It was already late, but Raon spent the rest of the night at an inn inside a small village near Capply.
The inn doubled as a restaurant, and the shop was completely empty by the time he woke up. He couldnât see the manager or the cook anywhere.
Where is everyone?! The King of Essence is hungry!
Wrath waved his hand, telling him to quickly find the cook.
Offer food to the King of Essence!
âHe will be back soon.â
Raon slapped Wrath away as he shoved his plump stomach on his face and sat at the central table.
The door opened soon after that, and a manâwhose expression was so faint that he almost looked like he was wearing a maskâwalked up and stood in front of him.
âGreetings, Sir Raon.â
The man put his hands together and bowed.
âMy name is Denzel. Iâm from the Black Virtue Squad, a dedicated unit for the Black Marketâs master.â
âIâm Raon Zieghart.â
Raon smiled faintly while looking at Denzel. He didnât expect him to arrive so quickly, as the Black Market had only recently learned about the Deathbringer Revenant Factoryâunlike Raon, who had known all along.
âThat is because itâs an extraordinary matter.â
Denzel sighed, sounding almost like he was lamenting the matter, and took a seat opposite him.
âAs you said, warriors have been disappearing more often recently. There are even more cases of corpses disappearing soon after injury or death.â
âHmmâŠâ
Raon licked his lips while observing Denzel, who casually started to provide information.
âThey are fast and precise.â
Denzel told him which warriors the missing corpses belonged to and where it happened. Considering how fast they could obtain such detailed information, the Black Marketâs master seemed to be even better than the Six Kings and the Five Demons when it came to information gathering and financial influence.
âIf we keep investigating the traces of the warriorsâ disappearance, we should be able to create a way to find that secret organization by slightly forceful means. However, itâs going to take some time. Is that okay?â
âWe donât need that much time.â
âWhat? What do you meanâŠ?â
Denzelâs eyes widened. He was unable to understand his meaning.
âYesterday, I found the location of the factory where they create assassins with corpses.â
âR-really?â
âAs I expected, they settled under the iron factory. It was a lot bigger than I thought. There were many assassins and necromancers, tooâŠâ
Raon told him all about the Deathbringer Factoryâs location, equipment, and personnel that he'd seen the day before.
âHuh.â
Denzel couldnât close his mouth, showing his surprise at how Raon managed to gather such precious information in a single day.
âThe Dashing Spirit Master and the Eldritch Necromancer were there. They are evil fiends who treat humans worse than animalsâŠâ
He bit his lip slightly, showing his hatred towards the necromancers Shupel and Juran.
âWe should be able to act faster with this much information. Let us prepareâŠâ
âI still have more to tell you.â
Raon shook his head at Denzel, who was about to stand up.
âThe woman who seemed to be in charge mentioned that new supplies are going to arrive tomorrow.â
âSuppliesâŠ?â
âOf course, it would be the warriors who would serve as ingredients to make the zombie assassins.â
Raon told him that the warriors who were still alive, and that the corpses of the dead warriors would enter that place in large quantities the next day.
âAh! In that case!â Denzel exclaimed, showing that he finally realized what he meant. âWe can trail those warriors and use it as an excuse for finding that location! We should be able to attack tomorrow!â
âIndeed.â
The Black Marketâs residents existed everywhere on the continent.
Raon figured Derus wouldnât suspect him if they said that they found them entering the lake while looking for the missing warriors. novelbuddy.cÏàč
âAmazing. There should be no better way in the current situation!â Denzel gasped, looking at Raon.
âI can understand why the Black Marketâs master has been so considerate of him.â
The Black Marketâs master had constantly provided Raon with priceless information.
Heâd been wondering why she was taking such a huge loss, and he realized that the young warrior in front of him deserved it, as he was a priceless man himself.
She was definitely investing in a man whose future seemed even brighter than the present.
âIâll make the preparations so that we can attack them tomorrow. We will quickly gather the warriors on our sideâŠâ
âNo.â
Raon slowly shook his head and continued, âIâll be the only one to fight.â
âB-but they are assassins. It will be completely different from fighting warriorsâŠâ
Denzel swallowed nervously, revealing his worry.
âIt will be fine.â
Raon slowly closed his eyes before opening them again. His eyes were so cold that it was enough to make a chill run down his spine.
