Chapter 26

A needle whizzed towards the girl standing behind me and I moved my head and clenched it firmly in between my teeth.

The needle vibrated as it tried to push through but I clamped down on it ans halted its movements.

"They've appeared." My partner said and I nodded as I flicked the needle with my tongue and sent it back in the direction it came.

Don't try this at home, kids!

I felt the needle hit something and I dropped my hands and abandoned the spatial repair and shot off in that direction.

As for Katarina, well, unless someone on my level was to come out, I doubt anyone would be able to kill her.

"There may be more than one out there. Be careful!" She called out behind me and I nodded before I realized she couldn't see me.

Well, she could just predict my reaction.

...

"Time to look for the other one." Right as the person who shot the needle made his move, Katarina sensed a faint burst of mana in the distance.

She focused her senses and swapped the space where she was and the one closest to the place and found herself in front of a robed figure similar to the one from earlier.

"Are you a reaper?" To her question, an axe attached to a chain flew at her and slammed into a barrier that she erected.

"You won't talk, huh." Katarina sighed as she expected this. Professionalism can be quite annoying at times.

"In that case..." Katarina prepared the magic that defeated her years ago and a formless wave appeared in her hands.

"Soul magic, Death Wail." She spread her hands and the robed figure collapsed as the person gripped their head in pain and pressed the sides as if trying to put it back together.

'Well, I know the feeling.' After all, she too was hit by the same magic and despite the strength of her soul, it still made her feel like dying.

"Now then..." She crouched down and removed the hood of the robe to reveal the face of an ordinary looking young adult male.

"... Time to find out who sent them." She took in a deep breath and casted a magic.

"Compound magic. Phase Ruler. Soul. Mind domination." 

Mind domination was a technique that forcefully pushed her ability to rule the mind of others to the point where it made her rule absolute.

"I really don't like using this because it robs others of their freedom will so it's perfect to use on an enemy."

Katarina sensed her work was completed and began healing the person's soul with her magic.

"I guess I should call him here." She murmured as the person in front of her began waking up.

...

"Alive or dead. Which did she say I should bring her in?" I murmured and looked at the broken girl in front of me.

I ended up chasing the assassin to a spot closed to the edge of the city.

I found her in an abandoned building ready to leave at any moment when I rained punches on her and knocked her unconscious.

Taking a good look at her, I discovered that she was...

Plain.

She had an appearance so plain that if you stuck her in a group of people, one could easily lose sight of her.

Plain brown hair and brown eyes with an unremarkable face and aura.

Truly one befitting an assassin.

I guess that's why we didn't notice her.

"Well, I'll just take her back for now." I left her with some minor fractures throughout her body and made sure to remove a significant portion of her blood so she shouldn't be waking up anytime soon.

"There we go." I hoisted her over my shoulder and leaped from the window.

We were currently on the 15th floor but that was no biggie for me and I ran across the sides of the buildings in my path as I made my way to Katarina.

"Hey." I greeted as I landed in a park where Katarina was. Next to her was a dude who was kneeling before her.

"Perfect timing. I was just about to call for you." She glanced at me before turning attention to the man kneeling before her.

"What happened?"

"This guy was the second assassin. I used a little magic to incapacitate him and make him my subordinate by force. It did deal some damage to his mental faculties so he'll end up as a vegetable after we're through." Katarina said and asked the man,

"Repeat everything you just told me, Robert."

A struggling expression appeared on his face as he attempted to fight back against Katarina's magic but it was futile and he opened his lips to answer.

"We're from an assassin organisation known as the Reapers."

"The Reapers is an organisation founded by the legendary assassin, Reaper. It was said that there was no target he could not kill and no one he has ever targeted has survived."

"Umm... That's a lie." Someone I interrupted anf her name was Katarina.

"According to records, the Reaper targeted my father when he was younger and since he's still alive, that means the Reaper failed so his legend has been broken a long time ago, but continue."

"That interjection was unnecessary."

Robert froze and I thought it was at her words but it was just the fact that he had finished.

"Erm... What's happening with him?" I pointed at him and asked.

"About that... I was a little bit rough when I used my magic so his mind was damaged a little. Only a little!"

"Cruel." I couldn't even detect a trace of guilt or remorse from her and shivered in fear.

For her, it was just a little troublesome fact. Not something she should be morally concerned about.

Thank god she's an ally.

"Do you have any weakness or something." I asked.

"Why do you want to know?"

"Just in case you turn evil so that I can stop you."

"Huh?"

"Never mind." I shook my head and dropped the topic.