Chapter 14: Assassinate an Assassin

The dimly lit chamber of The Nest felt even heavier after Henry's request. The air smelled of blood, metal, and secrets, the very essence of The Crow's domain.

Hensley leaned back in his seat, fingers tapping lazily against the armrest of his chair. He eyed Henry with a smirk, clearly entertained by the sudden interest in the caged man.

"You want him?" Hensley finally spoke, gesturing toward the imprisoned warrior in the corner. "Fine. But you're going to have to earn it."

Henry narrowed his eyes. "What's the price?"

Hensley chuckled. "I'm glad you asked. There's an assassin group in the forest above Rouge Town. I want their leader dead."

Kaiser frowned. "That's it?"

Hensley's grin widened. "Not just dead. Bring me his head."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Henry exhaled sharply. "Who is this leader?"

Hensley shrugged. "You'll know him when you see him."

Kaiser stepped forward without hesitation. "I'll do it."

Espada's head snapped toward him, disbelief flashing in her eyes. "You can't be serious."

"It's a simple job," Kaiser replied, rolling his shoulders. "Kill an assassin, bring back a head. Done."

Espada folded her arms, scowling. "And the reward is… some prisoner?"

Kaiser smirked. "Henry seems to want him. That's enough for me."

Espada let out a sharp breath, clearly annoyed.

"You're reckless," she muttered. "Fine. But if this turns into a disaster, I'll kill you myself."

Hensley chuckled, amused by the exchange. "Good. Then it's settled. Don't die too quickly."

Henry's Flashback – The Memory of Bjorn Ironside

As Kaiser and Espada left, Henry's mind drifted back to a battlefield from years ago.

The sky had been dark with storm clouds, the ground soaked in the blood of the fallen.

Amidst the chaos, a single warrior stood atop a pile of bodies, dual battle axes dripping crimson.

Bjorn "the Berserker" Ironside.

Henry remembered the clash vividly.

Bjorn had fought like a man possessed, his Berserk ability driving him forward with relentless aggression.

Despite taking slashes, stabs, and even an arrow to the leg, he had continued his onslaught, cutting down foes without hesitation.

Even against overwhelming numbers, Bjorn did not retreat. He only pressed forward.

Character Details – Bjorn "The Berserker" IronsideName: Bjorn Ironside Age: 32, Hometown: Unknown (rumored to be from an isolated northern clan)Class Type: Fighter (Berserker)Power: Unnatural endurance, relentless combat ability, Quas Blood: None, Hand of God: Regeneration (Can heal wounds in battle, but drains extreme amounts of stamina.)Weapon: Dual Battle Axes, Abilities: Berserk – Once triggered, Bjorn attacks without hesitation, ignoring injuries. Despite his rage, he can still distinguish between allies and enemies. AWL Rank: B Bronze, Personality: Laid-back outside of battle—prefers silence over conversation. Extremely loyal—once he chooses a side, he will fight to the death for them. Hasn't spoken a word since his wife and children died.

Henry Discusses Bjorn with Elric

As the memory faded, Henry found himself staring at the imprisoned warrior again.

Elric, noticing the intense gaze, crossed his arms. "You fought him before, didn't you?"

Henry nodded. "Years ago. I've never seen anyone like him."

"Then why's he locked up?" Elric asked. "If he's that strong, I doubt he just got captured."

Henry's jaw tightened. "That's what I intend to find out."

Scene Shifts Back to Kaiser and Espada

The forest above Rouge Town was dense, the air thick with mist.

Kaiser and Espada moved cautiously, their boots making little sound against the damp earth.

The deeper they went, the quieter the world became.

No wind.

No birds.

Just an unnatural silence.

"This is a trap," Espada muttered, gripping her scimitar.

Kaiser smirked. "Then let's make sure we're the ones doing the killing."

The Assassins in the Shadows – The Hunt Begins

Just as Espada was about to reply, a low whistle cut through the air.

Kaiser barely dodged as a throwing knife embedded itself into a tree beside his head.

Espada's eyes flashed with danger.

"They know we're here."

The forest suddenly felt alive.

Figures moved in the treetops, shadows flickering between the branches.

The assassins weren't going to rush in.

They were going to play with their prey first.

The forest was alive with death.

Kaiser and Espada stood in the heart of it, surrounded by motionless bodies of assassins—their enemies reduced to lifeless shadows on the blood-soaked ground.

