Chapter 71: Atmosphere of Despair

Before Blayn left the base to hunt Danger Beasts, an uninvited group arrived at the Assassination Unit's headquarters.

They had been sent by Saikyuu to carry out his orders.

Saikyuu was well aware that, besides Blayn, the Empire's Assassination Unit had two other Teigu Users—Seryu, the wielder of Hekatonkheires, and Kurome, the wielder of Yatsufusa.

To ensure things went smoothly, he had dispatched three Teigu Users of his own.

Although Kurome, having undergone repeated brainwashing, was unlikely to resist, it was always better to be cautious.

Of course, these men weren't here to pick a fight with Blayn outright. They would only resort to violence if necessary.

However, upon arriving at the base, they found that Blayn was already gone.

"Where is Blayn? Where did he go?"

The man leading the group, wearing a hawk-beaked mask, stepped forward and questioned Seryu with an overbearing tone.

"My master went out on business. What do you want with him?"

Despite the man's harsh attitude, Seryu remained composed, showing no signs of displeasure.

It was clear at a glance—these men had been sent from higher up.

"We have orders to arrest him. This is a direct command from Lord Saikyuu. We hope you will cooperate and not make any pointless attempts to resist."

The hawk-masked man then added coldly, "But aside from Blayn, you'll also have to come with us."

Blayn was Saikyuu's biggest thorn in the side, and Seryu was the next greatest concern.

There was no way they could allow her to remain in the Empire's Assassination Unit.

However, since Hekatonkheires had only ever shown compatibility with Seryu, she was considered a rare asset. And because she wasn't the primary target, Saikyuu didn't intend to dispose of her.

Instead, his plan was to put her through the same brainwashing process as the other Assassination Unit members, ensuring her absolute loyalty to the Empire and preventing any further complications.

"You're arresting Master?"

Seryu's heart sank.

The very thing she had feared was happening. Her master's actions had indeed drawn the dissatisfaction of the higher-ups.

Now, both she and her master were going to be dealt with.

"That's right. That brat couldn't keep his nose out of things. What he did was a direct affront to Lord Saikyuu—frankly, exterminating his entire bloodline wouldn't even be excessive," the hawk-masked man sneered. "There's no saving him. But if you behave and follow orders, Lord Saikyuu is willing to let you live."

"..."

Seryu fell silent.

She was torn.

On one side was the Empire she had sworn loyalty to.

On the other was her master, the person she admired most.

She didn't want to betray the Empire.

But she couldn't bear to see her master executed either.

What should she do...?

"Let's wait here for him to return. Also, gather the rest of the Assassination Unit—we have something to announce," the masked man ordered.

Seryu immediately went to notify the others, using the moment to steady herself.

She had finally sorted out her thoughts. The things she and her master had done were not truly "evil"—it was Saikyuu, the so-called great talent, who was tainted with evil.

Even though Saikyuu was a high-ranking official of the Empire, she could never submit to "evil." That was what her late father had taught her, and she had always held onto those words.

Even if it meant betraying the Empire.

In the end, her master was more important.

Once she gathered everyone, Seryu explained the situation in detail.

Hearing that Commander Blayn and Commander Seryu were to be dealt with—Blayn even facing execution—the group was momentarily unable to accept it.

And it wasn't just Blayn and Seryu in danger. The men sent by Lord Saikyuu had summoned them for a reason, and it certainly wasn't for idle conversation.

They could guess they were about to face punishment as well. Before Commander Blayn's arrival, the Empire's Assassination Unit had always been ruthlessly strict.

With heavy expressions, they stepped forward to face the men.

"The entire Assassination Unit is present?" the masked man asked.

"Yes, everyone is here," Kurome replied flatly.

She appeared calm on the surface, but inside, her emotions were in turmoil.

Not only were her comrades in grave danger, but Commander Blayn was about to be executed.

She had long anticipated that this day would come, but now that it was actually happening, she found herself completely unprepared to face it.

"Tsk, so it's just you lot left? What a pathetic bunch," the masked man sneered.

Despite the open mockery and insults, none of the Assassination Unit members dared to complain. They even forced themselves to keep any dissatisfaction from showing on their faces.

Kurome slightly lowered her head, remaining silent.

Seeing that no one dared to speak, the masked man continued coldly, "Anyway, your little streak of good fortune is over. Your recent performance has greatly disappointed Lord Saikyuu, so you will be punished."

"There's someone named Yasha, isn't there? According to the Empire's Assassination Unit regulations, she was supposed to be 'dealt with' before. Naturally, she won't be spared. The 'punishment' will proceed as scheduled tonight."

"As for the rest of you, you'll be confined for three days. During that time, you will receive no medical treatment."

"But before your confinement—there's still Yasha. You all need to personally execute Commander Blayn. Each of you will take a turn cutting him, piece by piece, until he dies. Otherwise, your punishment will be far worse."

As he spoke the last sentence, the masked man's gaze turned sharp and ruthless.

His expression was hidden beneath the mask, but it wasn't hard to imagine the twisted, sadistic grin lurking underneath.

He relished the sight of despair.

Forcing them to personally carve apart their most trusted and respected commander—there was no punishment more cruel than this.

At his words, Yasha's face instantly turned deathly pale. She had no way of escaping her "punishment" after all.

She had just begun to see hope again, only to be dragged back into the depths of despair. And this time, it was even worse than if she had been "dealt with" from the start.

To personally execute Commander Blayn? That was something she could never accept.

Kurome and the others felt the same.

If they were to be executed or tortured, they would accept it.

But to be forced to personally tear apart Commander Blayn? That was something they could never bring themselves to do.

Yet, they had no options.

Before the men sent by Lord Saikyuu, they had no power to resist.

Obey, or die.

They didn't want to harm Commander Blayn. But they didn't want to die, either.

They had not yet gained the Empire's recognition—if they were executed here, then all their fallen comrades would have died in vain...

Watching their reactions, the masked man was utterly delighted. The overwhelming despair in the air sent a thrill through him—he lived for moments like these.

Just then, Kurome became the first and only one to step forward in defiance. With an icy expression, she said firmly, "I refuse to execute Commander Blayn in such a manner."

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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