Chapter 73

My eyes widened in disbelief and horror as I beheld a scene of devastation. Part of the once majestic estate was now partially engulfed in flames, licking at the sky with a voracious hunger. The billowing smoke carried with it the scent of destruction and despair. Panic gripped my heart, my mind racing to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Anger surged through every fiber of my being—I couldn't allow them to harm my family.

I swiftly yanked the knife from my palm, gritting my teeth against the searing pain. In a split second, I teleported back into my room, seamlessly swapping places with one of the assassins' swords. The sudden surprise on their faces was evident as their gaze shifted from Andrew to me, confusion and alarm written across their features.

Without hesitation, I lunged towards the closest assassin, aiming for a strike at his neck. But he reacted swiftly, evading my attack and wrapping his arms around my waist. With a powerful suplex, he slammed me onto the ground, causing the floor to shatter beneath us. We plummeted down to the first floor, landing in a chaotic heap.

As the dust settled, the assassin found himself on top of me, his weight pinning me down. I wasted no time and made a quick attempt to stab him, but he utilized his wind magic to knock the knife out of my hand, sending it skittering across the room.

"Shit!" I cursed, frustration coursing through me. Before I could catch my breath, the assassin launched a punch towards my face, but I swiftly dodged, narrowly avoiding the impact. The force of his blow caused the floor to crack. Seizing the opportunity, I kicked him off me, rolling back and swiftly regaining my footing. Despite the pain throbbing in my stabbed right hand, I assumed a Southpaw stance, ready for the next exchange.

Just as I prepared to face the assassin again, a group of knights burst onto the scene, their voices rallying to protect me. "Protect the young master!" one of the knights shouted, their urgency echoing through the room as they rushed towards the assassin.

"Wait!" I cried out, realizing the danger they were putting themselves in. But it was too late. In a chilling display of skill, the assassin effortlessly dispatched the knights, their heads severed from their bodies by a swift and precise wind slash. The room was instantly stained with blood, a grim testament to the assassin's strength. With a casual glance, he dismissed the fallen knights, his attention shifting back to me.

The assassin unleashed a barrage of swift and deadly wind slashes, but I managed to evade each one with nimble footwork. In response, I conjured multiple ice spears, propelling them towards him with precision. Yet, he deflected them effortlessly using his mastery over wind magic. Seizing the opportunity, he launched himself forward with astonishing speed, aiming a powerful right hook at my face.

Instinctively, I blocked his punch, but he was quick to adapt. His hand swiftly wrapped around my neck, his grip tightening with malicious intent. The pressure increased, threatening to crack my neck under the force. Thinking on my feet, I delivered a swift kick to his ribs, causing him to momentarily loosen his grip.

Seizing the opening, I swiftly grasped his left hand, executing an overhead throw, using his own momentum against him. As he crashed to the ground, I took advantage of the chaos, freezing the wall behind me to create a dense mist, obscuring our visibility.

'I need to get that knife' I formed ice needles and launched them in various directions. With a plan in mind, I began moving towards the location where I last saw the knife. However, before I could reach it, his voice cut through the mist, a warning that he was clearing the obstruction.

"You can't hide," he taunted, his words laced with confidence as the mist began to move

'He is clearing the mist' I thought as his focus shifted towards revealing my position. Without hesitation, I dashed in the direction of the mist, knowing that his concentration on dispersing it would leave him momentarily vulnerable.

"My turn" I said as the mist cleared, I emerged right in front of him, a surprise etched on his face. Before he could react, I swiftly wrapped my arms around his waist, executing a powerful suplex that sent him crashing onto the ground. But I didn't stop there. My clenched fist became a relentless blur as I delivered a rapid succession of punches, striking his face with all the strength I could muster. One, two, three... the count continued, reaching double digits before he could even mount a defense. Blood trickled from his battered face as I pummeled him mercilessly.

"ENOUGH!" he screamed, his voice filled with frustration and pain. A sudden gust of wind erupted, propelling me across the room, slamming me into the wall with brutal force. Lying on the ground, dazed and disoriented, I shifted my gaze and saw it—there, right beside me, was the knife I had been searching for.

Snatching the knife with urgency, I spun around to find the assassin within arm's reach. In a split second, he lunged at my neck, but I swiftly teleported behind him, attempting to plunge the blade into his neck. Reacting with remarkable speed, he intercepted my hand, gripping it tightly and wrenching me off the ground. Slamming me forcefully onto the floor, he pinned me down, his dominance evident.

The air around us began to stir, swirling in a circular motion, growing more intense with each passing moment. The relentless vortex constricted, making it increasingly difficult for me to breathe, leaving me gasping for precious air.

"You're finished," the assassin declared, his palm extending toward me, ready to deliver a final blow.

"Then let us meet our end together," I muttered defiantly, summoning the last of my strength. Expanding my control over the ice needles, I created massive blocks that descended from above, threatening to crush us both. Reacting swiftly, the assassin employed his wind magic, keeping the ice blocks afloat, but this diversion granted me a fleeting opportunity.

Seizing the moment, I propelled myself upward, breaking free from his grip. With the knife in hand, I swiftly severed one of the tendons in his right leg, causing him to falter and kneel. Yet, he retaliated swiftly, summoning a blast of wind with one hand. Acting on instinct, I conjured a reinforced ice shield, blocking his gust and allowing me to sever another tendon in his left leg. His body crumpled, losing its balance, and tumbled to the ground.

As his weight shifted, I moved with agility, striking upward toward his exposed neck. The blade sliced through the jugular vein, causing a gush of blood to spurt from his neck. His magical control wavered, and the ice blocks began to descend once again, but I deftly maneuvered them to fall harmlessly.

"I have to help Andrew," I exclaimed, my voice filled with determination. Taking deep breaths to steady myself, I prepared to teleport, but before I could make a move, a lifeless body plummeted from the hole in the second floor. The charred remains were unrecognizable, emanating a putrid stench of decay. My gaze shot upwards, and there was Andrew, leaping down from the second floor.

"Master, are you okay?" Andrew rushed toward me, concern etched across his face. He began inspecting my body, but I quickly pushed him away.

"I'm fine," I replied, my tone firm. "Let's not relax just yet. There could be more assailants lurking around." I winced as I assessed my wound. It was worsening, hindering my movements and slowing me down, but I couldn't allow it to halt my efforts.

As I scanned the entire estate, searching for any signs of additional intruders, Andrew spoke up, his voice tinged with worry. "Are there any more of them?"

"Four more outside the estate and three..." My voice trailed off, a dryness overwhelming my mouth as my fist clenched with determination.

"...in my parents' room."

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