And with that—
His figure vanished into the darkness.
Imina bit her lip, a trace of concern flickering in her amber eyes.
Through Leinas's deference toward Sakeer, she had already begun to suspect that his strength was far greater than it appeared.
But no matter how strong he was, storming the enemy's lair alone was reckless at best.
Nestled just outside the royal capital, Brambus Estate was one of the largest manors in the region.
It was famous for producing a luxurious, full-bodied wine known as "Blood Red."
A single bottle cost over 15 silver coins, and rarer vintages could fetch dozens of gold pieces—a fortune beyond the reach of ordinary folk.
Yet, in truth—
The estate was far more than a vineyard.
It served as the headquarters for the "Eight Fingers" Security Division. And "Blood Red" wasn't just a reference to fine wine.
Perched atop a stone near the estate's outer grounds, Sakeer stood shrouded in his black robe, his gaze locked on the brightly lit mansion at the manor's center.
He let out a soft chuckle.
"For a security division, their defenses are pitiful."
Then—he raised his hand.
Behind him, shadows stirred.
Figures clad in darkened rags silently moved past him, gliding toward the mansion.
Each one a corpse, reanimated by the dark magic of "Create Undead."
The guards of Eight Fingers had never imagined anyone would dare to invade their headquarters. But for an organization that prided itself on being the kingdom's strongest enforcers, their security was laughably lax.
Finding their stronghold had been easier than expected—a fortunate turn of events.
Yet, Sakeer wasn't here just to set his plans in motion.
Tonight, he was after something more.
There were two professions in the royal capital that had caught his interest.
The first—
A high-level class, "Ninja," held by the twin assassins of Blue Rose.
The second—
"Shamanic Adept," belonging to Zero, the "Battle Demon," head of the Security Division under Eight Fingers.
Among all the warriors he had seen, two figures stood out in his memory.
One was "Nail Clippers" Brain.
The other—
"Battle Demon" Zero.
Both men had achieved feats beyond their level, surpassing the limits of ordinary warriors.
But while Brain had relied on innate ability, Zero had climbed to his level through sheer mastery of his profession.
And now—
Sakeer intended to claim that power for himself.
Inside Brambus Estate, the rich aroma of wine filled the air.
Soft candlelight flickered against the polished crystal chandeliers, casting a warm glow over the grand hall.
An extravagant feast was spread across a long dining table—silver platters overflowing with delicacies, the finest wine poured into jewel-encrusted goblets.
Yet, only six figures sat at the table.
The strongest warriors of Eight Fingers' Security Division.
The "Six Arms."
"A Thousand Kills" Malmvist"The Undead King" Davernoch"Phantom Devil" Succulent"Dancing Scimitar" Edström
"Spacial Slash" Peshurian
"Battle Demon" Zero
Each of them was a warrior on par with Adamantite-ranked adventurers—the elite enforcers of Eight Fingers.
(End of Chapter)