C1 Assassination in the Dark Night

"Help me open a few covert quests," Egerton whispered, passing his badge to the staff member.

"Of course, we currently have quests at C, D, and E levels available to you. Which level would you prefer?" the staff member inquired with courtesy.

"Level D, a bounty mission," Egerton replied, glancing over his shoulder to ensure they were not being watched.

"Hello, there are 178 Level D missions available. Here is the list for your review."

The staff member rifled through a stack of books and presented Egerton with the relevant catalog.

"Heh, I knew they'd be on here. Alright, I'll take these four missions."

Egerton quickly identified several familiar faces, a slight smirk forming on his lips.

"Your registration is complete. You have one month to finish the mission. If you exceed the deadline, you'll need to forfeit a deposit of 500 copper coins," the staff member explained.

"That's quite steep. Here you go," Egerton remarked, pulling out a hefty copper coin and handing it over.

Exiting the Bounty Guild, Egerton took in the medieval ambiance of the streets and buildings with a sense of detachment. With a shrug, he slipped into a side alley and vanished from Belleroc Avenue.

At night, as the old clock chimed for the twelfth time, several figures crept into an unassuming, darkened house on Faulkner Street.

"Black Wolf, are you certain it's tonight? If you're wrong again, you're done for!"

A portly man lounged on a Whisperleaf wooden chair, which creaked under his weight.

"Shuzzotz, if you think you can take me, by all means, try. But spare me the nonsense. I've invested heavily this time, even consulted an augur personally. There's no way I'm wrong," retorted a lean shadow lurking in the corner, his laughter cold.

"An augur, huh? Those folks aren't exactly known for their prowess, and they don't come cheap. How much did you shell out?" asked another well-proportioned figure.

"A thousand copper coins. Those swindlers can drop dead for all I care!" Black Wolf grumbled in frustration.

A thousand copper coins was no trivial sum. In the Starmoon Duchy, an average family's annual income was a mere ten silver coins, with a fifth of that going to taxes, while a single silver coin could fetch ten thousand copper coins.

The cost of a single divination session was equivalent to one-eightieth of an average family's annual income.

"These bloodsuckers," Shuzzotz grumbled, "I should've put my faith in the God of Fate from the start. Why go through all this trouble?"

"Enough chatter. This mission's reward is 20 silver coins, and we can't afford to lose it. Black Wolf, we'll split the costs evenly once we're done," declared the fourth figure, his tall and imposing stature exuding a leader's presence.

"Hungry Tiger, you're always fair. But time is running short; we have five minutes left, and it takes three to get to Sigil Street. You mentioned there would be five of us—where's the fifth?" Black Wolf nodded, then pressed for an answer.

"Sorry for my tardiness!" Egerton entered, pushing open the dust-covered door with a look of regret.

"Is this the help you've recruited? What's his capability?" Black Wolf gave Egerton a quick once-over before turning to Hungry Tiger.

"He's a Class 2; his observational and judgment skills are solid. He won't hold us back," Hungry Tiger assured.

"Let's hope that's the case. He doesn't look like much. Kid, have you ever taken a life?" Black Wolf squinted skeptically.

Egerton just chuckled, keeping his silence. He couldn't very well admit that he might have killed more people than Black Wolf had even met.

"We need to move out; time is ticking away!" The athletic figure rose, signaling the four minutes remaining until the operation commenced.

"Don't drag us down. If you can't handle it, get out of the way. We can't have you freezing up when it's time to act," Black Wolf warned Egerton, still doubting his mettle.

"Don't mind him. Black Wolf is just like that. Stick around, and you'll see he's actually decent," Hungry Tiger interjected, hoping to prevent any negative vibes that might jeopardize the mission.

"No worries, I'm not bothered," Egerton replied, shaking his head, though he couldn't help but find the situation amusing. What could be said about a group that kills without a second thought?

Reflecting on his own harrowing past, Egerton couldn't help but shake his head once more, feeling as though he too had emerged from a heap of blood and carnage.

The night was oppressively dark, and as he navigated the deserted streets, the stench grew increasingly intense. Egerton wrinkled his nose in disgust.

Sigil Street was situated in the slums of the Starmoon Duchy, home to the duchy's most impoverished residents, where trash piled up in every corner.

If not for the fear of plague, authorities would have sent people to clean up regularly and provide the residents with basic sustenance. Otherwise, the issue would extend beyond the foul smell. Egerton wouldn't be surprised if some bizarre magical creature suddenly appeared from the filth.

"We've arrived!" Black Wolf's voice rang out. Five figures halted at their pre-determined positions, ready to begin.

As time ticked away, the occasional shadow darted across the slum streets, unnoticed by Black Wolf and his companions.

Their quarry was a Class Two believer, or more accurately, a foolhardy one who was oblivious to the danger of death.

