When everything was quiet, I regulated my breath and relaxed my mind. While reflecting on what had happened, I suddenly realized—I'd killed people. Soldiers. And not just any soldiers—elite ones.
In my previous life, I never killed. Now, the ones I had just killed were elite soldiers.
It crossed my mind: fragmented memories.
Yes… it seems like those memories were what gave me experience.
As I mulled over the situation, a loud voice came from outside my room.
"Prince!! Are you okay?!" someone shouted urgently, followed by the sound of hurried footsteps.
The door flung open, revealing a guard who quickly scanned the room. His eyes widened at the sight of the five dead assassins and the two others, motionless and tightly bound.
He paused, looking from the bodies to me. The tension in the air thickened.
Seeing me—dressed in armor and looking like an adult man—the guard eyed me warily and threatened,
"Hey, you... where is the prince? Answer quickly, or I'll torture you."
Hearing that, to avoid any misunderstanding, I immediately replied,
"Stop, it's me…" while taking off my face shield.
When I looked at him, I was surprised—it was the face of someone who often bothered me during training.
After seeing my face, he looked a bit relieved.
"Oh, it's you, Prince. I didn't recognize you with the armor on," he muttered, shaking his head as if embarrassed.
And then, remembering something, he asked quickly,
"Oh yeah… are you okay, Prince?" while glancing at me with concern.
Looking at him, I said,
"No problem. Clean up the corpse."
He nodded. But as he moved, I noticed something strange. His armor was cut up in several places, and there were small cuts on his hands and feet—minor, yes, but it looks like he just had a fierce fight.
I said back to him " also collect the crossbows and arrows. "
When he heard my request about collecting the crossbows and arrows, he was stunned and said,
"Prince… but that…"
I immediately cut him off,
"Just do it."
After taking half the arrows and two crossbows, I gestured toward the still-tied-up assassins and said,
"Take care of the two of them."
I quickly adjusted my gear, put my mask back on, and started preparing to jump out of the window. The guard, still unsure, asked,
"What do you want to do, Prince?"
I simply replied,
"Practice," and without waiting for further questions, I leapt toward the wall, pushing off it with a swift motion. My body flew upward, and I landed with precision on the roof.
Looking around, only one thing crossed my mind—chaotic. From here, I could see the chaos of the castle unfolding. The sound of distant clanging, the shouts of soldiers, and the ongoing tension in the air. But still somewhat under control.
What surprised me was the attackers. Their coordination was excellent—not like assassins, but soldiers.
Either their commander is stupid or brave. Sending trained soldiers in disguised as assassins, with no backup, no protection? Bold.
I pushed those thoughts aside for now and started my training.
What kind of training?
Crossbow shooting.
"I need practice to determine wind direction first," I said, scanning the area for a suitable target.
A flagpole ball caught my eye. The distance was... maybe 900 meters.
I aimed carefully, activating [Sharp Vision] through my head armor to enhance my focus and clarity. The target became sharper, the world around me dimmed, and my entire being focused on that small, distant object.
"One shot, one kill…" I muttered under my breath, steadying my hand and releasing the crossbow.
The bolt flew through the air, cutting through the night with precision.
Clang!
The sound of metal striking metal rang out as the arrow hit the flagpole ball, even damaging the pole.
I exhaled slowly, feeling a rush of accomplishment. The shot had been clean, but the real test was consistency.
I adjusted my stance and prepared for another shot. The wind hadn't been a problem this time, but I couldn't let myself become complacent. There was always more to refine.
After some practice, and feeling that I had gotten a good grip on the crossbow, I suddenly realized something.
"Nice… looks like it's enchanted. Even the arrows have wind enchantments," I muttered to myself, admiring the crossbow in my hands. The craftsmanship was impeccable, and the subtle magic infused into it made the weapon feel alive. The way the arrows hummed as they flew, guided by the winds, was a thing of beauty.
"Now, it's time for me to look for prey," I said, scanning the area with a calculating gaze.
"I found it."
An enemy on the stairs, holding a crossbow, guarded by two teams below.
Aiming carefully to keep my balance, I whispered again,
"One shot, one kill…"
I released the arrow.
The arrow flew through the air with precision, striking the enemy directly in the chest. The force of the impact knocked him off balance, and he tumbled down the stairs, crashing into his team. Three of them went down in a heap, disoriented and vulnerable.
Without missing a beat, the guards rushed in, weapons drawn, and swiftly finished off the remaining attackers. The sound of clashing metal and grunts filled the air as the skirmish came to an end.
I stood still, my focus still sharp as I scanned for the next opportunity. There was no time to waste. Each shot had to count.
"Next," I whispered, my fingers already brushing the crossbow, ready for the next target.
"Next…"
"Next…"
"Let's search again…"
When I was down to my last arrow, I noticed a fierce fight nearby.
What caught my eye—Kruger, the head guard, fighting evenly with someone disguised as an assassin, but wearing light armor.
The assassin's agility was remarkable, ducking and weaving with swift, practiced moves, while Kruger, although powerful, was focused on defense, trying to read his opponent's every move.
The clang of swords echoed through the chaos, and the assassin's movements were almost fluid, as though they knew exactly how to counter every attack Kruger made.
Despite being at a disadvantage, Kruger didn't falter. His massive form and heavy armor were clearly a liability in speed, but his skill and strength were undeniable. I could see the determination in his eyes, and I knew he wasn't going down without a fight.
"Looks like I have to help him," I said, aiming at his opponent and waiting for the right moment.
As Kruger launched an attack, his opponent raised their weapon to block. At that exact moment,
"One shot, one kill…" I muttered under my breath. I released the arrow.
I didn't know why, but the shot felt right. Maybe it was intuition, the instinct to strike at the perfect time.
It flew through the air, silent but precise, striking the back of the assassin's leg.
The opponent staggered, losing their balance just as Kruger's blade slashed through the air with a swift motion. The assassin tried to dodge, but it was too late—the blade struck true, severing the assassin's hand clean off.
While the enemy stood in shock, Kruger didn't miss the opportunity—he stabbed his sword straight into the man's gut. The assassin let out a groan of pain, his body going limp. Kruger stood over him, unmoving, his eyes cold—as if the man were still speaking.
"Huh… finally, it's over," I said, my voice steadying as I calmed my breath. I placed the crossbow back into my bag, the weight of the situation slowly sinking in.
But just as I started to relax, whoosh!
An ice arrow—magic—struck me from behind, and instantly, my armored leg was cut clean off. The exo-armor, while powerful, was still vulnerable to well-placed attacks, and the force of the magic was enough to sever the limb. It didn't just fall—it flew off into the night, vanishing into the darkness.
"Damn, I was careless…" I muttered, watching the severed leg disappear into the distance. My body was still armored, but the sudden loss of balance threw me off.