In the blink of an eye, a shadowy silhouette emerged behind Kaito, silent as a phantom.
Before the wind could even shift, a glint of silver flashed through the dusk—one dagger lunging for the nape of his neck, the other thrusting low toward his spine. The twin strikes were razor-fast, their angles precise and merciless, like the fangs of a serpent striking for the kill.
This wasn't an amateur. It was a professional.
An elite.
Kaito's combat instincts immediately screamed danger.
Even though he had been mildly on guard, the timing and velocity of the assault made dodging near impossible. The blades closed in—mere centimeters from contact—
"Elemental Guard!"
A radiant glyph ignited over his body, and a crystalline barrier burst into place, intercepting the assassination attempt just in time. The impact sent faint ripples across the shield as sparks danced in the air.
Had he hesitated for even a fraction of a second, the result would've been disastrous.
If an assassin's opening strike connected, the target would be afflicted with a three-second stun—an eternity in high-level PvP. That window alone was enough for a skilled assassin to cut down even a heavily armored frontline tank to half HP or worse.
Worse still—faint status effects could stack. Assassins had more than one skill to induce it, and once a player was caught in that loop…
Death was almost guaranteed.
"Scram!" Kaito roared, his voice echoing like thunder across the ridge.
In the same instant, he lashed out with the Solstice Blade, withdrawing just enough to find the perfect striking arc.
The sword cleaved forward like a war god's judgment, its edge gleaming with condensed force—every motion radiating a savage, explosive power. The air cracked, and the incoming blow howled like a storm, fierce enough to tear through a formation of soldiers.
But the black figure was no ordinary foe.
"Interesting," a low voice murmured.
In a breathtaking response, the assassin executed a swallow turnover—a combat roll executed midair, twisting his body parallel to the ground as he rotated in a smooth, controlled spin. It was a move that only elite close-combatants could perform with such precision.
The Solstice Blade scraped past his chest, missing by inches—but not without consequence.
As he completed his roll, the assassin's twin daggers whipped back into motion, one of them raking across Kaito's side, slicing through fabric and skin with a whisper of steel.
His movements were seamless—like flowing water.
But Kaito didn't flinch.
"You're the one courting death."
He ignored the pain—ignored the dagger slicing him mid-motion.
With a sharp cry, Kaito's blade surged forward once more.
The Solstice Blade suddenly split into four brilliant afterimages, each aimed with surgical precision at the assassin's vital points—throat, chest, flank, and heart.
He wasn't testing the waters anymore. He was going for the kill.
Kaito's expression remained cold, unwavering.
He was confident. This strike would end it.
The black figure faltered, a flicker of disbelief flashing across his hidden face.
He hadn't expected this.
He actually went for mutual destruction?
Instead of evading or defending, Kaito had thrown all caution aside and met the strike head-on, retaliating with overwhelming force. It was a decision only made by those with absolute confidence—or utter fearlessness.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
A flurry of sparks exploded in mid-air as steel met steel.
The assassin's off-hand dagger clashed with the Solstice Blade, narrowly diverting the fatal strike. But the sheer weight behind Kaito's swing was monstrous. The black figure's body was hurled backward, skidding two full yards before planting his feet to stabilize.
Even then, it took three quick recovery steps to regain balance.
His gaze snapped toward Kaito—shocked, yet oddly admiring.
"Hah… You really didn't disappoint me," he muttered with a muffled sneer, the tone cold but tinged with interest.
Inside, however, his thoughts churned with disbelief.
Where did this strength come from?
He had meticulously planned this ambush, and yet—Kaito had somehow sensed the killing intent right before it struck. He had not only defended in time, but even counterattacked with lethal decisiveness, forcing the assassin's hand.
For someone of his caliber, such ambushes were second nature.
And yet…
This was the first time he'd ever failed an opening strike in a virtual reality game battle.
And it was Kaito who had made that happen.
Kaito's mind, though calm on the surface, was roiling in shock.
This guy… he's not just skilled. He's a professional killer.
The black figure's movements were fluid, silent, and lethal—each step a masterclass in assassination. His blades struck with terrifying precision, and his speed was nothing short of astonishing. What unsettled Kaito even more was the fact that this man had trailed him for an unknown stretch without leaving a single trace behind.
If not for that faint leak of killing intent in the final second, Kaito might have fallen to the opening strike.
He's dangerous. No—he's on a whole different level.
The assassin was draped in a black hooded cloak, its folds completely shrouding his appearance. Not even a glimpse of his features could be seen. Kaito immediately recognized that this wasn't just for show—this was a rare-grade concealment cloak, likely enchanted to nullify identification-type skills.
Even his character name remained hidden.
It was the same type of cloak Kaito had used in the black market—elite-level stealth gear.
But what the cloak couldn't hide… was the system itself.
System Notification:
[Red Player: Nightshade Vale has initiated an attack against you]
Kaito's eyes narrowed.
He had never heard of the name Nightshade Vale before. But judging by the man's technique, he was definitely no minor character.
"The fault lies in my preparation," the black figure finally spoke, voice low and cold. "Next time, I won't miss."
With that, Nightshade Vale spun on his heels—his body melting into a retreat.
But Kaito's eyes blazed.
"You think you can get away?" he growled.
The Solstice Blade ignited with a burst of fire.
"Flame Arc Slash!"
A roaring arc of flame carved through the air, blazing toward Nightshade Vale.
Assassins were most powerful from the shadows. Once exposed, their threat dropped by half.
Now that his position had been revealed, Kaito would never let him escape so easily.
He wasn't going to allow a blade to lurk behind his back, waiting for the next chance to strike.
Nightshade Vale had chosen to target him.
Now—
He would pay the price.
The Solstice Blade carved through the wind like a divine spear, its fiery edge racing toward Nightshade Vale's exposed back.
But the assassin was ready.
With a swift twist of his body, Nightshade Vale pivoted mid-motion, raising one of his gleaming silver daggers. Using minimal effort, he angled the blade just right—deflecting the flaming arc with surgical precision.
At the same time, his second dagger shot forward in a blur of silver light, slicing toward Kaito's abdomen with deadly intent.
He's trying to stun me…
From the relentless tempo of attacks earlier, Nightshade Vale had built up enough momentum to unleash a faint-inducing strike—four full seconds of paralysis if it landed.
But Kaito had already experienced the assassin's rhythm once.
He's fast. But not faster than instinct.
With a quick burst of strength, Kaito performed a side-flip, barely evading the kidney strike. Yet, Nightshade Vale's second dagger pursued relentlessly, curving in an arc for a follow-up backstab.
Without hesitation, Kaito leapt straight into the air, narrowly avoiding the lethal thrust.
As he reached the apex of his jump, lightning crackled and flames surged around his weapon.
"Let's end this—!"
Fire coalesced along the Solstice Blade, forming a spiraling vortex of blazing destruction.
Flame Arc Slash!
Kaito swooped down from above, his blade roaring like a flaming dragon descending from the heavens.
Nightshade Vale's eyes widened—just for a moment.
But he didn't panic.
Planting his feet, he brought both daggers up in a cross block, bracing himself.