The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 240: Chapter 236 — Dusk

Zephyrion looked at Lumi and placed a finger against his lips. There was a question in her eyes, but there was also unconditional trust. She gave a small nod. Slowly, they began backing away in silence, without making a single sound, cursing himself for not realizing it sooner.

The completely abandoned settlement filled with supplies. The refusal of their pursuers to follow them here. The lack of lights in every house. This wasn’t a settlement made by the academy for the cadets.

They’d just walked into a den of Shrikes.

’There’s still a chance.’

Shrikes were smart and strong, each carrying the power of at least a Mark Six, yet they were nocturnal creatures. As long as the sun remained above the horizon, they wouldn’t emerge. They still had a chance to leave.

They backed into the living room, where Fiona, Tobias, Kaiden, and Kaelion were gathered. Each turned toward him with a frown, wondering why he looked so tense. Yet Zephyrion didn’t seem to notice any of them. Instead, his attention was swallowed by the dimming light spilling through the window.

’Shit.’

The sun was setting.

"Run!"

Zephyrion burst out of the house before the word had fully left his mouth. He barely caught sight of the setting sun on the horizon before the world fell into darkness.

Silence swallowed the settlement.

"My lord... what happened?"

"Prime!"

Tobias, Horus, and the others rushed toward him, yet he didn’t seem to hear them.

His gaze was cold and piercing, freezing Horus and even the others in place.

"Move every cadet to the mansion. Immediately. Emergency protocol. Go."

"Yes, Prime!"

"R-right!"

"Emergency! Emergency! Every cadet to the mansion. Move!"

Within moments, shouts began echoing through the settlement. Many emerged from the houses, staring curiously at the darkened sky before looking toward Horus with frowns. Though they moved toward the mansion, they walked, even conversed, showing none of the urgency the situation demanded.

Then the ground quaked. Once at first, then several more times, until the entire settlement began to tremble violently.

"Oh, what the hell is happening?!" Tobias yelped, struggling to keep his footing.

Zephyrion formed another blade, his expression grim.

"Shrikes."

"Huh? My lord... what does that mean?"

"This is a Shrike nest."

Every soul within earshot froze. Shrike? A Shrike nest?

Kaelion and Kaiden immediately formed their blades. Fiona followed a moment later, equally tense and alert. Tobias remained rooted to the spot.

Then a screech pierced the night.

It was so loud many covered their ears. Several more echoed in quick succession. All around, the cadets froze in place, eyes wide, each wondering what was happening.

Then a figure burst from one of the buildings, blasting the door apart. Moonlight glistened across its whitish skin. It stood nearly twice as tall as Zephyrion, with four spider-like legs, two pairs of heavily muscled arms ending in sharp curved splinters, reddish milky eyes, and rows of crimson teeth.

The Shrike threw back its head and roared.

Screechhhhhh!

The screech blasted dust across the settlement.

Then, it lunged.

The closest cadet stood completely petrified, unable to move even as the curved splinter stopped inches from his eyes.

Slash!

A streak of silver cut through the night, followed by hot crimson blood drenching the cadet. As the Shrike’s severed head struck the ground, every eye turned toward Zephyrion. He flicked the blood from his sword, his eyes cold.

"Get to the mansion. Now."

His voice was low, yet it carried across the settlement.

Shouts erupted.

"Get to the mansion!"

"Shrike nest!"

"Runnnn!"

The cadets scrambled to their feet, rushing toward the mansion in panic.

"You too."

The expressions of Kaiden, Kaelion, Tobias, and Fiona darkened.

"No, we’ll fight—" Kaiden started, but Zephyrion’s steady gaze cut him off.

"Now."

Zephyrion turned away without another glance. Then several more Shrikes spilled from the buildings across the settlement, screeching into the night. They lunged at any nearby cadets, trying to tear them apart.

Zephyrion felt Urge. Then Freedom. Then Resolve.

His heart pounded, blood surging through his body. His muscles tightened as he dipped, the air before him parting.

Then he launched.

The ground beneath his feet erupted, almost knocking the others off balance.

A streak tore through the settlement.

Zephyrion flashed past several Shrikes, heads shooting into the sky. The cadets they’d been moments from tearing apart blinked in disbelief, yet Zephyrion was already gone, his words echoing in his wake.

"The mansion, now."

The cadets scrambled toward the mansion without hesitation.

Kaiden and Kaelion watched the display of overwhelming power with widened eyes.

"So fast..."

"W-we need to get to the mansion." Tobias said, his eyes already squeezed shut.

"But we can’t just leave h—"

"If my lord said run, then run!" Tobias shouted, already sprinting toward the mansion.

"...We should go."

A moment later, Fiona followed him. Kaiden and Kaelion exchanged a look, gritted their teeth, then rushed after them.

All around, more Shrikes burst from beneath the ground and flooded into the settlement. Drenched in warm blood, the world blurring around him, Shrikes falling in his wake, Zephyrion rushed to the aid of the cadets still scattered throughout the settlement, easily dispatching them.

’They’re too many.’

A settlement this large meant hundreds of Shrikes. He and Lumi had already killed dozens, yet their numbers only seemed to keep growing.

Shrikes were dangerous, but if it had been only the two of them, he wouldn’t have worried about surviving.

However, with an army of cadets to protect, the situation was entirely different. It was impossible to protect them against these numbers. More importantly, their test was to reach a location together. If he abandoned the cadets, he would be lucky if his points weren’t reduced. Losing them could very well mean failing the test.

’Think, think, think.’

This was a test. It meant there had to be a way to survive this. Something he hadn’t thought of.

’What did I miss?’

The walled settlement. The block. The technologically advanced homes. The mansion... the unlit bonfire.

A light sparked in his mind.

’That’s it.’

Zephyrion changed direction and shot toward the mansion.

Before it, the cadets had formed a defensive line on both sides, led by the Tier Ones and his people, desperately holding back the Shrikes.

He weaved through several attacks that carved through the air, planted a foot on a Shrike’s back, and launched himself over the line of cadets.

Another blade formed along his arm, and he scraped the two together in one motion. Sparks burst from the blades, raining onto the gathered sticks.

A moment passed.

Then a blazing inferno swallowed the entire bonfire, piercing the dark night with brilliant light.

Screechhhhhhhh!

The Shrikes roared and recoiled toward the edge of the clearing, trying to escape the painful, damning light, smoke already curling from several of them.