In the shadowy depths of the capital's nocturnal embrace, within the confines of an inn, a pair of eyes, crimson as spilled blood, flickered open. They surveyed their surroundings with an unyielding gaze, spanning a radius of over two hundred meters in a complete 360-degree arc.

He swiftly rose from the bed, slipping out of the inn and departing the capital in a blur, leaving no trace of his passing across the rooftops.

"I'll handle this alone. Apologies for involving you, but I've acquired what I require," he muttered to himself.

In the past few days, he had become hyper-aware of his surroundings, sensing suspicious auras laden with foreboding. He felt a distinct presence in the guild, another lurking in the bar, as if someone were clandestinely observing him from afar.Arriving at the city's edge, he surveyed his surroundings with acute perception, after all his vision encompassing a wide arc of two hundred meters.

Sensing the familiar aura within this range, he concealed his distinctive white hair using a hood, leaving only his ruby-colored eyes visible.Amidst the dark forest beyond the capital's borders, where numerous monsters lurked, he moved with incredible speed, leaving behind nothing but the illusion of his eyes darting around.

Syn swiftly reached his target, drawing his two-edged blade from its sheath with precision. Aiming for the target's neck, he restrained himself, opting not to kill. Catching his opponent from behind, he closed the blade to the man's neck and demanded his identity. In a flash, the mysterious figure retrieved a knife and attempted to slash Syn's neck with lightning speed. Dodging effortlessly, Syn countered,trying to slice his opponent's arm.

failed, The enigmatic figure stepped back, muttering, "Knife's Night Dance," as he conjured hundreds of copies of the knife. just before launching the attack Syn whispered,

"Eliminate,"

snapping his fingers. Time seemed to halt momentarily as a deafening crack split the air. The target watched in awe as the space around him shattered like broken glass, reducing his hundred knives to ashes. He then turned his gaze to Syn, realizing that the fracture originated from the last point where Syn's two fingers met.Syn narrowed his eyes, pressing the figure for his identity, but even faced with the vast discrepancy in their abilities, the enigmatic figure remained resolute. Sensing an unusual vibration, Syn suddenly realized it was coming from his opponent's legs.Doubting his target, Syn reluctantly sheathed his blade, suspecting he had apprehended the wrong person.

Driven by curiosity, Syn rushed toward the figure, determined to forcibly unveil their identity, using nothing but his bare hands.Syn's surprise was palpable as he removed the figure's hood, revealing a woman beneath. His initial shock gave way to concern as she attempted to break free, only to slip and hit her head on the ground, losing consciousness in the process.

Syn muttered to himself, "What a troublemaker." He carried her limp form in his arms until he stumbled upon an old, dilapidated house. After ensuring it was empty, he laid her on a decrepit bed and secured her hands and legs to prevent any further escape attempts. His curiosity burning, he awaited her awakening, eager to uncover the reason behind her clandestine activities in the woods.

In the heart of the empire's capital at the same time, two figures conversed in hushed tones.

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"Your Majesty, we've dispatched an assassin to eliminate our sole rival," one asserted.

"Excellent. Ensure that he remains unaware of the truth behind the massacre or any prior events. If our secret were to be revealed, neither of us would live to see another sunrise, even with the aid of the potion that halts our aging," the second figure cautioned.

"Fear not, Your Majesty. We've entrusted the task to the second-in-command of the assassins under my command," the other reassured.

As morning dawned, the female observer stirred awake, only to find herself bound and restrained. Panic rising within her, she cautiously peered toward the direction of her captor, who was slumbering in a chair, legs propped up on a table, face obscured by a hood. With a trembling voice, she demanded to be released, but as her words pierced the silence, they roused Syn from his slumber. His crimson eyes bore into her with an intensity that momentarily stole her breath, and as he removed his hood, revealing his striking white hair, a shiver ran down her spine.

One of the individuals who had conversed in the empire's capital the previous day inquired about the whereabouts of the woman they had dispatched.while also ray,rhys and Luna are waiting Syn in the guild questioning his lateness.

Syn repeated his question, but she remained stubborn, refusing to answer. Syn's patience wore thin as he insisted on her compliance, asserting that she had no choice in the matter.ensing a shift in her demeanor and the subtle change in her mana, Syn modified his approach. He redirected his inquiry, now questioning her reluctance to provide answers.

"they're gonna kill me." she murmured.

Syn persisted, pressing for more information.

"Who are 'they'? Why would they want to kill you?"

But the woman remained silent, refusing to divulge any further details, her lips sealed tightly.

With a heavy sigh, Syn realized he wasn't getting anywhere through conventional means.

"Looks like we're moving on to the less favorable method," he said.

the girl questioned the methode, that's when syn said with a cold expression:

"torture"

The girl's eyes widened in fear as Syn's words sank in.

"Torture?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper.

Within moments, the girl began to scream, pleading for help from anyone outside the house. Syn swiftly informed her of the futility of her cries, explaining that they were deep within the vast forest adjacent to the capital. He cautioned her that her voice would only serve to attract the attention of the dangerous creatures lurking in the wilderness.

As the girl's hope dwindled, someone suddenly burst into the room. Recognizing him as the commander, the girl's relief was short-lived as Syn swiftly dispatched him, slicing him into pieces. Syn also recognized the commander as the right hand of the emperor. Using a first-tier magic circle, Syn created a flying magical creature and sent it to the emperor, informing him that the girl was in his custody and questioning whether the emperor had any involvement with her.

The emperor's response came swiftly, denying any knowledge of the situation, knowing that Syn is initiating actions for revenge.he began making plans to flee.Upon receiving the reply, Syn read it aloud, "I don't know what you are talking about, nor do I know the identity of the girl with you. I have more important matters to attend to. Don't just send me letters out of the blue."

As the girl's eyes widened in realization that everyone just abondoned her, tears streamed down her cheeks uncontrollably. Syn asked if she was ready to talk now, but she remained silent, understanding that she had nowhere else to go. Syn untied her, and she watched him in silence, her expression unreadable.

Syn told her she could leave, but she refused, fearing that she would be killed if she returned. Syn, indifferent to her plight, began to leave the house, leaving her behind. However, as he reached the broken door, he glanced back at her, curious about her reaction. He was surprised to see her shedding tears once more.Syn informed her that she had attempted to kill him the previous day, so he saw no reason to save her.Syn uttered quietly, observing her tearful expression, "What kind of assassin are you?"

Syn sighed before informing her that she would be under his protection for the time being. However, he made it clear that she must first disclose the identity of the mastermind behind the operation.

she finally spoke.