Chapter 335 (Patreon)

Somewhere within a small town of the Empire, a room glowed beneath the warm light of enchanted lanterns.

Luxury filled every corner. Paintings from famous artists in the continent hung upon the walls, each worth enough gold to buy entire farms. Thick carpets covered the polished floor, soft enough that footsteps made almost no sound. The furniture was crafted from rare wood imported from distant kingdoms, decorated with silver inlays and gemstones that sparkled whenever the light touched them.

The room looked less like a meeting place and more like a noble's private treasure vault.

At the center sat a young boy.

He couldn't have been older than fifteen. His skin was unusually pale even by imperial standards, and his blue eyes seemed almost too calm for someone his age. Resting atop his head was a decorated circular hat adorned with precious jewels, the kind reserved for those whose authority came directly from the Empire itself.

The boy lazily swirled a glass filled with a cold drink before taking a small sip. Then he smiled. "This is the first."

The four cloaked figures standing before him remained silent.

The boy glanced toward the window. Or rather, through it. As if staring at something far beyond the physical world.

"Normally the future is straightforward," he said softly. "Thousands of threads. Millions of possibilities. Most of them eventually narrowing toward the same conclusion."

His smile widened. "This time is a bit different..."

He tapped a finger against the side of his glass. "But all I see are corpses. Corpses of fallen imperial soldiers."

The room became quieter. The candle flames flickered. The four cloaked figures exchanged glances beneath their hoods. "The future keeps changing," the boy continued. "Sometimes the clash happens during night but sometimes it’s during the day. Every time I look, I see different outcomes."

His blue eyes gleamed with fascination. "Quite interesting."

For someone discussing death, he sounded almost excited. The young boy suddenly pointed toward them. "Show me your faces."

The command wasn't loud. Yet none of the four hesitated. Reluctantly, they removed the black cloth covering their features.

The room fell silent again. The boy studied each face carefully. His gaze lingered for several moments.

Then he pointed toward two men standing near the far side of the room. "You two."

The boy took another sip. "You'll die."

Nobody spoke. No one questioned him. The statement was delivered with the same certainty one might use to describe tomorrow's sunrise.

The two men merely lowered their eyes.

The boy leaned back against the couch. "I suggest the four of you stay together."

His expression gradually lost some of its amusement. "When the four of you separate..."

He paused. For the first time, uncertainty appeared in his voice. "...I can't see anything. You might have a chance."

That immediately captured everyone's attention. One of the cloaked men frowned."Where should we go?" 

The boy slowly shook his head. "I don't know."

That answer seemed to trouble him more than anyone else. His fingers tapped rhythmically against the armrest. "I've never been there before. It always happens in the middle of the desert. They look all the same to me."

An [Oracle] who could not see—a future hidden even from his eyes.

That was not supposed to happen.

The young boy eventually shrugged. "I recommend creating multiple signals to locate them."

His gaze settled on the four assassins. "And set up bases using [Teleportation] Scroll beforehand then you should be able to catch up to them if you’re in the wrong path."

One of the men immediately bowed. "We thank you and will heed your advice."

The others followed. Their movements were respectful. Almost reverent.

The boy's smile returned. This time it carried a hint of pride. His eyes drifted toward the large pouch sitting atop the nearby table. Gold coins bulged from within, enough wealth to tempt even powerful nobles.

He chuckled. "No.I should be thanking you."

The boy stood and walked toward the table.

His fingers brushed against the pouch. The sound of shifting coins echoed softly through the room.

"I still find it difficult to believe."

He looked back toward them. "The Four Heavenly Jhings in flesh, in front of me." A title spoken throughout the Empire in whispers and legends.

Hidden powerful individuals. Men who had survived countless impossible missions. And all four had come personally to seek his guidance. The thought clearly amused him.

Then his expression slowly changed. His eyes narrowed. The smile disappeared. "And what I find even harder to believe..."

His voice became quiet. "...is that someone out there capable of killing you."

The room suddenly felt colder. The [Oracle] had seen their deaths. Not one but two. Somewhere ahead waited an enemy powerful enough to make even future sight uncertain.

The young boy adjusted his jeweled hat and moved toward the door. "I'll need to report this to my father."

He paused beside the doorway. "That won't be a problem, will it?"

The question sounded polite. But everyone understood its meaning.

The Four Heavenly Jhings lowered their heads in unison. "There is none."

The boy nodded. Satisfied.

Then he stepped through the door and disappeared into the hallway. The room became silent once more. For several long moments, none of the four heavenly Jhings spoke.

The future had always belonged to them. Tonight, for the first time in many years, it felt as though something in the darkness was staring back.

…..

Rose Light had questioned Kana for nearly half an hour before finalizing the plan.

The commander had asked something surprisingly specific.

Was Kana stronger because it was dark?

Or because it was nighttime?

At first, Kana had thought the distinction strange. Then she realized Rose was searching for limitations. Strength alone was useful. Understanding exactly when that strength appeared was far more valuable.

The moment Kana answered, Rose began adjusting the strategy.

No hesitation. No second-guessing. As if she had already prepared three different plans and merely needed to decide which one to use. Kana watched as Rose distributed scroll after scroll seemingly endless from one of the vaults.

They were [Illuminate] Scrolls.

Kana blinked in surprise.

