“I wonder where he is,” I asked while on top of a three-storey building, trying to scan the area if I can see the one that I’m looking for.

The sky is now pure dark. For tonight, no stars can be seen in the sky and even the moon is nowhere to be found because of the dark clouds scattered above like a rain is on its way. Because I finally got the permission to help Cyann on his mission to catch the [Dark Ripper], I am now patrolling the area, searching for the [assassin].

(Is he really still in this town?) Honoka asked while she’s in [weapon mode] on my left hand.

“According to Cyann, this is the only [Empire] where he kills his victims,” I answered and jumped to the next building. Afterwards, I once again looked below the empty alleys below me, trying to find our target.

(I see.)

“Well, let’s try going over there,” I suggested.

“Are you searching for me, Raiki?” a man’s voice suddenly asked to me in a scary tone.

When I looked at the higher building behind me, I saw [Dark Ripper] standing with his scythe on his shoulder.

“I finally found you!” I said and threw [Honoka] up in the air as high as I can. “[Flame Burst]!”

[Honoka] then exploded in mid-air and after a couple of seconds, I caught her using my left hand.

After that, the [Dark Ripper] stared at me with much stronger killing intent.

“You just gave a signal, don’t you? So that [Cyan Knight] is still here,” he muttered, irritated.

I left Ciana and Iwa at Chen’s place because this mission is really dangerous. Only [Honoka] can stand a chance against his [weapon] on a one-on-one battle. I have to buy some time until Cyann gets here.

I then made a fighting stance with my katana and asked, “[Dark Ripper], why are you killing [wielders]? Don’t you know that what you’re doing is wrong?”

“I’m not the one at wrong. Those [wielders] are!” he shouted and his killing intent got stronger, enough to be seen by the naked eye. “They bully the weak, rape the women, torture and kill anyone for fun…I won’t let them do as they please. Someone needs to judge them!”

“And that one…is you?” I asked, nervous from his intense hatred.

“That’s right! I’m the only one who can! I’ll kill them before they become more evil and powerful! And if you stand in my way…”

“!”

“I won’t hesitate to kill you!” he yelled and vanished after the shadows enveloped him.

(Raiki, behind you!)

“[Dark Blade]!” [Dark Ripper] shouted.

“[Flame Burst]!” I countered.

*KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

After the explosion, I immediately jumped backwards to the next building and look around.

“He…vanished?” I reacted with widened eyes.

(Raiki, above you!)

“[Dark Blade]!” he shouted and swung the scythe on my body.

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!” I screamed out of pain and my knees hit the floor.

(Raiki!)

“I’m…*cough*…fine. Thanks to this armor,” I said and the breast plate hit the floor after it got divided into two.

“That’s a tough armor for a newbie like you. Don’t worry, I’ll end this now,” he said and prepared to swing his scythe.

“[Counter Kick]!” I yelled and hit his right leg, strong enough to make him loss his balance.

“Wh—” he reacted with surprised eyes.

“[Flame Burst]!” I shouted and landed the attack on him perfectly.

“Gahhhhaaaa!” he screamed and hit the floor in a kneeling position.

Compared to Cyann, this guy is nothing!

“I’m done underestimating you. I’ll seriously kill you now!” he shouted and disappeared once again.

Honoka!

(I…can’t sense him!!!)

What the—

“[Shadow Sneak],” he whispered after appearing behind me.

I…can’t move again? What’s with this attack?

“[Demon Blade]!” he said and prepared for a slash.

Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared and shouted, “[Electro Slash]!”

Before getting hit by the bastard sword, the [Dark Ripper] jumped up on top of a building higher than the one we’re currently standing at.

“[Cyan Knight],” the [Dark Ripper] muttered with sudden seriousness.

“Sorry for the wait, Raiki, Honoka,” Cyann said with his usual smile and faced the assassin.

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“Whenever I look at his back, I always feel safe,” I whispered with a smile.

(Me too. You can feel how strong he is even if he’s not fighting.)

“You’ve done more than enough. Let me take care of this,” Cyann continued and drew out the ordinary bastard sword behind him.

