Master Assassin of the Ronan

Chapter 10: The First Test (4)

Before reaching the venue, Rubin encountered an unexpected incident—a “surprise attack.”

Rubin was heading toward the venue at a fast pace.

It was a “moderately” fast speed.

He could have moved three times faster using Dark Ripple, but he intentionally chose not to.

Displaying just decent agility for a nine-year-old from the Assassin Blade Family—any more would have drawn unnecessary attention, and this level was sufficient.

In various spots around the test site, retainers from each family of the Assassin Blade Family lay hidden.

Through these retainers, every situation in the test site would be relayed without exception.

Of course, other children likely wouldn’t notice the hidden retainers.

Most of them hadn’t yet awakened the Dark Ripple within their bodies.

Even Kun, said to be a prodigy, had only awakened Dark Ripple to a faint extent.

However, Rubin was different.

With his Dark Ripple spread wide, he could sense where the retainers were hiding to observe the test. His mastery level of Dark Ripple might still be lower than theirs, but his skill in wielding it far surpassed them.

Yet, he didn’t reveal this openly. Displaying all he had gained since his regression wouldn’t be wise. Being classified as a threat this early would be a mistake.

“The Emperor desires exceptional talent, not dangerous talent.”

Just as Rubin thought this, something aggressive entered his Dark Ripple’s range.

“Fast.”

The distance closed sharply.

As an unidentified figure shot out of an alley and stretched an arm aiming for Rubin’s head—

Whoosh.

The anticipated attack was sensed the moment it moved.

Rubin twisted his waist, smoothly evading the oncoming fist.

In that instant, he could see the face of the girl who had attempted the ambush fill with confusion. Her eyes widened, and her lips trembled.

“Wasn’t she from the Kunitli Family?”

The only daughter of the Kunitli Family, Hamil Kunitli.

Hamil was a hard-won child for the head of the Kunitli Family.

Without her birth, the Assassin Blade Family might have disappeared without an heir.

Fortunately, Hamil was clever and remarkably skilled.

Before his regression, in the “First Selection,” she had ranked second.

Just after Kun, who took the top spot by a large margin.

At that time, Rubin’s score had been a mere fourth, achieved only by luck.

“It’s been a while.”

They hadn’t been able to speak atop Grand Bird.

They were before the Imperial Emblem, with many children’s eyes also on them.

Ambush and evasion.

Though the situation was hostile, this brief clash could still be considered a reunion for Rubin.

Years later, the Kunitli Family would lose their cherished Hamil on the day she undertook her first mission.

It was more due to a lack of experience than a lack of talent.

Furthermore…

“The information provided by the Imperial Emblem had too many gaps.”

The poison had been entirely unexpected.

If the Imperial Emblem had only given prior information about the poison, Hamil could have survived.

Struggling against the poison, Hamil ultimately couldn’t break through the siege.

The news of a talented young member killed by dozens of arrows and spears had shocked me in many ways at the time.

Tap-tap.

Rubin, having evaded the ambush, distanced himself and faced Hamil from afar.

He could easily lose her by speed alone. Overpowering her was also within reach.

Yet, he thought it might be nice to chat briefly, given it had been a while. Sensing Rubin’s thoughts, Hamil’s fierce demeanor softened slightly.

“Master Rubin, you’re impressive.”

“Hamil Kunitli. From where were you aiming for me?”

“You know my name? I wasn’t specifically targeting you. I was planning an ambush on anyone. I didn’t expect you’d avoid it so easily.”

Hamil took a deep breath, then resumed her attacking stance.

“Still at ease, are you?”

Hamil asked Rubin, who silently stared at her.

With no threat felt, there was no reason not to be at ease.

Instead of replying, Rubin used Dark Ripple to sense his surroundings.

The locations of the hidden retainers were immediately identified.

Four of them.

Around the narrow alley where Rubin and Hamil were facing off, four retainers were recording the situation of the test.

Considering five retainers were assigned to the year’s most promising participants, it was quite a number.

A single misstep could draw the Imperial Emblem’s attention.

“Still, it should be fine over there.”

There was a blind spot in the formation where the retainers had scattered and concealed themselves.

According to Rubin’s calculations, this was the only spot where he could escape the retainers’ line of sight.

“You’re not planning to let me go, are you?”

“If I could eliminate a main family participant, it would be my lifelong honor.”

“Fine. I won’t hold back, then.”

Tap-tap.

However, contrary to his words, Rubin hurriedly took off. Hamil, who had been preparing for the next attack, smirked and gave chase.

Ducking and weaving through each turn in the alley, Rubin moved in a way that left Hamil on edge, just out of reach.

“Hah, hah… Your stamina is impressive.”

A dead-end alley.

Unaware she’d been lured in, Hamil panted heavily.

Facing the wall, Rubin turned to her with a relaxed expression.

“Ready to fight?”

“Of course.”

Rubin spread his arms, inviting her attack.

While still maintaining respect for the Ronan Family, Hamil was spurred on by Rubin’s composed attitude.

“Haah!”

As Hamil charged, eyes blazing, Rubin smiled.

Attacks with so much emotion were easy to avoid.

Swish.

With a swift dodge, Rubin’s movement brought the brief melee between them to a close without a clear victor.

“……”

Though she didn’t show it, Hamil was startled.

She had indeed missed Rubin’s movement for a brief moment. Nevertheless, she quickly took her stance for a second attack.

Rubin also held his guard.

“Let’s start by deflecting her attack again.”

“Haah!”

As Hamil charged again, Rubin jumped up from the ground, sidestepping, and lightly tapped her shoulder, causing her to lose her balance and stumble.

