Chapter 2 :- The Beginning of Shadows

"You won't leave this room breathing."

His sentence sent another shockwave through the room. He had already stunned everyone by taking down one of the guards in an instant. No one had imagined that a man could move with such speed—killing a soldier without even blinking.

He had already raised his sword toward the noble; his bold gesture froze the two guards, the three maids, and, most of all, the noble himself.

Everyone in the room, except the one wielding the sword, felt a sharp chill crawl down their spines. Their nervous systems flared with the raw emotion of extreme fear.

The three maids couldn't flee, as he had entered from above and instantly eliminated the guard stationed at the only exit.

Then the situation fully settled in. Silence gripped the room. No one moved. Everyone stood still, paralyzed by dread, locked into defensive positions.

The sharp, melodious chiming of bells echoed from above. Light streamed through the shattered dome.

Suddenly, one of the two guards wiped the sweat trailing from his forehead to his cheek and charged the masked man, sword in his right hand, his left hand empty.

"Sound Fist!" he shouted.

A concentrated shockwave surged around his left fist. His plan was to strike the assassin in the stomach with the enhanced punch, then follow up with a sword swing aimed at the head. But—

The assassin suddenly drove his sword into the floor, grabbed the guard's wrist with his right hand, twisted it with brutal force, and snapped the elbow.

The guard cried out in pain, but his resolve held firm: he would bring down the enemy with his sword.

"Sonic Slash!" he bellowed, his blade humming with vibrating energy. But—

The assassin yanked his sword from the floor, sidestepped, and slashed the injured arm with such power that it severed the forearm completely. It dropped to the floor with a dull thud.

The guard fell with it, bleeding heavily.

The three maids, watching in horror, were overtaken by pure fear. They bolted for the exit, not caring about anything else. Shadowblade didn't stop them, he had no interest in maids. His target was the noble.

The assassin's precision and speed were far beyond the guard's comprehension. The man didn't even get a chance to defend himself before collapsing.

With cold efficiency, the assassin drove his sword through the fallen guard's heart. The body went still.

Suddenly—

"Echo Burst!" came a cry from the second guard, launching a powerful soundwave toward the assassin.

He shifted his body slightly and dodged it with ease—like brushing away air.

This time, the assassin spoke.

"Radiant Step."

A burst-dash laced with light magic propelled him forward at near-instant speed.

In a flash, he closed the distance between himself and the second guard.

The guard panicked and raised his defense. "Resonant Defense!"

A dome-shaped sound barrier flared to life in front of him.

But the assassin whispered again:

"Silent Edge Strike."

A blade slash infused with low-level light magic cut forward. The barrier didn't stand a chance. The slash not only tore through it—it cut the guard cleanly in half.

'What…? He's using light magic? But that's been gone for ten years! Where did he learn it? And he's not even casting spells—he's blending it with martial arts and swordsmanship. Who the hell is he?'

The noble trembled as he watched.

Without making a sound, he reached down and picked up a small marble infused with sound magic. It was designed to increase the efficiency of his magic power.

'This marble will help. I'll be able to handle him. He took out my three personal guards with ease, but there are twelve more soldiers stationed around the mansion. This commotion must've reached them. They'll be here any second.'

He raised his voice.

"My soldiers are on their way! You'll be dead before long. I'll bury you with them, and when I'm done—"

He narrowed his eyes.

"Who are you? Why are you here? What's your goal? If it's money, I can give you more than whoever hired you. I don't want to fight a mere man."

"Do you really think I came here for money?" the assassin replied. His voice was cold, sharpened like steel. "You think I came unprepared?"

"Wait! What do you mean 'came prepared'?" the noble asked again, unease creeping into his voice.

A low chuckle rumbled from the assassin's throat, barely audible.

It deepened, slow and deliberate.

Then it turned into a sharp, rising laugh.

Controlled. Mocking. Deadly.

"You really don't get it," the assassin said, his eyes glowing faintly blue.

"I've already devoured your sixteen soldiers. Now, you're the only one left to feel my wrath."

He raised his sword, pointing it directly at the noble.

Hearing this, the noble's face twisted with rage. He fired his first attack—

"Echo Burst!"

Empowered by the marble in his left hand, the noble's attack was far stronger than the others'. His magic proficiency had increased by at least 1.5 times.

Still, the assassin dodged it effortlessly.

The noble lost his calm completely.

"Distortion Veil!" he shouted.

A sound illusion magic that distorted the opponent's perception, causing them to misjudge movement.

But the assassin was ready.

He swung his sword downward at high speed. A streak of light followed his blade, slicing through the illusion magic and canceling it out.

The noble gritted his teeth in frustration.

"Just who the hell are you?! Why do you know light magic?!"

The assassin smirked beneath his mask. Even the noble could feel it.

A tremendous aura radiated from the assassin's back. His eyes blazed with a divine blue hue.

"Ten years ago, you helped bury a kingdom of light," he said. "You don't need to know who I am.

Just remember...

Light never dies.

It waits.

Then it strikes."

The noble's blood ran cold.

'What?! He's from the Kingdom of Light? No—he can't be. That kingdom was destroyed. Everyone died. No one survived. How…? How is he alive?!'

His heart pounded. His face went pale. He quickly wiped the sweat from his brow and steeled himself.

He activated Distortion Veil again, cast Resonant Defense, and charged forward, killing intent overflowing. His right hand glowed, enhanced with Sound Fist.

The assassin grinned slightly.

This time, he didn't waste a second.

With a blur, he swung his sword, once again dispelling the illusion magic. He charged forward to intercept the noble's punch.

Then--

He changed his grip, reversing the sword into a backhand position like a dagger.

"Jagged Thunder Slash!"

A surge of heavy lightning-infused light magic overflowed through his sword—so powerful it could tear through barriers and flesh alike.

He stepped slightly to the left. Now, the noble's right side was completely exposed.

The assassin struck.

His sword slashed through the noble's magical barrier, then through his fingers… hand… forearm… elbow… upper arm… and finally, straight through his head.

The body collapsed, split brutally. One half slumped to the floor, barely attached; the other toppled with a sickening thud.

Silence fell once more. The bells above still chimed through the shattered dome.

The assassin walked forward and leaned over the noble's corpse.

"Sleep well. I'm coming for the rest."

No emotion. No mercy.

"One noble down from the list of sixteen."