"Are you ready to talk now?" he asked, and the guard nodded, slipping to the floor.
"So, what's the fuss all about, Mr. Elite Guard?" he asked, smirking mockingly. His own blow had taken a toll on him; he wondered if it was the same for the others.
'How dare he mock me?' The guard couldn't help but give him a stern look as he struggled to rise, his back aching.
"I don't have all the time in the world," Kael snapped, and the guard shivered with fear. Kael released a little of his magical essence, dominating the whole area and causing the guard to panic.
"An intruder is in the building," began the guard.
"Another intruder?" Kael exclaimed, his mind drifting back to the mission. 'I hope this intruder isn't here for my belongings.'
"He's here to assassinate Mr. Stoneforge. My leader is on the verge of death, which is impossible. I thought it was your doing, so I came to confirm it," the guard rushed his words, but they still found their way into Kael's mind.
It was partly his doing. He was sure Red King Dire was still holding those Elite Guards hostage, awaiting his return, which gave the intruder a chance to enter the mansion and even defeat the leader of the House Stoneforge Elite Guards.
He wasn't familiar with Sir Stoneforge, but he had to repay Zodoba's kindness. Zodoba was the reason Kael was still alive. While surrounded in the room, the other five Elite Guards harbored killing intents, but only Zodoba remained calm.
"Take me to him," Kael said to the guard, who stood up at once and led the way. As they ran off to the first floor, Kael saw his sword hung on the wall of the Labyrinth and quickly snatched it while trailing after the guards.
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The ceiling of a room on the top floor of the House Stoneforge Mansion burst open, and a figure jumped through the debris. With a snap, the lights flickered on, illuminating the presence of five beings in the room.
Four of them were Elite Guards, their blades gripped tightly, their stances firm. They formed a protective square around the fifth figure, a man standing in the middle with a blood-stained sword. The blood belonged to the leader of the Elites, Zodoba. This man, the intruder from the dark, had now made his way into Mr. Stoneforge's room, intent on executing him once and for all. But first, he had to contend with the four Elite Guards, each staring daggers at him, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Bring it on," he chuckled, tightening his fist on the hilt of his sword.
With a fierce cry, one of the Elite Guards charged at him, blade aimed at his heart. The man sidestepped with lightning speed, his own blade a blur as it parried the guard's attack. Sparks flew as metal met metal, the clash reverberating through the room.
The second guard seized the opening, slashing horizontally at the man's midsection. He ducked under the swing, twisting his body with fluid grace, and retaliated with an upward strike that caught the guard's arm, drawing blood. The guard hissed in pain but didn't falter, swinging again with renewed fury.
The third and fourth guards moved in unison, their blades coming from either side in a pincer movement. The man spun on his heel, his sword moving in an arc that deflected both strikes with uncanny precision.
The first guard recovered and lunged again, but the man was ready. With a deft flick of his wrist, he disarmed the guard, sending his sword clattering to the floor. A swift kick to the chest sent the guard sprawling backward, gasping for breath.
The second guard, undeterred by his wound, pressed the attack. He feinted left, then struck right, but the man saw through the ruse. He sidestepped the thrust and countered with a vicious slash across the guard's chest. The guard staggered, blood pouring from the wound, but remained standing.
"Impressive," the man said, almost in admiration. "But not enough."
He leapt into the air, his sword held high, and brought it down with tremendous force. The third guard raised his blade to block, but the impact was too much. The man's sword shattered the guard's weapon and continued its descent, slicing deep into his shoulder. The guard crumpled to the floor, clutching the gaping wound.
The fourth guard, seeing his comrades fall, roared in defiance and charged. The man met his attack head-on, their blades clashing with such force that the sound echoed through the mansion. They exchanged a flurry of blows, each one faster and more powerful than the last. But the man's skill was superior. With a feint and a twist, he slipped past the guard's defenses and drove his sword through the guard's chest. The guard gasped, his eyes wide with shock, before collapsing to the ground.
The remaining two guards, wounded and weary, circled the man, desperation in their eyes. The man smiled, a cold, ruthless smile.
"It's time to end this," he said.
He raised his sword, and the air around him seemed to shimmer. He began to chant, his voice low and resonant. The blade of his sword glowed with an eerie light, growing brighter with each word.
"Sword Manipulation Technique: Ethereal Step!"
He chanted, suddenly becoming invisible to the guards. Then, he appeared right behind one of the guards and shoved his sword into his chest.
Blood spilled from the guard's mouth as the man pulled out the sword, causing him to crash hard on the ground.
The second guard managed to raise his blade and charged at him, slashing his sword vertically through the air, landing on his chest and cutting through him like hot butter.
He gnashed his teeth, his weak legs trembling, but the fact that he had just torn the intruder in two caused his heart to leap for joy. When he raised his gaze, he found he had slashed through the air instead.
"Am I that transparent?" he heard the man's voice and suddenly turned, panic gripping his heart, but he couldn't find anyone.
