I'll Take One Down with Me!

"I'll lure the strongest assassin while you take out the other one, can you do that?"

"I- I can, but that assassin is a Nightblade-rank assassin. At the very least, he's above level 40 and has learned more of the secret spell of our guild. Even though you're strong, taking him down will not be easy"

Blake and Tara are currently looking at the pub, making a plan of attack.

Earlier, he has already fixed his eyes on the assassin who was carrying Linthia with him. Using the Nocturnal Blood Sight skill, he was able to follow them quite effectively alongside Tara who was dead worried about Linthia.

Along the way, Blake saw more people heading toward the same location.

It was not hard for him to find out that these people were also assassins since they were wearing the same black outfit and also not taking the crowded road and preferred to be in the dark and move rather secretive.

Due to that, Blake decided to hunt these assassins down first.

Tara followed the assassin carrying Linthia while he takes care of the other assassins voluntarily, and through that, he managed to surprisingly reach level 31 as most of these assassins were level 20 and above.

Helping Tara to save Linthia turns out to always be the right move.

Maybe farming inside the dungeon would be equal or perhaps better, but he has spent hundreds if not thousands of hours farming inside dungeons in the MMORPG games he played before that the thought of going to the dungeon sickens him.

Compared to going to dungeon after dungeon, he prefers to do this instead.

At some point, he would need to go to dungeons as he would need materials to upgrade his gears, and dungeons are the perfect place for that. But this is the early game, he only needs to focus on leveling up.

Seeing that Tara is worried about him, Blake smiled in confidence.

"Don't worry about me, focus on saving Linthia. Even if I died, it wouldn't be a problem"

Unknown where he got the confidence from, he reaches out his hand to hold Tara's shoulder gently. She was about to rebut as if he died then it would definitely be a problem. But feeling his hand on her shoulder, the words were stuck in her mouth.

~

'I know that I'm trying to be cool back then. But seriously, this is fucking bad!'

Despite assuring Tara that he would be fine, he was also thinking that he could find a way beat BlueBlade with his skills. Somehow, he thought he could do it. But now that he's here, he seriously wanted to take those words back.

It's been more than five minutes, Blake spent the last five minutes running.

Much to make him pessimistic was the fact that BlueBlade could catch up to him despite already using Shadow Step numerous times already, he already burned a quarter of his mana using the Shadow Step repeatedly.

On the contrary, BlueBlade didn't use any skill and just ran.

"You can't keep this up for long! I'll eventually catch you, bastard!", BlueBlade shouted.

Seems like the display that Blake created earlier angered him as well as hurt his pride as an assassin, to actually be the receiving end of terror must hurt his ego deeply and incite this kind of anger.

Upon hearing this, Blake also agrees as he couldn't keep this up.

But a smile suddenly appeared on his face, 'Then again, who said that I need to fight him? I could just go to a crowded place and avoid this fight. As long as Linthia is saved, then the quest is finished and I would be fine'

Nodding his head, he takes a sharp turn in an alley and heads where the lights can be seen.

Despite the pouring rain that is quite heavy, some people are still probably around the market and he could use that to dissuade BlueBlade from doing anything reckless. If he gets there, then it will be over.

Noticing the sharp turn, BlueBlade gritted his teeth, he knows exactly what Blake is doing.

"I'm not going to let you! Shadow Warp!"

Splash!

Blake glanced over his shoulder before his eyes widened slightly finding that BlueBlade has disappeared, he couldn't find BlueBlade anywhere behind him, 'Where the fuck did he go now? I can't find him'

Just then, Salana who was running on top of the roof saw movement on the walls.

"Look at the walls! Blake, watch out!" Salana shouted.

Listening to the shout from Salana, Blake looks at the wall on his right and finds that there was a darker spot that is moving inside the wall. It was right then, a dagger came out of the wall.

Surprised by this, Blake wanted to dodge it but he was too slow.

Slash!

[- 2,000 HP]

[You have been inflicted with poison! -1% HP per second]

Albeit he managed to stop his forward momentum abruptly, the dagger ripped the Brown-furred Jacket and sliced open the skin on his chest. Blood splurted out, yet the attack didn't stop just there.

Glancing to his right, Blake finds chains coming out of the wall too alongside BlueBlade.

Not expecting any more attack than the first, Blake was entangled by the chains as his body was wrapped around by the chains tightly. The world in his vision spun for a moment, and before he knows it, he got slammed into the wall.

[-1,000 HP]

Blinking his eyes a couple of times, he finds that he was pinned to the wall.

Even though he wanted to break free, the chains were embedded onto the wall and he was clamped in between. Knowing that this is a bad spot to be in, he quickly added his unused attributable stats into his strength stat.

