CHAPTER 52: CHAPTER52-GOLD IN THE SHADOW

The Hero Rank assassin was just about to lunge forward when, at that very instant, a long-hidden presence finally moved. From the shadows emerged the Gold Assassin, and clustered around him were the Elemental Assassins, the highest-ranked among their kind.

In the blink of an eye, a streak of dazzling golden light tore through the shrouding blood mist, slicing it apart. The brilliant radiance shot directly at the face of the Hero Rank assassin.

Even the assassin himself hadn’t anticipated this. He never imagined that Aurek had yet another powerhouse concealed at his side.

And from the aura that erupted, the Gold Assassin’s strength was at least Hero Rank level 8 or higher.

"Careful!"

The other two Hero Rank assassins cried out in warning. But the one in the middle had no time to evade. All he could do was twist his body and force his shoulder forward to absorb the fatal blow.

Too terrifying. Around Aurek, there were still hidden powers lying in wait!

At that moment, the three assassins of the Killer Guild all felt the same thought rise in their hearts—retreat.

With the situation now, killing Aurek was impossible. Worse, if they pushed too hard, they might be the ones to die here tonight.

Yet when they tried to pull back, they realized with horror that they had already stepped too deep into the encirclement. They could sense countless enemies locking onto them.

Death hovered in the air like a noose, and every moment brought a fresh tide of attacks crashing down upon them.

Even for assassins at Hero Rank, when subjected to a near-saturation assault, it was impossible to avoid injury.

Within only a few breaths, their bodies were already riddled with cuts and bleeding wounds.

They had thought that the blood mist would limit these elusive enemies.

But in the end, they discovered—they were the clowns.

Their enemies manipulated the blood mist with a mastery greater than that of the Killer Guild itself!

"Damn it! How can he have such overwhelming strength?!"

The three Hero Rank assassins roared in rage. But before they could act, the Gold Assassin’s strike came again—his target still the middle assassin, the one already badly wounded.

With his grievous injuries, dodging was now nearly impossible.

The other two assassins tried to intervene, but the Gold Assassin unleashed such raw power that he blasted them aside.

"You dare lay a hand on my lord? Tonight, I’ll end you!"

With that, the Gold Assassin drove his dagger straight into the wounded assassin’s energy core.

Two strikes. That was all it took to cripple a Hero Rank assassin.

In that instant, the balance tipped. The Killer Guild was thrown into dire straits.

The ten surviving Expert Rank assassins quickly lost another four, their heads lopped clean from their bodies.

The battle raging across the Crossbridge Empire sent shockwaves through every faction watching within the imperial capital.

Even Hero Rank assassins had fallen here, in the Crossbridge Empire!

Just what kind of terrifying power did Emperor Aurek truly command?

No one had expected the night to turn this way.

With a Hero Rank assassin dead, the massacre tonight would surely reach its conclusion.

It became clear to all: Aurek was far from the simple figure he appeared to be.

From now on, no one would dare move lightly against him. Whatever befell the empire itself, the Aurek family would still stand tall!

Yet just as the Killer Guild faltered, the situation inside the Crossbridge Empire shifted once again.

A massive force of soldiers stormed in, and behind them marched many powerful experts.

A third faction had entered the fray.

Even Grand Marshal Jacoff, hardened veteran of countless campaigns, wore a look of shock. He had never imagined more would make their move tonight.

The onlookers scattered throughout the capital were likewise stunned into silence.

For leading this fresh tide of power was none other than the Minister of Police—Troy.

Even more staggering—though they had seen Jacoff’s rebellion falter, Troy still dared to throw himself into the fire!

It became clear now. Tonight’s upheaval was only the first half.

Troy appeared clad in light armor, mounted on horseback, riding straight to Jacoff’s side.

He glanced coldly at the Grand Marshal, his eyes brimming with scorn.

Jacoff’s face darkened the instant he recognized his lifelong rival.

"Troy... what are you doing here? Do you intend to rebel as well?"

Troy gave a harsh laugh, then turned his gaze toward Commander Gaia.

"Commander Gaia, I’ve come to aid His Majesty. Together, let us crush this traitor Jacoff once and for all."

Even Gaia was unsettled by this sudden twist. His brow furrowed as he answered coldly:

"His Majesty does not need your aid. Withdraw your men now, or be judged a traitor yourself!"

Troy sneered. "You? A mere commander? You presume to judge me? I’ll see His Majesty immediately."

His eyes then shifted to Captain Aris, who stood nearby at the head of the Leap Mercenary Corps. Behind Aris gathered more than a dozen Expert Rank powerhouses.

At long last, the mercenary corps revealed its hand. Their intent was unmistakable—their gaze fixed squarely on Aurek.

"So you couldn’t hold back after all?"

Aurek’s lips curved in a cold smile.

By now, the blood mist had already dissipated.

Aris, however, stood calm, even smiling faintly.

"Your Majesty Aurek, I must admit, you are impressive. Those fools from the Killer Guild were no match for you.

Had we not stepped in, perhaps you might truly have survived tonight."

Aurek’s eyes turned sharp as ice. "And you think your arrival seals my fate? I tell you this—your decision to strike tonight will doom the entire Leap Mercenary Corps."

Aris ignored the warning, confidence shining in his expression.

"We would not act without preparation."

"Then let me test how prepared you truly are."

Aurek’s eyes narrowed, and at the same instant, the Elemental Assassins in hiding struck again.

Killing intent erupted around the mercenaries.

But not one face among the corps showed fear.

"Your Majesty, watch closely. We of the Leap Mercenary Corps are no soft persimmons to be squeezed at will!"

As Aris shouted, he led one-third of his men forward. Together, they arranged their bodies into a vast formation at the outskirts of the empire.

At the sight of it, even the two battered Hero Rank assassins of the Killer Guild widened their eyes.

Though gravely wounded, they could not restrain their exclamations:

"A Forbidden Domain?! The Leap Mercenary Corps truly came prepared!"

The Forbidden Domain—an ability of terrifying might. It suppressed the very flow of energy within its boundary.

Aris had seen clearly: the Elemental Assassins’ strength lay in manipulating spatial currents of energy.

If those flows were stilled, their tricks would collapse.

"No winds, no currents of power. Within this domain, your forces lose their hiding places."

As the forbidden field spread, Aurek’s trump cards threatened to be rendered useless.

"Aurek, tonight you’ll learn the true might of the Leap Mercenary Corps. Those you rely on will be swept away with ease!

With no energy flow in the Crossbridge Empire, your hidden assassins will have nowhere left to hide.

Now—reveal yourselves!"

With Aris’s roar, the Forbidden Domain enveloped the entire imperial city.

Then, sharp eyes caught the item clutched in Aris’s hand—an ancient scroll radiating a golden aura.

"That... that’s a Golden-grade artifact!"

"The Forbidden Scroll! No wonder the domain can cover the whole empire!"

"The Leap Mercenary Corps has only two golden-grade items in total. They actually brought one here tonight!"

"Brought? This is their foundation! Without this artifact, they’d never have risen so high!"

The crowd was shaken to its core. None had expected the mercenaries to invest so heavily, revealing their trump card. Clearly, their ambition for the throne was absolute.

Among those paling most were the two surviving Hero Rank assassins—and Grand Marshal Jacoff himself.

They now understood. Troy and the Leap Mercenary Corps had completely used them.

As the forbidden field expanded, every awakener present felt it—their communion with surrounding energies severed, their control dulled, their powers hindered.

Faces changed one after another.

The Leap Mercenary Corps had revealed their hand at last. And their hand was nothing less than sinister brilliance.