Chapter 156

After that, we met up in the hotel room that we were staying in .

It seems that Kurou and Ria saw us flying from somewhere and then they quickly came running .

Even though it was finally just the two of them, we did something bad, huh .

We were severely scolded by Ria, but when we talked about what happened with Gram, she reluctantly stopped and pardoned us .

Before I knew it, Latisneil had aimlessly wandered off somewhere, and there was no way Raul and Kelia could go home after something like that happened, so the two people stayed in this room that had more than enough space .

It seems that Kelia will resign from the Adventurer Guild and move to a different city with Raul .

Maa, after seeing the guildmaster like that, there’s no way to continue working as if nothing happened .

And right now, it was the middle of the night when everyone had fallen asleep .

It was the time period that was the so-called “dead of night” .

I carefully got up from bed so as to not wake up the nearby Amelia and Yoru who were sound asleep and breathing evenly .

I put on my cloak that I normally didn’t wear as it was a nuisance, and wrapped a black cloth around my neck .

I’ve always worn black, but the color became even darker .

I wore nothing but black .

With this, I could melt into the darkness perfectly .

Fortunately, tonight was a new moon .

With the『Assassination』skill, I had night vision and this was unrelated, but as long as nothing unexpected happened, there wouldn’t be anyone who could see me

「…are you going . 」

「Aah . 」

When did he wake up, Kurou was standing at the door .

This time, I knew that he would probably come over, so I wasn’t surprised like I normally was .

「As I said, don’t overdo it . The daughter of that demon said that the strength of the people enhanced by the ‘strengthening drug’ are on par with that of an average demon . 」

Kurou cautioned me with this, just when did he ask Latisneil .

I smiled at that .

Now, I would not feel timid at the level of an average demon .

Kurou should also know this, so it’s definitely because he’s feeling regretful now or something like that .

「Doesn’t seem like something you would say . Even if you didn’t ask me, it would’ve turned out like this anyways . When I left that castle, I thought of nothing but getting revenge for Commander Saran . Now, it will finally be realized . We can even celebrate . 」

I equipped “Yatonokami”, went past Kurou, and left the room .

Kurou followed after me .

「I knew that you were building up your strength in order to get revenge for someone when I first saw you at the hotel in Ul . Since you would immediately know if you looked into your eyes . 」

「Probably . However, I couldn’t say it, but it was tiring to be obsessed with revenge . Besides, even if I got your revenge, your heart would never be cleansed . 」

When I said this as I carefully check all the hidden weapons that I concealed everywhere on my body, it seemed as if Kurou gave a strained laugh .

People, were the most tired when they’re angry .

Those who were angry year round definitely had endless patience .

「Even so, one of the diseases plaguing the beastmen, this world, would be terminated . Gram was the only gaining all the benefits without doing anything . Others were only being used by him . 」

There wasn’t anyone who could be trusted, why was it that Gram hadn’t been assassinated yet .

Perhaps it was because he had a lot of assistance from those who were addicted to the “strengthening drug” .

They were the killing machines that only followed orders .

There was no need for trust, and there was no need to worry about betrayal either .

However, we fought with them today and I had the confidence .

If it’s me, I could slip past them and kill Gram .

With the skill level of my『Stealth』maxed out, I just needed to invoke the skill and even if I’m walking around, I wouldn’t be recorded by the camera, and even if there was thermographic equipment that can detect heat sources, even if they had infrared sensors, they would not detect me .

Even now, I didn’t really like this “constitution” of mine where I wouldn’t be seen by others .

Especially when I was a child, I was overwhelmed by the loneliness as no matter what I played, I was the only one who couldn’t be found .

Now, it would be effectively used to skip classes or doze off in class, but even if it turned into a skill, it wasn’t something that I had come to like .

However, now, it was different .

For the first time since I was born, I might become fond of this power .

「I won’t kill those who had been enhanced . However, if I meet someone of the same profession, they would be the exception as they would be an obstacle . I will only kill Gram and those who get in my way . Is that fine? Client-dono . 」

「Aah, then I’ll leave it to you . Assassin-dono . 」

I smiled at Kurou who was looking at me with a bit of regret in his eyes, and then I jumped out from the window .

「Akira, wait!! Don’t go!」

I pretended to not hear that princess’s voice .

On the slanted roof of the building that Gram lived in, I was dressed in black from head to toe as if melting into the darkness .

