In the narrow streets of the small village, chaos reigned as knights and several strange creatures and monsters loomed the street.

Fray, with swift and calculated movements, cut through the body of a knight, blood spewing into the sky. Simultaneously, a monstrous dog with three heads lunged at him. Fray quickly retreated as five knights pursued, slashing towards him.

Cecilia, accompanied by her spirit bear, stood with a sword in hand, witnessing the unfolding turmoil. her hand tightened around her sword in anger, she slowly turned her eyes to the trail of fallen bodies that Fray left behind. "He's already taken down half of them without getting injured. He's stronger than I ever imagined, but I can sense it – he's getting tired. Soon enough, he won't be able to keep up the onslaught," she murmured, analyzing the situation with a keen awareness.

As Fray found himself surrounded, a knight seizing an opening raised his sword for the final strike. However, a sudden chill raced through the air, causing the knight to turn and witness a blade just centimeters from his head. Before he could react, his head was severed by a shadowy figure moving with blurred motion. The enigmatic figure, dressed in all black with a concealed face, effortlessly cut through the close knights and stood before Fray.

Cecilia, witnessing the mysterious appearance of the figure, was taken aback as more similar figures appeared, forming a protective barrier around Fray.

Now free of enemies, Fray locked eyes with Isha, who stood by his side, her face hidden. "Isha, have someone return Sina to the city. The rest of you, take care of the knights," Fray commanded.

"Understood, sir," Isha responded, and the assassins swiftly dashed in different directions, engaging with the remaining knights, leaving Fray unburdened.

Nervous tension gripped Cecilia as she wondered, (Who the hell are these people? Has Fray always had these guys under him?) Before she could react, her gaze met Fray's intense stare. "Damn it, I can't win" she mumbled, a sense of fear settling over her.

Cecilia witnessed the mysterious figures effortlessly dismantling her knights. Grunting her teeth, she thought, (Who are they? They seem young. Where did Fray find them? In this rate, it's impossible to win. I have to get out of here. But if I run, Oliver will kill me...)

Confined in a delma of uncertainty, Cecilia's panicked thoughts swirled. Suddenly, she noticed Fray stepping forward in her direction. "Damn it!" she mumbled, her heart racing. Without hesitation, she turned and sprinted towards the village exit.

But as she hurtled through the fallen bodies, she encountered an unexpected obstacle. At the village gate stood a young man in servant clothes, his twisted smile extending from eye to eye. (A servant!! What is he doing here?) Cecilia thought, " move out of the way"

The servant, with an unsettling lack of reaction, stood still, maintaining his eerie smile.

"*@#**," Cecilia cursed in frustration, infusing her sword with green energy, ready to eliminate the servant.

Yet, before she could strike, something peculiar unfolded. Despite her sprint, the servant remained at a distance. Suddenly, a dark thing materialized behind the indifferent servant, " Ahhhhh!!!" sending Cecilia into a piercing scream that echoed through the space. Her face drained of color, she collapsed to the ground at Casper's feet, who stood at the village gate.

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"..." Casper, with indifferent eyes, seized Cecilia's hair, dragging her through the ground. He began walking towards Fray.

"I'm sorry, sir. I'm late," Casper said with a widening grin, dropping Cecilia's body at Fray's feet.

Fray, his eyes ablaze with killing intent, uttered, "Casper, go gather everyone. We will prepare for war."

"Understood, Master," Casper replied, his grin widening further as he left to carry out Fray's command.

. . .

Jared cautiously approached Oliver, finding him calmly sipping tea in the elegant room. "Oliver, we failed," he admitted hesitantly.

As Oliver absorbed the news, a subtle tension crept into his demeanor. Unintentionally, he tightened his grip on the table, and to his surprise, it shattered into pieces. He looked at the debris, his composure momentarily disrupted. "Failed? What happened?" Oliver inquired, his eyes narrowing in cold intensity.

"I'm not sure, but everyone we sent has died, and Cecilia has despaired," Jared confessed with a troubled expression.

"How is this possible !? Did Elisa help him?" Oliver mumbled to himself, his thoughts echoing the concern.

Jared observed Oliver with a mix of worry and confusion. (He just focuses on Elisa; I don't understand why he refuses to see Fray as a dangerous enemy. I just hope this doesn't turn against us.)

. . .

Around the polished mahogany table, Elisa, Casper, Adam, Rin, and Fray gathered, their faces tense with the weight of recent events. The subdued lighting in the meeting room cast shadows, echoing the gravity of their conversation.

"So, they tried to end you for the second time. You're right, we can't let that slide any longer," Adam declared with a calm resolve, his eyes scanning the faces of his comrades.

On the first day back in Iskar city and now, with two separate attempts on Fray's life by Oliver's followers, Fray had intended to postpone the confrontation. However, the urgency of the situation compelled him to act.

"But, Fray, are you sure you want to do this now?" Elisa hesitated, her concern etched across her face.

Fray, locking eyes with Elisa, questioned, "Why do you say that? Do you still care about Oliver?" He couldn't ignore the history Elisa and Oliver shared as the first children of their family, coupled with the mysterious letter Fray had discovered earlier.

"No, it's not like that, but Oliver has formidable support. We're not strong enough to face him, especially with his mother, Amore, in the picture," Elisa explained calmly.

"Indeed, Elisa is right. Amore is one of the strongest in the Dalma family. Even with my full power, I can't underestimate her," Adam affirmed with a serious expression.

"And let's not forget about her family, who are the strongest supporters of the Dalma family," Casper added, emphasizing the challenges they faced.

Calmly leaning back in his chair, Fray stated, "I understand the challenges, but we can't keep avoiding this. Sooner or later we will need to deal with him."

Rin, usually Silent nodded in agreement, "We can't afford to back down now. He's already declared war against us."

"So, what's the plan?" Elisa sighed, her calm demeanor betraying the underlying tension in the room.

"Alright, Oliver has three main sources of power," Fray declared, unfurling a map across the table. "The support of his mother's family, his monopoly over the underworld of Iskar city, and the backing of families controlling agriculture in Iskar territory. Our goal is to strike at one of these sources tonight."

. . .

Cecilia's eyes widened in the dim light as she took in her surroundings, chains tightly binding her to the cold, unforgiving wall. Panic clawed at her chest, and her confused gaze darted around the dark place. The distant sound of dripping water echoed in the oppressive silence.

Turning her head, Cecilia's heart skipped a beat when she saw a young man with dark hair standing there, his eyes colder than the chains that bound her. His demeanor sent shivers down her spine, a feeling that reminded her of the twisted smile she saw before she lost consciousness.

"Who are you!? What do you want from me?" Cecilia's voice trembled, a mix of fear and confusion etched on her face.

"You can call me Rin," he replied, his voice devoid of emotion, as he produced a sharp dagger. The glint of steel caught the faint light, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "And I need some information from you."

Cecilia swallowed hard, her pale face turning even paler as she watched Rin approach with an unsettling calmness. His cold aura hung in the air, intensifying the fear that gripped her.