Daisuke's gaze narrowed to dangerous slits as the woman who had introduced herself as Petula came to a halt in front of a bland-looking antique shop.
"This way," she said meekly, pushing open the weathered door.
Daisuke cast a wary glance at the imposing construction site next door before following his suspicious guide into the unimpressive store. Inside, a man garbed in oriental attire was reclined lazily on his side, his head cradled in his hand. He wore a lethargic expression, and the poorly arranged items surrounding him somehow exuded the same type of aura.
"What can I getcha?" he said by means of greeting.
"…A world of wonders," Petula replied cryptically, her words sounding almost scripted.
Evidently satisfied with the response, the man's attention shifted to Daisuke, almost mechanically. "And you? What can I get you?"
"…He's with me," said Petula, her attempt at sounding stern falling flat.
"And his name?"
"…Haxks," Petula stated firmly.
"Never heard of it," the man scoffed, then turned his icy gaze toward Daisuke. "If you're not buying, then do yourself a favor and scram."
A muscle twitched in Daisuke's jaw, butterscotch eyes igniting.
"Is that so?" Petula remarked, her grip firm as she steered him towards the exit. "Then you can relay to Mr. Casimir that the messenger bearing time-sensitive information from the capital was denied entry."
At those words, the man's stoic visage visibly thawed. Though he remained skeptical about the truthfulness of the girl's claim, he had no intention of gambling with his life.
"Wait!" he called out urgently as he stood to his feet, his body language expressing uncertainty. "I'll let you in. Please, follow me."
Daisuke and Petula trailed behind the man as he led them through a back door into the dimly lit storage room of the store. With practiced ease, he placed his hand on a section of the wall, summoning a magic circle that shimmered beneath his touch.
A low rumble reverberated through the room, followed by a trapdoor giving way to reveal a dark staircase leading downward.
"Sorry to keep you waiting," the man apologized, even as a malicious glint flickered in his eyes. Should their story prove false, he was certain that they would inevitably be captured, imprisoned, or killed in due course. "Please," he gestured courteously, "make your way inside, but tread carefully."
Petula and Daisuke paid little heed to the man's sudden change in attitude. With Petula confidently leading the way, they descended the winding staircase while Daisuke activated the Eye of Verity, ever vigilant as they ventured deeper.
A dark smile spread across the store owner's face as he watched them vanish into the depths below.
As the trapdoor grinded to a close behind them, cutting off the feeble light from above, Daisuke's senses heightened, alert for any potential threats. The atmosphere felt reminiscent of a dungeon, with mana crystal lamps sparsely illuminating the stone-carved stairway in place of torches, casting shifting shadows that danced along the walls as they descended further into the unknown.
"…A world of wonders," Daisuke projected his voice so that Petula could hear. "Was that some kind of secret code or something?"
"T-That's right," she confirmed, her heart beating a frantic tattoo as they neared the bottom of the stairway. "Each person is assigned a unique password to gain entry into the—"
Her words were abruptly silenced as Daisuke's firm grip on her shoulder whirled her around to face him. A sense of urgency flickered in his eyes, causing a tremor of alarm to course through her as she registered his cautious demeanor, his index finger pressed against his lips in a wordless command for silence.
Petula nodded, her lips pursed in understanding. Mimicking Daisuke's stealthy movements, she followed his lead down the remaining steps, tiptoeing quietly until they reached the bottom. Taking cover behind a nearby wall, she held her breath as Daisuke scanned the cavern ahead, his eyes narrowing as he detected the mana signatures of several individuals.
"There's no point in hiding," called out one of the men, a hint of amusement lacing his words. "Your stealth is impressive, I must admit. If it weren't for that woman, I might not have detected your presence at all. But unfortunately for you, she completely blew your cover."
Petula's heart sank like a stone, her breath catching in her throat as she turned to Daisuke. The telltale signs of fear etched across his face mirrored the panic gripping her own body.
Or so she thought.
Daisuke slowly rose to his feet, his eyes smoldering with a silent fury ignited by the sound of a familiar voice. Without a moment's hesitation, he abandoned their hiding spot and strode purposefully into the chamber, driven by a burning need to confirm his suspicions.
Standing at the helm of at least a dozen men ominously clad in black attire was an individual Daisuke couldn't quite forget—a man whose memory haunted him like a specter. As he locked eyes with the sinister figure, a flood of memories rushed back, each one carrying its own weight.
He remembered the man's swift movements, his ability to catch the falling mana crystal before it had shattered on the ground. He remembered the cruel smirk on his face as he aided his comrades to beat him within an inch of his life. And most vividly, he remembered the satisfaction in the man's eyes when Zephyr was killed.
"Wait," the man remarked, cupping his chin as he sifted through his own memories. "Aren't you… that kid we taught a lesson a while back? Hah. So you're still alive," he uttered with indifference. "If you had half a brain, you would've skipped town, but instead you—"
Daisuke tilted his head back, an unexpected laugh bubbling up from his throat that caught everyone off guard. "To think I'd run into one of you this soon," he mused darkly while palming his face, a malicious grin stretching his lips. "It must be my lucky day."
The man frowned, a muscle working in his jaw as a cold and malevolent energy rolled off the intruder's body. It was almost unsettling. "…You've changed."
