Chương 91: Chapter 056 Send Them To Tartarus (Part 2)

Cain stepped forward to the narrowest point of the ledge. Jack stayed a step behind, white oak bow in hand, his heart hammering as he nocked and drew back an arrow. He placed [Assassin's Mark] on the largest target, the bearkin. Healthy, bored, major armour, no protections. He activated [True Aim] and aimed at the bearkin who was hefting the massive club. If I miss, I should throw myself in the river. The bearkin let out a roar that echoed across the cliff face. He knew Jack had targeted him.

He bellowed again and pointed his club at Jack.

"You'll be red paste, twig-boy!" Come on, Jack thought while waiting for the skill to activate. I'll only get one chance. [True Aim] took too long to activate for a fast-paced fight. It would be his opening shot, and then only faster arrow shots… if he had time. Jack focused. Six seconds. Just hold. The skill activated, and he loosed the arrow. The arrow struck with a thunk just beneath the bearkin's collarbone. Blood welled, and the bearkin staggered… but didn't stop.

He roared, ripped the arrow from his chest, and kept coming. Jack gulped as he checked [Assassin's Mark]. Fuck. I just pissed him off. Bored had changed to angry. He nocked another arrow. The tigerkin targeted Cain, net twirling through the air with a hiss. Cain ducked and rushed forward. The human guard's hooked blade slashed, grazing Cain's ribs. Blood from the wound soaked his armour. Jack released a second arrow at the bearkin, and it hit an iron band on the club.

"Fuck!" Cain slammed his shoulder into the human, who stumbled back. A heartbeat later, Cain's sword flashed upwards in an arc. The guard's jaw split like a dropped fruit, his teeth scattering to the rocks like bloodied seeds. Blood fountained from the guard's face as he collapsed to his knees while twitching and choking on his own tongue. Cain kicked him off the ledge and into the raging river below. There wasn't even a scream or a splash; he just vanished into the mist.

With shaking knees, Jack dropped his bow, drew his dagger, and prepared for the attack. The bearkin raised his club high, grunting in pain from the first arrow. Jack held his left hand out and activated one of his new skills for the first time. I pray this works. His mana dropped as a pseudo [Fireball] flew from his left hand into the beastkin's chest. The bearkin's upper body became engulfed in flames, fur ignited, and his armour charred.

The guard screamed as the fire peeled the skin from his chest like old parchment. Jack gagged at the smell of burning flesh and felt the hairs on the back of his left hand burn away. Don't have a flashback. Please, no flashback. He chanted in his mind as he recoiled from the effects of the weak [Fireball]. The pseudo spell wasn't as powerful as a [Fireball] spell scroll, maybe a little over half of the power, but it was enough.

To gain more power from the spell, he'd need to understand the mechanics of how the [Fireball] skill worked. He ducked under the flailing club swing. The iron-wrapped club smashed into the rock wall, sending shards flying. Splinters sliced Jack's face as he slashed the bearkin's thigh, drawing a line of blood. The beastkin howled and, despite his burns, backhanded Jack, knocking him to the ground. His head slammed against the stone… stars bloomed in his vision.

The smouldering beastkin raised the club again, with a grimace of pain etched across his raw face. Jack rolled aside, activated [Assassinate], and stabbed upward, plunging his dagger into the bearkin's belly. He felt the familiar itch of his palm as the blade dug deep through fur, fat, and muscle. The guard snarled and tried to grab him; the bearkin spasmed, vomited black-red blood onto Jack's hunting boots, and slumped. Jack twisted the blade, feeling it tear through intestines and organs.

Hot blood splashed his face as the bearkin was disembowelled while collapsing onto him. With some effort, he shoved the heavy corpse aside, panting, soaked in blood and half-digested meat. His dagger dripped red. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. Jack felt a new assassin's skill form, the instinctual knowledge burning deep into his mind. He didn't have time to check the skill. He wiped the blood from his face as power surged through him, and some of his fatigue receded.

A new pseudo skill flared through his bones. Cain grunted nearby. The tigerkin had drawn a dagger and lunged. Cain parried the blade and grabbed the beastkin's dagger hand before driving it through her own throat. With eyes widened in shock, the tigerkin clawed at her throat wound, gasping, red froth bubbling between her fingers. [Assassin's Intuition] triggered as Jack retrieved his bow and nocked another arrow, but the hawkkin was already leaping forward, her blades flashing.