“A double…bastard sword?” I reacted with a surprised expression.

“It’s too soon to be surprised,” he said and leaped forward. In an instant, he is now before the [Dark Ripper].

“[Demon Blade]!”

“[Thor Cross]!!!”

*KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

“That ordinary bastard sword…can do a [Thor Slash]?” I reacted with a surprised expression.

(Is that perhaps a [Monster Weapon]?)

“What kind of [monster weapon] is that?” the [Dark Ripper] asked after both of them landed on top of separate buildings.

“It’s called [Mjolnir]. It can copy the [special attack] of my [weapon] as long as I can deliver them at the same timing.”

“You just told me your weakness,” the [assassin] said and appeared before Cyann in a split second. He then hit [Mjolnir] continuously, making Cyann unable to deliver a double attack.

(Should we help him?) Honoka asked.

You’re right. That way—

Suddenly, they both jumped from buildings to buildings while clashing. Their movements were so fast that I couldn’t follow it anymore.

“Are you…kidding me?” I reacted with widened eyes and opened mouth.

(They are really on a different level.)

Their attacks were so fast that all I can see is the trajectory of their path and the sparks made from their clash. So this is what happens when they took the battle seriously.

“I still got a long way to go,” I whispered as I watch them from below.

“[Plasma Cannon]!” Cyann shouted.

“[Chaos Blast]!” the [Dark Ripper] yelled.

The two long-range attacks collided and created a big explosion. Afterwards, the continuous clash of blades continued.

“[Thor Cross]!!!”

“[Demon Blade]!!!”

*KA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM*

I’m starting to get used to their speed. I can now slightly follow their movements.

“What a boring battle,” a guy suddenly said after appearing beside me.

“What the—” I reacted in a surprised look after noticing him.

I couldn’t even sense his arrival?

“Yo, brat. I’m [Scorpio], nice to meet you,” he said with a bored smile.

“S…[Scorpio]?” I reacted with widened eyes.

It is a guy in braids wearing maroon long-sleeves and black tucked-in pants.

“Don’t mind me. I’m just here to take some fresh air before going back to my empire. Anyway, who is that strong guy that [Cyan Knight] is battling?” God [Scorpio] asked.

“That’s the [Dark Ripper],” I answered nervously.

“So he’s still not finished on his latest mission. Since I’m not in a good mood, I guess, I’ll kill that assassin with my own hands. Maybe that will cheer me up a little. [Rossanna],” he said and a girl wearing a black suit suddenly appeared behind him. With a nod, the girl transformed into a knife and [Scorpio] disappeared in an instant. Before I know it, something exploded in the middle of the two’s fight.

“That guy…his movements are so fast compared to Cyann and the [Dark Ripper]!” I reacted in a shocked manner.

“You called?” [Scorpio] said after appearing beside me again. In his right hand is his [weapon] and at his left…is the [Dark Ripper] with eyes rolled out.

“!”

“Seems like killing this guy somehow made me livelier,” God [Scorpio] said and threw the [Dark Ripper] on the floor.

“[Dark Ripper]!” I reacted with a worried expression.

Cyann then jumped towards us and landed beside [Scorpio]. After giving the [Constellation Deity] a bow, [Scorpio] said to him, “How can you beat [Leo] if you’re having a hard time with this guy? His [weapon] is five levels lower than yours, you know.”

“I’m sorry for making you finish my mission but…did you really have to kill him?” Cyann asked in a polite tone yet serious eyes.

“Do you really need a reason to kill an assassin? I mean, he’s killing people just for fun, you know. But don’t worry, look,” he said and pointed at the motionless assassin’s scythe.

“The scythe on his left hand…hasn’t transformed back yet,” I whispered to myself.

“This is one tough guy,” he said and pointed the knife’s tip towards the [Dark Ripper]’s face.

Suddenly, the assassin’s [weapon] transformed back and a small girl (probably around the age of ten) appeared. She has a violet hair in a twin ponytail and wears a black gothic lolita costume.