âBecause Iâm used to that kind of fight.â
* * *
House Robert
The Great Garden
The quiet walkway that Derus usually used was unusually full of people.
âHappy birthday.â
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âCongratulations.â
âYoung master, happy birthday!â
The people gathered in the garden were congratulating the youngest son of House Robert, Lephon Robert, on getting a year older. All of them were wearing splendid formal attire.
âThank you.â
Lephon lowered his head at them, wearing a black formal attire similar to Raonâs. People were even lined up in front of him to greet him.
They were being too polite for a child who wasnât even twenty years old yet. It was proof of House Robert's dignity.
However, Lephon didnât look too happy even though he was being congratulated by so many people.
He was greeting them with an awkward smile on his face when the two swordsmen guarding the entrance stomped the ground powerfully.
âThe head of house is making his entrance!â
Derus Robert entered from the great gardenâs entrance alongside the majestic shout of the swordsmen.
His steps were neither heavy nor light, but they perfectly displayed his presence. His appearance showed what kind of person he was.
âHead of house!â
âGreetings, head of house.â
Derus casually accepted their greetings and stood in front of the fountain at the center of the garden.
âLephon, come over here.â
âYes.â
The protagonist of the party, Lephon, came next to him.
âThank you for coming all the way here to celebrate Lephonâs birthday.â
Derus smiled gently while holding Lephonâs shoulder.
âNot at all!â
âWe are honored to do so!â
âPlease call on us any time!â
They lowered their heads, telling him that they were extremely happy to be there.
âThank you for saying that.â
Derus Robert smiled faintly and met their eyes one after the other.
âLephon, you should thank them too.â
âYes, father.â
Lephon stepped in front of Derus, his lips tightly closed.
âThank you for joining me on my birthday.â
He bowed at the center with a smile that looked stiff for some reason.
âWhoaa!â
âYoung master! Congratulations once again!â
âMay good health be always with you!â
Even though they were aware that Lephon was making a strange expression, they applauded loudly enough to set ears ringing while looking at Derus behind him.
âYou are soon going to become an adult. Do you have any goals?â
The head of House Raphatan, a vassal family of House Robert, asked the question with a smile from the very front.
âIâd like to become a swordsman like Sir Raon,â Lephon stated, naming his goal and dream without the slightest hesitation.
âRaon Zieghart?â
âAh, the White Sword DragonâŠâ
âThat was whyâŠâ
The people briefly licked their lips, realizing why Lephon wasnât looking too good.
âHis goal has always been to become a swordsman like Raon. Please understand him since itâs not a good situation.â
Derus held Lephonâs hand and smiled gently.
âJust believe in the swordsman Raon and wait, since there has been no official announcement about his death. From what Iâve seen, he isnât the type of person who would die so easily.â
âYes, father!â
Lephon was deeply impressed and nodded at Derus.
âIâm sorry for ruining the mood of this joyful occasion.â
He put himself together and approached the guests by himself to greet them.
People were also impressed, smiles appearing on their faces upon seeing the warm relationship between the father and son, and the fact that Derus was kind enough to even care about a warrior from a rival house.
Derus looked proud as he watched Lephon, who started to communicate with the guests, before he left to an area on the left side where no one was around.
âWhat is it?â he asked while turning around.
Cubara appeared from the bushes with a food tray in her hand and knelt in front of him.
âThe ordered supplies have reached the factoryâs passage,â she said.
âHow many of them?â
âSixty-two of the materials are still alive, while one hundred thirty are dead.â
âWho is guarding them?â
âValmail.â
âThatâs a great choice.â
He nodded in satisfaction upon hearing that Valmail was dispatched since he had excellent senses.
âSince Valmail has great senses, he should be doing a good job. Alright, let them in.â
âYes.â
Cubara gave the glass she brought on the tray to Derus, and quietly disappeared.
âHe wouldnât die so easily, huh?â
Derus took a sip of the wine Cubara left behind and looked at Lephon.
His eyes became cold as he watched his son, who had regained his smile.
âSuch a thing doesnât happen in the world.â
* * *
Lake Bayon, located right next to Haro Mountain, silently split apart.
Resia was standing in front of the lake and briefly gestured with her hand, and the flow of mana twisted to create the illusion of a serene lakeâeffectively hiding that the division ever happened.
âWe are ready.â
Resia nodded to the back, and mysterious people wearing black robes and masks appeared.