Espada flicked her scimitar, shaking off the crimson stains. "That took longer than expected," she muttered, glancing at the corpses littering the forest floor.

Kaiser, panting slightly, tightened his grip on his daggers. "We still need the leader."

As if answering his words, a gust of wind rushed through the trees.

A blurred figure leapt from above, dual short swords flashing in the moonlight.

Kaiser barely raised his daggers in time, crossing them to block the incoming attack.

CLANG!

The force of the strike pushed him back, boots digging into the dirt.

Espada reacted instantly, lunging forward with her scimitar, aiming for the attacker's ribs.

But the assassin twisted unnaturally, flipping over her blade and landing behind her.

"Fast," Espada hissed, whipping around just in time to meet the assassin's cold gaze.

The man was tall and wiry, his face hidden beneath a dark cloth mask, his golden eyes reflecting the moonlight.

"You move well," the assassin said, his voice smooth yet devoid of emotion. "But not well enough."

He attacked again, his movements precise and deadly—each strike aimed for a fatal point.

Kaiser dodged left, then right, barely avoiding the razor-sharp short swords. He could feel the wind slicing against his skin.

Espada moved in tandem with him, their attacks weaving together in a deadly dance.

The assassin, despite his speed, found himself on the defensive.

Kaiser ducked under a sweeping strike, spun around, and drove his dagger into the assassin's thigh.

The man let out a sharp breath but didn't scream—only staggering slightly.

That moment of hesitation was all Espada needed.

She lunged, slashing across his chest.

The assassin stumbled back, blood soaking his tunic.

He exhaled. "Tch. So that's how it is."

Then, without hesitation, he turned his blade on himself, slicing his own throat open.

Kaiser's eyes widened. "Shit—"

The assassin collapsed before them, blood pooling beneath his body.

The fight was over.

The Job is Done – A Grim Trophy

Silence fell over the forest.

Kaiser and Espada stood over the assassin's body, watching as his life faded.

Espada clicked her tongue. "He chose death over capture."

Kaiser crouched down, inspecting the fallen man's clothing. "He wasn't just some leader. He was trained."

Espada frowned. "Which means Hensley sent us to kill a rival. Not some random assassin group."

Kaiser didn't reply. Instead, he reached for the man's hair, pulled out his dagger, and swiftly severed the head from his body.

Espada watched, her face unreadable.

"I hope this was worth it," she muttered.

Kaiser wiped his dagger on his sleeve, standing up. "Guess we'll find out."

They left the bloodied battlefield behind.

The forest, once teeming with assassins, was now eerily quiet.

Returning to The Crow – Hensley's Amusement

When Kaiser and Espada stepped back into The Nest, the room fell silent.

The Crow assassins turned to watch as Kaiser walked forward, the severed head held by its hair.

With a flick of his wrist, Kaiser tossed the head at Hensley's feet.

THUD.

A trail of blood smeared across the floor.

Hensley smirked.

He leaned forward in his seat, resting his chin against his hand as he stared down at the bloodied prize.

"Well, well… you certainly work fast."

He tilted his head, inspecting the face of the severed head before nodding in satisfaction.

"Efficient. I like that."

The Berserker's Fate – A Change in the Deal

Hensley leaned back, amusement dancing in his sharp eyes.

"Now, about your reward."

Henry stepped forward. "You agreed to hand him over."

Hensley sighed, stretching his arms lazily. "Yes, yes. But let's make things interesting."

Henry's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

Hensley gestured lazily toward the underground arena.

"The Berserker is yours… but first, let's see if he still has his bite."

Kaiser frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Hensley snapped his fingers.

A set of heavy iron doors creaked open, and from the darkness, a towering figure emerged.

Bjorn "The Berserker" Ironside.

Unlike before, his shackles were gone.

He stepped into the arena, rolling his shoulders, stretching his muscles as if waking from a long sleep.

The Crow assassins above roared in excitement.

Hensley smirked. "If he's truly worth something, then prove it. If he dies, well… no loss, right?"

Henry's fist clenched. "This wasn't part of the deal."

Hensley shrugged. "You should know by now—I always play my own game."

Bjorn exhaled through his nose, his silent gaze locking onto Kaiser, Elric, and Henry.

Espada muttered. "You've got to be kidding me."

The Berserker Awakens – A Warrior Unleashed

Bjorn cracked his neck, rolling his shoulders.

A flicker of something dangerous flashed in his cold, emotionless eyes.

The arena bell rang.

The fight began.