The mist clung to the cobblestone streets like a living thing, curling around the edges of buildings and drifting lazily under the pale glow of flickering lanterns. The silence was oppressive, thick, as though the entire city was holding its breath. Far above, black clouds churned endlessly, their swirling shapes illuminated now and then by flashes of violet lightning that gave the streets below an unearthly glow.
Aron crouched low on the edge of a rooftop, his violet eyes glimmering like twin shards of amethyst as they scanned the sprawling courtyard before the mansion of Duke Akresman. The mansion itself was a towering edifice of obsidian-black stone, its walls etched with pulsating runes that seemed to hum with a low, steady rhythm. Guards patrolled the grounds below, their armor gleaming dully in the strange light, their movements precise and deadly.
He counted them quickly, his mind cataloging positions, rotations, and blind spots with mechanical efficiency. His grin widened slowly as he whispered to himself, his tone laced with anticipation.
"Haha… there are forty guards, huh? And they're all high-level… this is going to be so much fun."
The words rolled off his tongue like a promise. His hand reached down to his waist, fingers brushing the hilt of his Shen Blades. The twin daggers pulsed faintly in response to his touch, their obsidian-black surfaces glowing with a deep violet core that seemed to writhe like living flame beneath the metal. The etched runes along their curved edges shimmered faintly, almost breathing, as though the blades themselves were eager for blood.
Aron's breathing slowed, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring. His mind was perfectly still, perfectly focused, like the calm before a storm. He shifted his stance slightly, his boots silent on the rooftop as his fingers wrapped fully around the hilts of his weapons.
"They think this city wall and these little formations will stop me?" he murmured, voice a low growl. "Let's see how their confidence holds up when they face something they can't even comprehend."
The faint metallic sound of approaching boots caught his ear—a patrol moving along the far edge of the courtyard. Aron's grin sharpened.
"Perfect… let's start with you."
With a blur of movement, he was gone.
One moment, the rooftop was empty. The next, Aron was a streak of black and violet, his form blending with the shadows as he descended silently behind the patrol leader. His feet touched the ground without a sound, the mist swallowing the motion completely.
The guard barely had time to inhale before a whisper of steel slid past his throat.
Slick.
Blood sprayed in a perfect crimson arc, illuminated briefly by the violet glow of the Shen Blades. The man collapsed silently, his body crumpling like discarded cloth.
[ Ding! ]
[ Predator's Instinct Activated – +5 AGL for 10 seconds ]
[ Title effect: +10 undisturbed stats ]
Aron's eyes flashed as the surge of speed pulsed through him, his body moving faster, sharper. He flowed forward like water, his twin blades a blur as he struck the next guard. The first dagger sliced across the man's wrist, severing tendons, while the second drove deep into his heart.
[ Double Strike Enchantment – Critical Damage! ]
[ Title effect: +10 undisturbed stats ]
The guard's scream died in his throat as his life was extinguished in an instant. Aron spun, his movements seamless, precise, every strike landing exactly where it needed to.
[ Ding! ]
[ Predator's Instinct Refreshed – +5 AGL for 10 seconds ]
A third guard turned, his eyes wide with panic. "Wh-what the hell is—" His words ended in a gurgle as Aron's blade pierced his jaw and ripped upward, cleaving through bone with surgical precision.
[ Ding! ]
[ Blood Resonance Activated – 1% stamina restored ]
[ Title effect: +10 undisturbed stats ]
The shadows erupted with violence. Aron's form blurred again, weaving between the patrol like a phantom. His blades moved in perfect harmony, the [Twin Harmony] effect amplifying every motion until his strikes were nothing but afterimages. Blood sprayed in rhythmic pulses, painting the cobblestones beneath him in slick, glistening red.
The last member of the patrol staggered back, shaking uncontrollably. "M-monster! H-he's a monster!"
Aron tilted his head, his violet eyes glowing faintly in the mist. He spoke softly, almost gently.
"Monster? No. Just… efficient."
With one swift motion, the Shen Blades crossed in an X-shaped slash, severing the man's head cleanly.
The courtyard fell silent once more.
Aron straightened slowly, his chest rising and falling with controlled breaths. His blades dripped blood in steady drops, each one hitting the ground with a quiet drip… drip… drip.
[ Ding! ]
[ Level Up! ]
[ LVL 8 → LVL 9 ]
[ All Stats +3 ]
[ Title Effect: +10 undisturbed stats ]
A low chuckle escaped his lips. "Heh… only a few bodies in, and already leveling up. This is going to be interesting."
The next wave came rushing in—a group of six guards, alerted by the brief, muffled noise. Their leader shouted, voice trembling. "Form up! Surround him! Don't let him move!"
