Chapter – 68
The moment I gave him a hint, his eyes widened to their limit.
Only then did he notice the gleaming threads wrapped tightly around his neck.
The threads were the wire weapon I had obtained from defeating Undyssiel on the 298th floor of the Trial Tower—the Spirit King’s Harp String.
Thanks to having Agnes as a Weapons Master instructor, I could handle almost any weapon to a reasonable degree.
Like playing a string game with my fingers, I gently tugged the wire.
“Kuh… cough!”
Ash coughed violently as his throat was compressed.
If I wanted, I could cut through not only the carotid artery but even bone.
Judging from the trembling in his eyes, he seemed to understand everything, which saved me the trouble of explaining.
Sweating profusely and with his voice still suppressed, he managed to speak.
“Y-You… carry terrifying weapons… You could even work as an assassin…”
“Could you not insult me to my face?”
“That’s harsh… but they say there’s no hierarchy in professions.”
As soon as I made that joke, his expression changed completely.
“Stop it. I can tell you’ve never killed anyone. Killers look different from the start.”
“Everyone has a first time, right? Looks like you might be having yours now.”
“Killing is never easy. Take my advice as someone who has experienced it.”
“Can you even survive in a harsh world without at least that resolve?”
I meant that sincerely.
I infused aura into the Spirit King’s Harp String. The wire bit slightly into Ash’s flesh, and blood began to stain his neck.
“…If you die, I’ll disturb your sister’s dreams every day.”
“Didn’t you see me dealing with ghosts earlier? I won’t erase you, I’ll set you free. If you reincarnate, you’ll live as a good little bug.”
“….”
Finally, the petty battle of wills seemed to end. After a brief silence, Ash changed his strategy.
Clang.
The dagger fell from his hand—a signal of surrender.
“Sister… I swear I’m not a Freze. I usually pick my contracts and wouldn’t touch a child. Please… spare me.”
His pitiful expression and earnest tone almost made me laugh.
“Since you swung a knife at me earlier, I’m debating whether to punish you.”
“You know, I even considered your dodging when I attacked.”
“See? The act of attacking itself is the problem.”
“Ah, sister, please. It was just a feint—I’m not the type to genuinely attack someone who saved my life.”
“Now that you’re acting all grateful, it looks pathetic.”
“Just trust me once. I’ll show you what a grateful assassin is like. I won’t touch anyone close to you. Please… let me live.”
“Hmm.”
After making Ash’s heart pound for a moment, I spoke.
“Fine. I’ll give you one chance.”
I withdrew the wire from around Ash’s neck.
Killing him now could turn the entire Night Eagle assassin guild against me.
I didn’t need to increase my survival difficulty.
I never felt compelled to save everyone in this terrifying world.
My only standard was to ensure that children I knew personally didn’t get hurt.
It didn’t matter if it seemed petty.
Ash asked tentatively then.
“Aren’t you curious who my target is?”
“Not particularly.”
Though I refused, he revealed it on his own.
“There was someone who earned many grudges due to his usual behavior.”
Ah, Joachim.
“Anyway, thanks for sparing me. I was worried you might be as rigid as Rei, but thankfully not.”
Blood trickled down his neck as he smiled broadly—a somewhat grotesque sight.
“That’s enough. Go before you change your mind.”
“Yes, I will. If I delay any longer, it’ll be hard to chase my target.”
Halfway through the gate, he waved.
“See you again, sister!”
Ash left without waiting for my reply.
No one wants to get entangled with an assassin. They know the answer won’t be pleasant.
I, too, stepped into the gate. Due to movement restrictions, my destination differed from the others’.
As I passed through, a classic hall greeted me.
Immediately, messages from the Overseer flashed across my view.
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> Sighing heavily, he notes that with only a few months left in the tutorial, I’ve already caused trouble.]
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> Still, he says this incident was unavoidable, so he’ll take it into consideration.]
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> Anyway, good work. Now go and quietly focus on training…]
The scolding continued, when suddenly:
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> Jumping in shock, he asks why you’re heading that way!]
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> That’s toward the 300th floor! Stop immediately!]
“I’m going to the 300th floor, yes.”
I climbed the stairs to the upper floor. One floor left—I had to finish it.
Waiting for updates to strategize would take too long; tutorial time was almost up anyway.
[<Architect of the Trial Tower> looks at you with a blank stare, pausing his report.]
The flaws in the tower were already exposed.
After stepping onto the final stairs and walking along the carpeted corridor, I reached the arched iron doors.
The doors of the 300th floor were far more ornate and magnificent than any I had seen so far. There was no way I could resist opening them.
Expecting unknown threats, I drew Serpens and strapped it to my waist.
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> clutching his neck, exclaims about how much the original story will be twisted.]
[<Architect of the Trial Tower> mutters that it’s fine, do whatever you want.]
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> pounding his chest in acute frustration.]
The Overseer tended to think negatively.
‘Surely there can’t be another coincidental encounter with an important character.’
Whether the original story was twisted or not didn’t concern me. I pushed the door.
Creeeak.
The arched iron doors split apart, and I felt a momentary sense of weightlessness.
Soon, I opened my eyes in a new space.
What lay before me…
“Ugh.”
The horizon was a boundary of deep blue and crimson.
Beneath a sky as vivid as cobalt, the land was stained with blood.
On a hill made of recently dead corpses, two figures faced off.
One was a black-haired young man wielding a jet-black sword.
Though clad in a paladin uniform, no holy aura emanated from him—instead, a strange, corrupt magic radiated.
The source seemed to be the sword that had fused with him, rooting itself in his hand.
The other young man, also in a paladin uniform, had clearly fought the sword-possessed figure for a long time.
Exhaustion marked his face. He struggled to maintain his stance, leaning his sword into the ground for support.
Yet his figure looked oddly familiar—especially the silver hair.
“Oh…”
When I spoke, he turned toward me.
“Tesillid?”
“Ah… Ailet…?”
“….”
“….”
In silence, we confirmed each other’s identities.
As the blood-scented wind blew, the system message appeared.
[<System> Entered S-rank dungeon: ‘The Hill Sealed with the Sword of Holy and Demonic’.]
Even the distressed Overseer’s message:
[<Overseer of Foreknowledge> exclaims, ‘I knew this would happen! Oh no!’]
What an unbelievable coincidence.
I had reunited with Tesillid Argent after ten years.
