Wang Yu-Mi confidently adjusted her round glasses. “I bet Chul-Soo knows exactly how many Assassins are out there, where they are hiding, and when and how they will attack. Think about it. He’s the champion of the Sword Emperor Tournament.”

Yolin shook her head. “I know Boss has exceptional swordsmanship, but this is completely different. It’s a whole other ballgame. Besides, look, even Mole Woman can’t sense any danger!”

“You think Mole Woman can’t sense any danger?” Yu-Mi asked.

“Exactly. If even the Navigator has not noticed the Assassins, how could an Eltuber pick up on their presence?”

“I don’t think that’s the case.”

“I’m telling you, it is!”

Yolin was growing anxious. She desperately wanted to relay the information to Cha Jin-Hyeok as quickly as possible.

Yu-Mi rewound the livestream footage. “Do you see this?”

“What am I looking at?”

“That’s Mole Woman.”

“I can see that she’s very pretty.”

“No, look at her eyes.”

“Her eyes?”

Yolin had rewatched the footage before coming here, but Yu-Mi was an unparalleled expert in video analysis.

“She is looking toward the same spot as Chul-Soo. They must have sensed the Assassins’ presence from the same location,” Yu-Mi said.

The moment was incredibly brief. Only a video analysis expert of Yu-Mi’s caliber could have noticed it. Hence, Yolin could not comprehend what Yu-Mi meant.

“Well? Don’t you agree with me now?” Yu-Mi asked.

“No, I still don’t see it.”

“How can you not see this?” Yu-Mi, seemingly unable to fathom Yolin’s lack of understanding, nodded after a moment of frustration. “I suppose we all have different areas of expertise. Anyway, those two definitely know about the Assassins. They are just pretending not to for the sake of the livestream! Oh, look here, someone has appeared.”

***

The Maier Family was one of the vassal families of the Kyen Family. Shevian, an Assassin from the Maier Family, knew Chul-Soo would come here.

‘Finally, a strong opponent!’

Due to the prophecy of the Three Sister Prophets, powerful Players avoided the Pangea Temple. Chul-Soo was on a different level from the rookies who had invaded this place so far. He was a universe-level Eltuber who had reached the milestone of having twenty billion live viewers. Though the fact that he was an Eltuber was slightly concerning, Shevian did not think it mattered much.

‘He’s the champion of the Sword Emperor Tournament, so I won’t need to hold back!’

Shevian’s father, who knew his son well, placed a hand on Shevian’s shoulder. “I can hear your excited breathing from here.”

“Father, I have been waiting for this day.”

“Son, do not forget our mission. Our family is tasked with ensuring this place remains an Unexplored Dungeon. We should not concern ourselves with anything else.”

“But, Father, isn’t it unfair? We are strong, yet the world has forgotten us. In the list of Assassin families, ours isn’t even mentioned.”

His father sighed softly before saying, “Then just focus on the assassination.”

“No, I can’t do that. These days, an assassination is seen as something only cowards do.”

“That’s just perception. We’re not cowards. This is simply the way of the Assassins.”

“But the world doesn’t recognize that!”

Shevian’s words held some truth. After Garbinu had conquered Arvis and ushered in an era of peace, assassinations and ambushes were deemed cowardly acts. This shift in perception contributed to the Kyen Family, one of the Seven Great Families, fading from the forefront of history.

“I will defeat the Sword Emperor Tournament champion in a fair fight,” Shevian said.

“I forbid it. That’s inefficient.”

“How long will you cling to these outdated ideas? Chul-Soo is currently the center of attention across the universe. It’s time for the name of our Maier Family to ring throughout the cosmos.”

The father held a dagger to Shevian’s throat. “I said no, Son. I think I will have to remove you from this operat—”

His vision blurred mid-sentence. “She…vian!”

“Your guard was down, Father.” Shevian stood up. “An Assassin falling victim to poison? You should be ashamed. “

The poison would keep his father unconscious for at least twenty-four hours.

‘That will be more than enough time to defeat Chul-Soo and elevate the Maier Family name.’

***

Just before Jin-Hyeok entered the main gate, a man wearing a black mask approached him.

“So, you’re Kim Chul-Soo.” He held a bluish dagger. After taking a few steps forward, he removed his mask, revealing himself to be a young boy with ashen hair and eyes. “Pleased to meet you. My name is Shevian, an Assassin from the Maier Family. I’m also one who will take your head right here.”

Jin-Hyeok remained silent for a moment.

Shevian asked with a relaxed attitude. “What’s wrong? Are you scared?”

“Why would an Assassin…”

“I guess the Sword Emperor Tournament champion isn’t as strong as I thought. It looks like Swordsmen’s skills have become pathetic while the Maier Family has been laying low.”

Jin-Hyeok bit his lip slightly and muttered, “Why would an Assassin challenge me to a fair fight?”

“I am Shevian Maier, the eldest son of the Maier Family. I will take your head fair and squa—”

Shevian hurriedly stepped back, creating distance between them. ‘Just now…!’

A sharp energy had grazed his head. Jin-Hyeok had extended Miri, slicing through where Shevian’s head had been. A drop of sweat trickled down Shevian’s spine, which was highly sensitive to bloodlust.

‘A cool sensation lingers around my neck. What an incredibly sharp aura!’

Shevian’s heart began to race; he had finally encountered a formidable opponent.