She then looked at [Scorpio] with emotionless and unmoving eyes.

“Those eyes…it reminds me of someone’s,” [Scorpio] whispered with an amused expression.

“I...*cough*…can still fight,” the assassin said weakly after his consciousness returned.

“See? He’s a tough one right?” [Scorpio] asked and looked at Cyann.

“God [Scorpio], please let me handle this. I’ll take him to the pri--” Cyann muttered but stopped.

“[Dark…ness]. [Darkness]!” the [Dark Ripper] whispered as he tries to lift his upper body upright.

He’s…calling for his [weapon].

I immediately looked at the little girl and got surprised because she’s staring at me.

“[Fling Fire],” [Scorpio] muttered and an attack pierced through the assassin’s skull. After that, the [Dark Ripper] lied flat on the ground.

(He’s…dead.)

“!”

“God [Scorpio]?” Cyann reacted, shocked.

“There. You want to handle it, right? Handle cleaning up his corpse,” God [Scorpio] said with a smile.

“I…understand,” Cyann replied after averting his gaze with sad eyes.

“Then, goodbye you two. See you some other time,” God [Scorpio] followed with a smile.

“God [Scorpio], how about this little girl?” Cyann asked.

“I don’t want to kill her because she’s still a little girl. I guess…never mind. Do what you want.”

“A-Affirmative.”

I will now go back to my Inn. See you around,” God [Scorpio] continued and jumped off the building.

“I…couldn’t do anything,” Cyann whispered with disgust in his eyes.

I couldn’t find the right word to say because I’m in the same boat as him. I couldn’t do a thing to stop God [Scorpio] from killing the [Dark Ripper].

I then looked at the girl and noticed that she’s not even sad after losing her partner. She just stands there while staring at him with a poker face.

“So…Cyann, what are you planning to do to this girl?” I asked.

“I think I’ll bring her to the prison,” Cyann responed.

“But…is there any other way to end this? That girl…is so young,” I answered and looked at the girl.

“I agree. I think…I’ll take her into custody. I’ll include her in my party,” Cyann said with a smile.

“Is that fine?” I asked with a slight surprised face.

“The only wanted is the [Dark Ripper] after all and the public doesn’t know the face of his [weapon]. So instead of bringing her to jail, I think providing her a new life to start all over again is what I should do instead.”

“You really are a nice person,” I said with a smile.

Suddenly, the girl stopped before me and stared at my eyes once again.

“…”

“…”

“…”

“Is there…something on my face?” I asked curiously.

“…”

“…”

“Ahahaha,” I laughed forcedly.

“…”

“I think…he wants to come with you,” Cyan commented.

“Wh-what?” I reacted with a sudden surprised face.

(What?)

“I mean, even though his partner kills people, he is still a righteous man deep inside. Maybe this girl can see the evil within people’s heart too and decided to follow you because she can’t see that ‘evil’ in you. She feels like she can trust you.”

“You give me too much credit,” I complained, not knowing how to react. “You’re much kinder than me if you ask me.”

“That’s...” Cyann reacted with an unexpected surprised face and suddenly averted his gaze with somewhat sad eyes. “I’m not really that kind, you know.”

“Did you say something?” I asked, not hearing his whisper.

“It’s nothing. So…do you want to become her guardian? At least just for the time being. You can contact me anytime if you can’t guard her anymore. I’m gonna get her as soon as I can if that happens.”

(Raiki, this is dangerous! What if that girl only wants to kill you?)

I then stared at her eyes again and saw how emotionless her eyes really are.

“But this girl…I can’t just abandon her, you know,” I replied to Honoka.

(That’s…jeez. You are way too nice.)

“That’s the only thing I can do for not saving his master,” I continued with a smile. “Okay. I’ll take care of her.”

“Then, I’ll leave her to you for the time being,” Cyann responded with a smile.

“Yeah. I’m gonna do my best to guard her.”

“Raiki, I’ll be waiting at the top. Work hard to become a high-rank soldier,” he said and drew out his hand.

“Yeah. I’ll do my best,” I replied and shook it.