Operation: Kill the Saintess [3]

Right as one of the four assassins who stepped forward was about to slash the paralyzed Lilia's neck, the window of the hotel room broke and a figure appeared from inside of it: Max.

The boy used his speed to dropkick the closest assassin in the face, thus sending him flying against the opposite wall, the crash strong enough to knock him out on the spot, and alert the four others who were now all ready to fight.

"The informants didn't tell us she hired some guy to protect her," Alexis roared, mad that his mission, which was flawless until the boy's appearance, was suddenly interrupted.

But they didn't know that Lilia had no idea who he was either.

'W-what...?' she hadn't collapsed from the stab, and she could see everything unfolding before her eyes, questions were running through her head: who was that mysterious boy and did he possibly come to... save her?

"DON'T STEAL OTHER PEOPLE'S TARGETS," Max shouted before pulling out his mythril dagger and before anyone could do anything, rushed towards one of the assassins and stabbed her weak point, which was visible thanks to the red line.

The woman immediately collapsed as her neck was hit, making it one less parasite that was ruining Max's assassination quest.

[Prepare for battle Host, no more surprise attacks now]

Max nodded, perfectly knowing that he was at a disadvantage, but it was now only a 3v1.

Not fair considering they were highly trained, but it didn't matter, it was either him or them now.

"You fucking BASTARD," Alexis shouted and without caring about his combat skills dashed towards Max, he was the leader, but it also meant he had the highest bond with his teammates, he wasn't emotionless like the other assassins, so seeing one of his companions killed before his eyes was infuriating.

Their blades clashed, Max's assassination ability showing just how strong it was at teaching basic combat skills, and thanks to it, he was able to match Alexis's pace.

But thanks to the different movements occurring before her, Lilia now had the opportunity to see the boy's face, which was shielded by his back previously.

And it was...?

'The guy that had that aura around him...?' she knew it wasn't a coincidence then and there, but could it be that she was wrong about his intentions, was he actually trying to save her from those people instead...?

Something deep inside Lilia's heart at that moment activated, it was an emotion she didn't know she had since she had always been alone to solve her problems, yet here she was, on the verge of death, relying on a stranger who was fighting for his life for her...

'Is this...?'

[My dear, don't think about such emotions right now, focus on finding a way to move]

Her divination was right, she couldn't just stand there and hope her savior would win.

Back to Max, he was keeping up with Alexis extremely well, enough for him to be able to talk to him.

"Why are you doing this," Alexis asked, "If it's money you're looking for, we can pay you ten times what she offered."

"Pfft~," Max chuckled, making fun of the man, "I don't want money haha"

"Very well, then it is time to end this."

The same man who had attacked Lilia from behind tried to initiate the same attack on Max, who was busy fighting their leader.

But unfortunately for them, not only could he detect him because of his perception skill, but the red line showing his weak point was still visible.

And so when he tried to stab him with the [paralysis] enhanced knife, Max stepped to the left at the last second, avoiding the blade before jumping in the air and using the [Double Jump] skill to punch the coward who tried to kill him from his back all while deflecting Alexis's dagger, giving him a few instants to counter-attack.

Using the increase in speed thanks to the [Double Jump] skill and his punch as hard as stone, he launched the man into the air, leading him to faze through the broken window and fall from the 8th floor of the hotel to his undeniable death.

[Two left, Host, these fools don't stand a chance]

"Heh, yeah," Max smiled, he was now in the lead, but it wasn't over yet.

Alexis and the other remaining assassin, whose name was Lisa, both charged at him at the same time, hoping to overwhelm him with numbers.

But Max was prepared, he pulled out his mythril dagger and engaged the two assassins in a three-way battle, the fight was intense, but he was holding up pretty well.

And that's when he decided to pull out something he had been hiding: the [paralysis] knife, he had taken it from the other assassin's hand without anybody noticing thanks to his speed, and hid it, but now he had the chance to use it.

And so, as the three were fighting, Max managed to grab Lisa's wrist and stab her with that knife.

"Gah-!" she fell to the ground, her body unable to move.

"Lisa-!" Alexis shouted, but it was too late, Max was now on top of her and used the [Mythril Dagger] to pierce her neck, killing her on the spot.

And just like, it was now a one-on-one battle, Alexis the only one of the gang still able to fight as three of his companions were dead, and the other was knocked out.

"So, it's just you and me now," Max said, he was the one in control now, almost making it feel like he was the bag guy.

[End him, Host]

Max nodded, and disappeared from Alexis's sight thanks to his immense speed, who was now shaken up from the turn the situation had taken: he was scared.

'What's happening? Who's that guy? Why is everything going like that?' so many questions, yet no answers.

And just like that, he felt a sharp pain coming from his leg, he looked down and saw that Max had cut his tendon, making it impossible for him to run away.

"What are you doing?! You bastard! Fight me!" he shouted, but Max ignored him, he was an assassin, and just as they had done with him, it was part of the job to expect surprise attacks.

And so, Alexis was forced to look up as Max jumped high into the air, his mythril dagger in hand, and before he could react, it pierced through his chest, leaving a hole in it.

"Y-you... fucking... monster...!" he gasped, then fell to the ground, dead.

Max stood above the corpse of the leader, smiling.