While he waited for Death to take the pill, the mission tent was unusually noisy.
The overlapping voices and anxious whispers pierced through the silence everyone had grown accustomed to.
Death stood firm, seemingly unfazed by the wound on his shoulder—it was but a fraction of the pain he bore.
His dark eyes scanned the room cautiously until one of the three commanders entered with hurried, unsettled steps.
The man who entered was Commander Darn—a tall figure whose gray hair bore the fatigue of age and countless battles.
His face was marked by scars, a testament to his harsh life and extensive combat experience.
His sharp eyes burned with a mix of anger and worry as his commanding voice shattered the tent's tension:
"Listen closely! We have an urgent mission, and there's no room for delay.
One of the Five Noble Leaders, Eralus, has breached our territory with a small unit.
Their objective is clear: stop them, kill him, and uncover the reason behind this intrusion.
This is no ordinary mission—this is a direct threat to our stronghold!"
Silence hung in the air for a moment, but everyone sprang into action once they grasped the gravity of the situation.
Death had been preparing to take the blue energy pill, but time was no longer on his side.
Commander Darn, noticing Death's wounds as well as those of other assassins, quickly approached them and pulled small green pills from his pouch.
"Take these. They won't fully restore your energy, but they'll get you back to fighting condition."
Death snatched the pill and swallowed it without hesitation. A strange warmth surged through his body, and the wound on his shoulder began to heal gradually. Strength returned to his limbs.
He stood beside the commander, clearly chosen to follow directly behind him. At his side was Lieutenant Karen, known for her sharp mind, tactical prowess, and advanced energy training.
The teams moved swiftly, slipping past the camp's boundaries in complete silence.
The assassins were like ghosts, their movements fluid and precise.
Death observed every step, adapting to the new team and feeling out his role.
Eventually, the group reached the clash zone, just a few meters away from Eralus and his unit.
Without hesitation, Commander Darn signaled with his hand, initiating the ambush. Their plan relied entirely on the element of surprise.
Darn surged forward at an incredible speed, targeting Eralus directly. His strike was silent and devastating, so much so that the noble only noticed him at the last possible moment.
But thanks to the vigilance of Eralus's aide, Kallis, the strike was intercepted. Kallis stepped in, taking the blow meant for his leader.
A surge of energy exploded, shattering Kallis's armor as Darn's sword pierced through his body. Kallis collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
"Damn you!"
Eralus roared in fury, spinning around to face Commander Darn.
But just as Darn prepared for another strike, he noticed the noble's unit shifting their focus toward an unknown target, leaving their leader behind, seemingly unfazed by Kallis's death.
"Death!" Commander Darn shouted, pointing at the assassins.
"Follow the nobles' unit, kill them, and uncover their objective!"
Without hesitation, Death and his team gave chase, moving as swift shadows stalking their prey.
When they finally caught up, they were met with an unexpected scene: the noble's unit was chasing someone—a lone figure running desperately.
"There's no time for questions," Death muttered under his breath, locking his gaze on the strongest fighter among the noble's unit.
Like the wind, he broke away from his team and surged toward his target.
At the same time, the other assassin teams arrived, and a brutal battle erupted, full of ambushes and deception.
Shouts and bursts of energy filled the air as the ground transformed into a bloody battlefield.