The Old District at midnight was a maze of shadows and forgotten buildings. Marcus—wearing his Phantom mask and full assassin gear—waited in an abandoned warehouse, his Wraith Cloak making him nearly invisible in the darkness.
Lucian arrived exactly on time, carrying a practice sword and wearing dark clothing suitable for stealth work. His Bronze Peak Stage aura was carefully suppressed, showing good control.
"I'm here," Lucian called softly into the darkness. "Marcus?"
Phantom stepped from the shadows, his masked form appearing like a specter. Lucian's hand went to his sword instinctively before he recognized the distinctive silver mask.
"You're... Phantom?" Lucian's amber eyes widened. "The assassin everyone talks about? That's how you fight the way you do. You're not just a mercenary—you're an actual assassin."
"And you just learned a secret that could destroy both our lives if revealed," Phantom said, his masked voice cold and distorted. "So I'll ask once—are you certain you want to be here? Once you cross this threshold, there's no going back. You'll be complicit in assassination. You'll know my identity. You'll be bound to secrets that could get you executed."
Lucian was quiet for a long moment, processing. Then he drew his sword. "I'm certain. I told you—I'm tired of being sheltered. If Marcus Aldrich is also Phantom the assassin, that explains everything. Your combat experience, your brutality, your certainty. And I want to learn from that."
"Then follow my rules exactly. Tonight, you're not Lucian Ashford, genius student. You're my backup on a contract. You do what I say, when I say it, without question. Understood?"
"Understood."
Phantom pulled out a second mask—a simple black cloth face covering. "Wear this. Never let the target see your face. If things go wrong and you're identified, I can't protect you."
Lucian donned the mask, transforming from academy student to anonymous assassin. Phantom had to admit, the young man adapted quickly.
"Our target is Victor Crane, Bronze Peak Stage merchant who runs an illegal slave operation. He's currently at his warehouse in the dock district, conducting a sale. Twenty armed guards, all Iron Rank except for two Bronze Rank enforcers. Crane himself is dangerous—military background, combat-trained, paranoid and ruthless."
"What's the plan?"
"We infiltrate during the sale when everyone's distracted, eliminate the Bronze Rank enforcers quietly, then corner Crane. The Iron Rank guards are hired help—they'll scatter once their leadership is dead. Crane is the primary target. The enforcers are obstacles. Minimize casualties where possible, but if someone tries to stop us, kill them."
Lucian nodded, his hand steady on his sword despite the casual discussion of killing. Good. No hesitation yet.
They moved through the dark streets toward the dock district, using Phantom's knowledge of patrol routes and blind spots. Lucian followed his lead perfectly, showing excellent stealth instincts.
The warehouse was exactly as Phantom's intelligence described—a large building with armed guards at every entrance. Through windows, he could see the interior: cages containing enslaved people, merchants examining "merchandise," and Victor Crane overseeing everything from a raised platform.
"Two Bronze Rank enforcers," Phantom whispered, pointing them out. "One by the main entrance, one by the cages. We take them simultaneously—I'll handle the cage guard, you take the entrance guard. Poisoned blades, quick kills, minimal noise. Can you do that?"
"Yes." Lucian's voice was steady, but Phantom could sense tension in his aura.
"Hesitation will get you killed. Mercy will get innocent people killed because we'll fail the contract and Crane will continue his operation. Remember that when you strike."
They split up, circling the warehouse. Phantom climbed to the roof using handholds between stones, his enhanced Bronze Peak Stage strength making the climb manageable despite his actual weight. He moved to a skylight above the cage area.
The Bronze Rank enforcer below was bored, watching the cages with disinterest. He had no idea death was directly above him.
Phantom dropped through the skylight, his Shadowstep Boots muffling the landing. The enforcer turned, reaching for his weapon, but Phantom's poisoned Hellfire Dagger was already moving.
The blade caught the enforcer across the throat—a shallow cut that barely drew blood. Ten seconds later, the man collapsed, paralyzed by Legendary-grade Serpent's Whisper poison. Twenty seconds later, dead.
Phantom looked toward the main entrance. Through the crowds, he saw Lucian engaging his target. The entrance enforcer had spotted him first, was already attacking with Bronze Rank enhanced strikes.
Lucian defended desperately, his textbook-perfect technique barely keeping up with the experienced enforcer's brutal assault. He was too hesitant, too clean in his movements—still fighting like an academy student.
The enforcer's fist connected with Lucian's ribs, sending him stumbling. The man raised his sword for a killing blow.
Phantom threw his dagger. It crossed thirty feet in a blur, catching the enforcer in the back. The poisoned blade did its work—the man collapsed mid-swing.
Lucian stood there, breathing hard, staring at the dead enforcer. His first real kill, even though Phantom had done the actual killing.
"Move!" Phantom commanded through their communication spell. "The target's running!"