He dropped the bow and arrow and prepared to activate a [Chronos Sphere] scroll. Cain intercepted the hawkkin, catching her first strike on his arm guard, but the second blade raked his thigh. He grunted in pain, his blood splashed onto the grey stone, painting it red. He headbutted her, snapping the beastkin's beak-like nose with a loud crunch. The hawkkin reeled back, and Cain drove his sword through her belly, the blade bursting out the back in a spray of black blood and feathers.

The guard shrieked while clutching her stomach as she collapsed. The next attacker, a male wolfkin with a spear, came fast. Cain blocked the thrust with his forearm and roared while his blade swung low, cutting through the wolfkin's knee. Flesh parted, bone snapped, and the guard screamed, falling to the side with a look of terror. Cain stepped over him and drove his sword down through his chest. The scream stopped. Jack turned as [Assassin's Intuition] triggered.

The foxkin was already on him, her sword jabbing forward. He twisted to avoid it, but the blade caught his outer thigh, slicing flesh. He cried out, staggered back, and lost his footing before falling on his back in the loose shale. The foxkin growled and lunged again. Jack reached for a blinding powder and flung it into the beastkin's face while closing his eyes. The world flashed white, and the foxkin shrieked, swinging wildly, missing him by inches. He dove forward with his dagger in hand.

His tainted blade bit deep into the foxkin's side, feeling the resistance of meat, bone, and the scrape of ribs. The foxkin roared as she clawed at him, scratching his cheeks and biting deep into his left shoulder.

"Fuck!" Jack screamed in a panic and stabbed again. Once. Twice. The third strike went through her neck. Blood sprayed hot across his face as he tasted the iron-rich blood while gasping for breath. The foxkin gargled, trying to speak. Jack twisted the blade again to the familiar palm itch. Blood spilt over his legs, warm and slick. Fuck. This is awful. The guard reached up with one trembling hand and gripped his wrist. She didn't let go until her eyes rolled back and she pissed herself.

The foxkin convulsed, then sagged, dead. Another memory flashed through his mind. The tainted blade slit a man's femoral artery, causing him to bleed out as the female assassin watched. The memory faded as his palm itched, and he felt the powerful rush of another pseudo skill forming. Cain helped him up.

"How're you doing?" he asked, breathless. Jack coughed.

"St-standing." They looked down the slope. Jack wiped the blood from his face and started using pseudo [Heal] to patch them both up. He felt his mana drop. I'm going to run out. The rest of the guards watched in silence, and the nobles hadn't moved. Greaves met Jack's eyes, but [Assassin's Intuition] didn't trigger. There was no anger or rage; he was watching with cold curiosity. Vampese's smile widened. Argil clenched his fists; he was shaking from rage.

Fenton stepped forward like he wanted to charge, but was held back. [Assassin's Intuition] flared as the young noble glared at Jack.

"They'll send more," Jack said, wiping blood from his face. Cain spat blood.

"Let them." Five bodies bled out on the rocks. One human. Four beastkin. The sixth washed away by the river below. Cain began collecting weapons from the dead, storing them behind him. Jack's ribs ached, and his arms trembled, but his grip on the dagger was steady. He checked his new skills and prayed they were useful. [Class Screen-Internal View] Class: Novice Assassin (0) Compatibility: 57% Novice Secondary Skills —Pierce Jaw (0) —Disembowel (0) …

[Class Screen-Internal View] Class: Novice Blood Mage (0) Compatibility: 81% ——Pseudo Goblin: Quick Stab (00 ——Pseudo Warrior: Brutal Blow (0) ——Pseudo Warrior: Endure Pain (0) That's three assassin's techniques unlocked instantly. Jack glanced down at the blade clenched in his hand. Could it be you? He had no recollection of the female assassin's memories, but it felt like it had to be the blade. He moved on to the pseudo skills. [B rutal Blow] … useless without a heavy club. He examined the second skill that was already earning its keep. Hmm… another passive skil l; pain won't affect me as much when I die. He grimaced at the thought and closed his eyes. The beastkin's screams were still ringing in his ears. He hoped they'd haunt the nobles forever, but he knew they wouldn't. Not those monsters. The fight wasn't over. The nobles were moving.