A black cloth was wrapped around my neck, the dangling cloth and my cloak was fluttering in the wind .

Gaze unmoving, I fixedly stared at the roof .

It was essential that I avoid getting into a fight with the strengthened humans as much as possible .

Besides, I didn’t make any preparations in advance .

I didn’t know the patrolling schedule either .

Truthfully, it would’ve been better to have planned this several days in advance, but if I did that, there would’ve been the possibility that I would change my mind, and there was the risk of our whereabouts being exposed to Gram .

I needed to carefully find the right timing so that I didn’t make any mistakes .

I stared into the building, I wonder how much time had passed .

After a short while, I sighed and stood up, lowered my left foot, drew “Yatonokami”, and immediately entered my battle stance .

There didn’t seem to be anything there, but in that instant, the air wavered and a man appeared .

Like me, that man was also dressed in all-black and wearing lightweight equipment .

An obstacle, someone of the same profession .

Gram was that kind of guy, so I thought that there were also other people besides us who considered assassinating him, but I didn’t think that they would show up this quickly .

The differences between us were our weapons, a pair of daggers and a sword with a straight blade, the black cloth that was wrapped around the neck as well as the jet-black cloak .

As expected, the cloak and the cloth were a hindrance, so assassins wouldn’t put them on .

I thought that they were cool when I stole them from the castle, but it wasn’t practical .

It didn’t get in my way, but it’s fine even if I didn’t have them .

The standoff between the man and I ended when the man couldn’t bear it any longer .

「…it’s someone of the same profession, huh . Hey, are you protecting this guy? Or is a big-shot like you here to kill a mere guildmaster?」

I too had become famous .

It’s the first time I’m assassinating someone though .

「I’m going to kill this guy, and anyone who gets in my way . 」

At the man’s inquiry, I gave a short reply .

In other words, I’m going to kill you .

If he wasn’t an idiot like Raul, he would understand .

I just directed killing intent towards him .

This made the man tremble .

For him to flinch with just this much killing intent, he didn’t amount to much .

He was going to assassinate Gram who was being protected by strengthened humans, so I had expected that he was someone of corresponding skill .

「I see . Ah-ah, I heard that there was something like a request for the ‘Assassin of Darkness’ . 」

The man sighed as if it was truly regrettable .

His fighting stance had, more or less, turned into him getting ready to run away .

In that case, even if he could react and swing his sword, there would be no strength in it .

He got cold sweat, when he felt the killing intent that I emitted .

I paid no heed to that kind of incompetent man, merely watching him as if he was my prey, and then flashed over to the man the instant he exhaled .

「…!?」

Without understanding what had happened, the man dumbfoundedly watched as his own blood spurted out as he fell onto the ground .

It took almost no time at all, and that guy breathed his last on top of the roof .

I pulled at the right leg before me, and wiped the clotted blood on my dagger onto the man’s clothes .

This was the first time I’ve killed a person, but I even didn’t feel anything .

I don’t know if this was because of the『Assassination』skill, or if it was because I was cold-hearted .

However, I took a deep breath, glad that I didn’t lose my fighting spirit just because this was the first time I killed someone .

The guards gradually became fewer and fewer .

Fortunately, the killing of the assassin went undetected .

The strengthened humans might be unexpected dull .

I unlocked the window from the outside and slipped inside .

I found the target who was snoring loudly–Gram .

「…」

The hand holding “Yatonokami’ trembled slightly .

Even though it wasn’t like this before .

I used my other hand to stop the trembling .

And then, I silently went into stealth, slipped into the target’s room, and thrusted “Yatonokami” at the nape of his neck .

If I carried this out, I would not be able to return to my peaceful days like before .

「Everyone, sorry . If I kill this guy, I’ll be taking one step ahead of you . If I kill this guy, I’ll save a lot of people . That person too… . 」

I, Oda Akira, a high school student that you could find anywhere, muttered this, and drew the blade with all my strength .

Kaasan and Yui’s faces popped into my head .

Gram convulsed a few times, groaned, and then reached the end of his life .

How disappointing .

Even though up until now, Kurou had continued to endure the pain for several decades .

The scoundrel who had been continuously tormented many people for a long time, met his end in an instant .

I didn’t regret killing a person .

However, I did not feel the satisfaction of getting my revenge, only a sense of loss as if there was a gaping hole in my chest .