Chapter 3: The Assassins' Onslaught
Keir had deflected the joint attack made by the assassins, sending them back a few feet, but they immediately dashed right back in. To cover all bases, Keir and Valentinus instinctively stood back to back, their eyes trained on the now five robed assassins who were closing in on them. The assassins moved at great speeds that seemed almost superhuman. "These guys are fast. I wonder if it's a magic ability allowing them to move like this," Valentinus thought to himself.
As Keir and Valentinus stood back to back, the assassins closed in with menacing speed. Valentinus's eyes narrowed in focus. He pulled a whip from his side, and an energy field seemed to emanate from it. With a swift flick of his wrist, he lashed the whip toward the nearest assassin. The assassin dodged the initial strike, but Valentinus's whip changed direction mid-air, its trajectory shifting unnaturally. The whip snaked around the assassin's ankle, yanking him off balance. Before the assassin could react, Valentinus closed the distance and delivered a powerful punch to his face, sending him sprawling.
The villagers, who had previously been hostile toward Valentinus, watched from a safe distance. Some began to murmur, their expressions shifting from hostility to cautious interest as Valentinus fought. However, a few whispered doubts among themselves. "Is that all he's got?" one villager questioned, noting that Valentinus didn't seem to be as effective as they had hoped. "He's not all that impressive," another added.
Meanwhile, another assassin lunged at Keir, knife gleaming as it aimed for his chest. Keir dropped into a boxing stance, his focus intense. He activated his Barrier skill, forming a shimmering shield around his arm just in time to block the incoming strike. With a quick thought, he summoned another barrier in his hand, repelling it toward the assassin's chest and pushing him back. The impact of the barrier forced the assassin to stumble.
The assassin then drew another blade from his side and charged back toward Keir. Using his Barrier skill creatively, as the assassin lunged, Keir swiftly cast a small barrier on the ground in front of him, tripping up the assassin and causing him to lose balance and momentum. Taking advantage of the opening, Keir dodged the attack and activated another Barrier skill, creating a barrier above the fallen assassin and slamming it down onto him, knocking him into the ground and rendering him unconscious.
As Keir dealt with his attacker, the villagers were taken aback by his quick thinking. Whispers of surprise and disbelief filled the air. "Did you see that? The boy's skills are impressive," one villager said, though another countered, "Yes, but he's just a child. It's probably luck."
The maneuver worked better than Keir had hoped, and a surge of excitement rushed through him. As the assassin lay defeated, Keir was greeted by SYSTEM notifications:
• Enemy defeated:
• XP Gained: 50
• Stat Point Awarded: 1
"Nice, I've got some XP and a stat point!" Keir thought with a grin. "I'll check out these notifications in a bit. Need to stay focused right now."
Just then, another notification popped up:
• Congratulations! You have accumulated enough XP to level up. Do you want to level up now?
Keir's heart raced with excitement. "Level up? Yes, please!"
With a quick confirmation, the system responded:
• Level Increase: You are now Level 3!
• New system feature available
• Stat Point Awarded: 1
"Woah, this is awesome!" Keir exclaimed. "I leveled upand another stat point. I can't wait to check out what the new features are!"
He then received a final notification:
• New Skill Unlocked: Target Lock - Level 1!
Description: Creates a magical field or mark around a target to track their movements and actions.
Duration: Drains 5 MP every 10 seconds.
Effect: Allows precise tracking of a specific target, enhancing targeting accuracy and strategic monitoring.
Keir quickly activated the Target Lock skill, his eyes narrowing as he focused on one of the remaining assassins. He immediately noticed his precision improve, but his MP began to drain rapidly. He was mindful of the MP usage; he knew he couldn't keep it active for too long.
As Valentinus continued to fight, he noticed Keir's fighting had become more precise and effective Valentinus, using his telekinetic-enhanced whip, deftly controlled the battlefield. He stayed cautious, not revealing his full strength, as he wasn't fully acquainted with those around him.
The villagers' doubts grew as they watched Valentinus's performance. "He's not really making a difference," one villager commented. "After seeing his magic, I thought he would be more capable." Their unease was evident; they were beginning to lose confidence in Valentinus's ability to protect them.
Keir, meanwhile, engaged one of the remaining assassins with renewed vigor. He activated his Pressure Burst skill to enhance the speed of his punches. The force of the punch was immense, but Keir felt a sharp pain in his hand as it connected. The attack, while powerful, left him with a bruised hand. He grimaced, noting to himself that he needed to build up his strength before using Pressure Burst in this way again.
The assassin he faced staggered back, but before Keir could capitalize on his advantage, another assassin attempted a sneak attack. Valentinus, perceiving the danger, quickly grabbed the assassin by the waist with his whip and flung him into a nearby shack. "Stay vigilant, Keir!" Valentinus called out. "There's more than one opponent!"
