Chapter 67 : Lord Undead

Lord Undead

"Don't worry, little darling. Scream as loud as you want—no one will hear you."

Niltos pounced, and Doruru squeezed her eyes shut in fright.

"Someone, save me!"

A deadly black light flashed. After confirming the identity of the man in front of him—'Niltos'—Little Black lunged forward in a stabbing attack.

The bone blade struck Niltos's back, but at that moment, the pendant on Niltos's chest suddenly began to glow with blue light.

Zizz!

A mana barrier activated. Niltos was flung away by the blow, but Little Black's bone blade failed to inflict any real harm.

"Ow!"

Niltos tumbled into a corner, and upon hitting the wall, he felt a wave of dizziness cloud his mind.

"Niltos!"

Seeing the failed strike, Little Black did not give up. Like a relentless warrior, he charged forward again, the bone blade on his arm flashing a chilling, threatening gleam.

Blade Rend!

Zizz! Bam!

The shield shattered. Niltos's final life-saving device was now destroyed. Staring at the bone blade raised above him, he finally snapped back to his senses.

"It's an assassin! Somebody—help!"

Niltos screamed as he stared at the descending bone blade, desperately hoping his bodyguards would suddenly rush in and save him.

But even as Little Black's bone blade pierced into his skull, there was not a sound from outside.

And it would never cross his mind that, although his killer was an assassin, the last person he had murdered was actually the real target.

"Mission accomplished."

Confirming his target's death, Little Black withdrew his bone blade, causing a spray of blood to splatter across his bony body. Just like that, the wealthiest noble in Jones City was murdered in his own home with ease.

Sensing the disturbance, Doruru opened her eyes. At this close distance, she got a clear look at her intruder's undead identity.

"Un... Undead!"

Doruru did not scream. She could tell that this undead was 'intelligent', which meant he was either a high-level undead warrior or being controlled by an undead mage.

Either way, he was not someone she could afford to provoke.

She didn't know why he had killed Niltos, but Doruru could only hope that, if he would spare her after killing Niltos, she could escape and alert everyone else.

But fate had other plans. No sooner had Little Black slain Niltos than he turned his attention to Doruru, still bound to the bed.

Step by step, Little Black approached.

Looking at Little Black's bone blade and the blood dripping from his body, Doruru writhed in fear, trying to escape. Realizing she could not, she began to sob quietly.

"P-please... don't hurt Doruru."

But Little Black remained unmoved. She had spotted him. To prevent his exposure, she must be killed.

He raised his bone blade. Doruru squeezed her eyes shut in terror.

Yet, for some reason, the bone blade never fell.

"Darkmoon Elf clan... subordinate of the Queen... Killing her companion would anger the Queen."

Little Black muttered to himself. Hearing his voice, Doruru opened her eyes.

"You... you know the Darkmoon clan?"

Seeing he had recognized her identity, Doruru tentatively asked, hoping to win herself a slim chance at survival.

But Little Black did not answer.

Still unable to contact Serea (who was unconscious), Little Black used what little intelligence he had to ponder how to handle the sudden complicated situation.

"Killing the companion would anger the Queen; leaving the companion would expose myself."

Cannot kill + cannot leave = Take her along!

He would take her, then hand her over to the Queen—problem solved.

With this, Little Black acted at once. He swung down his bone blade.

"Ahh!"

Doruru thought he was about to kill her and screamed, but moments later, she realized her restraints had disappeared, and soon after, she felt herself being picked up.

Turning her head, she saw the soul flame flickering in Little Black's eyes.

"Don't resist... I'll take you to the Queen."

"The Queen? You know the Darkmoon clan? You're taking me to the Queen of the Darkmoon clan?"

"Your fate will be decided by the Queen."

Finishing his words, Little Black cradled her in his arms, wrapping her in the bedsheet.

Though the sheet was cold, it was better than being just in her underwear, so Doruru assumed Little Black was being considerate.

"T-thank you... You saved me."

Wrapped in the bedsheet and carried in someone's arms—and thinking of her current state (dressed only in underwear)—Doruru couldn't help but feel a little shy.

Even though she knew the other was an undead, for unknown reasons, Doruru actually began to feel an affection toward him.

Perhaps it was because someone had reached out a hand just as she was falling into despair.

Before Doruru could dwell on it, Little Black leaped straight out the window with her in his arms.

Bang!

"Eep."

The window shattered as Little Black burst through with brute force. The racket was so loud that all the assassins in the manor turned toward the noise.

They saw a dark figure racing away from the manor grounds.

One assassin cried out.

"Hey, you! Stop right there!"

Little Black landed and started sprinting towards the exit, but upon hearing the shout, he stopped.

Normally, a regular assassin would have bolted at such a command, but not Little Black. Instead, he froze in place upon hearing it.

"Can't let anyone discover me!"

His soul flame flickered. The bone blade in his hand glinted coldly.

"Huh? He actually stopped?"

Seeing this, the six assassins were stunned. Sure, they had shouted "stop," but wasn't a successful assassin supposed to make a getaway? Why was this one clearly preparing to fight?

"Captain, bad news! Everyone in the manor has been killed—including Niltos!"

"What?!"

At that moment, four more assassins rushed out of the villa and frantically reported to the leader among the six assassins outside.

Learning everyone in the manor had been killed, the two leading assassins eyed the cloaked figure warily.

"Something's wrong. Someone else has also targeted Niltos. Everyone get ready for combat—capture that guy!"

With this, everyone from Assassin Star drew their weapons, facing Little Black. Unflustered, Little Black gently set Doruru down.

"Lord Undead, you..."

"Stay here. Do not attempt to escape."

"Huh? Oh... okay..."

Doruru had no idea what Little Black intended, but she chose to obey his orders and, wrapped in the bedsheet, stood watching as Little Black turned to face the assassins.

"There are two of them?"

"That's not the point. Don't you think it's strange? After an assassination, one would usually try to flee as soon as possible—that's basic sense. Yet look at him—he's clearly preparing to fight us."

A female assassin named 'Aifei' spoke up.

Hearing this, another male leader among the assassins, 'Soth', frowned deeply. The odd behavior of this man before him left him puzzled.

But right now, as long as they caught him, all doubts would be resolved!

"Enough talk. Prepare for combat. The enemy's strength is extraordinary—do not take him lightly!"

(To be continued...)

-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=