The fiery explosion from the downed helicopter seed to signal the man in the red demon mask to act. He rushed towards Daniel, blade still sheathed. As he entered Daniel's range, a flash of light erupted.
Clank! Slash!
But instead of the expected sound of flesh being cut, the assailant's blade was parried, and his right hand's tendons were severed.
The man showed no sign of pain, not even a grunt. He quickly switched the blade to his left hand as it fell, but the mont his left hand touched the hilt, another flash of the saber severed those tendons as well.
[Level 2: Player gains First Strike. Heals 2 points each ti the controller of this card deals damage]
Unfazed, the man in the red demon mask stomped on the ground, attempting to retreat. However, Daniel was determined to capture him, suspecting he was the leader of the operation. He aid for the assailant's feet and severed them.
With a wave of blade, Blood splattered as the man's feet were cut off, but he showed no pain. Using his stumps, he pushed himself backward, propelling his body off the highway and away from the barrier with enough force to land in the river below.
Daniel sprinted to the barrier and looked down, but the man had vanished into the river with a splash. Following him in the darkness was impossible, and his family still needed transportation, while Kim Yuna required dical attention. He turned back to his family.
"Is everyone alright?" Daniel asked. He saw that Envy had already tended to Kim Yuna and the driver, who were now asleep.
Envy nodded, and Koyuki watched over little Sylvana, who slept in her lap. At that mont, Mammon returned, carrying a black plastic bag that floated behind him. He placed it in front of Daniel, who opened it to reveal several heads inside. Daniel nodded at Mammon and tossed him a box containing Chromatic Philosopher's Stones.
"I'll owe you twenty Chromatic Philosopher's Stones. Just wait until I return to Sector Alpha City, and I'll pay you in full" Daniel said.
"Oh? I'll have you know that I want an 80% interest rate," Mammon declared, feeling a sense of superiority over Daniel for the first ti since he got his ass handed by Daniel.
Daniel glared at Mammon. "Don't push your luck too much, or I'll have you on a diet."
Mammon said nothing, simply shrugged, and returned to his cage, resuming his act as a normal iguana munching on his half eaten banana.
Daniel checked for the nearest Whispering Hall information hub and found a branch in Seoul. He imdiately called Albert. After a few rings, the call connected.
"My Lord, how may I help you?" Albert's voice answered from the other end.
"Can you send a VTOL from your nearest information hub in Seoul to pick us up? I don't know when the enemy's bounded field will disappear," Daniel requested.
"I'm already here, my lord," Albert replied.
At that mont, the quiet hum of an engine grew louder as a VTOL descended, declocking itself revealing its existence for all to see, lowering its ramp. Daniel's group boarded, along with a dic who ca to assist the injured that carried both Kim Yuna and the driver up into the VTOl for more care and check up.
The rescue team checked the van and found Kim Tae-sung still unconscious in the back, so they carried him out.
Daniel noticed the sword the masked man had used lying on the ground, not far from its scabbard. He rembered parrying it, but the blade had endured the strike from his adamantine saber. This was unusual, as adamantine was the strongest magic tal on Earth, nearly indestructible.
He picked up the sword and examined it. It was made of ordinary steel, crafted with an ancient technique. Not a technique like those used for Atlantean steel or other extraordinary tals, but a normal, ancient thod achievable by a skilled blacksmith without magic.
The sword appeared to be very old, yet it bore no signs of wear and tear. Either it had been ticulously maintained, or it was not as simple as it seed.
Daniel sheathed the sword and entered the VTOL.
After the VTOL crew cleared the area and secured the assailants, they took off, flying south towards the Kim estate.
— Kim Estate —
Upon reaching the Kim Estate, the VTOL landed on the designated helipad. Daniel disembarked with his family, and Koyuki imdiately took little Sylvana to bed, as the day had been both exciting and exhausting for the child.
