Chapter 48 [Executor] Vs [Assassin]
"Adel――"
At night――
Teti was the first to sense the approaching figure heading towards the Silver Apple Inn.
With beast ears twitching on top of his head, Teti sniffed the air as if confirming a scent.
"It smells like blood. And it seems deeply ingrained..."
After Teti's words, Maia and I also sensed that unusual presence.
We nodded to each other and opened the doors of the tavern that had already closed, stepping out onto the street.
――Is something approaching?
The moon hanging in the sky was close to full, allowing us to see far down the night street.
And from the other end of the street, that figure was approaching.
A person approaching while blending into the shadows cast by the buildings onto the street.
It was a man dressed in black.
The same black that Maia had given me.
Which means...
"Father..."
Maia let out a voice.
It seemed that was indeed the case.
"Why is he coming after us now? It seems like it's not a good situation to worry about."
I quickly lock onto that person (Van Bright) with my eyes and display a pale blue string of characters.
====================
Target: Van Bright
Execution Coefficient: 924,666 points
====================
The numerical value is higher than Largo, Maia's brother, who attacked us two years ago.
It must be Van Bright's Execution Coefficient as an assassin accumulated over time.
"Maia. I remember your father's ability was—"
"Yes. [Shadow Controller]—. An ability to control shadows. Adel-sama, please be careful. The moon is out tonight."
Indeed, as Maia said, the streets are illuminated by the moonlight, casting countless shadows of buildings and ourselves.
Maia's father - Van's job abilities were something I had heard about before.
It was for the reason of being prepared for any attack, but I never thought it would come in handy.
"Is that person acting strange...?"
When Teti's words made me look again, Van indeed exuded a strange atmosphere.
His eyes were tinged red, reminiscent of when Teti was being controlled by a slave collar.
"Kill... Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill Kill."
"..."
Those were the words he muttered.
"Hey, Maia. Just to confirm, is your father always like that?"
"N-no..."
"I thought so."
The impression I had heard from Maia before about her father was that "when it comes to the profession of assassination, he is thoroughly ruthless and cruel. Despite accumulating sins, unlike Maia's brother Largo, he is also a person who makes rational and intelligent decisions.
――When it comes to this, it must mean that he's being controlled by something...
I summoned Magic Scythe Igurima and slowly approached the approaching Van.
However...
――Thud.
Just as Van stepped into the shadow of the building, he disappeared as if swallowed up.
"Adel-sama, a shadow walker is coming!"
According to the information I heard from Maia, Van's job ability seems to involve sneaking into shadows and moving.
I closed my eyes and focused my nerves.
"There he is――!"
"Ugh――!"
Aiming for Van, who appeared from the shadow behind Teti, I swung Igurima.
However, Van seemed to sense the danger and quickly disappeared back into the shadows.
"T-thank you, Adel."
"Yeah, Teti, don't rely on your eyes if he goes into the shadows. You should be able to grasp the approximate location by smell."
"Okay, I won't be a burden."
Teti said that and activated her own job ability.
I also prepared myself again.
――Where will the next attack come from?
"Maia, from behind!"
Teti instructed, and Maia tried to swipe her dagger as she turned around.
However, just a moment faster, Van sprayed something.
"Ugh...!"
Maia narrowly avoided it and retaliated by throwing her dagger, but Van immediately disappeared into the shadows.
"Maia, are you okay?"
"Yes. It didn't hit me. But this is..."
Maia muttered as she glanced at the needle sprayed by Van.
――It seems like something is coated on it. Poisoned arrow...?
Even though the opponent's attack didn't hit us, it's troublesome.
There's a risk of it turning into a battle of endurance.
It would be great if there was a way to seal his movements...
And then, it hit me.
Shadows――
And moonlight――
――Alright, in that case.
"..."
"Adel-sama?"
"Maia, Teti. Listen to me."
I whispered to the two while keeping an eye out for Van's presence.
"Got it. I'll leave it to Adel-sama. If my father shows up in the meantime, I'll handle it myself."
The three of us nodded in agreement, with Maia and Teti covering my back.
If Van were to appear from there, we would be ready to intercept.
I quickly displayed a pale blue string of text in the meantime.
==============================
Total Execution Coefficient: 487,695 points
Do you want to execute [Subspace Manipulation Magic] by consuming 120,000 points of Execution Coefficient?
==============================
――Agreed.
I chanted and activated the magic to sever the space.
"n the past, when I used it during the Reisha incident, there was no escape for the opponent's monster, so I used it to engulf the target, but this time is different.
What I'm manifesting is the airspace where I am.
I expand a black space that envelops this entire area.
"Wha―!?"
The subspace blocks the moonlight, causing the surrounding shadows to disappear.
The principle is that without a light source, there are no shadows.
Then, Van's figure appears in a distant place.
"Now's the time――!"
I dash towards Van and command Igarima.
"(Reap, Igarima) ――"
――Gishh.
That blow certainly captures Van, cutting off the source of his Job ability.
"What... is this..."
"It's over――"
I then strike Van's abdomen with a palm strike.
"Ugh..."
Van writhes in agony and collapses to the ground.
"We did it...!"
"Adel-sama!"
It seems like we managed to pull through."
I exhaled the breath I had been holding and looked down at the unconscious Van.
――However, this situation. It seems like he was being controlled by something after all.
If he wakes up and can speak, I need to ask him about it, so I readjusted Igarima on my back.
==============================
Confirmation of Van Bright's Execution completion.
Adding execution Coefficient of 924,666 points.
Total Execution Coefficient: 1,292,361 points
※ Acquired new [Shadow Controller] job ability.
From now on, it can be used by consuming Execution Coefficient.
==============================
Please bookmark this series and rate ☆☆☆☆☆ on here!
Donate me
Support Me with USDC
(ERC20)
Support Me with XLM
(Stellar Lumens)