Shadow of the Abyss

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Inspector Lue was not pleased for once more: this boy, this child, was across from him, with the gall to smile.

"Inspector…" Altair began.

"Just stop. I don't want to hear it," Lue said, slumping into his chair, tired. The week had just begun, and yet here he was again. "Death seems to follow you like nats on shit. Cameras were deactivated, yet everyone is claiming the same thing after your illegal duel. Ron Thevel'mo ate his bullet.

Is that your story, too?"

"Well… I'm afraid it is." Altair said with a wry smile. "That's because it is true," he said.

"Yes… Which is why I'm surprised that Hilda… your enemy is also backing your—"

"Enemy?" Altair interrupted. " Sure, we might not be on good terms, but don't you think claiming she's an enemy is a bit on the extreme side?"

Lue narrowed his eyes. "Let me finish," he said, lifting a new set of files. "And if that wasn't enough. An officer, a young lordling, is missing. I'm sure you know him. Ensign Logan Drarc."

Altair tilted his head, touching his chin. "I can't say I do."

"Need I remind you, Altair, You are under a truth field." Instspetor Lue slapped the open file over the desk, and a small picture frame of Logan slid out. "So don't—"

"Oh, this guy! I remember now. Yeah, that's that idiot who was bullying some kid beside my quarters. Inspector… Are you stalking me? I should really deactivate that camera beside my quarters."

"Everyone who seems to attack you keeps dying or keeps going missing Altair. What the hell do you make of this? It's suspicious."

"It's substantial at best and a coincidental at the most," Altair said with a recognizable teasing tone.

"Altair… did you kill Logan?"

"Of course not. I'm not a killer… OK, I am a killer, but I've not once placed my hands on that fool." Altair attested. "I swear to the Heavens."

'Master is going to hell,' Jorm muttered.

Kirr only giggled. " Master isn't lying, though. He just gave the order."

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"THEN WHY DO PEOPLE KEEP DYING AROUND YOU!" Inspector Lue roared, losing what little patience he had left. 'All the evidence point…"

'Circumstantial evidence,' Altair had to say, trying to hold back his smile. He was enjoying this, more so than he liked to admit. But Lue's expression was simply too cute for him not to tease.

Lue gritted his teeth. " It all points to you. You are the only man who would benefit from seeing these people dead. Seven Men mysteriously died in their dorms. Next was Jor, and now Logan is missing, and Ron ate a bullet. The bodies keep lining up around you."

"A coincidence"

"YOU SON OF—"

Kicking the door, Iliana sighed. "Let's go, Altair. I've little patience for this shit. If you two want to interrogate my disciple, then find some conclusive evidence."

"So there were two of you here. I knew I sensed someone." Altair grinned. He glanced towards a dark corner and smirked before walking behind his Master.

Iliana snorted with a tsk and left with her disciple.

When they made it outside, Iliana looked at him. " You seem to have inherited the ability to annoy people from your father. Did you have to antagonize that man?"

"He was so cute. I had to." Altair chuckled, "Plus, I wanted to see how much they connected to me. That lue is good. Although, I had nothing to do with Jor. That said… Hilda. She backed my story.

"

"Oh?!" Iliana's brow lifted as her silvery hair fluttered. "Why?"

"I thought she was playing stupid when she claimed I killed Jor… but what if she really believes that?" Altair said aloud, scanning his surroundings. "I'm beginning to think she wasn't the one who killed Jor. Rather, it was someone else… some within the same rank or higher."

[Divine Sin, Archeon can taste a scheme in the air.]

"So do I," The Prince darkly mused, smiling. "I think I'm going to have to investigate on my own. Of course, after we train."

Iliana shrugged. "I don't care. I only get involved when a god breaches the Shadow Proclamation." She said, bored, unsure why she was given such a monotonous assignment. "Whatever. Before we continue… Let's get you a movement technique."

"Oh! You are going to teach me something. I thought you—"

"Your arm is bloodied." She pointed out to the sliver of blood over his white uniform, where Ron grazed. "Had you had a movement technique, you wouldn't have been shot." She rubbed her temple, thinking of a way to formulate her words.

"... Is this your first time teaching?" Altair inquired.

"I'm used to killing… to destroying. Not this." Iliana admitted with a bitter sigh."Anyway, do you know what movement techniques are?"

"Techniques that are used to help you escape or dodge attacks."

"Wrong." She said. " they are techniques to maximize the body's full capabilities. Right now, you are only able to maximize ten percent of your full speed. And that's by running at full speed in a straight line. Movement Techniques ensures you use 100% of your dexterity and then boost it based on mana output.

When you learn swordsmanship, you synchronize the full output of Str, Dex, Wis, and Con into a single point of versatility. That's what makes your sword dangerous. And why you can combat people who are usually stronger than you."

Realizing more of his combat prowess, the young Lord flashed Iliana a bright smile. "Master, you're not so bad at teaching."

"And as long as you are not good at dying, then we should have no issue. Your father was like a cockroach. I hope the same thing of you."

"Was that a compliment?"

