Chapter 78: Disconnection[1]

Despite the sudden entrance of the two high-ranking knights, the five ghost-masked assassins showed no signs of panic or fear.

They were not common mercenaries or unrefined brigands; they were elite, cold-blooded Rankers trained specifically to face high-level threats without flinching.

The Sword Sage leader slowly stepped forward, his bone-white mask settling its lifeless gaze upon the two defenders.

"Ser Damian Blacksun, the First Dragonknight," the leader spoke smoothly, his tone remarkably calm as he evaluated the young warrior.

He then slowly shifted his focus toward the veteran standing beside him, a low, ominous chuckle echoing from behind his mask. "And Ser Hughway, the Indestructible Knight... how grand."

The leader paused, resting his hand lightly against the hilt of his curved katana.

"To be honest, I was expecting your arrival to an extent. I was even thoroughly surprised to see the weak Seventh Successor clash against a 2nd-Tier Abomination entirely on his own—and barely manage to win."

His eyes flickered behind the hollow sockets of his mask, no longer concealing the suffocating, dense bloodlust surging within his spirit.

"But your appearance will not alter the trajectory of today," the Sword Sage declared, his voice dropping into a deadly, unyielding register.

"Your presence will not stop the death of the Seventh."

BOOM!

The leader unleashed the full force of his mana pressure.

The sheer weight of his aura slammed into the clearing like a physical sledgehammer, causing the air to warp and the surrounding space to ripple like disturbed water.

He unsheathed his dark katana in a single, fluid motion, the cold steel emitting a faint, metallic hum as his eyes locked onto Ser Hughway.

"Code 289," the leader commanded coldly without looking back. "You take the flank and assist me in putting down the Indestructible Knight."

"Understood," a broad-shouldered Sword Runner assassin answered, stepping up to stand beside his leader.

The leader then turned his eyes toward the remaining two masked operatives. "Code 290, Code 291... eliminate the First Dragonknight."

"Understood!"

Without a single microsecond of hesitation, Code 290 and Code 291 exploded into motion, charging straight toward Ser Damian with terrifying, synchronized speed!

Ser Damian’s dark eyes narrowed into sharp slits.

"Come!"

BANG!

The clash began instantly, turning the ash-covered clearing into a violent storm of steel, physical shockwaves, and splintering ironwood trees.

Code 290 pressed the initial engagement, closing the distance with overwhelming kinetic force.

Instead of relying purely on blade work, the assassin threw a devastating, mana-infused right hook aimed directly at Damian’s temple.

Damian leaned his head back by a hair’s breadth, ducking beneath the punch, and countered with a violent knee to Code 290’s midsection.

THUMP!

The impact launched Code 290 backward, but before Damian could capitalize, Code 291 materialized out of thin air directly above his head!

Code 291 possessed a C-Grade Space Path Talent: Teleportation.

Utilizing his spatial blinks, he executed a rapid, blinding series of short-range teleports, flashing around Damian’s blind spots like a phantom.

SWISH! CLANG! SWISH!

Katana slashes rained down from the left, from above, and from behind in fractions of a second.

Damian was forced into a desperate, high-speed defensive routine, his broadsword blurring as he parried a low sweep from Code 291, only to pivot instantly to block a heavy overhead downward strike from Code 290, who had jumped right back into the fray.

The two assassins fought with a terrifying level of martial synchronization.

One pressed the physical momentum while the other blinked in and out of spatial gaps, creating an oppressive, relentless assault that gave Damian zero room to breathe.

Yet, the First Dragonknight was by no means weak.

His swordplay was exceptionally refined, rooted in absolute balance and precise spatial control.

Executing a sharp counter-step, Damian read Code 290’s incoming horizontal arc, parried the blade upward with a heavy clashing stroke, and delivered a swift, lethal cross-cut across Code 290’s chest!

CSHHH!

The edge of Damian’s steel cut deep into Code 290’s torso, tearing through dark combat robes and drawing a line of crimson blood.

However, Code 290 didn’t scream or step back.

Instead, a twisted, muffled laugh escaped from behind his ghost mask.

Code 290 possessed a dangerous B-Grade Tyrant Path Talent: Damage Transfer.

BZTT!

The moment the wound was inflicted upon Code 290, an eerie, dark reddish aura flashed across his skin.

Instantly, the physical gash on Code 290’s chest closed, while an identical, bleeding slash exploded across Damian’s own torso!

"Kh...!" Damian gasped, stumbling back a step as intense, burning pain ripped across his chest.

His blood splattered onto the dirt, his strength momentarily dipping as the transferred injury drained his physical stamina.

Taking immediate advantage of Damian’s stumble, Code 291 blinked through space, appearing directly to Damian’s right!

SWOOSH!

The spatial assassin delivered a lightning-fast reverse thrust, driving his katana deep into Damian’s left shoulder before blinking away twenty meters into the treeline before Damian could even swing back.

BZTT!

Simultaneously, Code 290 charged again, throwing his body directly into Damian’s defensive range, forcing Damian to hit him—only for every strike Damian landed to be continuously reflected back onto Damian’s own body.

Bleeding from his shoulder and midsection, his movements becoming noticeably slower and heavier under the continuous strain of the reflected injuries, Damian skidded to a stop in the dirt. Cold sweat mixed with blood poured down his face.

Code 290 stepped forward, twirling his katana, while Code 291 flickered in and out of the surrounding shadows, preparing for the final, lethal ambush.

"Is this the extent of the Viscount’s top guard?" Code 290 sneered, resting his sword against his shoulder. "Every strike you land on me only brings you closer to your own grave."

Damian took a deep, steadying breath, his heart drum-beating against his shattered ribs.

He looked down at his bleeding hand, then raised his dark eyes toward the two assassins.

The frustration and pain on his face completely melted away, replaced by an absolute, terrifying calm.

"You rely heavily on space and damage reflection..." Damian murmured, his voice dropping into a low, resonant murmur that vibrated through the surrounding air.

He shifted his grip on his heavy long sword, his fingers locking around the leather hilt as an invisible, silent distortion began to ripple around his physical frame.

"Let me show you what true spatial control looks like."

Damian activated his supreme talent—Unique-Grade Space Path Talent:

Disconnection.