Chapter 56 – Killing

Sneering coldly as he watched the Stalkers vanish into the Shadow Plane, Punk sensed the Revealing Dust spreading through the air, dyeing every leaf in its vicinity a brilliant gold. Transcending spatial and dimensional barriers, the dust coated the two enemies like fluorescent powder, marking their positions with glaring visibility.

A cruel smile ghosted across Punk’s icy, expressionless face.

“So, you’ve gravely underestimated a prepared mage!”

In his hand, a palm-sized gray sphere pulsed with ominous energy, bobbing gently. Now, all that remained was to wait two seconds for the two pitiful Stalkers to reappear.

In reality, they didn’t even last the full two seconds. Unable to withstand the erosion of shadow energy, the Stalkers were forcibly expelled from the Shadow Plane. But now… their bodies were covered in a thick layer of glittering golden powder. The stubbornly clinging Revealing Dust made the two lithe, tight-clad young women stand out starkly against the deep night, rendering the ubiquitous shadows useless for concealment.

The instant one of the Stalkers materialized in the real world, Punk mercilessly cast a Harm Spell directly at her head.

With her position exposed, the Stalker had no chance to evade. Desperately, she gathered as much shadow energy as she could, wrapping it around her upper body in a futile defense.

Strictly speaking, even though shadow energy wasn’t suited for defense, the protective barrier she mustered far exceeded that of the ogre Punk had encountered before. But her efforts were doomed. The destructive power of an Apprentice-Level Harm Spell vastly surpassed that of the Apprentice Rank Minor Harm Spell. Even a warrior with formidable Battle Aura would be severely wounded if struck head-on by a Harm Spell. For a Stalker to take such a direct hit… the outcome was truly a “sight to grieve the heart and bring tears to the eyes.”

As a dense web of gray light flashed through the air, the Stalker’s entire upper body disintegrated into scattered flesh chunks no larger than a centimeter. Gushing blood drenched her still-standing lower half, painting it crimson in the quiet night—a horrifying spectacle.

The other Stalker froze for a moment, staring as her companion turned into a bloody pulp beside her… Two clear trails of tears slowly traced down her cheeks, glistening under the glow of the golden dust enveloping her. Then, her expression twisted into one of venomous hatred, her eyes gleaming with a feral green light like a lone wolf abandoned by the world.

“Bastard!! I! Will! Kill! You!”

Knowing that hiding was pointless, she channeled all her shadow energy into the two sharp daggers in her hands. Her pointed nails dug deep into her palms from the strain, drops of crimson blood trickling down the dark green blades.

She said no more—there was nothing left to say. Her eyes became utterly lifeless, for nothing numbs the heart like utter despair. Now, her heart was dead. Dealing whatever damage she could to her enemy in her final moments was her last remaining wish.Disregarding all physical strain, the shadow energy erupted in a burst of acceleration. The Stalker lunged at Punk like a venomous snake that had severed its own tail—in the sharpest, deadliest manner possible. The two daggers in her hands were dyed pitch-black by the dense shadows, nearly blending into the night. Their blades, reflecting no light, seemed to harbor a darkness and terror capable of devouring everything!

“Break—for me!!!”

With a hoarse roar fueled by the Stalker girl’s utmost effort, her skill “Shadow Rush,” driven by burning her life force, overloaded and erupted. To inflict the greatest possible harm on Punk, the enemy no longer cared whether she would survive this attack. This was the ultimate creed that an “assassin” upheld throughout their life—succeed or die! Transforming herself into a blade in the darkness, she thrust forward alongside her daggers, aiming straight for the target’s chest!

“Facing death, instead of fleeing, you still dare to boast?”

Punk coldly watched as the Stalker girl, still emanating a golden glow, slammed her daggers fiercely against his Mage Armor. The friction of energies screeched like the piercing wail of a dying beast. Fragments of shadow energy, mingled with blue mana shards, splattered wildly from the point of contact between the daggers and the protective shield. Under the ravages of the violent energy tide, the ground beneath them cracked and shattered, while intense flashes of light illuminated a small patch of forest.

Through the translucent Mage Armor, Punk felt both anger and amusement for the first time since arriving in the Multiverse.

Just three days ago, this very individual had ambushed him, arrogantly vowing, “I will absolutely not fail again!”

Just moments ago, these two “sisters” had killed the last two soldiers right before his eyes!

And now, he had merely done what any adversary would consider perfectly normal—eliminating the enemy! Yet this Little Girl acted as if he were some irredeemable villain. Was she the only one allowed to kill others’ companions, while no one could touch hers? Since when did such a logic exist in this world! Even if it did, it would have to be backed by strength!

“What right does a powerless waste like you have to act like some righteous ally? It’s utterly nauseating!”

Punk nearly snarled these last words under his breath.

No longer willing to wait for this “righteous ally” to pierce through the sturdy Mage Armor, the now somewhat enraged Punk deliberately destabilized the spell’s structure, causing it to explode outward. A powerful shockwave burst forth—a minor application he had devised for the Mage Armor spell. By injecting a high concentration of mana into the core before rupture, he exploited the tendency of the spell’s structure to release energy outward upon breaking, resulting in a violent shockwave that could repel or even send enemies flying.

Caught completely off guard, the Stalker girl lost her balance under the sudden energy impact. Though her relentless forward momentum kept her from being flung away, she still tumbled to the ground, her head spinning dizzily.The shadow skill, abruptly disrupted by a massive surge of wild external energy, violently backlashed with all its residual power. The shadow energy, mixed with the fragments of mana Punk deliberately detonated, uncontrollably ravaged her internal organs. Gushing blood mingled with shreds of viscera spilled from her mouth, half of her face drenched in her own blood, making the once-imposing Stalker appear utterly wretched!

Though her consciousness was already fading into a haze, the Stalker still fixed a hateful glare on the face beneath Punk’s hood. The flames of resentment and fury seemed to blaze from her eyes!

“It’s better for a fool who knows nothing of power and knowledge to refrain from boastful talk.”

Punk uttered this icy taunt with a frigid expression, while in his hand, a “Catapult Spell” aimed squarely at the enemy’s brow was already primed!

The Stalker girl, immobilized by the violent energy backlash, tried once more to grasp the dagger that had fallen beside her. But the blood coating the hilt caused it to slip again from her trembling hand!

In the end, the Stalker girl had to abandon the futile idea of retrieving her dagger. Instead, she mustered her last ounce of strength to prop up her grievously wounded body and, with a roar as furious and frenzied as a mortally wounded beast, screamed at Punk with all her rage:

“You killed Sister Ailianna! You killed my last family! I will make you pay! Absolutely! Absolutely! Absolutely! I will make you pay, ahhhhhhh!”

Punk gazed impassively at his hysterical foe, as though admiring an indescribable… “work of art”? Finally, he shook his head with utter calm and, without the slightest pause or hesitation, released the Catapult Spell in his hand!

(End of Chapter)