"You still don't get it. As long as this technique is on, I'm nearly invisible."
Immediately, the guard's brain translated the meaning of "invisible," his head twirling off his neck, following the direction of a blade as the man appeared behind him while blood spilled from his neck.
Both his head and his body crashed to the floor simultaneously, and in that same moment, the man landed on the floor with his black clothes soaked in blood—the blood of the Elite Guards.
"There's no need to hide. I see you," the man said, his voice echoing around the room.
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"Alexa, is there a way for me to heal the Elite Guard without pouring essence on him?"
[System Analyzing... Analysis will take two hours.]
Kael heard the voice of his system and frowned. 'How can analysis take two hours?' By then, Zodoba would probably be dead. He didn't want to directly pour essence on him because it looked like performing magic, and from the books he read, he found out that magic is not generally acceptable in the Armed Nation of Dwargon. He could be executed for that.
"Alexa, you've got 30 seconds," he said sternly, folding his fists.
[I can't complete the analysis in 30 seconds, but I have a suggestion.]
[The essence flows through every part of your body, most essentially your bloodstream. Employ total concentration and decentralize the essence into liquid.]
"Wow...that's a nice idea. Let me try it," Kael replied, clasping his hands together. 'Total concentration,' he muttered, closing his eyes. He was by the stair corners, unwatched by the guards.
"Alexa, my bladder is full. I need to urinate," he said, his legs trembling.
[That's the essence coming out in the form of a liquid healing potion.]
"Oh shit...Alexa, you didn't tell me this."
Luckily, a bowl was by his left corner. He quickly grabbed it and filled it with his urine. It was blue in color and a bit thicker than normal urine.
This was the healing potion he planned on giving Zodoba, something that came out of his manhood.
"Drink up," he said to Zodoba, handing the bowl full of potion to him.
"Where did you get this from?" he stuttered, taking the bowl while staring at it. He had lost a lot of blood, and the poison had reached his heart.
"Does it matter? You're dying anyway," Kael said, picking up his sheathed sword from the floor before rising to his feet. The other guard who had led him had already turned on the light, while the one who had been with Zodoba had gone out in search of the rest of the guards.
Zodoba hesitated for a while before emptying the bowl of potion into his stomach, and almost immediately his body started healing with no signs of pain.
"You've lost a lot of blood. I bet that's why you're feeling weak. I'll go take care of the intruder," Kael said without sparing the two shocked guards a look. "And you...stay with him. Don't let him move an inch." He directed the other guard and sprinted off, climbing the staircase as fast as he could.
"What on Earth was that?" Zodoba couldn't help but mutter.
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"How do you prefer to die? By my hands or by my blade?" the man said to Mr. Stoneforge, twirling his blood-stained blade in his hand.
Beads of sweat formed on the old man's face as his life flashed before his eyes. His enemies had always attacked him, but he had never been this close to death.
He was watching the fight silently from where he stood in the room, using an old technique. He couldn't believe the man sent to assassinate him would see through such a technique.
"What do you want? I'll give you anything—money, anything. Name your price," Mr. Stoneforge negotiated with the man, who couldn't help but chuckle.
"Your head is what I want, and I'm going to have it," the man said, releasing his sword into the air. It was heading directly toward the old man's neck when a hand caught the sword just inches away.
Mr. Stoneforge gasped, the sword was just inches away. He looked up to see a figure with red hair, dressed in a stained white robe, and his hands wrapped around the sword.
"Who are you, boy?" asked the man, surprised to see such a youth stopping his attack.
"I'm Kael," the figure said, flinging the sword back to the man, who caught it. "Kael..." Mr. Stoneforge and his assassin gasped in unison.
"Kael...that's a rare name. I'm Kibutshi, and I'm here to bring back the head of Mr. Stoneforge," the man said proudly.
"Mr. Kibutshi, it's my fault you were able to enter this mansion. I was the one who trapped the guards. I can't let you cause harm any further. Leave and come back next time," Kael advised while staring at Kibutshi.
"Unfortunately, Kael, there's no next time. I have to take his head along with me, and if you stand in my way, I won't hesitate to..." Kibutshi, the man who defeated Zodoba, slew four Elite Guards, and nearly killed Mr. Stoneforge, was speaking when he suddenly vanished, causing Mr. Stoneforge to gasp.
"Hide," Kael whispered, and Mr. Stoneforge quickly used the same old technique to become invisible, while Kael turned frantically and blocked Kibutshi's attack with his sheathed sword.
"That's lame," Kael muttered, and Kibutshi chuckled.
"That was just a distraction." He raised his gaze just in time to see a series of punches hit him at once, sending him crashing into the wall.
He fell to one knee, his fist plummeting against the ground, and a trace of blood ran down his lips. Kibutshi had used a trick on him, and it worked perfectly.
"I think I overestimated you. Unsheathe your sword. Let me show you how it's done...Kael."