Both men lunged at Eren at the same time.
His mind registered the attacks perfectly, but his body couldn't react fast enough.
The dagger-wielder struck first.
The blade sliced across Eren's shoulder, tearing through flesh in a hot line of pain.
At the same instant, the second man charged forward.
Just as his fist was about to connect, Eren stumbled back a step.
Blue energy surged into his palms. He lashed out in a sharp strike, catching the man's wrist on the edge.
The punch missed.
But a deep gash bloomed across the attacker's wrist.
They came at him again.
One with the dagger, the other with a straight punch.
The dagger flashed straight for Eren's throat—
—but the fist landed first.
"Ah—!"
Eren staggered, crying out.
For a few seconds, his hearing vanished.
His mind went numb.
"Let's end this game now," the second man growled.
"Yeah, let's," the first agreed.
This time they attacked together.
The dagger-wielder had poured aura into his blade.
It moved like lightning.
Eren twisted sideways.
The strike curved toward his old wound instead.
He threw up an energy shield over the injury in an instant.
The shield shattered.
The wound tore deeper.
Still retreating, Eren swung a desperate punch.
It landed hard.
"Ah—!"
"This damn dog's getting cocky," the second man groaned, clutching his side.
"You hold him. I'll hit from behind."
"Got it."
The first man unleashed a barrage of blows.
Seconds passed.
Eren felt death closing in.
His eyes dropped.
Merry Ardent lay curled on the ground, trembling in terror.
A question echoed in his head—
If I abandon her and run… what do I even gain?
If I die here… all my wishes stay unfulfilled.
But the thought shattered.
A blade edge—sharp, deadly—shot toward his neck like a bolt of lightning.
Then—
Shuuuuyyy—!
The air ripped apart.
The fully cloaked, masked assassin vanished from his spot.
In the next heartbeat, a severed hand and a dagger spun through the air.
"Ah—!"
A scream of raw agony echoed.
"Do you even know who you're trying to kill?"
A cold, murderous voice cut through the chaos.
The man stood there now.
He gently lifted Eren.
Then moved toward Merry Ardent.
As his hand touched her, he asked in that same icy tone—
"What's your name?"
Merry was too terrified to speak.
He said nothing more.
He carried both Eren and Merry toward the exit.
Outside, Go stood with his sword drawn, tense.
"Where the hell did Young Master go?
Swallowed by the earth? Taken by the sky?"
He moved forward slowly, touching the walls.
Just as he reached the opposite wall—
He sensed someone approaching.
Go leaped back.
"What the—!"
His heart pounded as he focused.
He slipped into a corner.
But when his eyes landed on Eren—
one arm cradling the injured Young Master, the other holding the filthy girl, Merry Ardent—
Go charged forward with his sword raised.
"Where are you taking Young Master?!"
The man didn't answer.
Go attacked.
The man flicked his hand lightly—
and Go crashed to the ground.
In that same instant—
a cold, razor-sharp blade pressed against the man's throat.
"Don't even twitch," a chilling voice came from behind.
"Or else…
leave Young Master right here."
The man slowly turned.
A young man stood there.[1]
"Well…" the masked man said calmly.
"So you're here."
He tightened his grip on Eren and Merry.
"Look," he said in a steady voice,
"I just saved your Young Master's life.
If anything happens to me…
Besides, I know—this is Ardent family territory.
So you can come out now."
At that moment—
an old man descended from the air, floating down.
He was an elder of the Ardent family.
The first elder stepped forward calmly.
"So how did you end up here?
I thought you had a contract somewhere else."
He paused, then continued—
"That's why both of us had to come."
Right then, another man appeared beside him.
Light beard, small but piercing eyes.
The second Ardent family elder.
The masked man glanced at him and chuckled lightly.
"So you're here too?
I thought it was just this one."
"No, no," the first elder smiled faintly.
"I'm more than enough for you alone.
But for Young Master's safety…"
He gestured to the man beside him.
"…I brought another elder along."
"Haha," the masked man laughed.
"I know."
His gaze slowly shifted to Merry.
He stared for a few moments, then said—
"I saved your Young Master's life.
The least you can do…
is invite me inside."
The first elder replied without hesitation—
"No.
Outsiders are forbidden in the mansion."
"Come on, man," the masked man laughed again.
"You're rejecting me straight to my face."
At that moment, Eren spoke in a weak but clear voice—
"Let them in."
Two hours later—
Eren lay on a bed.
A healer sat beside him, working on his wounds.
The room wasn't ordinary.
It was excessively luxurious.
One glance told him—
this wasn't his room.
His eyes moved forward.
His mother sat there.
Calm. Composed.
Like a true matriarch.
After a while, the healer spoke—
"Young Master is fully healed.
All injuries have been mended."
"Very well," a stern, authoritative voice replied.
"You may leave."
The healer bowed and hurried out.
Eren's mother's name was Aurelia Ardent.
She rose from the sofa and approached him.
She ran her fingers through his hair and asked softly—
"Son, are you alright?"
This time her voice held only love.
"Yes, Mother. I'm fine," Eren replied.
"Good," Aurelia said.
"Then why did you go outside?"
Eren paused, then answered—
"I went out to get some herbs and elixirs.
But you know how much I love going outside.
Fighting, wandering… I enjoy it all so much.
Father never lets me.
Neither do you.
So I used the herbs and elixirs as an excuse."
Aurelia let out a deep sigh.
"I know exactly what you like, my son," she said.
"But you can only go outside…
when you become strong enough."
What will happen next?
Will Eren's father allow the masked man inside?
Why was he staring at Merry Ardent so intently?
Is there some hidden connection between them?
Was Merry destined to become an assassin in the future?
Or is there another reason for his attention?
What secrets are about to be revealed?
To find out, keep reading My Fiction Became My Reality
Available only on Webnovel!
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[1] This man is the son of EREN's uncle.