The items were common enough, but rarely useful outside very specific situations. Most [Thief] used them while setting traps, creating temporary sources of light to lure monsters attracted to brightness. They were cheap, simple, and hardly something a commander would carry in such absurd quantities.

Yet Rose had so many of them.

Kana found herself staring. Had Rose somehow predicted they would need these?

No. That’s impossible.

Even Rose Light couldn't plan that far ahead. ...Could she?

The wagon continued rattling through the desert night. Outside, darkness ruled the dunes. The moon hung overhead, casting pale silver across endless waves of sand. The air had grown colder since sunset, but traces of heat still lingered beneath the ground itself. The desert always felt strange at night, as though two different worlds occupied the same place.

Rose gathered everyone around. "The strategy is simple," she said.

The knights immediately looked suspicious whenever Rose used that word. "When Kana detects the enemy," Rose continued, "we throw every [Illuminate] Scroll we have."

A few knights nodded. Rose pointed toward Suri. "The light only needs to last a moment. Once the area is bright enough. Suri attacks."

Suri's expression immediately soured. "I’m sure you guys can handle it."

"It’s better to preserve our strength as much as possible," Rose replied.

Suri looked oddly pleased by that answer.

The wagon continued forward. Nobody spoke much after that.

Weapons were checked. Armor straps tightened. Water skins adjusted.

Even the normally talkative knights had grown quiet. Kana closed her eyes focusing solely in her [Night Awareness]

Then she listened.

The wagon wheels.

The breathing of everyone inside.

The distant wind brushing across sand.

And beyond that...

People. Hundreds of them.

Her eyes opened. Red irises gleamed faintly beneath the moonlight.

"They're here."

Every conversation stopped instantly. Rose looked at her. "How many?"

Kana concentrated. She could hear breathing.

Heartbeats. Tiny movements beneath layers of sand. Some were lying flat. Others had buried themselves almost completely. Waiting like predators. "Around four hundred."

Several knights exchanged grim looks. Four hundred bandits would already be dangerous.

If they were four hundred imperial trained soldiers? They trusted Suri but she might not be able to differentiate between the bandits and the trained soldiers.

Kana said,"Not yet."

The wagon rolled onward.

Closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Kana could practically feel them now. The hidden soldiers were everywhere. Some only a few dozen paces away. Their breathing had changed. Muscles tightening. Hands gripping weapons.

Waiting for the perfect moment.

Kana stood. The movement alone made everyone inside tense.

Then she spoke."Now!"

The command exploded through the wagon.

Everything happened at once.

The wagons halted. Knights jumped down before the wheels had fully stopped turning.

Scrolls flew through the air. One after another. The hidden soldiers reacted immediately.

Some rose from the sand. Others attempted to retreat.

Most simply stared in confusion. Then the scrolls activated. Light erupted across the desert. The darkness vanished. For a single breathtaking moment, night became day.

Brilliant white radiance flooded the dunes. The ambushers were exposed.

Hundreds of them. Men crouched behind the hills of dunes. Men buried beneath sand. Every hiding place suddenly laid bare beneath artificial sunlight.

A wave of panic swept through their ranks. And Suri smiled. She leaped onto the wagon roof. Staff in hand. Eyes closed. The wind tugged at her hair as she stood perfectly still.

Around her, illusions had already spread through the battlefield long before the enemy realized they were there.

Rose. Artin. The students. The knights.

All positioned themselves around her. Protecting her. Guarding the most probably precious person on the battlefield.

Suri slowly raised her staff. The world seemed to hold its breath. Then countless blades began appearing overhead.

One. Ten. Hundreds. Then thousands.

Thin weapons materialized from nothingness itself. Floating silently beneath the moon. Glittering beneath the artificial sunlight. An ocean of steel suspended above the desert. The men who lurked almost everywhere finally understood what was happening but it was too late.

Suri's voice drifted across the battlefield. Almost gentle. "[Phantasm Creation]."

The blades fell. The sky became a storm. Screams erupted instantly. Hundreds of blades descended like divine punishment, tearing through formations, armor, flesh, and sand alike.

Men shouted. Men ran. Men died. Blood sprayed across glowing dunes. Bodies collapsed.

The neat ambush dissolved into chaos. The sounds became unbearable.

Cries of pain.

Cries for help.

Cries from those who realized they weren't going to survive.

Even seasoned knights flinched. Chelle covered her ears. Her face had gone pale. The screams seemed to come from every direction at once. Yet atop the wagon, Suri remained completely focused.

Her eyes never opened. Her breathing never changed. More blades formed. More targets were selected. More deaths followed.

Kana found herself observing her friend.

Listening. Not to the battlefield but to Suri.

To her heartbeat.

To her breathing.

To the tiny changes inside her body.

There was none. There was no hesitation. Only extreme concentration. As if she were solving a difficult puzzle instead of ending lives. Kana had always known Suri was different. Everyone knew. The girl laughed at strange things. Saw the world through peculiar eyes.

But watching her now...

Watching her calmly slaughter hundreds while remaining completely untroubled by the screams...

Kana wasn't sure what she felt.

Proud? Concern? Fear?

Perhaps all three. The illuminated battlefield below had become a nightmare of steel, blood, and panic.

And at the center of it stood Suri. Small. Fragile-looking. Staff raised toward the heavens. Looking less like a student and more like a disaster that had learned how to smile.

Post note:

The cold blooded title goes to Suri. I guess?

1st chap of the week.

Hope you enjoy the chap! 🙂

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