"Gee… I wonder why."
Unamused, the man clicked his tongue in annoyance and raised his hand in a commanding gesture. In response, his loyal lapdogs took a confident step forward, their defensive stance clear as they brandished an array of weapons.
"You've obviously lost your mind," the man accused bitterly. "If I knew this is how you were going to turn out, I would've done you a favor and finished you off back then. This time, I won't make the same mistake."
Still palming his face, Daisuke regarded the bastard over the bridge of his nose, the brilliant gleam from his golden eyes peeking through his fingers like laser beams. "Lost my mind?" he chuckled, the tones of his voice fluctuating as he arched his back forward, his arms falling limp at his sides. "Do you honestly believe that's what this is?"
The man narrowed his eyes, a gleam of defiance flickering within them. "Then what else could it be? Please, enlighten me."
Daisuke ominously lifted his head with deliberate slowness, his eyes wide with a glint of madness, his grin veering into the realm of the unhinged. "This is the exhilaration of someone who's finally about to exact his vengeance… by sending his enemies to the deepest depths of hell."
PAJIK!
A vein throbbed visibly on the man's forehead, his features contorting into a grotesque mask of rage. What stung him most was the brief flicker of fear he felt from the lunatic's ridiculous threat.
Fully aware of what would unfold next, Petula darted from her hiding place and positioned herself protectively in front of Daisuke. Ever since that fateful day, she had been ceaselessly plagued and tormented by the guilt of what she had done to him.
Sure, perhaps the weight of his loss had really driven him to madness, but it didn't justify the wretched fate that awaited him. He was still a living and breathing human being; he didn't deserve a dog's death.
Petula pursed her lips. While she cherished her husband deeply, she couldn't bear the thought of committing another atrocity. The thought of her crimes weighed heavily on her conscience, threatening to sever the bond of their love.
"You need to escape right now," she urged in a hushed tone, her eyes locked with the sneering assassins. "When you reach the top of the stairs, knock on the door three times. Once you're outside, flee the town immediately and never look back."
"You won't escape," the man declared. "Dispose of them both," he ordered flatly before calmly taking his leave.
Without a word, Daisuke callously shoved Petula aside. A sharp cry tore from her lips as her back met the unforgiving wall, leaving her crumpled on the ground. Dread gripped her as the assassins surged forth, poised for their assault.
Leaning forward, Daisuke's body tensed, his eyes veiled by the shadow of his bangs. Anger churned through his veins, stirring memories of the past—the ominous crunch of the vial breaking beneath his feet, his mother's final words; the sting of betrayal by Brek and the others, the harrowing ordeal of slavery; the bitter loss of his mana crystals to Reeza, and the heart-wrenching death of Zephyr.
Suddenly, his head snapped upward, golden eyes burning with madness and murderous intent.
DING!
[The active skill «Dash» has been acquired.]
[Dash]
[Rank: Rare
Classification: Active Skill
Lvl: 1
Proficiency: 0%
Unleashes a surge of mana to bolster speed and agility.
Skill Effect:
▪︎ Increases Movement Speed by 30%.
Mana Cost: 10 ⅌ Minute
Skill Cooldown: None]
SFFT-SFFT-SFFT!
A flurry of shuriken reached Daisuke before the assassins could close the distance that separated them. Reacting on pure instinct, he activated the newly acquired skill and propelled himself forward like a speeding arrow, skillfully weaving through the onslaught of projectiles with deadly purpose.
SHING!
He sidestepped the downward slash of the first bastard, wrenching the short sword from his grasp before plunging it into his chest. Swiftly retrieving the bloody blade, Daisuke clashed with several others, cleaving through them like tofu. His attacks were unceasing and merciless, his expression an uncivilized mask of pure veracity.
An expertly timed tornado kick sent another bastard hurling into the side of the wall, breaking several bones upon impact. Daisuke could clearly feel it—his stat allocation was fluctuating between Strength and Speed of its own volition, seamlessly optimizing each of his attacks.
But the liquid fire coursing through his veins left no room for contemplation; all that mattered was the relentless dance of carnage and destruction.
STAB-STAB-STAB!
The short sword plunged several times into an assassin's abdomen in a brutal fashion, then Daisuke used the corpse as a meat shield to protect himself against a hail of kunai.
Chucking the bastard to the side without a shred of remorse, he hurled himself at the remaining assailants. Petula watched in horror—just weeks ago, she had seen him helplessly at the mercy of the four hooligans. Now, he had transformed into a formidable force to be reckoned with.
The clash of steel cast an eerie glow around Daisuke's rigid expression. As Petula observed him effortlessly mowing through the men clad in black, the sword cleaving through them like a hot knife through butter, she couldn't help but recognize the true gravity of the threat he had posed to her earlier.
THUD!
When the last of the assassins fell lifelessly to the ground, a shiver ran down Petula's spine. She held her breath as Daisuke slowly approached, a part of her bracing for her own demise.
But it never came.
"…A-Are you alright?" she asked meekly.
"You said you knew of a way to bypass the traps?" Daisuke asked, his head hung low, his eyes indecipherable.
"Y-Yes, that's right."