Clang!
The sound of metal clashing echoed loudly, serving as the opening gong for the life-and-death battle in that narrow corridor.
Kazien blocked the poisoned dagger attack with just one hand, while the other remained relaxed in his pocket. However, that was merely the beginning.
"Attack him! Give him no quarter!" shouted the assassin leader.
The twelve remaining assassins moved in unison like fragmented shadows. They leaped onto the walls, onto the ceiling, and slid across the floor, surrounding Kazien from all directions. A rain of small knives, poisoned needles, and short sword slashes aimed at a single point: Kazien's body.
However, Kazien did not falter. He smirked faintly, his eyes glowing blue in the darkness.
"Too slow." he hissed.
Kazien drew a sword of darkness formed from pure mana in his hand. He began to dance.
Clang! Clink! Clang!
With fluid and efficient movements, Kazien parried three attacks simultaneously. He twisted his body, dodging an axe slash aimed at his neck, then retaliated with a spinning kick that slammed into an assassin's chest, sending him flying into a marble pillar.
Thud!
"One..." Kazien counted coldly.
The assassins increased the intensity of their attacks. They used body-strengthening magic, making their movements even faster until ordinary human eyes would not be able to see them. But to Kazien, their movements were clearly legible.
An assassin attempted to stab him in the back. Without turning, Kazien conjured a small shield of dark element on his back.
Boom!
The assassin was pushed back, and in a split second, Kazien had already turned, slashing his sword horizontally. A wave of black energy shot out, knocking back five assassins who tried to mob him.
The battle raged on. The luxurious mansion corridor was now full of slash marks and cracks. Kazien stood like an impenetrable fortress, standing firm amidst the storm of attacks from 12 professional killers.
Feeling cornered, the assassin leader gave the final signal.
"Needle Rain Formation! Finish him right now!"
The 12 assassins jumped back simultaneously, then threw hundreds of daggers and activated wind magic to increase the speed and piercing power of their weapons. The attack came like a wall of death that was impossible to avoid.
Zing! Zing! Zing! Zing!
Kazien raised his left hand into the air. The mana around him froze instantly.
Crack! Crack! Crack!
Suddenly, dozens of swords made of solid ice appeared floating in the air, forming a shield as well as weapons.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Several ice magic swords blocked their attacks perfectly. The assassins' weapons fell clattering to the floor. It didn't stop there; the ice swords shot forward, not to kill, but pinning their clothes and pressing the assassins' necks against the walls and floor, locking their movements completely.
All the assassins were shocked to see high-level magic appearing without an incantation and stopping their movements in an instant.
He could predict our movements? the leader thought, cold sweat trickling down his temple. Even before we threw them, he had prepared this ice magic? Who is our target actually? The client's information was totally wrong!
Kazien stepped forward, breaking the post-battle silence. His killing aura pressed on everyone's lungs there.
"You are quite tough." Kazien said flatly.
"Speak! Who are you really?" asked the assassin.
"Kazien Altavis!" he answered firmly.
Silence...
They all fell silent, shuddering in fear down to their marrow after learning that full name.
Altavis?! Damn it! Damn it! That damn woman! cursed the leader inwardly with full rage. I never knew that our target was the son of the most influential and strongest noble in this kingdom! She trapped us in a monster's den!
The assassin looked back at Kazien's face before him. Does he already know the facts about himself being targeted? But, I don't want to surrender and get caught just like that! My pride as a hitman is at stake!
Kazien saw the hesitation in their eyes. He dispelled his ice swords for a moment, giving them a chance to breathe.
"I will spare you if you tell me who hired your services!" Kazien offered firmly.
The assassin leader snorted roughly. "Do you think I would trust you just like that? No noble keeps his word to trash like us!"
"Whether you want to trust me or not! That's your business!" replied Kazien coldly. His gaze sharpened. "I just want to confirm who hired your services! Is she an academy student?"
No one answered Kazien's words. The silence was answer enough.
However, desperation triggered a foolish action. One assassin who felt cornered thought this was an opening while Kazien was talking.
Swish!
That assassin dashed desperately, lunging forward with a drawn dagger aiming for Kazien's heart.
Kazien didn't even blink. He simply swung his darkness sword with a relaxed motion.
Zrash!
The sound of flesh being cut sounded horrifying. The assassin died instantly with his body split in two in a single slash. Fresh blood splattered onto the floor, making the other assassins hold their breath in horror.
"You are indeed fast!" praised Kazien while flicking blood from his sword, his tone calm as if he had just cut grass. "But, I can still see your movements very easily!"
The assassin leader was about to take a step back, trying to find an escape route while Kazien was distracted by his comrade's corpse.
However...
Zap!
A gentle breeze blew. Kazien's figure in front of him vanished.
The assassin was too late to realize his movement. He felt a cold sensation pressing against the skin of his neck. Kazien was already behind the assassin leader, pointing a magic sword of dark element at his neck.
"Don't move!" asserted Kazien.
The leader dropped his weapon, his knees went weak. "I can't believe you could realize my movement to escape. You are truly great! You are a monster!"
Then, he closed his eyes, surrendering. But when he had surrendered, nothing happened to him.
"Why don't you kill me?" he asked with a trembling voice. "Quick! Just kill me! End this!"
Kazien dissipated his magic sword. "Do you want to die that badly? I have no intention of killing you, you know."
"I don't need your pity!" shouted the assassin, his pride severely wounded.
Kazien stepped back, looking at them with an appraising gaze. He truly couldn't understand the mindset of the assassins before him.
He observed all the assassins. It seems they aren't naturally evil and are indeed doing their job solely because they are paid, analyzed Kazien inwardly. My eyes also don't see the pitch-black evil intent aura that usually envelops sadistic killers. They are just professionals who chose the wrong opponent.
Kazien's brain spun fast. He needed a shadow force to protect his loved ones in the future.
If I recruit them into my family's army, would they be willing to swear allegiance to the Altavis family, I wonder? he thought. It would be a pity if their great strength, speed, and combat coordination went to waste in a place like this just to become corpses.
Kazien smiled, this time not a mocking smirk, but the smile of a leader offering a new path in life.
"Hey, instead of dying foolishly here for that client of yours..." said Kazien while extending his hand. "How about you just join my family's army?"