Aron didn't wait for them to form a circle. He blurred forward, the distance between them vanishing in an instant. The first guard's blade never even left its sheath before Aron's dagger punched through his throat. He pivoted, spinning low to sever the tendons behind another guard's knees, sending him crashing down screaming.
[ Double Strike Enchantment – Lethal Damage! ]
Aron's left blade flashed upward, piercing the screaming man's skull, silencing him forever.
The others roared in desperation "Kill him! Kill him now!!!", swinging wildly, but Aron was already gone. His movement was a dance, each step perfectly calculated. The [Twin Harmony] effect turned his strikes into a seamless flurry, each cut flowing naturally into the next.
He whispered to himself between kills, his tone almost conversational despite the chaos. "Too slow. Too predictable. You're not even warm-ups."
One by one, they fell. Heads rolled. Blood painted the walls in streaks and splatters. The cobblestones became slick beneath his boots, but Aron never faltered, never slipped. His mastery of the Shen Blades was absolute.
[ Ding! ]
[ Level Up! ]
[ LVL 9 → LVL 10 ]
[ All Stats +3 ]
[ Title Effect: +50 undisturbed stats ]
The last of the six staggered backward, his sword clattering to the ground. "P-please! I surrender! Just—"
Aron's blade flashed, and the man's plea ended in silence.
[ Title effect: +10 undisturbed stats ]
His breath came out slow and steady, his heartbeat perfectly under control.
More guards arrived. Ten this time, their formation tighter, movements sharper. These were elites, their levels significantly higher than the others.
Aron's grin widened. "Finally. Something fun."
The air seemed to shift as the elites engaged. Their blades glowed faintly with enchantments, their steps perfectly synchronized. They moved as one, striking with deadly precision.
Aron laughed, the sound wild and unrestrained.
"Yes! Show me more! Show me you're worth killing!"
He surged forward, his daggers a blur. The clash was explosive—steel against steel, violet light clashing with blue. Sparks flew with every impact, illuminating the courtyard in brief flashes. Aron ducked, twisted, rolled, his movements impossibly fluid.
A blade came within an inch of his face. He tilted his head just slightly, feeling the whisper of air against his cheek, then retaliated with a vicious upward stab that split the man's jaw.
[ Predator's Instinct Activated – +5 AGL ]
Aron flowed seamlessly into the next strike, his momentum unbroken. Each kill refreshed his speed boost, chaining his attacks together in a relentless rhythm. His laughter echoed, chilling and exhilarating all at once.
The elites tried to adapt, tightening their formation, but it was useless. Aron was too fast, too precise. The Shen Blades cut through their defenses like paper.
By the time the last one fell, gurgling on his own blood, Aron was drenched in crimson, his black attire stained and glistening.
[ Ding! ]
[ Level Up! ]
[ LVL 10 → LVL 11 ]
[ All Stats +3 ]
[ Title Effect: +100 undisturbed stats ]
He exhaled slowly, his chest rising and falling.
"Good warm-up," he said, almost wistful. "But where's the real challenge?"
As if in answer, the final wave emerged—twenty guards, the strongest yet, their armor black and gold, weapons pulsing with raw magical energy. They moved with terrifying coordination, a perfect machine built to kill.
Aron's grin turned feral.
"Now we're talking."
The battle that followed was a blur of violence and beauty. Aron danced through them like a storm given form. His blades carved arcs of violet light through the darkness, severing limbs and lives with equal grace. The guards fought valiantly, their strikes shaking the very ground, but it wasn't enough.
[ Ding! ]
[ Level Up! ]
[ LVL 11 → LVL 12 ]
[ LVL 12 → LVL 13 ]
[ LVL 13 → LVL 14 ]
[ LVL 14 → LVL 15 ]
[ All Stats +12 ]
[ Title effect: +200 undisturbed stats ]
When silence finally returned, the courtyard was a graveyard. Bodies lay strewn in perfect, deliberate patterns, each kill precise, surgical. The scent of blood hung heavy in the air, mingling with the faint hum of fading magic.
Drip… drip… drip.
Blood fell steadily from the tips of Aron's Shen Blades, hitting the cobblestones in slow, rhythmic drops.
A new presence approached. Slow, deliberate footsteps.
From the shadows, the silver-robed man appeared—Banzo. His mask gleamed faintly, reflecting the carnage around him. He stopped at the edge of the slaughter, his eyes narrowing behind the mask.
"…Who are you?" His voice was broken, trembling despite his attempt to remain calm.
Aron turned slowly, the last guard's corpse cooling at his feet. His violet eyes locked on Banzo's form. A slow, predatory grin spread across his blood-smeared face.
"Oh… you look strong," he said, his voice soft but carrying a deadly edge that sent shivers down Banzo's spine. "I want to know… how much stronger I'll get after killing you."
His laughter rang out, sharp and wild, as the mist swirled around them, heralding the next storm of blood to come.