Chapter 135: Chapter 134: Assassination

Ronin had never imagined he would be the target of an assassination.

After all, his domain was nestled deep in the remote mountains. It would take a monumental effort for an assassin to even reach it, especially since heavy snow had sealed the mountain passes just two days ago, making travel nearly impossible.

Just how much perseverance did this killer possess to brave the bitter cold and biting snow, crossing the vast, white expanse of the mountain forest just to take his life?

Ronin didn’t know, nor did he have time to dwell on it.

Faced with the assassin’s merciless attack, he had no time to hesitate. Ronin immediately pulled out the Guardian Armor Magic Scroll that Lurans had given him and infused it with Magic Power.

HUMMM~

An earthen-yellow suit of Armor materialized over Ronin’s entire body just as the sword struck. The assassin’s slash produced a piercing screech of metal on metal, causing the spectral Armor to shudder violently.

“A Fifth-level Spell Scroll… Heh. The people of Wushan Castle really have some resources.”

The assassin sneered. “But it won’t save your life.”

He followed up with a kick.

Having used the Magic Scroll to block the blow, Ronin finally had a moment to breathe. He was no longer panicked as he had been at first; on the contrary, he had become surprisingly calm.

He swiftly dodged the kick and, pushing off the balls of his feet, charged toward his opponent.

Early this morning, Ronin had spent all the Attribute Points he’d received from Number Seven’s care package.

Now, not only had his Mage Level reached Advanced Level Perfection, but his Knight Level progress had also reached 280/300, making him an Advanced Peak Knight.

His Physical Ability, Power, and Spirit had all been massively enhanced; he wouldn’t be outmatched even if he went up against Macken.

Though they had only exchanged a couple of moves, Ronin had already determined that this assassin was extremely strong—likely a Bronze Level Knight.

The two Knights battled in the cramped room. Fighting Qi and Sword Aura flew wildly, tearing through tables, chairs, and walls. If this kept up, the room itself would likely be destroyed.

Ronin’s performance had completely thrown the assassin off.

“An Advanced Level Knight! You’re actually an Advanced Level Knight!”

After a series of exchanges, the assassin had gauged Ronin’s level of strength.

He never would have imagined the intelligence was wrong—and so outrageously wrong at that.

This so-called ’trash,’ the Marquis’s eldest grandson, was not only no longer trash, but had become an Advanced Level Knight in the blink of an eye. And his combat prowess was anything but low.

’A seventeen-year-old Advanced Peak Knight, and they called him trash?’

’What a joke!’

’Retreat!’

Using the rebound from another clash of swords, the black-clad assassin shot backward. A sweep of his Sword Aura shattered the decorative wooden window, and he leaped out.

A three-story drop was nothing for a Bronze Knight.

’The assassination had failed, the intel was wrong, and he had completely lost the element of surprise. If he lingered, he’d be in serious trouble once that Guard Knight arrived.’

“Thinking of leaving?”

Ronin pushed off the floor and leaped out the window after him.

But in the two or three seconds it took, the man had vanished. Ronin scanned the area, but there was no sign of him.

’Did he go invisible again?’

Ronin cast Wind of Inquiry. As his sight shifted to Elemental Vision attuned to the wind, he once again spotted the assassin’s landing form—the man was standing perfectly still at the base of the wall.

’What’s he doing? Playing hide-and-seek right under my nose?’

’Or does he think that “the most dangerous place is the safest place,” and that by staying invisible right under my nose he won’t be found?’

Ronin didn’t care. Before he even landed, he threw a punch downward. A Flaming Fist Aura shot out like a bomb, landing precisely where the assassin was hiding.

The black-clad assassin couldn’t understand how his stealth had been discovered. With no time to think, he could only dodge in a hurry.

The moment his body moved, the Invisibility effect shattered.

In a flash, Ronin understood. The assassin’s Invisibility must have limitations: either he couldn’t use Fighting Qi, or his movements couldn’t be too sudden or fast, otherwise the effect would break.

BOOM!

The roar of the Fire Fist Bombing shook the castle under the night sky, shattering the usual tranquility.

It was only then that a shocked Gallon finally reacted. Shouting for his lord, he ran to the window and yelled to the courtyard below:

“Assassin!”

“There’s an assassin!”

“Help! There’s an assassin!”

The panicked shouts startled the servants in the Inner Castle and the sentries on the fortress walls.

“What’s going on?”

Chahar, who was clearing the dinnerware, froze for a moment. As soon as he made out the words, he panicked and rushed outside.

Meanwhile, outside the hall in the Outer Fortress, Erin, David, and the others were cheerfully leaving their “classroom” after finishing their one-hour lesson for the day. Everyone was in high spirits.

The former was relieved to be done teaching for the day, and the latter were relieved that the agonizing lesson was over.

But just as they were laughing and chatting, about to go their separate ways, the commotion from the Inner Castle stopped them in their tracks.

