Chapter 106 - You’re the Reason

'How do I make this convincing…'

Remembering Yauln's elaborate plan to clear me of suspicion, I sigh mentally, channeling my inner actor — which I didn't really have, but she didn't need to know that.

"Klum? So that is the name of the pesky Saint trying to corner me. Hah hah hah!" I resist the urge to cringe as I mimic Harrield's laugh, hoping the voice distortion is strong enough that she wouldn't somehow recognize me.

And… It actually works? I mean, of course it does. Eniyala's eyes widen as she points slowly at me. "So you really are…"

"The Assassin Demon, yes! Hah hah hah!" I spread my arms wide, stretching my worn poncho open wide.

Ugh. I need to find a way to escape.

Blue flames blaze around Eniyala fiercely. "So basically… You're the reason Klum has been gone for three months. So if I take care of you now…"

"… Eh?"

***

'Stay calm… Calm… But he's the reason that Klum's been gone for so long.'

Eniyala attempted to keep her emotions in check, like her dad taught her. It allowed better control of her Mana and Magic. But yet, she found her anger winning somehow, as the flames she used raged harder and hotter.

Something familiar rung out about the man, but Eniyala's reasoning was also being corroded by a slew of her feelings colliding violently within her.

"I'll just kill you, so we can all move on," she says simply, her brow furrowing as she holds out a flame-covered palm at the man.

***

'Shit. Make it believable, Klum.'

"So you've chosen this route, girl? Prepare to face the consequences… Is what I would say, but I have no time to, uh, meddle with you now. I must be going!"

"Can't go anywhere if you're dead," she replies, releasing a barrage of small fireballs at me.

[The user understands the opponent's fighting style. Seeing Eye's effect activated.]

'Even when she's trying to kill me, she's not an "enemy," huh?' I note, weaving through the fiery mess as I close the distance to the window. "Boring, boring, boring…" I remind myself, but Eniyala's facial grimace deepens. She clearly thinks I'm talking about her. At least I can use that.

"Hah! Predictably boring."

I lash out as quickly as I can with the dagger, so that she can't get a good view of Beholder's Eye. I pull back just enough that it would only nick her nose if it hit her, but she manages to pull back much faster than I was expecting. 'It has been three months. I'm sure she's grown plenty, too.'

I use the miniscule opening of her head tilting back to jump past her onto the desk, looking back over my shoulder. She yelps, holding up her other hand, and fiery spears begin to form. "I'm sorry," I want to say, but restrain the urge. Instead, I give her a two finger salute smugly. "Maybe you weren't all that boring. Now, I bid you, adieu."

And with that, I leap out the window.

***

"No!—" Eniyala cries, clamoring over the desk to look down over the window. As she thought, he's gliding through the air, feet prepared to land on a roof and continue running.

"Dammit. Dammit, dammit, dammit! What language was that?! Something related to Hybrids??"

In a moment of desperation, she contemplates getting down the same way she had coming in — her Boost Spell. Her thoughts are abruptly cut short when an amber flash passes over the dark flying figure, taking it with it.

"… Fuck yeah, Pantholeo!"

***

"Any day now, Yauln!"

"Actually, I was contemplating letting you fall to your death," a female voice sounds from right behind me, sending chills down my spine. Talons grip onto me, and the weight of gravity ceases as we straighten out.

She draws closer to the rooftops, and I extend my legs. The plan is finally drawing to a close, and soon—

TO YOUR LEFT.

With a harsh swing of my shoulder, I slip myself out of Yauln's grasp, drawing the dagger once more and holding it up to protect my left side. A large figure slams into me, and we go flying through a building, and another floor down before skidding to a stop.

A huge paw threatens to crush me, the hide so tough that the sharp dagger I've projected doesn't so much as scratch it. A lion's face sneers at me while his rows of sharp teeth ready themselves to tear through my skin.

He is part two of the couple that Vao told us about.

As I helplessly watch me lose inch by inch on the sharp claws reaching towards my face, I try to think of a plan, one thought resounding in my head.

'How the hell did Vao expect us to deal with HIM?'

I'm not even allowed to think past that, as he swipes my blade to the side, whirling around to kick me with a large leg. He's incredibly fast, too, but I'm still able to create some space. I find a new rip in my poor poncho, though.

As I ready myself for the werelion that is charging at me, desperately looking for ways to escape, the barely audible sound of flapping wings causes us both to freeze. It's followed soon after by a sound I'm quite familiar with — the sound of a sigil breaking.

"… Panth?"

The beast stiffens, turning to look at the woman who's body is multiple shades of dark black, holding her hands defensively and calmly at him.

