Chapter 30: Ambush
The art of assassination is a silent, deadly, and unique specialty among other combat arts. The most skilled assassins are capable of killing with a single strike and disappearing like the wind. It is extremely difficult to master, as completely erasing one's presence is like being dead and even vanishing entirely. Every living being has vital energy emanating from their body; it is the law of life—every creature must exert something during its existence. To completely erase your presence is another level of assassination. No one can hear your breath, not even the sound of your own heartbeat; you can even forget your own existence...
This is what defines a high-level assassin, but achieving such a feat is impossible—even professionals have small, unavoidable flaws...
Beatrice, hidden in a dark corner, watched the three demons wandering with vacant eyes. Her eyes were also empty, betraying no hint of murderous intent, as if she were merely observing a sweet rabbit in the forest. The art of assassination is also about deceiving the enemy and oneself—keeping your emotions from clouding your judgment and acting normally. Simply act normal, as if you were never really thinking of killing... just be a blank slate...
Beatrice wasn't particularly skilled in suppressing her bloodlust; a small trace of it leaked out, though it was undetectable to the demons...
The gleam of her daggers melded with the darkness as she patiently waited for the right moment—the exact second when she could strike and retreat without being discovered. The art of assassination also demands extreme patience...
The three demons openly displayed their dark auras. Demons are known for being arrogant about their auras, manifesting them with pride and joy, as if to suggest they are easy prey. It is known that in the demonic world, aura is of great importance if you want to survive; it's like a status among them...
Beatrice bent her knees slightly, the blades of her daggers taking on a faint green hue... closing her eyes, she sighed...
Slashhh!!! Slashhh!!! Slashhh!!!
Her dagger moved as if it had a life of its own. Beatrice's figure seemed like mere traces left behind... she was simply too fast for normal sight... the two daggers in her hands were covered in black blood... heavy drops fell to the ground... the three heads also fell to the ground... but if anyone had witnessed the slaughter of the three demons, they would have rubbed their ears in disbelief at hearing nothing. In fact, if they concentrated on listening, they would have heard nothing but the wind, the fall of small stones, and the whistle of the air... the entire place was in complete silence...
Beatrice's figure vanished again... as if she had never been there, the demon corpses twitched slightly... shortly after, a hole formed beneath their bodies... which swallowed them in complete silence...
In this way, Beatrice and Adrián slipped away silently, delving deeper into the mall...
****
"In section A26, seven steps ahead, there are four stores. In sections A25 and A30, you can see shiny objects, but also, by the hallways in the middle of a small fountain, there are demons standing completely still... in a quick estimate, there are more than 15 demons throughout this hallway," Sandra reported with serious eyes on what she managed to see during her exploration behind the mall. Sandra had beautiful golden-blond hair that reached down her back, and her skin-colored eyes shone with concern as she looked deeply at Daniela...
"We still haven't been able to find anything useful that's absolutely necessary. We've only found some pots in poor condition and utensils that can be used, as well as some construction tools..." Cristian also reported on what he had found and stored in his dimensional pocket, handing a paper with more specific details to Daniela... Cristian had slightly short yellow hair with pale tones and black eyes.
She nodded silently... "Any reports on other enemy classes, Zion?" Zion, with a serious expression, nodded somberly, his black eyes and brown hair reflecting his mood: "I found dead demon bodies seven kilometers northwest of the mall, northwest of our position..."
"Northwest," Daniela pursed her lips. The first class was located to the north; we have no idea where the other classes have established themselves, but they have likely formed a circle around the mall...
"Keep up the good work, you can withdraw," Daniela nodded to her companions. The three nodded and disappeared into the undergrowth...
The exploration operation continued for 2 hours, although we haven't found much, something is better than nothing. But most importantly, there hasn't been any class battle yet. All the leaders must be thinking the same way—fighting in the mall is quite stupid and risky, not only because of the students but also because of the demons...
BOOOMM!!!! BOOOOM!!!
The unsettling silence was shattered completely, replaced by a great plume of fire rising high into the sky as if a meteor had fallen. The shroud of darkness was entirely consumed by the flames as the fire began to spread toward the mall like a beast...
BOOMMM!!!
Another great explosion came from the other side of the mall...
BOMMM!!!
And then another... Daniela's complexion paled, her golden eyes widened, five figures ran through the flames, heading in each of the directions where the explosions had originated, making a total of 15. The three groups of students that entered the mall were from the three classes...
"It's a trap!" Hearing Elías's shout, Daniela quickly turned towards him, quickly descending from the tree. "What's the situation?"
"Classes five, four, and three have joined forces! The three classes have targeted our class!" Elías sighed wearily... his silver armor had slight cuts and dents. "We were ambushed," he clenched his fists... "Kara had to retreat due to severe injuries, and the others are scattered at the entrances where our comrades entered. We need to warn them!"
Daniela didn't waste time talking, running alongside Elías, her mind also working at maximum speed while a dark thought crossed her mind...