February 24, 3108

Elderwood Forest, night

“Master, you lied to me again!” I exclaimed as I entered the house. The Master, as always, sat in the same chair, wearing the same calm expression, though the book in his hands was different this time.

He glanced up briefly, then returned to his reading. “Otherwise, you might have chosen whether or not to take the mission. But with the thought of being in debt, that choice vanished. The first time, I didn’t deceive you.”

“Even so, you didn’t tell me everything—and you used me!”

“How was the mission?” he asked, ignoring my complaint.

“Agh... it was fine. I became a temporary agent.”

“Good job,” he said with a faint smile. “Now, put on your weighted jacket and go for a run.”

“Sure,” I replied, resigned. "I have the feeling there’s simply no point in arguing with the Master," I thought as I headed to change.

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April 20, 3108

For the third time, I found myself packing my things to prepare for another mission. I’d made arrangements with the agency to send me missions on the 20th of each month, starting in May, because once I entered the forest, all outside signals became unavailable.

As soon as I stepped out of the forest’s bounds, a notification appeared on my smartwatch:

„Mission: Find Kondrat Fleming. Male, 40 years old, dark hair, yellow eyes. Occupation: Drags dealer, murderer. Last seen in the northern part of Eryndor.

It is necessary to locate his position and report it along with his daily route. The information obtained must be transmitted at 23:53 within 5 days starting today.

Accept/Decline.„

This mission was different from the previous two, which only required tracking people whose locations were already known. Still, the change didn’t faze me.

“I accept,” I said aloud, confirming the mission.

This time, I didn’t sprint toward the city, as in addition to my bag of combat clothes, I was also carrying the bow case in my hand. Instead, I waited for public transport, which arrived shortly after.

The ride back to the capital was uneventful. Once there, I headed straight to the apartment provided to me by Mr. Henry.

At the apartment, I dropped off the bag of combat clothes and, with the bow case still in hand, made my way toward the northern sector of the capital.

Compared to the other parts of Eryndor, which had been recently renovated or newly constructed, the northern sector was a stark contrast. It was old and decaying, riddled with abandoned buildings, wandering people, and an air of hopeless disaster surrounding everything.

Generally, people in the capital weren’t very talkative unless you were someone of status or renown. But in the northern sector, it was even worse. Encounters with people carrying knives or even firearms were not uncommon. While such weapons posed little threat to martial artists, they were still deadly for ordinary citizens.

How should I start?

Walking around openly asking about my target's location would be idiotic; it would only alert him faster than I could uncover any information. Forcefully extracting details wasn’t a great option either, which left me with the most time-consuming—yet safest—strategy.

We start with a drugged person.

This approach would take time, but it was a surefire way to find a lead. A drug user needs a dealer, and a dealer needs supplies, which would eventually lead me to Kondrat.

The first day wasn’t very productive. Finding a drugged person wasn’t a problem—they were in almost every third abandoned building I checked. Eventually, I chose one individual to follow, though luck wasn’t on my side. Day one ended with no significant progress; all I had was the same person in my sights.

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April 21, 3108

By noon on the second day, I finally spotted a drug dealer. I switched my focus to tailing him instead. He spent most of his time in the same area, but later that evening, he left the city and headed toward an abandoned factory.

After ensuring no one noticed me, I climbed onto the factory’s roof. Several armed guards with rifles were stationed around, so direct confrontation was out of the question.

I spotted a ventilation duct on the roof and decided it would be my way in. Using my movement technique, I silently reached the opening and slipped inside. Crawling through the ducts, I positioned myself above a room where the dealers were discussing sales and their remaining stock of drugs.

Now we change who we follow.

I spent two to three hours inside the ventilation system, waiting for my next lead. Eventually, my patience was rewarded. A new man arrived to pick up a fresh shipment of goods. As he headed for the exit, I began tailing him—though from a different route to avoid detection.

When it was time to leave the ventilation system, I noticed something troubling: a large group of heavily armed individuals had gathered outside. These weren’t just the usual guards; they were gang members, and they were prepared for anything.

I had to move quickly, as my target was getting further away. At the exit of the factory grounds, several cars were parked—one of them likely belonged to Kondrat.

With no better option, I pulled my hood over my head and joined a group of people heading out. Surprisingly, this worked, even though I was a little shorter than most of them. Everyone seemed preoccupied, either caught up in their own tasks or engaged in heated discussions.

That is, until one man noticed me. His gaze lingered, and as he got closer, I could tell he wasn’t going to let me slip by unnoticed.

When he reached out to pull down my hood, he muttered,

"Hey, bro, who—"

Thud.

I hit him squarely in the leg, hard enough to knock him off balance. He stumbled and fell face-first onto the asphalt.

Stolen novel; please report.

By the time he scrambled back to his feet, I had already ducked behind another group of people, disappearing from his view.

Once I was clear of the factory, I spotted Kondrat getting into a car some distance away. Without hesitation, I pulled out my second tracking device, activated it, and tossed it near the back of his vehicle. The dim light of dusk worked in my favor, making it unlikely he’d notice.

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April 23, 3108

The previous day had been uneventful. I shadowed Kondrat, observed his movements, and sent updates at night. I was just about to pack up and head back when a new message arrived:

„Mission Update:

Eliminate Kondrat Fleming.

Kondrat is a former agent of the Surrounding Darkness. We’ve received information that he is seeking a buyer for confidential mission details he previously completed. Prevent the transmission of this information by eliminating the target along with all associated documents or devices.

Accept/Decline„

I thought I wasn’t supposed to receive assassination missions until I turned 18.

