A Disaster-Level Assassin Has Been Freed

Chapter 109: Limit (1)

Black Magician Vivian's mind went momentarily blank at the black-haired young man's question. It was because she had never once envisioned a situation like the current one.

In the first place, since entering the Dark City Kalbaron in pursuit of Black Hydra's tracks, this was the very first time she had engaged in conversation with anyone.

‘Of course. I meticulously check to ensure the perception distortion magic doesn’t wear off even while I sleep.’

Of course, if it were only that, she wouldn’t have been this flustered. Magic wasn’t omnipotent. The possibility of being seen through by a skilled Magician or a swordsman with keen senses always had to be kept open.

That young man was clearly a formidable individual, so she thought he would certainly be capable enough to see through her magic.

However…….

‘He was clearly chasing the enemy’s tail. Wasn’t he gone to track the fourth Hydra?’

It was absurd.

Not only had they engaged in a fierce battle where it wouldn't have been strange for a life to be lost, but it was a situation where he should have focused all his nerves on pursuing the rapidly receding opponent.

Yet, in the midst of such chaos, he figured out that I was hiding?

And he even unhesitatingly gave up on the Hydra and returned to me to ask a question?

‘Nothing makes sense! What on earth is wrong with this guy’s head!’

It felt like there wouldn't be such a peculiar fellow even in her own organization.

Of course, none of her worries were conveyed to Harang.

Vivian, as seen by him, was merely at a loss for words with a troubled expression.

‘She seems to be hiding a lot. My intuition was right, as expected.’

Harang nodded.

Of course, it was regrettable to have lost the Black Hydra. It was even more so because the opponent was not a mere underling but the fourth in rank.

I had thought that if I could talk a little more with someone who possessed skills distinctly different from those I had met so far, I might be able to obtain some meaningful results.

However, Harang preferred the current situation more.

Her expression, which seemed to suggest she knew a great deal, was one thing, but what he liked most was that the opponent was exuding the sinister mana characteristic of a ‘Black Magician’.

What was ‘Godok’?

It was the secret art of an ancient Black Magician. As merely a test subject, I didn't know the exact details, but I was aware that some dark power had been at play while 1,000 children were ground down. Otherwise, it would be impossible for all the children to display such outstanding talent.

‘Perhaps some kind of secret art that forcibly awakens potential through sacrifice was applied.’

Of course, the detailed contents of the secret art were not important now.

What was more important was the probability of a Black Magician ‘coincidentally’ watching the fight between myself and the Hydra at this timing.

‘Coincidentally? No way. I heard most Black Magicians hide in the shadows. It says it all that even Kalbaron considers them taboo.’

I heard that those who revealed their identities and operated openly were mostly gathered in the eastern part of the continent, the center of magic. That meant the probability of coincidentally encountering a Black Magician was close to zero.

Having thought this far, Harang raised his energy a little more strongly. Woooong, aura spread out like Water Fog, pressuring the opponent. Since I considered her a shady character, I felt no guilt.

In that state, he asked the question again.

“Who are you?”

“……”

“Why were you secretly watching the fight between the Hydra and me? Tell me. My actions will likely change a lot depending on your answer.”

Zwoooong-!

As soon as he finished speaking, his aura flared up even stronger.

Harang glared at the opponent with sharp eyes, and a considerable amount of time passed in that state. The female Black Magician just stared back at him with her lips tightly sealed.

Here, Harang became even more convinced of his thoughts.

The current Presence was at a level he hadn't shown even when dealing with the Red Cloud Guild Leader and the assassins; it was a situation where most people should have been struggling to even breathe properly and staggering. However, the opponent maintained the same calm demeanor as before.

The probability of encountering a Black Magician with such skills on the street? None. That couldn't happen.

Harang nodded.

He couldn't be sure if the opponent was from the ‘village’. However, he could bet his name that she was connected to the ‘village’.

Having finished his thoughts, Harang drew his sword and took a stance. Since continuing the standoff wouldn't make the opponent open her mouth anyway, he intended to use force.

It was then.

The woman, who had remained silent until now, finally opened her mouth.

“I’m Vivian.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

“What. Why.”

“……”

Harang looked blank for a moment, then nodded as if he had realized something.

Now I knew. Why the opponent had looked dumbfounded when I had introduced myself as ‘Harang’ until now.

‘Just hearing the name doesn’t help at all in figuring out the opponent!’

Is this what they call mirror therapy?

Having gained enlightenment, Harang briefly closed his eyes and had a moment of reflection. From now on, I must make sure to state my affiliation and identity as well, that’s proper etiquette, he thought, organizing his thoughts before asking again.

“Hello, Ms. Vivian.”

“Yeah. What’s your identity?”

“I am Harang, a Gold Plate Mercenary belonging to the Eddy Mercenary Corps, primarily active in the Commercial City Marzen. I was fighting an organization called ‘Black Hydra’ due to personal matters.”

“I see.”

“Yes.”

“……”

“……”

“What are you still staring at? Go on your way now.”

“……I still have some things I’m curious about. Why were you hiding and watching my fight?”

Harang asked again.

