But how could Kaito's overwhelming power be blocked so easily?
The moment their blades clashed, Nightshade Vale's legs buckled under the force. His knees smashed into the earth, dirt cracking beneath his feet. His body trembled violently, barely holding itself together under the immense pressure of the Flame Arc Slash.
Even Kaito's eyes narrowed in surprise.
He blocked it…?
But there was no pause in Kaito's follow-up. With the Solstice Blade still glowing, he slashed forward in a sharp arc—activating Cut.
Stun landed.
Nightshade Vale's body froze in place—locked down by the paralysis effect.
"Too slow."
With no hesitation, Kaito followed up with a full-force combo, his sword blurring into motion. Ten sharp sword images burst forth, radiating destructive energy as they all shot toward Nightshade Vale from every angle.
There was no escape.
But instead of panic, Nightshade Vale chuckled—a soft, eerie laugh.
"So… you can chain like this. Interesting…"
And then—
His body shimmered.
The black figure began to dissolve like smoke, vanishing into thin air just as the ten sword shadows converged.
They struck nothing.
Missed?!
Kaito gritted his teeth. That wasn't evasion. That was—
Vanish.
An advanced Assassin skill.
Not only did it forcefully pull the user into stealth, but it also granted complete invulnerability for a full second. Enough time to escape even a fatal strike.
You're not running from me that easily.
Kaito's eyes snapped to the imprints in the grass—Nightshade Vale's footprints were still faintly visible.
With a single step, he activated Aerial Claw Slash.
Swish—Swish—Swish!
Three gleaming arcs sliced through the air, aimed perfectly at the fleeing footprints.
But Nightshade Vale, as if expecting this, activated Wind Steps—vanishing again in a blink. The invulnerability granted by the technique absorbed the brunt of Kaito's attack, and in the next moment, the assassin vanished into the darkness of the forest, his figure a blur of motion.
Just as Nightshade Vale vanished into the foliage, Kaito immediately activated Mana Steps, his figure flickering forward like a shadow dancing with light. He surged into pursuit, not intending to let the assassin escape so easily.
But barely moments into the chase, Kaito saw it—a flick of Nightshade Vale's wrist, and a cloud of fine white powder burst from his palm.
Damn—!
Blinding Flash Powder!
Kaito instinctively snapped his head to the side and shut his eyes tight.
Even so, a burst of brilliant white light enveloped the surroundings. It was a rare utility item—Blinding Flash Powder, capable of blinding players and monsters below Level 20 for four seconds.
More than just rare, it was limited in quantity, sold only at a small, obscure magic shop in the lower district of South Glade Town, and even then, only 10 packets could be bought per player, per day.
By the time the blinding light faded and Kaito cautiously opened his eyes—
Nightshade Vale had vanished.
No trace of him remained.
Kaito scoured the area for several minutes—checking for footprints, displaced grass, scent trails—but found nothing.
"Tch... Slipped away."
Reluctantly, he sheathed the Solstice Blade.
Just who is this guy...?
Kaito's mind spun with doubts.
The assassin's movement was flawless, his technique deadly, and his escape tools precise and well-prepared. On top of that, his gear wasn't average—a complete Level 10 bronze set, and dual-wielded silver-ranked daggers. No way was this someone ordinary.
He's not just a rogue killer...
Kaito had recently gone to the black market, sure, but his true identity was hidden. Even if the Bloodthirsty Drake Guild wanted revenge, they didn't know who he was. Which left only—
Rhine...?
He briefly considered the possibility.
But in Kaito's past life, Rhine had never employed a hitman like this. Kaito had fought alongside and against Everhold Dominion many times. He was extremely familiar with their core members, assassins, and shadow squads.
Nightshade Vale… was not one of them.
And Kaito knew Rhine far too well.
Given the man's pride and personality, there was no way he'd let this go. The sudden assassination attempt wasn't random—it was calculated.
There's at least an 80% chance Rhine is behind this.
Kaito's brows furrowed. The situation was more troublesome than he expected. While he wasn't afraid of Rhine facing him head-on, an assassin like Nightshade Vale, lurking in the shadows, was another matter entirely.
If he strikes while I'm engaged with monsters… or worse, in a dungeon raid...
A cold chill swept over him.
With Nightshade Vale's speed, technique, and precision, there was a very real chance that he could lose his life if caught off guard.
"Looks like I'll have to take precautions."
After that Kaito didn't dare assume Nightshade Vale had retreated far. For all he knew, the assassin was still tailing him, waiting for a better opportunity to strike.
Without hesitation, Kaito activated the Cloak of Nothingness.
A translucent ripple passed over his body, and he vanished from sight.
First, I need to find a location without any players or hostiles. Somewhere quiet, to regroup…
Only after securing a safe zone would he resume his journey toward South Glade Town.
...…
Meanwhile, not far from the battlefield…
A figure emerged from behind the withered trunk of a massive, leafless tree.
"Tch. Is that guy an assassin or a swordsman?"
It was none other than Nightshade Vale.
He cursed under his breath, a rare trace of frustration flashing across his face. This wasn't how things were supposed to go.
He had pretended to leave—his earlier words merely a ploy to lower Kaito's guard and create the perfect opening for a second ambush.
But just as he was getting ready to strike again… Kaito disappeared.
"What the hell kind of skill was that?"
His sharp eyes scanned the terrain, but there was nothing—no footsteps, no shadows, not even a trace of mana.
Kaito had vanished without a sound.
And now?
Nightshade Vale clenched his fists.
"How the hell am I supposed to ambush someone who turns into thin air?"
He could only grit his teeth in irritation. His pride had been wounded—and his prey had slipped away.
But the hunt was far from over.
Next time… I won't miss.
...….
After returning to South Glade town just as Kaito was preparing to visit the Forging Life Guild to forge the Silver Fang—the silver-ranked, level 10-restricted sword he had recently acquired from the black market—he noticed a strange buzz spreading through South Glade Town.
Everywhere he went, players were whispering the same thing.
"Did you hear? Everhold Dominion just made a public announcement."
"Yeah, they're offering 10,000 credits to anyone who can kill that swordsman, Raen."
"Not just him—his entire team from Genesis has a bounty now. 1,000 credits for each of his teammates."
"And if someone reveals his location? That's worth 2 silver coins on the spot!"
The shocking bounty stirred a storm across South Glade. It was clear now—Everhold Dominion had officially declared a blood feud against Kaito.
Kaito narrowed his eyes as he overheard players casually discussing the bounty.
"This has already blown up on the official forums," someone muttered nearby. "Players all over the place are trying to hunt him down."
"Even if they can't take down that monster Raen, just killing one Genesis member is enough to earn a fortune!"
"No matter how strong he is, he's not going to have an easy time walking around South Glade now…"
The air felt heavier than before.
This wasn't just rivalry anymore—it was open war.