With [Awakened Eyes], Hupo could see through the carriage's walls in all directions. He saw the coachman slump and fall off the carriage. There were six assassins outside – one in front of the carriage, one behind it, and four on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings. They all radiated killing intent.

Two of them leapt from the rooftops toward the carriage.

He felt the carriage shake and heard loud thuds above him.

I’m a sitting duck in here. I need to get out.

He got off his seat and kneeled on the floor of the carriage. "Sonic Speed!"

Power surged into his legs. They pushed off the floor with explosive force. He smashed through the carriage’s roof with a bang, blasting away the assassins on top and sending countless shards of wood flying in all directions. Even though the roof was made of solid wood, it hadn’t had any more resistance than paper.

Air rushed against his whole body as he ascended at the speed of sound. The clouds drew near. They were so close that he could almost touch them. At that moment, he gained a better understanding of just how powerful he really was in this world. At his height, the assassins below appeared to be the size of ants.

As he fell back to the ground, a barrage of flaming arrows flew towards him from below.

"Breath of the Wind!" He sucked air into his lungs, expanding his chest to many times its normal size.

A gust of wind burst forth from his mouth, blowing back the arrows, clearing the mist, and softening his landing.

With his 360-degree field of vision, he saw a dart fly towards the back of his neck. He caught it between his fingers, twisted around, and flicked it back at its owner.

After being hit, the dart's owner collapsed onto the ground and began convulsing.

Two more assassins leaped from the rooftops toward Hupo. The chains around their arms unwound and twirled around him, like flying serpents encircling their prey. At the same time, electrified arrows flew towards him, through the gaps in the chains.

"Fiery Hurricane!" He spun around with a flaming sword, incinerating and ripping apart everything in sight.

Raging hot flames whirled around him like a tornado of fire, engulfing the entire city block. Windows exploded and steel fences became molten metal. The howling of the flames drowned out the screams of those caught inside the hellfire.

When Hupo finally stopped spinning, red hot, broken chains and charred chunks of flesh fell all around him. The surrounding buildings, now windowless, were scorched black. Looking around at the carnage he'd just wrought, he noticed that only the archer who’d shot the arrows at him had managed to survive.

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***

Barin woke up to a throbbing pain that stung his entire body. Having lived as an assassin for most of his life, he had suffered all kinds of injuries. But this pain was different. It felt as though a fire was burning him from the inside out. He screamed from the very depth of his being, but only gurgling noises came out of his mouth. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t open his eyes. Clutching at them, he screamed when he realized that they’d been melted shut. There was a constant ringing in his ears. Through the ringing, he heard the voices of a man and woman conversing.

“Are you alright, Hupo?”

“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry to worry you.”

Gathering what little strength he had left, Barin reached out to them. "Hel-help me."

The male voice responded to his plea. "Only if you tell us everything."

Barin wanted to live, no matter the cost. "Any-thing."

"Remember your words. Alana, please heal him."

“As you wish.” Someone touched the side of Barin’s face. “Healing Touch.”

Energy surged forth from the hand and spread to all parts of his body. His strength returned and he felt relaxed. It was as if a wave of cold water had extinguished the fire that was burning his insides. When he touched his face, he was surprised to feel healthy skin. Opening his eyes, he saw a beautiful night sky, decorated with glittering stars.

Did I just wake up from a nightmare?

He smelled something burning. Turning his head toward the odor, he saw blackened flesh littering the ground around him.

I guess not.

He stood up with ease. His body was pain free and full of energy.

This is a miracle! Not only am I still alive, but I feel great!

Looking down at his body, he saw that his armor and clothes were almost completely burnt off.

He heard an icy, male voice. "Have you already forgotten your end of the deal? Tell us everything, starting with who hired you."

Standing a few feet away from him was a man in black armor and a strikingly beautiful woman.

Barin's eyes widened when he recalled what had happened.

The last thing he wanted to do was upset the man who’d just annihilated his entire team with ease. “The prince offered me a lot of money to kill you.”

“Why does he want me dead?”

“He said you were in his way.”

“In the way of what?”

“He didn’t specify.”

“What else can you tell me?”

“He told me that you were the martial tournament champion, and that you would be returning from the Royal Palace tonight.”

“And?”

“That’s all I know.”

There was a moment of silence, before Hupo replied "I can hear your heart beating against your ribcage, see your chest rise and fall with each breath, and smell the sweat on your skin. All my senses are telling me that you're being truthful."

Barin couldn't believe what he was hearing.

He must be bluffing. No human can possibly have such keen senses!

"You’re free to leave." Hupo turned around.

“Huh?” Barin blinked rapidly. “Are you really going to let me go, just like that? After I tried killing you?”

“That’s right. I’m a man of my word. But don't get any wrong ideas. If you ever cross me or anyone I care about again, I will destroy you."

Barin dropped onto his knees and bowed. "Thank you for sparing my life!"

His knees were in pain after hitting the ground so quickly, but the pain was nothing compared the mind-numbing fear he felt. He was in the presence of an absolute power who could end his existence at any moment.

Hupo took the woman's hand. "We need to return to Chicken Castle right away."

"I agree." She paused.

"What's the matter?"

"I can't teleport to the inside of Chicken Castle anymore."

"Then take us just outside of it. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Right away."

A blue light engulfed them both.

Barin rubbed his eyes. It took him a while to process what had happened.

Just who are they? What are they?