Despite my hesitation, I didn’t bother asking why. I pressed Accept.

„The transfer is scheduled to take place at 01:00. Your task is to intercept it.„

Fantastic. Not only did I have to eliminate him, but I also had less than an hour to locate him.

I quickly suited up. My combat gear consisted of reinforced jacket, pants, and boots, all modified to ensure durability and allow for unimpeded aether flow. I grabbed the case containing my bow, along with a quiver of arrows. It was time to act.

That's how I began my new mission.

In under an hour, I arrived at Kondrat's house, but he was already gone.

The car's still here. That means the location isn’t far. Public or private? Do they already know each other? Will the exchange be in cash or through a bank transfer? And why doesn’t the largest agency have a single piece of useful information for this?

BOOM!

A gunshot echoed through the night.

What are the odds that when an exchange is supposed to happen, a gunshot rings out?

BOOM! BOOM!

Yeah, this definitely has something to do with it

I rushed toward the direction of the gunfire, my steps quick and deliberate. The sound led me to an abandoned five-story building that looked like it was once meant to be a parking garage.

I climbed the stairs cautiously, checking each floor as I ascended. On the fourth floor, I found Kondrat. He was already dead, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. A gun lay beside him.

As I surveyed the area, I felt it—an unmistakable wind current rippling through the room.

Whoever did this is at least a ManaUser.

The current was fading fast. I bolted in the direction it led, running as if my life depended on it.

I have to catch him before he disappears into other currents

About 200 meters away, I spotted him. A man in a long coat stood against the backdrop of swirling wind currents.

"I’ve got you now."

Breathing technique: Tempest Flow (4☆).

Second Stage: Wind Acceleration.

Mana Armis flared to life around me.

Left Foot + Left Hand – 2nd Form Condensation.

With speed and precision, I pulled out my bow and an arrow from the quiver.

Archery Technique: Tornado Archery (4☆).

First Stage: Guided Arrow.

I released the arrow, aiming for his back. But just as it was about to strike, he shifted to the side, and the arrow embedded itself in his shoulder instead.

He turned to face me, and I watched as wind currents began to swirl around him, growing stronger by the second he began to condense his armor

The first arrow wasn’t enough.

I swiftly nocked another arrow onto the bow, my grip steady as I aimed once more.

Archery Technique: Tornado Archery (4☆)

First Stage: Guided Arrow

The result was even worse than the first arrow; it failed to even penetrate his armor. His ManaWarrior form was reinforced with four components of minor armor and two of medium armor—one on his right forearm and the other on his left calf.

If I have to face him in close combat, my chances of not winning—but merely surviving—are equal to zero.

After he stopped the second arrow, realizing that I wasn't a stronger opponent, he charged straight toward me.

By the fifth arrow, it was clear that continuing was pointless. He avoided my shots with ease, and even when I tried to manipulate wind currents to create unusual trajectories, the arrows deflected harmlessly off his armor.

I turned and began to run in the opposite direction. Buying time was my only hope—if I could hide somewhere before more ManaWarriors arrived, I might have a chance.

We neared a park, and as we entered, I noticed a small cave-like opening beneath a stone bridge spanning an small artificial river. The man in the overcoat continued to pursue me, closing the distance rapidly. The trees around us reduced his line of sight, and I decided to use that to my advantage.

When we passed the stone bridge, I veered to the left, leading him in the opposite direction of the bridge. Once I confirmed that he also turned left, I used a tree as cover between us.

Movement Technique: Wind Kingdom (4☆)

First Stage: Territory Formation – 10m, back

In a flash, I reappeared near the bridge. This time, I leaped under it and slipped into the small cave I had noticed earlier.

To avoid detection, I disabled my aether circuit, suppressing the flow of aether around me. Moments later, I heard his voice echo through the park.

"It doesn't make sense to hide. I'll find you sooner or later anyway. Just come out, and I'll kill you quickly—I don't want to waste my time."

Excuse me, I thought bitterly,

but such an option does not satisfy me.

I crouched deeper into the small cave, weighing my options carefully.

At the moment, I had three clear paths:

1. Surrender and be quickly killed.

2. Attempt to run and risk being caught.

3. Stay hidden and hope he gives up or reinforcements arrive.

The first option was a definite no—I hadn't endured all this only to throw my life away. The second was nearly as hopeless; his speed far surpassed mine. The third seemed the most logical, but it carried the risk of him finding me before help could arrive.

Then we move to the fourth option, I murmured to myself.

My armor was nearly open at the right shoulder. Based on my observations, another two or three sessions of meditation would open it completely. However, I lacked time to attempt that by standard option.

It's time for something painful and risky.

I assumed the meditation position. From the moment I activate the circuit, time would tick by in mere seconds as the aether concentration within me would rapidly increase, becoming visible. But I had no other option.

Breathing Technique: Tempest Flow (4☆)

First Stage: Wind Circulation

This was how I always began, calmly circulating the aether through my body. Usually, I stopped at this stage during regular meditation sessions. But now, the circumstances demanded something far more extreme.

Second Stage: Wind Acceleration

I increased the speed of the circuit as always towards the parts with the already open armor. Simultaneously, I accelerated the aether’s movement toward the arteries in my right shoulder, focusing the energy there.

Almost immediately, pain began to sear through my pores. My body screamed in protest, crying out for me to stop the torment I was forcing it to endure. But I couldn’t. This was the only way I could survive.

Even with the intense acceleration, the armor on my arm refused to open.

I’m going to regret this very much, I thought grimly.

Third Stage: Windstorm Transformation

"AAAAAAAAAAAA!"