I couldn't back down like this. As mentioned before, the current opportunity was gained by giving up the chance with the ‘fourth Hydra’. The thought that I absolutely could not retreat without any gain filled Harang's mind, and it flowed out as Presence.

Drrrrr……

An intense energy, strong enough to shake the surrounding debris, enveloped the area. Naturally, Vivian, who was within its influence, should have been affected.

However, there was no sign of it.

It was strange.

It wasn't a feeling of ‘enduring’ or ‘not paying much attention’. Harang narrowed his eyes at her appearance, which seemed completely unaffected. It was the point where his senses, which had been guarding all directions, momentarily focused on Vivian.

Right then, the Black Magician's magic shot towards Harang.

Pshk-!

It was a surprising event.

The magic, in the form of a black projectile, showed no signs from Vivian’s staff, nor from any part of Vivian’s body.

Rather, it flew in at lightning speed from a completely unrelated different space, a prodigious skill that even a 6th or 7th-star Magician, comparable to a Graduate-level swordsman, could not exhibit.

“It’s a trick, but…… what does it matter? As long as it looks that way, it’s fine. Phew…….”

Vivian, having succeeded with her black magic, let out a sigh of relief.

Honestly, she hadn't expected it to succeed. If she were an 8th-star Magician comparable to a Master, perhaps, but she hadn't thought she could subdue the opponent in one go with such a trick. Wiping imaginary sweat from her forehead, she looked at Harang, who seemed to have fallen asleep standing, and muttered to herself again.

“……Something feels off.”

In truth, there was nothing that should have been a problem for Vivian in the current situation. If she hadn't succeeded in the first place, that would be one thing, but now that Harang was completely caught in the mental attack, he was as good as in the palm of her hand.

She could finish him off with attack magic, or she could capture him alive by layering incapacitating magic and then transport him to the ‘organization’.

However, she couldn't do it.

The thought that she shouldn't, that somehow this situation wasn't the end…… kept ringing like an alarm in Vivian’s head. Feeling as if the black-haired young man might glare at her and charge at any moment, Vivian took a pouch from her bosom and muttered.

“……A proper direct-hit magic spell has too rough a mana flow during the casting stage. If I did that, the mental attack might break…… It’s better to secretly summon a creature.”

Gurgle gurgle

Skeleton soldiers, slithering out of the pouch like slime and taking their respective forms.

Their numbers reached three, five, ten…… twenty, yet Black Magician Vivian couldn’t let her guard down.

However, Harang remained still.

With his eyes peacefully closed as if asleep, he was merely lost in his own world.

***

“I got hit.”

Harang, who had entered his own inner, mental world, muttered lowly.

Honestly, I could have defended against it. I was flustered by the projectile shot from a completely unexpected place, but it wasn't fast enough to outpace my reflexes. If I had wanted to, I would have immediately deflected it with an Aura Sword and then rushed at the opponent.

But I didn't do that.

The reason was that I had felt a familiar sensation from the Black Magician's magic.

‘Valley of Trials.’

It was magic I had experienced when I was in the village.

A mental attack where you are thrown into what you perceive as the most difficult situation, and you can only escape by breaking through it. If you couldn't overcome it, you would have to wander endlessly in hell until the caster dispelled the magic; it was a very malicious form of black magic.

Then, why did Harang not shake off such magic and deliberately expose himself to it?

That was because…….

‘There’s no training ground as good as this.’

That was right.

Although I had been getting stronger at a steep pace after being freed from the village, Harang was still hungry. It couldn’t be helped. Because I knew better than anyone how formidable the enemies I had to face were.

I had to grow.

I had to become stronger.

If I could do that, I didn't care if I shed blood in the process. Trials that couldn't kill me would only make me stronger.

‘Not bad. I don’t know what’s happening outside my mental world, but…… she probably won’t try a direct hit. If she did, the magic would break. So, it doesn’t matter.’

Having finished his thoughts, Harang nodded. Then, he unhesitatingly walked towards the center of the valley, which was covered by dark clouds.

What kind of enemy would appear?

A two-headed dragon?

A cursed lich?

A death knight that walked out of hell?

I was quite looking forward to it. Harang forcibly calmed his pounding heart and quickly awakened his senses. A faint aura rose from his sword, armed with a moderate sense of elation.

It was then.

Hwaaaak-!

The dark clouds that had been engulfing the surroundings instantly lifted, and the enemy revealed itself.

No, to be precise, it wasn't an ‘enemy’ but ‘enemies’. They weren't openly showing themselves, but I could feel it. How strong they were. And beyond that, even who they were.

“……I once thought about it before leaving the village.”

If I faced the Godok Peers from rank 2 to rank 30 all at once, how far could I hold out?

What was certain was that the me from a year ago didn't have the confidence to defeat all of them.

However…….

“Wouldn’t things be different now?”

Grin.

Smiling, Harang lowered his stance as if to touch the ground, then vanished with a ‘pik’ sound. Accordingly, the 29 Godok also disappeared as if flickering out.

In the gloomy valley where not even moonlight shone.

Thirty assassins, each gripping their weapons, began a bloody battle to the death.