Friskle took out his blade, the polished tal gleaming under the dim alley light. His eyes locked onto Jessa.
"I don’t think you can run without telling at least his location," he said, twirling the weapon effortlessly in his hand.
"Ara~ how bold." Jessa smirked, drawing her own blade in a smooth, fluid motion.
CLANG!
The alley echoed with the sharp clash of steel eting steel. Sparks flew as both blades pressed against each other, their wielders grinning despite the deadly tension crackling in the air.
For a brief second, their gazes t—two assassins, two predators, both too proud to back down.
Then, in a blur, they moved.
Friskle twisted his blade, aiming to push Jessa back, but she anticipated it, pivoting on her heel and sliding her foot between his to destabilize him. He barely managed to leap back before she could sweep him off balance.
"Tch," he clicked his tongue before lunging forward, his blade slashing at lightning speed.
Jessa ducked, her ears twitching as she avoided the strike by a hair’s breadth. She retaliated imdiately, thrusting her blade forward, forcing Friskle to parry. The sound of tal grinding filled the alley.
Then—whoosh!
Jessa flipped back, using her powerful legs to launch herself against the alley wall. In midair, she twisted her body and kicked off the wall, aiming a deadly downward slash at Friskle.
Clang!
He barely blocked it in ti, the force sending him skidding backward.
"Heh." Friskle smirked, wiping a small cut on his cheek. "You almost got there, bunny girl."
Jessa flicked her blade, the crimson tip gleaming. "Oh? I thought foxes had better reflexes."
Friskle’s grin widened. "I do. But I also like to play with my prey."
Suddenly, he disappeared.
Jessa’s eyes shrank. Fast!
She twisted just in ti—shing!—his blade grazed past her waist as she dodged. She retaliated with a quick counter-slash, but Friskle spun mid-air, avoiding the strike as if he were dancing on the wind.
He landed effortlessly, crouching low with a smirk.
"Not bad," Jessa admitted, rolling her shoulder. "But let’s see how long you can keep up, fox boy."
Friskle chuckled. "Oh, don’t worry, bunny girl. I can go all night."
Their blades clashed again—each strike faster, stronger, deadlier than the last. The alley walls bore the scars of their battle as slashes missed their mark, cutting into stone and wood alike.
Jessa’s mind raced. He’s toying with .
Friskle suddenly vanished again, his movents like a blur—this ti, she wasn’t fast enough.
Slash!
A thin cut appeared on Jessa’s shoulder.
She gritted her teeth.
Friskle clicked his tongue. "You’re slowing down."
Jessa smirked, despite the pain. "And you’re getting cocky."
With a flick of her wrist, she pulled out a hidden dagger from her sleeve and aid straight for his throat.
Friskle rely smiled, his body tilting just enough to let the dagger slice harmlessly past him. His movents were effortless, like a leaf dancing in the wind.
Jessa, unbothered, casually adjusted her shoulder, smoothing out her tight black suit. "You didn’t even cut properly," she said, flexing her arm.
Without warning, a sphere of fire materialized in her palm, crackling with heat.
Boom!
She hurled it forward, the flas roaring toward Friskle.
Friskle’s eyes shimred in the fiery glow as he effortlessly leaped to the side, dodging the attack with casual grace.
"Oho~ getting bold, are we?" He grinned, brushing imaginary dust off his noble disguise. "You do realize that if you keep causing this much commotion, the human town guards will swarm this place, right?"
Jessa clicked her tongue. He had a point. The last thing she needed was human guards interfering.
But Friskle wasn’t done talking. He flicked his blade lazily. "And then what, bunny girl? Do you really think you can fight and escape their little cage at the sa ti?" His grin widened. "I love watching you struggle, but even I’d feel bad if you got caught."
"Don’t worry, foxy boy~"
Friskle’s ears twitched as Jessa’s voice chid sweetly through the air.
Before he could react—Jessa throw sothing to the ground.
A thick cloud of smoke exploded in front of him, swallowing the alley in a dense, choking fog.
Friskle instinctively stepped back, waving his hand in front of his face. Damn rabbit! His sharp eyes flickered as the smoke began to clear, but when he looked again—
Jessa was gone.
He clicked his tongue, sheathing his blade. "She got away."
He sighed, running a hand through his hair before smirking. "Well... whatever. Hazlin Town, huh?"
Just then, the sound of heavy boots stomping against stone echoed through the alley. The city guards were rushing toward the commotion.
Friskle rolled his shoulders, adjusted his disguise, and chuckled to himself.
"Guess it’s ti for to leave, too."
With a flick of his tail, he vanished into the shadows.
Damn!
Jessa gritted her teeth as she weaved through the darkened streets. Duke Belard’s n are here too?! So they’re looking for him as well...
Her body moved on instinct, swift and precise. The mont she reached a crowded street, her form flickered—her entire appearance shifting in an instant.
Gone was the striking black combat suit and rabbit ears. In her place stood an ordinary human commoner, blending perfectly into the bustling crowd.
She adjusted her simple cloak, lowering her gaze slightly. No one would suspect her now.
"This is bad. The situation is getting worse by the second."
Her sharp eyes scanned the area, watching the disguised assassins spread out like vultures.
"I wonder... just how many nobles have their eyes on Princess Ellyna?"
It was obvious now—they were after Hazuki to kill him.
Because once Hazuki died, the pinky promise oath would be canceled.
"’Love until death do them part’—that’s the condition of the pinky promise’s curse. If he dies, nothing will bind Princess Ellyna anymore."
Jessa took a slow breath, steadying herself.
"I need to inform Marquis Reynard imdiately. He needs to change his strategy. Killing Hazuki alone won’t guarantee that he’ll get Princess Ellyna. He needs to capture her first—before eliminating the man."
With that thought, Jessa lted deeper into the crowd and disappeared.
Friskle stood in the shadows of a dimly lit alley, arms crossed, his sharp eyes scanning the area before addressing his assembled team.
"I need you all to head to the Halfling Kingdom."
His subordinates, a mix of beastkin assassins, straightened at the command.
"Which town, leader?" one of them asked.
Friskle’s smirk widened. "The border town between the Beastkin and Halfling Kingdoms—Hazlin Town. That’s where our target is."
His n exchanged glances before nodding. "Understood."
"What about you, leader?" another asked.
Friskle turned away, gazing toward the rooftops where the moon cast long shadows. "I need to report back to our lord. The situation just got more complicated."
His n hesitated. "Why is that, leader?"
Friskle chuckled, his tail swaying slightly. "Because Jessa and her Shadow Team are here." His voice dropped lower. "And they have the sa mission as us."
The assassins stiffened at the na.
Jessa.
A dangerous rival.
A woman who could disappear like mist and strike like a viper.
"Stay sharp," Friskle warned. "She won’t hesitate to kill anyone in her way."
His team nodded grimly.
With that, they scattered into the night—racing toward Hazlin Town.
( End of Chapter )
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