Penthesilea followed suit, needing rest due to her pregnancy. Daniel wouldn't allow her to accompany him in resolving the day's events with the Kim family.
Michaela, still clad in her sacred armor with her four archangel wings furled behind her back, walked close behind Daniel, ready to protect him. Envy accompanied him into the Kim Estate alongside Albert's n, who carried the still-bound Kim Tae-sung into the main hall.
The Kim patriarch, having been inford by Daniel in advance, awaited their arrival. He was not surprised by the events that had transpired.
Albert's n placed Kim Tae-sung on the floor and untied him. Envy dispelled the sleep spell she had cast to prevent him from waking up and causing further trouble.
Seeing his youngest son sleeping soundly, Patriarch Kim massaged his temples and sighed. "So... what did he do this ti? Please tell , Mr. Emberweave," he requested.
Daniel smiled wryly and replied, "It's nothing major, Patriarch Kim. Just a minor inconvenience. Here's what happened." He then recounted the events, from the restaurant incident to the ambush on the highway.
After hearing everything, the Patriarch closed his eyes, trying to calm himself before opening them again.
"Soone take this idiot to his room! Tell him to et in the morning after he woke up," the Patriarch shouted to his staff. One of them quickly carried Kim Tae-sung away from the hall.
The Patriarch then turned to Daniel. "Can you take to see Yuna?"
"Of course, Patriarch. Please follow ," Daniel said, leading him back to the helipad.
Kim Yuna was currently resting in the VTOL's private infirmary, while the driver was recovering in the public area. Both of their legs had been reattached and were healing. Thankfully, Envy had cast healing spells to prevent infection, making the dic's job easier.
Patriarch Kim looked at his granddaughter with eyes filled with love and worry. He gently stroked her hair and let out a sigh.
"It's fortunate that it's only her leg," he said, as if trying to alleviate his sadness and frustration. "Even if she can't use the Kim family's sword arts anymore, it's a relief that she survived this ordeal."
He then turned to Daniel. "So... who are they, Mr. Emberweave?"
"That's what my people are currently trying to find out. Albert?" Daniel deferred to Albert, knowing his expertise in gathering information.
Albert nodded and stepped forward, consulting his tablet. "We are currently interrogating them, and we now know they are from the Mara Society."
"Mara Society!?" the Patriarch repeated, surprise and a hint of killing intent in his voice.
"Do you know who they are, Patriarch?" Daniel asked.
"They are an assassin group that appeared about seventeen years ago," the Patriarch explained. "I rember them well because they suddenly grew more powerful after my middle son's death. Worse, they seem to use the sa blade arts as our family, but their techniques are more ruthless.
They use the pain they receive from their enemies to amplify their slashes, channeling their enmity to kill their targets." He paused before continuing.
"They have the sa swift draw technique as us, but theirs can't cut steel like ours. However, even if they don't get attacked by their target, they can still kill them if the target is weaker or less skilled."
At this ti, Albert tilted his head as he looked at the tablet in his hand. "There is another interesting point that we found about them, My lord."
"Tell us" siad Daniel.
"It appears they were all equipped with failsafe chanisms to prevent interrogation and capture," Albert explained. "We discovered poison capsules in their lower molars. Additionally, we found magical insignias on their bodies that would trigger a self-poisoning spell if certain conditions weren't t.
However, neither of these failsafes worked, as their bodies had been pre-treated with an antidote, and the insignias malfunctioned for so reason."
"Are you suggesting that soone wanted us to capture them?" Daniel inquired.
"Yes, my lord," Albert confird.
"Continue your work, Albert. I expect a full report on what you can uncover about them by morning. Additionally, I'm giving you three days to locate their headquarters and seven days to find all their hideouts and safe houses. I've tolerated these people long enough. It's ti they learned not to bare their fangs at us. They will serve as an example," Daniel said coldly.
"As you wish, My lord." Daniel bowed with reverence, his body shaking with excitent.
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