“……?!”

When her successive attacks failed again just like before, Hamil’s face filled with confusion once more.

And at that moment, Rubin, who had leapt into the air, twisted his body mid-rotation and headed back down to the ground.

It was an uncanny level of agility.

Hamil couldn’t comprehend the situation that had unfolded in an instant. Rubin landed lightly in front of her and extended his arm.

With a quick strike, Hamil was pushed back and tumbled away.

“Are you alright? Come on, get up.”

Rubin offered his hand.

He bore no hostility toward Hamil.

Unlike with Kun a year ago, there was no need to use Dark Ripple to instill fear, nor any need to attack a downed opponent.

And Hamil felt the same way.

“I still don’t understand what just happened. I thought you were jumping back after stepping on my shoulder, but somehow you ended up in front of me…?”

It was pure admiration, devoid of rivalry. However, Hamil didn’t take Rubin’s hand. Instead, she asked an unexpected question.

“Master Rubin, what color powder did you sprinkle on yourself at the start of the test? Yellow? Blue? Or brown?”

“Why do you ask?”

At that, the tension in Hamil’s shoulders visibly dropped.

“To be honest, I admire you, Master. Regardless of other things, I thought that at least in terms of speed, I’d be the best.”

“And?”

“All Kunitlis respect the strong. You deserve a better score than me, Master. If you tell me the color of your powder, I can divert your Ghost Rat for you.”

Rubin stared quietly into Hamil’s eyes.

Though he was observing to uncover the truth, he soon gave up.

True, even in his past life, Hamil had respected and followed the strong.

It wasn’t part of Rubin’s original plan, but joining forces with Hamil wasn’t necessarily a bad option.

Rubin extended his hand and said,

“Brown.”

“So it was brown. Phew, that’s a relief.”

While sitting on the ground and supporting herself with one hand, Hamil’s other hand moved slightly.

For a moment, Rubin thought she might launch another attack, but that wasn’t it.

Hamil reached into one of her pockets, pulled something out, and tossed it toward Rubin.

Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak!

“Ghost Rat?”

The Ghost Rat darting toward Rubin filled his view.

Not just one, but two of them.

In an instant, Rubin realized her plan.

According to the test rules, each participant was tracked by five Ghost Rat.

These creatures responded to the special powder sprinkled by the participants at the test’s start.

“So that’s why she asked about the powder color.”

To anyone who wasn’t the designated target, Ghost Rat were just ordinary mice.

“I didn’t expect her to carry Ghost Rat in her pocket.”

Hamil had been carrying Ghost Rat she captured in her pocket, using them like a tracker.

Whenever the Ghost Rat reacted with excitement, she would realize that another participant was nearby.

Although she hadn’t known at first which color powder the Ghost Rat would respond to, she must have confirmed it through Rubin.

The Ghost Rat were likely what helped her set up the ambush.

Squeak-squeak, squeak-squeak!

The furious Ghost Rat moved so quickly that it was hard to follow them with the naked eye as they targeted Rubin’s back.

And then there was Hamil, too.

Seizing the moment Rubin was occupied with warding off the Ghost Rat, Hamil made another attempt to attack.

Although somewhat rough, her battle techniques were swift and cunning.

“Not only using the Ghost Rat as trackers but as weapons as well.”

But it wasn’t a good time to be admiring Hamil’s cleverness.

If the ribbon on his back was torn by the Ghost Rat, he’d be disqualified.

Though only nine years old, they were still the promising talents of the Assassin Blade Family.

Such resourcefulness was to be expected.

Moreover, wasn’t Hamil the runner-up of this round?

“I let my guard down.”

The two Ghost Rat charged with a wild and ferocious force.

Despite her attacks missing, Hamil’s strikes were becoming sharper.

One way or another, Rubin had to evade both and wait for an opening.

He twisted his body with all his strength.

“Uh…what?”

To Hamil, it was a fleeting moment.

In that brief instant, she was met with nothing but an afterimage of Rubin.

In that moment of no awareness, a sharp resonance, like a nail driven into ice, struck straight down her center.

“Aagh!”

With that, Hamil lost consciousness.

And a short while later.

“…What happened?”

Looking around, Rubin was nowhere to be seen.

Even the two Ghost Rat meant to track him lay unconscious beside her.

“……?”

She couldn’t understand.

There had been a flash of something.

Now, upon regaining consciousness, everything had gone quiet.

Though she couldn’t comprehend it, one thing was clear.

The gap in skill between her and Rubin.

A gap so vast that its end couldn’t be seen.

“That movement… I couldn’t keep up at all.”

Hamil had no choice but to acknowledge her defeat.

“Hah.”

She exhaled deeply.

“I’d been told that people from the main family are all show and would be nothing special during the test.”

What she had known was so different from reality.

While putting the two unconscious Ghost Rat back into her pocket, Hamil was startled by something in her pocket.

“What is this?”

It was an unusual flower with black and red leaves intertwined—a Trumbel Flower, the symbolic flower of this city.

Gazing intently at the Trumbel Flower, Hamil tried to deduce Rubin’s intent.

“What could he mean by giving me this?”

Then, a thought flashed through her mind.

“Ah, this… maybe?”

The Trumbel Flower’s meaning was “silence.”

Hamil already knew the answer to the Examiner’s riddle, “You, who disappear when your name is called,” was silence.

But there’s no way he left it just to convey that answer.

Surely, there was more to it.

“Does this mean the target is connected to this flower? Or, rather…”

Why is he helping me?

Little did Hamil know, this was also part of Rubin’s victory plan.