“What’s going on?”

The three Knights exchanged a glance, unable to make out the words.

However, the Guards on the watchtower soon relayed a clear message: the Lord was under attack!

The color drained from their faces, their hearts filled with dread.

“Protect the Lord!”

“Protect Lord Ronin!”

They drew their longswords and charged toward the Inner Castle at top speed.

“Ronin is being assassinated?”

Erin’s wide eyes filled with terror and panic. Her face was deathly pale as she followed David and the others, running toward the Inner Castle.

Suddenly, she realized it was useless for her to go in. The combat abilities of a Basic Level Mage were pitifully weak.

“The Guard Officer!”

She quickly turned. ’Right, I have to find Macken!’

Macken had recently been personally overseeing the training of the Cavalry and Guards, which was the only reason David and the others had an hour free in the evening to attend class.

Whether from anxiety or worry, Erin’s steps were unsteady. As she ran through the gate of the Outer Fortress, she tripped and fell flat on the ground, her face and clothes smeared with mud.

But she paid it no mind, scrambling back to her feet. She had to find Macken as fast as she could.

Fortunately, she had run less than a hundred meters west when she saw Macken galloping toward her on his horse.

“Erin, what happened?”

Macken demanded. “Why was there an explosion in the castle?”

“An assassin! There’s an assassin!”

Erin shouted, “Quick, go save Ronin!”

The color drained from Macken’s face. ’How could there be an assassin in the castle?’

’He’d clearly posted Guards at the main gate and the watchtowers. How on earth did the assassin slip past their sight lines and enter the castle unopposed?’

’The Lord should be alright, shouldn’t he?’

Macken leaped from his horse. His Fighting Qi flared to life as he charged into the castle at top speed.

…

Leaving aside the reactions of his servants and subordinates, Ronin was already locked in a fierce battle with the black-clad assassin.

Though he couldn’t match his opponent in raw Power, the results of his recent Swordsmanship training with Ridder and Macken were now on full display.

The current Ronin was like a weaker version of Ridder, while the assassin before him was like a watered-down Baron Reisen.

Ronin’s Swordsmanship was overwhelming his opponent.

’Several questions swirled in the assassin’s mind. The most baffling of all was why his tried-and-true Invisibility ability had become completely useless against this Baron.’

“I can’t believe the rumors about you were all wrong!”

The black-clad assassin knew a prolonged battle was not to his advantage. A black aura suddenly erupted from his body, roiling like a dark flame.

At the assassin’s command, these flames gathered and gradually coalesced above his longsword, forming a long, black serpent.

“Poisonous Snake Embrace!”

As he charged at Ronin, the black serpent on his longsword roared and shot into the air. It transformed into a terrifying behemoth, four to five meters long and nearly two meters wide, and swallowed Ronin whole.

A dark, profound aura enveloped Ronin. The poisonous serpent was intensely corrosive, rapidly eating away at his Guardian Armor.

The earthen-yellow Armor had already sustained several hits, and now, under the corrosive assault, it began to dim rapidly.

Ronin quickly projected his Fighting Qi Armor. At the same time, he swung his Flowing Flame Sword and unleashed the Third-level Fire Attribute Combat Skill: Fire Clouds Everywhere.

Amplified by the Flowing Flame Sword, the power of Fire Clouds Everywhere surged. The scattering fire clouds exploded outward in all directions like sparks from molten iron, clashing with the dark serpent.

RUMBLE!

The collisions were incessant. A storm generated by the clash of their Combat Skills swept through the area, forcing the servants and Guards who had rushed to help to halt in their tracks, too intimidated to approach. Only David, Wodun, and Dandy, the three Basic Level Knights, charged into the fray.

Black light and red fire ground against each other. The two combatants at the center of the clash were battered by the violent Energy, staggered, and thrown backward.

Ronin felt his blood churn within him, an unsettling sensation, but he was uninjured.

The only unfortunate thing was that under the combined assault of corrosion and impact, the Guardian Armor was reduced to a faint, spectral outline, about to dissipate completely.

His opponent, on the other hand, didn’t seem to have fared much better.

“You three, stay back!”

Ronin tightened his grip on the Flowing Flame Sword, ordering David and the other two, who were about to join the fray, not to make a move.

The three of them were Basic Level Knights; they were no match for the assassin. If they jumped in, they would only get in the way, and might even get themselves killed.

“My Lord!”

David and the others protested, unwilling to stand by.

“I’ll deal with this assassin.”

Ronin’s eyes were locked on his opponent. He wouldn’t let the man who had nearly taken his life get away so easily.

His fingers traced the Magic Patterns as he cast a spell on himself: the Rapid Speed Magic he had learned from the Storm Demon Wolf Core.

He kicked off the ground, his entire body transforming into a streak of red light.

The assassin was taken aback by this sight. ’What’s happening? How did he get even faster?’

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