In a clearing deep within the forest, a black-haired boy stood calmly.
His crimson eyes were locked onto a kneeling man, bloodied and trembling, who clutched his stomach as a healing potion repaired his broken ribs.
Alden observed the man with a blank expression. His aura was low and his killing intent suppressed.
"So, your mistress asked you to capture ?" He asked, his voice devoid of any emotion.
"Yes," the man nodded quickly. "We were told to injure you and bring you in alive."
Alden crouched, his red eyes glowing faintly. "And you don’t know who your mistress is?"
"No, I swear." The man’s voice trembled.
"We were just told to obey commands from a contact under the codena ’Mistress’. Nobody except the chief had even t her."
"You think that makes sense?" Alden asked coldly. "You work for soone without even knowing who they are?"
The man gulped but nodded.
With a sigh, Alden activated [Eyes of Supre].
His eyes turned a slightly deeper shade of red.
The man recoiled as a wave of fear washed down on him—an oppressive sensation that made it hard to breathe.
"I... I swear—I don’t know anything else!" The man’s eyes widened in panic.
He began foaming at the mouth before collapsing again, unconscious.
"Tch." Alden clicked his tongue and stood.
This guy really didn’t know.
Only that he had to follow orders and complete the job.
But Alden wasn’t stupid.
Not many won wanted him dead.
Just one, really.
Seles.
It all made sense.
The timing. The thod. The ruthlessness.
So, you finally decided to get rid of , huh?
Fine. I’ll play your ga.
I didn’t want to interfere too much with you yet...
...But if you want war, I’ll give you one.
He reached down and slapped the man lightly until he groaned and stirred.
"Wake up. You’re going to help ," Alden said.
"W-What...?"
"You still have the device you use to contact her, right?"
The man nodded weakly and took sothing out from his coat.
A worn-looking device which looked like ManaSync but slightly different.
It was sothing like a burner phone of this world.
Tracking ManaSync was difficult. But tracking this burner phone? Impossible.
"Contact your ’mistress’. Tell her you’ve captured . Let’s see how she reacts." Alden said.
He knew this wasn’t going to work.
Seles was smarter than to fall for sothing so simple.
With trembling hands, the man activated the device and typed a quick encoded ssage:
[Target captured. Awaiting extraction orders. Code: Red Serpent.]
A mont later, a reply appeared on the screen:
[Code acknowledged. Confirming with Other Operatives.]
The man froze. "Sh-she’s asking for the other operative’s code to confirm."
"Don’t you know it?" Alden asked.
"No." The man replied. "We don’t know the specific codes of others."
Alden narrowed his eyes. "Reply again. Tell her the other one... died in combat."
The man hesitated but obeyed.
[Black Fang died during capture. Unable to respond. Red Serpent confirms capture.
For a mont, there was only silence.
Then the screen flashed again.
[So... you got them, huh, Alden?]
Alden’s eyes narrowed.
What?
The man looked just as confused.
H-how did she—?
Another ssage followed.
[Rule one in this business: never trust anyone.]
Just then—
Alden felt it.
Sothing slicing through the air toward him at terrifying speed.
[Shadow Steps]
He vanished into the shadows, reappearing several tres away.
The man—Red Serpent—never even moved.
The shot pierced his skull clean through.
His head burst like a waterlon, spraying the clearing in gore.
Alden’s gaze darkened.
A bullet?
___
anwhile, within the academy, Seles calmly looked at the burner ManaSync in her hand.
It was sothing she contacted her subordinates with.
A ssage flashed.
[Red Serpent Neutralised. Awaiting further orders. Target: Alden Draven is in sight.
Seles read the ssage with quiet amusent.
She typed a single reply.
[Evacuate.]
Alden could no longer be underestimated.
The man who had just neutralised Red Serpent was only at the Beginner Apprentice Rank—too weak to take Alden down.
That’s why she had ordered him to evacuate.
Still, she couldn’t ignore it—Alden had taken down two of her subordinates so easily.
How did you neutralise two Apprentice ranks?
She never trusted her subordinates.
Still, sending two had felt like overkill, but she preferred being extra careful over regret.
So, the mont she sensed Black Fang’s death, she dispatched another subordinate to investigate.
She had an artifact called [Sigil of Death].
The artifact had a simple feature.
It could imprint a sigil on any person, and when they die... It would alert the owner of the artifact.
The mont the sigil triggered, she sent [Hawk]—another subordinate who was positioned nearby as backup.
Hawk was a sniper. A rare one at that.
He was a sniper—rare in a world where guns were all but useless against superhumans.
But Hawk had a unique gift. He could infuse mana into bullets, making him a force to be reckoned with.
Seles sent another ssage.
[Evacuate the base. Prepare for relocation.]
This ssage was sent to the chief.
The one in charge of the organisation after her.
[Okay]
The response arrived imdiately.
But Seles didn’t care anymore.
She still had no idea how Alden had taken down both operatives.
Hawk had arrived too late to see anything.
Still, she had so guesses.
Either he’s hiding his true power.
Or he has soone powerful backing him.
Co to think of it, there had been rumours—Principal Jeremy was considering taking Alden as a disciple.
Did he already accept him?
If so... her plans would need to change.
She couldn’t afford to take any more chances.
She pulled out her ManaSync this ti.
[Eliminate the chief.]
She felt a slight heartache at losing an important piece.
But it was necessary.
He knew her face, and she couldn’t take any risks.
Especially if Alden really had Jeremy’s backing, any loose ends would just beco liabilities.
Tsk...today was a bad day after all.
Just then, the classroom door slid open.
Class was about to begin.
But instead of Sorin... a new professor stepped inside.
"Hello, everyone. I’m your new horoom teacher... Cypheria."
__
Back in the forest.
Alden quickly took cover behind a tree. His [Shadow Stealth] was active.
A sniper who uses guns?
Alden knew only one person with such abilities.
Hawk.
A minor antagonist in the future.
He would later join Seles’s organisation.
Alden recalled the information.
He was damn sure this was the work of that guy.
He wasn’t strong. Not remotely so.
His peak potential barely reached Expert Rank.
But he was terrifying nonetheless.
Infusing mana into a moving object was difficult.
Doing it across kilotres? Supposedly impossible.
But Hawk could do it. His ability made it possible.
Alden knew about him because he was Seles’s most loyal dog... and secretly in love with her.
In the future he tried to kill Lucien, only to get face slapped.
So, this is definitely the work of Seles, huh?
I had doubts before, but Hawk’s presence made it clear.
So, she already got him.
Alden was sure that guy was probably chilling sowhere far for even his [Spirit Domain] to sense.
A perfect sniper, through and through.
So, it was pointless to find him.
Kyun?
Did you spot anything?
Alden sent a ntal ssage to Kyun, the white crow circling high above.
She’d been watching the area during the interrogation.
Kyun chirped in denial.
He hadn’t expected much anyway.
Hawk was probably long gone by now.
Alden moved quickly, looting the burner ManaSync and storage rings from both corpses.
He left the bodies and started walking.
Not many people wandered in this forest except so low-level monsters.
Kyun, co down... We’re leaving.
He sent the thought, and the white crow descended, landing silently on his shoulder.
Without any hesitation, he walked into the trees and disappeared.
___
Author’s Note:
If you enjoyed the Chapter, feel free to toss a power stone, drop a gift, or golden ticket.
User Comments
0 comments from readers