The assassins grip their weapon tightly. Their identity is hidden behind the vast black coat and cloth wrapping from head to toe.
"Fuck!"
Two fields of red aura detonate from both assassins, blasting nearby snow and animals away.
A master's exclusive skill, Domain.
The red condenses around their body and both disappear in a blink.
*WHOOSH!*
I jump back before a blade sweeps my neck and step to the side as a thrust pierces my afterimage. Our fight progresses through the forest, often the assassins making a fool of themselves as I evade every single attack.
"Stop moving!!!" One assassin shouts in frustration. Their flurry of aura zigzags across the air, decimating the surroundings with ease. Yet, they can't hit one man not even using his aura.
So this is what Marcus meant by the roots of oneself. To think I can easily suppress two peak masters when I am one myself.
They are slow in my eyes. I can predict all the paths and trajectories of each strike, filter out the unlikely, and move accordingly.
*BOOOM!!*
Both eject their aura in an attempt to injure me, blasting a cloudy displacement of snow into the sky. The melted vapour masks the sight of the experts. When it clears up, all that remains is a crater of shattered trees and charred layers of snow.
"He's gone?" one of them says.
"No...that can't be." The other assassin says. "He is stronger than he seems."
He quickly looks around but detects nothing as if his target became a phantom.
"U-Up there!"
The second assassin looks up and his jaws drop. "He is floating...? No, he is stepping in mana..."
Above them, I walk freely, compiling the atmosphere mana to materialize translucent platforms. In the mountains, I found it difficult and annoying to traverse and thus eventually, my body learned Sky Steps as a byproduct of my immense mana control proficiency.
"Isn't that something only mages can do?"
"F-Fuck me..."
A swordsman usually refines the mana stored throughout their body, thus creating a collective substance called an aura and enhancing their body. However, I enhanced my aura the mage way by collecting mana with cultivation methods and relied more on physical training for body conditioning.
The results? Overwhelming difference in every aspect despite the same quality of aura.
That's why my combat power is vastly higher than the peak masters beneath my feet.
"His aura is surely one of peak master but what is this...why is the gap so big...?" one of the assassins whispers.
"It's a failure; We can't defeat him. Run with this information, I will stall him!"
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I gather my aura within my lower energy core and rapidly expand it outside my body, forming my field of domain across the terrain.
"NGH?!"
"UGH?!!!"
Something freezes time in their body, rooting them in place. In their head, countless swords chain their soul to the ground, inflicting non-existent pain on their mind. They couldn't escape. They couldn't scream.
Visible trembling is observed when I land near.
"Hm..." I step closer and inspect the frozen statues.
...That's enough testing and playing around.
I retrieve my domain.
"HAH! HUFF HUFF HUFF!!" Both fall to the ground breathless, their arms trembling uncontrollably.
"Hey," I say.
"EEK!" One assassin jolts in fear and clumsily picks himself up to run.
One fast slash and his body falls to the ground, spewing blood from the amputated legs.
"ARGHHH?! M-MY LEGS!" He looks back at his sliced legs and me. I walk closer and he starts crawling away. Futile attempt.
"S-Stay away! Don't come near me!! No! NOO!!"
His pale face full of snot and tears embodies his pathetic state, unable to retaliate against the monster.
Right in front of his accomplice, I grab the escaping prey by his knee, squeezing sprays of blood as I pull him back.
I dig my hands into his chest and start hijacking his spiritual roots.
"A-AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" the exemplary cry of agony haunts the woods.
Dark purple energy flows from his body to my arm, sucking the life out of my convulsing prey. His skin wrinkles into a crisp, pupils and hair turn white, and muscles twist and contract. His corpse shrinks to a mere skeleton wearing skin.
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Fate:291029->299029
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I pull my hand out, not even drops of blood are present.
I turn my attention to the accomplice, trembling yet cannot avert his fearful gaze. Despair completely settles in his mind, he has no hopes of running.
"D-D-Demon...that's black magic...He is a demon...a demon...a demon...I can't survive...I'm going to die..." He mumbles to himself.
He drops to the ground and grasps his head. "I will die here...I will die here..."
...Tch.
"Hey," I pull his head up. "Where do you belong to?"
"NGH?!! DEATH!! DEATH IS COMING!!"
I don't know what he sees in my eyes but he starts convulsing.
*BAM!*
I sweep one hard slap to wake him.
"I'm asking again, where do you belong to?"
"R-Revelation...I don't know who our client is-"
"Yeah yeah, I know."
It's the gang that targeted Ruben and Reaslz!
...
"What's your position?"
"A-An elder...our leader received an exclusive contract to eliminate...and we were dispatched."
...I smile.
"I can give you a swift and painless death but you must do something for me."
He nods frantically.
"Tell the others that Chief Commander Zepdas hired you, understood? Simple enough right?" I say.
"Y-Yes yes!"
"And also mention Zepdas frequently contact your gang for illegal transactions."
"Understood! Understood!"
"Good, now sleep."
I punch his stomach and discharge an electrifying aura.
*BOOM!*
"ARUGH!!"
And the man falls motionless onto the ground.
I turn back to the corpse and slash down, blasting an intense aura to conceal evidence. All that's left are ashes and melting snow.
"LOI!!" My father's cry shoots across the woods.
He arrives with many others and the agents of IAA.
I show him the assassin I knocked out.
"An assassin attacked me," I blurt nonchalantly.
"What! Are you okay?" My father exclaims.
I show him my body and he checks.
"Don't worry, I'm a lot stronger now," I reassure him.
"I-I know but still..."
...
He sighs and backs off. I smile at his affection.
"Sir Loi, we are glad you are safe. Rest assured, we will find out more about his identity and bring justice to you."
The IAA agents take over and drag the assassin away.
"Wait, I want to listen in to the interrogation," I say.
They stop and glance back. "Uh..."
"Why? I can't join? It involves my safety, I need to know who is after my head."
My persistence averts their gaze as if they are hiding something.
"Look at me when I talk to you," I say, my tone growing dangerous.
From mere words, my pressure sends subtle fear.
"Uhm...we will have to seek permission from our superior. Besides, you are currently on an expedition. To abandon it-"
"Events like this may persist further down. I will temporarily halt the journey and grant my son permission." My father says.
"..."
They eventually give in and I follow them back.
==============
"Ng...Uh..." The assassin wakes up in a dark room only lit by a torch.
However, his attention wasn't on the chain around him or the torture tools laid down on the tables but on me, leaning against a wall across the room.
The sight instantly sends him shaking.