***

Jin-Hyeok, who had expected an efficient and excellent ambush, was disappointed. He was angry that an Assassin was challenging him to a fair fight instead of ambushing him.

‘How lacking in dedication to one’s craft must one be to do such a thing? This is just like an Eltuber swinging a sword around!’ Jin-Hyeok decided to change his content. ‘It’s about time I show an overwhelming performance again.’

Jin-Hyeok said, “Activate defensive Mystery Phantom Swordswoman.”

As the Phantom Swordswoman appeared, wielding a large black club, Shevian smiled with satisfaction.

“A defensive Mystery, huh? A safer choice than I expec—”

The large black club extended rapidly.

‘That Mystery is skilled in irregular attacks.’ Shevian had let his guard down a bit upon hearing defensive Mystery, but it seemed to be a trap. The destructive power emanating from that club was certainly not that of a defensive Mystery. ‘But it’s not enough to match my speed!’

Shevian’s body began to turn completely black. He was confident that no one could match his speed, but strangely, he felt himself slowing down.

You’re affected by Time-Lapse Recording.

Your speed is limited to 0.1 times normal.

Jin-Hyeok captured Shevian’s bewildered expression perfectly. He said, “This Assassin cowardly challenged me to a face-to-face duel and has not even properly studied his target. Is this what Assassins are like these days?”

Jin-Hyeok could not hide his disappointment. “When you should be focusing on what you’re good at, you’re straying from your path.”

He had created an opening using the Phantom Swordswoman and used that opportunity to apply Time-Lapse Recording precisely. Thanks to this, Jin-Hyeok had gained enough time to use the Omnipotent Director.

You have activated the Skill Omnipotent Director.

“I’m so at ease that I can comfortably use even this ultimate Skill.”

Jin-Hyeok approached Shevian with a relaxed attitude, intending to delete the dagger in Shevian’s hand. At that moment, Jin-Hyeok felt an exhilarating bloodlust.

‘Oh?’ Jin-Hyeok thought. Something alien had penetrated this ash-colored space of the Omnipotent Director. ‘Something dangerous is coming.’

The moment his concentration broke, the effect of the Omnipotent Director Skill dissipated. Jin-Hyeok used Absolute Barrier to block the poison needle from flying toward his back.

“Was this your plan all along?” Jin-Hyeok realized that the childish Assassin had deliberately charged in for a frontal assault to draw attention, then prompted Jin-Hyeok to use his ultimate Skill to create an opening, allowing another top-tier Assassin to attack. “It turns out I was the one who was not being intense, not you.”

He should have doubted his opponent’s every move; failing to do so was a mistake.

‘I let my guard down,’ Jin-Hyeok thought. While he was reflecting on this, he was also pleased with the unintended sense of crisis he had created. ‘I wonder if the viewers also felt that thrilling tension.’

***

Shevian instinctively knew that some powerful Skill had just been used. He fully sensed that if he had been unlucky, his head would have been taken. It felt like death had approached and then retreated.

“Was this your plan all along?” Chul-Soo said. “It turns out I was the one who was not being intense, not you.”

Shevian struggled to understand what Chul-Soo was talking about. It was also strange how Chul-Soo’s gaze toward Shevian had suddenly turned friendly. However, Shevian could sense one thing.

‘Wait, other Assassins have been deployed besides me?’ He bit his lip slightly. ‘Father must have known about this all along.’

His father, the head of the Maier Family, had anticipated this and made preparations. However, this turned out to be Shevian’s misconception.

These other Assassins were top-tier Assassins separately hired by the Three Sister Prophets. They were dispatched by the Cyril Alliance, the top-ranked Assassin alliance in Arvis. They thoroughly targeted Jin-Hyeok’s weakness. At this point, Jin-Hyeok’s greatest weakness was the non-combatant Player with him—Mole Woman.

“Ugh… I feel dizzy, moly,” Mole Woman said.

-Protect Mole Woman at all costs!

-Those dirty bastards, typical Assassins smh.

-They’re cowardly attacking the Navigator!

-But why aren’t you guys saying anything about attacking an Eltuber? Why not mention the Streamer Protection Treaty?

Mole Woman staggered, poisoned by an unknown drug.

“I think I have been poisoned, moly.” Even as her consciousness faded, Mole Woman quickly spoke while rolling her eyes left and right. “Three new Assassins have appeared, moly. There in the tree, behind the pillar, and behind that far pillar over there!”

As Mole Woman collapsed, Jin-Hyeok realized his mistake.

‘I have gotten too lax lately.’ Jin-Hyeok had to admit he had let his guard down from the moment Shevian tried to exploit an opening. ‘I should have anticipated they would target Mole Woman first.’

One Assassin hidden behind a pillar rushed at Jin-Hyeok, while another grabbed Mole Woman by the collar and pulled her close. The Assassin held a dagger coated with deadly poison to Mole Woman’s throat and said, “Chul-Soo, drop your weapon.”

“…”

Now, the livestream perspective had shifted to the third-person, and on the screen, Jin-Hyeok bit his lip in frustration.

“I won’t say it twice. Drop your weapon.” The Assassin threatened Jin-Hyeok more menacingly, and Jin-Hyeok had no choice but to put down Miri. “Now raise your hands.”

As Jin-Hyeok raised his hands, he said quietly, “Seems I wasn’t the only one who let their guard down.”

“What?”

At that moment, the Assassin’s head was severed and rolled onto the ground.