"Yyy… Ya-ya?" A guttural growl shakes the walls. Slowly, the beast shifts back to that of a large man — not quite as bulky as a certain someone who didn't fight, but certainly more toned and muscled. "Ya-ya… Is that really you?"

She nods, tears welling in her eyes, and she rushes up to him. "I'msosorrybaby—"

He wraps her in a bear hug to cut off her words. "I'm so glad you're okay! I had nearly forgotten your face… Gosh, our daughter will be so mad."

She laughs, hugging him back. "Don't worry, I'll take the blame again. I know you can't handle when our spunky little girl is mad at you."

He smiles, wiping a tear away from her cheek, before remembering my existence. He lays a hand in front of her, pushing her back. "Hold on, honey. I have something to take care of."

She sets her hand gently on his. "Wait." Looking to me, she nods.

I sigh, pulling back the hood of the poncho. Then the cap, letting my now less-than-lustrous, long white hair fall to its usual style. 'It's grown quite long,' I note as I remove the goggles, ones that not only block analyzing Skills, but change the color of my Mana.

Of course, it was expensive as fuck, and Yauln had to console me for an entire day.

The man's eyes widen in shock. "The Sword Saint? But all those deaths…"

"Were benefactors or leaders of the Mafo family. They are taken care of now."

"What?! You said you had given up on this obsession of yours! You had to drag a SAINT into it??"

I step forward, my eyes still full of hate. "No. She was right to do so."

"It's not your right to say anything, boy—"

"The head of the Mafo family was a goddamn Puppet. And he knew we were coming, because he's been tracking you two this whole time. You've put my entire party at risk, just for a grudge. It's time to pay up."

"Pay up?! What…" The aggressive Werebeast steps forward, glaring back at me. He shifts his hand into a clawed paw again, flexing it once.

"No! I will. I owe him information, he's right. More importantly, how did you take care of the Puppet? He can control them after death for a while, so it should have been much more extended. If you have a way to cut Strings…"

The man comes to the same realization, looking at me expectantly. I shake my head. "My guess is as good as yours. As soon as the Puppet died, I saw the Strings, and instinctively cut them when the body kept moving. If the condition to break the connection is the death of the target, then you guys should go see Vao instead."

"Bah! That traitor," the man waves dismissively, returning his hand to normal. His wife nudges him with a judgmental look. "Honey, we're traitors now."

"Oh. Oh yeah."

I slide the disguise back on over my face. "In any case, we might be screwed if word gets out that I killed all those people. And our plan now is ruined. So what now?"

"No, we can make this work, actually," Yauln replies with a grin. "Listen up."

* * *

Eniyala grows more agitated by the minute.

"With someone as big as Pantholeo, that house should be demolished by now. Unless… Fuck it."

Forming sigils under her feet, the woman jumps through the window, flames and wind curling around the lower part of her legs as they mix together. The result is the occasional arc of blue lightning sparking out, and a burst of flame slowing her descent. She slowly half-hovers, half-glides towards the small building. Only when she is a quarter of the way there does she see movement, and she finds herself stuck watching it all from afar.

A loud roar generates inside the building so harshly Eniyala nearly loses her balance. A black streak shoots out the hole, bouncing along the rooftops. It is soon followed by a familiar werebeast bounding after it. Pantholeo swipes within range, but everytime he gets close the cloaked figure deftly dodges and changes direction. At one point, it looks like the Demon has lost the werebeast, scurrying away out of his line of sight. Pantholeo looks back and forth in confusion.

The whole thing seems off to Eniyala. 'Why isn't he using his nose? And he hasn't been able to hit him yet?? Plus, the Demon is moving differently.'

Yet, all of her thoughts are banished when a purple flash obscures her sight from the dark figure for a moment. A quick swing of the sword, and the legs of the escapee are severed. A large bird flies over his head as he clumsily lands, nearly falling from the roof as dull white hair flies wildly around him, reaching past his jaw in length now.

"Klum!"

***

<Tutorial here, to explain: the difference between a Permanently-Active Skill and Passive Skill!>

<Passive Skills are conditional to activate, or always fully active. The original Skill, Critical Eye, activated whenever the user saw a 'target' 'enemy' — designated by user's subconscious, of course, although he didn't know that. Lol!>

<Now, Readers, you may be screaming, "That's the same as a Permanently-Active Skill! This story must have horrible author!" I assure you, though tutorial agrees about author, there is crucial difference.>

<Permanently-Active Skills are a very rare type of skill that always have one active component, while other effects the same Skill need to be specifically activated or conditions must met. For example, user's Seeing Eye categorizes his ability see Mana as 'always active' part Skill. Analyzing, predicting and hidden juicy bits all use.>

<Tutorial complete. Tutorial out!>