"Hmmm~"

"Is Master warming up to me?" the Prince teased.

"Enough, Go get Ren. She's been cooped up in her alchemy for too long. She needs training." Iliana commanded, walking away. "I'll be on the beach."

"No need for that… I'll have Talia do it," Altair said, jogging after her.

Marching past the wall into the dense bushes of the nearby jungle to a secluded area, Altair began to frown the longer he followed after his Master. The sounds of mosquitoes and cicadas had died, along with the rustle of the winds. Even the sounds of his footsteps seem to echo silence.

"Enough…" The Prince shouted, sending an emergency message to Talia. " Show yourself."

Slowly, from the nearby trees ten meters away, Altair saw two men step out, draped in all black with a bandit cloth around their nose and mouth as if to mask their appearance.

"Could you not afford a real mask?" Altair inquired, wondering if they knew that facial recognition software existed.

[Ding]

[Name: Lee - Fifth Circle]

[Name: Devos - Third Circle]

Altair's brow scrunched up at the sight of the Fifth Circle before him, and his gaze swayed towards the third circle.

"Make it quick. I'll handle the woman." Lee said, flickering towards Iliana in a blinding flash, cutting his sword towards her. But with a sudden wisk of light, they were both gone from Altair's sight, leaving only the rustle of the winds in their absence.

Devos silently glared at Altair before vanishing in a series of mysterious steps. He was upon Altair in a blink of an eye, covering ten meters in less than half a breath, his blade pierced forth.

Unable to pivot off his feet in time, Altair's body lost its source of heat as his instincts screamed, reacting before his mind could keep up with him.

[Superior Instincts[D] Proficiency has Increased by 3%]

Proficiency: 95 →100%

Shadow Cage

Infernal Bane

Pausing the blade touching his throat with the tendrils of darkness that sprang out from the misty void, Altair invoked a dueling chant, conjuring two Blades of Torment above the assassin's head, and lept back all in a single breath.

[Devos has been inflicted with Infernal Bane]

[50% Reduction to all Stats]

A storm of agonizing screams thundered from the assassin, tearing at the killer's throat when a bow emerged in the Prince's palm. Followed by several flaming black arrows that fired off in quick succession.

Eruptions shook the ground as Altair kicked off his feet in retreat. His finger danced in quick succession, laying a rune trap before the dust settled. He nocked his Hunting Bow, sensing the assassin, along with the gruesome screams radiating from the torment inflicted by Infernal Bane.

Altair sucked in a hoarse breath, unwilling to show his Shadows. He wasn't sure if more assassins were around, and the element of surprise was key to survival, he told himself, gritting his teeth.

'Escaping isn't an option. I'm sure this bastard is still faster." Altair thought, secretly conjuring his Grimore beneath his clothing alongside seven of his Dark Moon Blades.

"BASTARD!!!" Devos roared, erupting in a tsunami of mana, as webs of smoldering black veins marred his face from his tormented expression. Battered by injuries that scarred his flesh. A thin veil of dark mana sprang up from his pores, cloaking his body and weapon.

'Shit… Is that an enhancement or a unique skill?' The Prince asked himself.

"Die!" Devos howled, slashing at Altair. Awe filled the young Lord's eyes as he witnessed the assassin's sword ignore the laws of space. Blood instantly whipped over the Prince, following the ripples of Almighty Resistance, absorbing as much power as it could. Altair staggered back and gritted his teeth as the pain shot into his mind. A bone-deep scar appeared over his chest.

*Badum*Badum*Badum

Blood lust filled the Eye of Sacrilege as Altair shot forward like an arrow toward Devos, bearing the pain with madness in his eyes. Separating his hunting bow into two scimitars. Seven Dark moon blades shattered the sound barrier, arriving first in a gale of sword light.

"SHIT~" Howled the assassin, pushed on the defensive in a single stroke. Shrieks of injuries fluttered his body in less than a heartbeat before the Prince arrived in his blind spot.

Devos felt a chill race down his spine as he pivoted off his feet to dodge, parrying Altair's seven moon blades. However, just as he made it into the air with his movement technique, Devos felt his mind stilled with the blanketing of Night as Altair's sword shuddered with two arcs of pure darkness.

Grave of Night, Second Stance: Severing Edge

Sword light shrouded in a brilliance beyond the endless dawn severed the light as though it were tangible.

By the time Devos could react, much less think, two halves of his body slipped from each other as Altair's sword arced, vibrating to such a frequency it roared, peeling the bark off trees, withering the grass to dust. The sword light shrieked through the air, cutting the domain of silence like hot butter. Returning sound once more to the blood-stained beaches.

[Devos Felled. Exp Gained]

"I… I know there are more of you out there." The Prince hissed, feeling his killing intent begin to scorch his skin. A fire bore itself in his heart as he grinned, ignoring the bone-chilling wound on his chest.

And from the various trees and bushes, three third-circle warriors stepped out.

Altair grimly chuckled, parted his legs, and lifted his scimitars into his next stance.

Grave of Night, Third Stance: Devouring Night