Keir nodded, realizing his mistake in focusing too much on his Target Lock skill and the assassin in front of him. The fight was far from over. He refocused and used his Barrier skill to block another strike, then delivered a series of swift counterattacks. Valentinus efficiently dispatched the assassin he was dealing with, and the two of them now faced off against the remaining opponents.
With their combined efforts, Keir and Valentinus quickly overpowered their adversaries. Keir felt a surge of triumph as he received additional SYSTEM notifications:
Enemy defeated:
XP Gained: 50
Stat Point Awarded: 1
Keir checked his MP and HP levels. He had lost 25 HP from his Pressure Burst punch and his MP had drained significantly due to the combination of skills he'd used, especially with the new Target Lock skill. He noted that he'd need to manage his resources more carefully in the future.
As they caught their breath, Keir saw the assassin Valentinus had thrown into the shack trying to make a run for it. With a swift use of his Pressure Burst skill, Keir closed the distance, tackled the assassin to the ground, and subdued him.
The villagers' grumbling grew louder. "It seems like the boy's done more than the stranger," one remarked, dissatisfaction clear in their tone.
Keir surprisingly was struggling to hold the defeated assassin down. The fight had drained him more than usual, likely due to the combination of using the new Target Lock skill along with his other abilities. It was a relief that his MP would slowly return over time.
The assassin squirmed and fought, but in the end he was still no match for Keir's strength. Finally, he gave up, panting and gasping for air. Keir ripped off the hood from his head, revealing a young beastkin, about the same age as him. The boy's eyes were filled with fear and desperation. Keir couldn't help but wonder if he had been coerced into the attack. He calmed down a bit and used his Inspect skill. What he saw confirmed his suspicions, but to test the truthfulness of the boy in front of him, he asked, "What's your name?"
The beastkin hesitated, his eyes darting around nervously. "M-M-My name is Remy," he finally said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Keir, noting the boy's honesty, thought, Good start; he's telling the truth. "Why did you attack that man?" Keir asked.
Remy ears drooping in shame. "My master made me do it," he said, his voice trembling. "He said he wouldn't give me food and shelter if I didn't attack him. I had no choice!"
Keir's suspicions were confirmed; the Inspect skill had revealed that Remy was a slave. He felt a surge of sympathy for the young beastkin. He knew what it was like to be alone and desperate in this world and could understand why Remy had been forced into the attack.
"Let him go," Valentinus said, his voice stern but kind. "He's just a pawn in someone else's game."
Some villagers, watching this display, were in disbelief. "He's letting the would be assassin go? What kind of weakness is this?" they murmured. They saw it as a sign of Valentinus's inability to protect them, feeling that the child's help was the only reason he escaped the situation unharmed.
Keir sighed in relief, realizing that Valentinus wasn't like most people he'd encountered. He slowly lifted his hand, allowing Remy to get up. The boy scrambled to his feet, his eyes wide with surprise.
Valentinus turned to the other attempted assassins lying on the ground, being help up by his whip. "Is this the case for all of you?" he asked. The assassins hung their heads in shame.
"Go," Valentinus said, gesturing towards the woods. "Find somewhere safe to hide. We won't pursue you." The others took off immediately, but Remy hesitated for a moment before fleeing into the woods, his footsteps echoing in the silence.
As Keir and Valentinus watched him go, their hearts were heavy with the weight of the world they lived in. They knew that Remy was just one of many who had been forced into a life of crime and violence.
"Well, I'd better get going then," Valentinus said. "Oh right, me too," Keir replied. As the two turned to leave, they were confronted by the villagers who had witnessed the fight. They were unhappy with Valentinus and accused him of being weak and unable to protect them.
"Why did you let them go?" one villager demanded. "You only survived because that boy was there to defend you," another said. "It was a fluke! There's no way you would have won without his assistance, let alone defeat Brax!" another added.
Keir stepped forward, his eyes blazing with fury. "You are wrong," he said, his voice strong and unwavering. "I may have only met Valentinus today, but by his actions I can tell that he is a just and fair man. He cares about the people, and he will do everything in his power to protect them."
The villagers hesitated, unsure of what to make of Keir's words. Concepts like justice and fairness were unknown to them; they needed someone who could instill fear and command respect, not kindness.
One of the villagers stepped forward, his face twisted with rage. "You're just a kid," he sneered. "What do you know about the world? We've been living in this chaos our entire lives. What makes you think you can change anything?"
Keir stood his ground, his eyes locked on the man's. "I may be young, but I am not helpless," he said. "I have the power to make a difference, and I will not stop until this world is a better place."
The man seemed taken aback by Keir's words and backed off slightly, fear flickering in his eyes as he recalled the boy's recent display of power.
Noticing the time on his system display, Keir then exclaimed, "Oh crap, Mira's gonna kill me!" and dashed off. Valentinus watched him run, reflecting on the boy's surprising resilience and determination.