âFollow me. From this point on, step only where I step.â
ââŠâŠâ
The masked people didnât respond and quietly followed her.
Resia walked through the muddy and mossy road and reached a turtle-shaped boulder emerging from the center of the lake.
She touched the boulder with her finger, which she imbued with mana, and the floor opened up to create a passage leading to the cavity.
ââŠâŠâ
It was a mysterious sight that would cause anyoneâs jaw to drop, but the masked men didnât even flinch. It was as if they were devoid of emotions.
âPlease come in.â
Resia went ahead into the passage as if she were expecting their reaction.
Whir!
As soon as all the masked men entered the passage after her, she touched the wall. The ceiling closed, and the divided lake returned to its previous appearance.
âThis way.â
As soon as the door closed, Resia started running through the passage and guided the masked men.
Her footwork was fast enough that most warriors would have had difficulty following her, but none of the masked men fell behind.
Thud!
Resia stopped her advance once she could see the dozens of cages containing the dead warriors and turned around.
âThank you for coming all the way here, Sir Valmail.â
Resia bowed at the masked man who was at the very front.
âResia.â
The tall masked man with a fiery look in his eyes slowly nodded his head.
âYou should be well aware that he is paying a lot of attention to this place.â
âOf course Iâm aware.â
Resia carefully lowered her head.
âHow is the improvement of the Deathbringer Revenants proceeding?â
âWe will definitely succeed in the improvements by using the materials youâve brought, Sir Valmail.â
Her nonchalant attitude as she looked at Valmail implied that she was confident in it.
âHmm.â
Valmail signaled with his hand towards the back, and the masked men placed their hands on the ground.
Whap!
A black shadow emerged around their hands and almost two hundred people came out from it.
About sixty people on the right side were breathing weakly, implying that they were still alive, while the collapsed ones on the left side were already dead.
âWe have sixty-two living materials and a hundred and thirty dead ones. All of them are at least an Expert, and three of them are Masters.â
Valmail raised his finger to personally point at the Masters.
âThere are even Masters!â
Resia gave a big nod while checking the conditions of the Masters.
âLetâs go up together. Those two are also going to welcome you.â
âNo thanks. Seeing those old folks puts me in a bad mood.â
Valmail shook his hand, showing that he wasnât interested at all.
ââŠUnderstood.â
Resia casually shook her hand, and the assassins hiding around the jail made their appearance and started to lock the people Valmail had brought out in the cages.
The living people started to wake up one after the other from the rough treatment.
âWh-whatâŠ?â
âWhere are weâŠ?â
âWho are you?!â
The warriors shouted while being locked inside the metal cages, but Resia and Valmail paid no attention to them at all.
âItâs easy to break iron like this⊠Hmm?â
âM-my energy centerâŠâ
âI canât use my aura!â
âDamn it!â
They realized they couldnât use their aura while trying to destroy the cages, and their lips trembled in fear.
âIâm going to make my report now.â
Resia climbed the stairs at the end of the passage after locking all of the warriors into the cages.
âYou bastards! Get me out right now! Do you know who I am?â
A middle-aged warrior finally regained his senses and shouted while shaking the cage.
âIâm a Master from House SikernâŠâ
âDid you just say Sikern?â
Valmail started to walk for the first time upon hearing the name of his house. He walked up to the man who shouted that he was from House Sikern and showed him a frightening smile with his eyes.
âWhether you are from Sikern or Zieghart is meaningless to me.â
âW-wait a momentâŠâ
The warrior leaned backward, terrified by his smile.
âWhere do you think you are going? The great Master from House Sikern?â
Valmail twisted his lips and pulled the warriorâs right eyeball out with his finger.
âAaaah!â
He collapsed to the ground while screaming in pain, and the people whoâd been shouting for them to let them out fell quiet with trembling eyes.
âI like the silence.â
Valmail shook the blood off his hand. That was whenâŠ
Swoosh!
Dozens of throwing daggers advanced from behind him like a soaring hawk, piercing the hearts of the assassins hiding between the jail and the masked men.
âWhâCough!â
Instead of turning around to look, he tried to move away quickly. However, a deadly blade was already protruding from his heart.
âYouâŠâ
âDid you just say that Zieghart is meaningless to you?â
Raonâs frightening smile could be seen, his hair and eyes dyed black.
âI donât think thatâs true.â