[Status Window]

Name: MoonDespoiler

Title: Supernatural Enigma (EX) - [2]

Class: Gladiator

Race: Spectral Vampire (EX)

Level: 31 (12,100 / 106,100)

Hp: 12,000 / 12,000 -> 13,500 / 16,500

Blood Reserve: 5,000 / 5,000

Mana: 1,360 / 1,580 -> 1,630 / 2,400

Strength: 77 -> 221 (+80)

Agility: 128 -> 266 (+95)

Vitality: 153 -> 333

Spirit: 111 -> 201

Intelligence: 46 -> 100 (+20)

Luck: 0

Defense: 225

Attributable Stat Points: 0

Attributable Class Skill Points: 20

Racial Skill Points: 20

Active Skill(s): Thrust (D), Shadowblood Manipulation (SSS), Phantasmal Shadow Phasing (S), Proxy of Blood (SS), Adaptable Mutation Lvl.1 (SSS), Shadow Step (A), Blood Lance (A), Colossal Slam (C)

Passive Skill(s): Gladiatorial Focus (D), Overlord of the Night (S), Shadow Dormancy (A), Nocturnal Blood Sight (SS), Inner Anathema Strengthening (S), Perfect Scythe Proficiency (S), Order of the Enigma (EX), Body Control Lvl. 2 (D), Basic Sword Proficiency (C), Battle Perception Lvl. 1 (C)

Gold Coins: 3,311 Silver Coins: 41 Bronze Coins: 57

Condition: Poisoned, Weakened.

Thanks to the increase, he was able to fight back the chains.

Despite that being the case, he was not fast enough as a cold sensation seeped into his neck. He looks down and finds a blue dagger already pinned against his throat. "Speak, which guild are you working for? How could you use shadow spells?!" BlueBlade snarled.

In response to this, Blake only smiled in defiance.

"A brat like you think that you could scare me? Don't make me laugh, I've seen worst" BlueBlade added angrily, pressing his blue dagger stronger and causing a drizzle of blood to run down Blake's neck that stubbornly stayed despite the rain. "I would normally take you back and torture you, but that would mean you can also use that time to find a way to escape and find a way to take revenge on me in the future"

Pausing for a second, a glint of fierceness appeared in BlueBlade's eyes.

"I'm not going to let that happen. I don't know why, but every fiber of my being is telling me to kill you so I'm going to trust them. Goodbye, little brat. Shadow Enhancement!" BlueBlade added before he pulled back the blue dagger to end Blake.

Swoosh!

Following that, the blue dagger blazes with malicious shadow energy.

Just as he trusted the blue dagger forward aiming at Blake's chest, BlueBlade suddenly widened his eyes seeing a spark flash across his eyes. It was then he realized that the blue dagger was blocked.

"W-What in the world are you?!" BlueBlade staggered back in absolute surprise.

Upon hearing this, Blake looks at him in confusion as he wasn't sure what BlueBlade was talking about. But then, he was also surprised when he saw a blood-red shadow, jutting from his own shadow which is the thing responsible for blocking BlueBlade's final attack.

It was not the first time Blake has seen this, he remembered seeing it back then.

During the first time he turned into the Spectral Vampire, he was also covered in this blood-red shadow. 'Is this the Shadowblood...? An exclusive power only to the Spectral Vampire? I know that I have the Shadowblood Manipulation skill, but I've never been able to properly use it'

Looking at the Shadowblood, Blake was mesmerized by it.

Although it was only his second time seeing the Shadowblood as he activated it unconsciously, he felt familiar with it, almost as if the Shadowblood is an extension of his own body.

"What's with that look, BlueBlade...?" Blake suddenly said with a menacing smile.

Seeing the blood-red shadow that is emitting weird and evil energy, BlueBlade stepped back even more as he was completely caught off guard by this. He points at Blake with quivering lips, "Y-You...? How did- You're not a human?!"

"Now, now, don't be scared of me. Didn't you say it earlier?" Blake replied cheekily.

Moving the Shadowblood out of his face and putting it back into his own shadow, he then makes strong eye contact with BlueBlade, "You said earlier that a brat like me couldn't scare you. But the expression you are wearing now... it's not very convincing"

Gritting his teeth, BlueBlade suppressed his fear and gripped his blue dagger tightly.

Deciding to attack again, he lunges forward but then saw Blake pointing his index finger towards him. It makes him pause for a second before suddenly, a whisper penetrated his ears.

"Blood Lance!"

Swoosh!

Not sparing anything, Blake uses every single Blood Reserve he has on that Blood Lance.

On top of that, the Overlord of the Night passive skill increases the speed of conjuring two blood lances as well as the power output it generated. In an instant, the blood lances shoot toward BlueBlade like bullets.

Miraculously, BlueBlade managed to block one blood lance with his blue dagger.

Although that is the case, the blue dagger shattered and he was still got hit two times on the stomach. BlueBlade's body got flung back and hits the wall behind him, creating a web-like crack due to the force of the blood lances.

It takes a huge chunk of his HP, he was very injured from that attack.

[-4,000 HP]

[-13,500 HP]

Looking at this, Blake commends BlueBlade, he was not a pushover and is quite strong, 'He must cast a buff on himself when he saw me pointing my finger at him, great instincts and reflex...'

Just as Blake was about to break free from the chains, a figure came from the side.

"Blake...?!

Upon hearing the familiar voice, Blake glanced to the side.

But his eyes soon widened when he finds Tara managed to reach them. However, her presence makes his eyes bulge, she shouldn't be here no matter what considering BlueBlade is way stronger than her.

"Tara?! What are you doing here? GO BACK!"

"I finished treating Linthia, and I can't stand you fighting alone" Tara replied stubbornly.

But as she said that, BlueBlade quickly points his hand towards Tara disregarding the pain he was suffering. A wicked smile appeared on his face, "If I'm going down here, then I'll take one down with me! Shadow Armament!"

Instantly after he cast that spell, a weapon shoots out from the wall.

Tara sensed an attack coming and her body froze, she was too slow to react to the attack.

"Wait! Don't do it! TARA!!"