The mission had been issued by a baron who, upon passing through the slum, had set his sights on a striking young girl to take as his maid. However, his plans were thwarted when he was soundly thrashed by a Class Two believer.

With no leads or evidence, the baron was unable to find the assailant through official channels. In desperation, he offered a bounty for the rogues of the Bounty Guild to seek his revenge. Hungry Tiger and his group were the very outlaws the baron had enlisted.

"Black Wolf, are you sure that augur you consulted is trustworthy? Time's already up, and there's no sign of the target!" Shuzzotz grumbled impatiently.

After nearly three minutes of waiting without a glimpse of the believer, frustration mounted. What was happening?

"Black Wolf, what's the deal? Didn't you say the person would show up around this time?" Hungry Tiger also voiced his irritation.

Though a wasted journey was the least of their worries, they had been without a trace of the believer for days. They had hoped this mission would yield a substantial payday, but it seemed they had been duped. No matter how they tried, they couldn't shake off their agitation.

"The scent of Black Wolf seems to have vanished," Egerton's voice floated over, sounding both distant and near.

"What's the deal? Did he run off?" Hungry Tiger and Shuzzotz quickly leaped to where Black Wolf was last seen. They hadn't intended to look closely, but upon doing so, they were shocked to find Black Wolf lying on the ground, his face twisted in a snarl, blood pouring out. Clearly, he had only just died.

"Duskshade is missing. Looks like he's the one we've been searching for," Egerton remarked with a hint of regret, standing behind Hungry Tiger and Shuzzotz.

"Damn, so that's what happened. That cursed guy actually dared to toy with us!" Shuzzotz exclaimed, his anger unmistakable.

"Hold on, why are you so composed?" Hungry Tiger, sensing something amiss, stepped back to keep a wary eye on Egerton.

"I've seen my fair share of backstabbing. It would be odd if I hadn't!" Egerton said with a nonchalant shrug.

"You didn't kill them both and now you're trying to deceive us, did you?"

Shuzzotz's voice quivered with fear, and even Hungry Tiger at his side couldn't bring himself to trust Egerton.

"Come on, you're looking for a Class 2, not a Class 3. A Class 2 taking out two other Class 2s right in front of two more, and nobody notices? Do you really think that's likely?" Egerton said, his face the picture of incredulity.

"What if that damned Baron gave us the wrong information, and you're not a Class 2 believer at all?" Hungry Tiger still harbored doubts about Egerton.

"You all seem to have lost your nerve. If I weren't a Class 2, how could Black Wolf have used the augur to track me down? You're starting with the wrong assumption," Egerton chuckled.

"...You're right," Hungry Tiger conceded after a moment's thought, finally lowering his weapon.

"Damn, it looks like Duskshade got the better of us. When I see him next, I'll settle the score!" Shuzzotz grumbled.

"Don't worry about that; you'll be seeing him sooner than you think," Egerton said with a smile, stepping closer to Hungry Tiger and Shuzzotz.

"What, you know how to find him?" Shuzzotz's eyes brightened as he asked.

"Of course, I have a much more convenient method." Egerton's grin broadened.

"What method?"

"I'll send you to meet him personally!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a gleam of sharpness passed, and before Shuzzotz and the hungry tiger could react, two heads silently hit the ground, their blood blossoming like flowers.

"Pretty clever, but sadly, you can't begin to comprehend my strength!" Egerton taunted.

Meanwhile, an annoyingly familiar voice echoed in his mind:

[Mission: Eliminate five evil believers. Reward: 3 silver coins.]

"Enough already, I get it. It's just a small amount of coin, and you bother to announce it. This accursed River of Time!"

Muttering to himself, Egerton dismissed the voice and the additional three silver coins now in his Space Bag, focusing instead on scavenging valuables from the two bodies.

"What a bunch of paupers!" After his search, Egerton found his fortune had increased by a mere two silver coins and a random assortment of materials.

"Well, there's still the 20 silver coins from the mission. Sigh, I'm still so poor!" Including the rewards from the last four bounty missions, Egerton's total assets finally surpassed 25 silver coins, though he remained far from wealthy.

"Phew, I've done so little and I'm already tired. The people in this world really have it rough. I need to head back and get some sleep. I wonder if high-level believers still need rest. If so, that's just a pain!" A cool night breeze brought a wave of drowsiness over him. After burying the four bodies in a freshly dug pit, Egerton started his journey home.

But before he could unwind, that familiar voice in his head piped up again, disturbing his peace.

"Attention, attention. A temporary mission trigger point is nearby. Rewards are random, mission level is Level B, difficulty is Level D. You have 10 minutes. Location as follows. Proceed with caution!"

"Level B, with Level D danger? A mission with such generous rewards? Well, I guess I'm working the night shift!"

The prospect of a Level B mission jolted Egerton awake, instantly dispelling his sleepiness.