Chapter 274: 274

Velron froze.

"W-What?"

The man’s voice was calm, almost amused.

"Are you afraid now?"

"You wanted me to fight you openly. So what happened now?"

Velron clenched his jaw, roaring in fury, "YOU—!"

He charged, slamming his sword down with terrifying strength.

BOOM!

The blade crashed into the ground—but the man was gone.

Slide.

From behind, the man dodged with effortless grace and twirled his blade. The dagger kissed Velron’s side, a clean slice.

Blood trickled, making Velron gasped.

"You’re too slow," the man whispered beside his ear.

"This... this is a nightmare..." Velron heard, stepping back, now truly feeling fear crawl up his spine.

’But the nightmare was just beginning.’’

Another shrill voice erupted from the back to which Velron reacted but a foot slammed on his knees making him stagger.

A dagger flashed by but Velron avoided rolling aside causing him to slide across the highland and roll down a few meters

And as he got up,he saw the mountain ridge was slick with blood and sweat, a grotesque contrast to the cold breeze sweeping through the trees. Cracked armor, shattered crates, and crushed embers littered the once-lively bandit camp. The dancing and laughter were gone—now only death and fear remained.

Velron’s breath came in hot gusts. His single eye twitched, scanning the carnage around him. Corpses of his men lay twisted, throats slit or bodies impaled—many didn’t even get the chance to scream. The darkness had moved like a tide, consuming them one by one.

And at the heart of it stood the cloaked figure.

A man, younger than him—tall and lean, his bluish hair matted with blood, some of it not his own. A jagged dagger was clutched in his right hand, still dripping crimson. His cloak fluttered with every breath of wind, and a suffocating pressure emanated from him like a beast about to pounce.

Velron snarled, gripping his greatsword with two hands. He flexed his thick shoulders and roared.

"COME ON THEN!"

He charged with explosive strength, closing the gap in a blink. His blade sang through the air in a diagonal arc meant to cleave a tree in half.

CLANG!

The assassin met it with nothing but his dagger—but instead of blocking, he angled it, deflecting the blow away and spinning with it. His boots skidded across the stone floor, drawing a perfect crescent on the dirt. The momentum of Velron’s attack dragged him off balance.

"Tch!" Velron growled, trying to reposition.

Too late.

THUD!

A foot slammed into Velron’s gut, blasting him backward. He rolled through broken crates and came to a knee, coughing blood.

The man’s steps were unnervingly calm as he advanced, dagger glinting.

Velron spat to the side. "Who the fuck are you?!"

Instead of reply,what he heard was cold snort.

"Why us?! You want money,treasures?! Fine! We’ve got piles of it—take it all!" He gestured desperately to the chests. "Gems, relics, spice caravans—we took it all! You can—"

The man cut him off with a whisper—cold and sharp.

"Instead of money..." his eyes narrowed, "I’m more interested in your life."

Velron’s skin crawled.

"What...?" he breathed, but before the thought could form in his head.

The man was already there slashing at his neck

CLASH!

Velron swung wildly, reacting on instinct. His greatsword crashed down, splitting the ground and sending up a spray of dirt and stone. But the man danced around it like water flowing downhill. He ducked low, swept his leg in a wide arc. Velron staggered—just long enough for three clean strikes.

One across the ribs followed by a gleam,SHINK.

Another to the thigh—SCHNK.

And a shallow third across the base of the neck.

Velron roared in pain, swinging in desperation. His sword carved a path of destruction behind him—splitting a boulder, shattering a tree trunk—but the man was already gone again, vanishing into the shadows behind the fallen tent.

"What kind of monster are you?!" Velron gasped.

The man reappeared just behind the firelight, breath calm, eyes steeled.

Velron charged again, sword raised high. This time he brought it down vertically, putting every ounce of his A-rank strength into the swing.

The shockwave blew away the flames, turning the fire to scattered embers.

But—

Whiff.

Nothing.

"DAMN YOU!"

Velron spun, but he was too slow.

The dagger appeared like a streak of moonlight, slicing cleanly along his side. Blood sprayed.

"Gahhh!" Velron bellowed and swung again—but the man twisted, allowing the sword to scrape by him harmlessly, then retaliated with a slash aimed at Velron’s forearm.

CRACK!

Velron’s vambrace shattered.

His hand went numb.

His grip loosened.

The sword dropped.

Stunned, Velron backed away.

"W-Wait..."

He was panting, bleeding, and finally—afraid.

"Who... Who are you?! Tell me! Just tell me what you want!"

The man’s voice came low, just above the howl of wind over the ridge.

"You sold an entire village. Children. Women. You laughed while the men were burned alive."

Velron’s good eye widened. "You—You were there?"

The man stepped forward, dagger catching the firelight again. His shadow, long and jagged, stretched toward Velron like a vengeful specter.

"Not there," he whispered, "but I saw the aftermath."

Velron backed up until he hit a tree. "You want revenge?! You think you’re justice?!"

"No," the man replied, tone deathly calm. "I’m the consequence."

Before Velron could scream, the dagger slashed upward, a blur of silver cutting through air, flesh, and bone.

SCHINK!

Blood sprayed across the trees.

Velron dropped to his knees, his voice caught in his throat, and a moment later, his body collapsed face-first into the dirt.

Silence returned to the mountain.

The wind carried away the smell of roasted meat and spilled ale, and all that remained was the blood-soaked assassin standing in the ruins of sin.

The man sheathed his dagger, looked at the corpses, and murmured under his breath.

"Another one down."

"Good!Make sure to cross his name on the list."

"Yes My Lord!"

Then the assassin looked around at debris of corpses and strewn blood.

"My Lord, what about all the loot?"

The bluish hair man’s eyes shone with a deadly glint as he fell into deep thought.He looked at crates,and piles of treasure paintings and other miscellaneous things.

"Take them.We will distribute them to the poor and the needy."