I'm a villain within the hero's party
Chapter 10 - 1 Part 10: South’s Finest Assassin

Chapter 10 - 1 Part 10: South’s Finest Assassin

The heavens were as blackened, pierced only by the cold full moon.

Cero was clad in a sleek of blackened leather, fitted close to his form. A long, shadowy hood flowed behind him, whilst armored bracers and fingerless gloves protected his arms. His legs were bound in leather chausses, and his boots, soft-soled.

He now hovered beyond the spire of the Magic Tower, suspended high in the sky around three-thousand meters. Just beyond the barrier that encased him, Sarah clung to its surface, riding the spherical shield. Her dagger was embedded deep into the barrier, serving as both anchor and grip. With a smile twisted by madness, she called out, "You seem strong, Cero. As a fellow assassin, I can sense it."

Cero gave no reply.

They were floating at an altitude of approximately three thousand meters, and the free fall had just begun. Yet Cero did not yield to panic. Instead, he mused in silence.

"Time before reaching the ground can be calculated by multiplying the height by two, dividing it by the acceleration due to gravity, and then taking the square root. That gives us about twenty-four seconds before we hit the ground. Fortunately, she's not attacking the barrier—doing so would compromise her grip as well.

Next, I need to calculate the velocity. Multiply mass, gravity, height, and two, then take the square root. That gives me approximately one thousand nine hundred fifty-five meters per second.

Finally, the impact force. It depends on mass, velocity, and time. The result: an impact force of roughly eleven kilonewtons. This barrier is strong enough to withstand that force—but it will shatter on contact with the ground. Though I cannot guarantee that she will survive from this fall."

With a death glare, Sarah scowled "Hey bastard quit staring at my chest.

Cero retorted, "I was calculating the impact force before we reached the ground. It appears that it's higher than your maturity level."

Sarah blinked, her expression faltering as she muttered, "Oh... thank you?"

Cero cast his gaze downward, ignoring her confusion. "Wasn't a compliment. Three more seconds before we reached the ground."

With the instincts of a seasoned killer, Sarah leapt from the sphere, landing upon a nearby tree. At the final moment, Cero unleashed his aura, he shifted his weight, twisting his body into a controlled roll. The barrier struck first, shattering like glass under the force of over ten kilonewtons, sending a shockwave of dust and fractured energy across the glade.

Cero burst through the remnants, his body hitting the groundwith brutal precision. He rolled diagonally across his shoulder and back, letting the momentum bleed out through each rotation. He thought to himself, "I have survived the fall unscathed, using a small amount of aura. But what about her?"

Cero remained crouched. His fingers splayed against the soil. The feel of the ground was strange to him—coarse, warm, and brimming with life.

His breath caught in his throat. He thought to himself, "So this is the world beyond the magic tower."

He rose slowly, lifting his gaze unto the sky. the full moon held dominion over the night sky. He murmured, "Beautiful."

He scanned the surroundings. The scent of moss and bark still filled his lungs—rich, damp, and unfamiliar with the cool breezeof nocturnal air. The distant hoot of an owl, the rustle of leaves stirred by unseen creatures, the soft hum of the glade itself.

Behind the tree, Sarah emerged, bruised and slightly gasping from the heavy use of her aura. She muttered under her breath, "That whelp still stands after the fall? That look, like someone who touched the grass for the first time ... I'll show him why they call me the finest assassin of the South."

With a sharp breath, Sarah unleashed her powerful blue aura, the air crackling around her as she stepped forward towards Cero. She uttered, "Let's see what you can do, witchborn."

But Cero remained calm—unbothered and unaffected. He thought to himself, "Compared to Father's mana... and your commander's aura... hers is just child's play.", He uttered, "Intruders who act high and mighty while carrying the sigil of oppression. Aren't you supposed to be a hero?"

Sarah's eyes narrowed. "What? He's completely unaffected by my aura... Just how strong is his willpower?"

She steadied herself and replied, "I am an Awakened Hero. I received a blessing from God Joshua. My class is Shade Guard."

In this world, those blessed by one of the Four Gods were categorized into classes: Assassin, Knight, Warrior, or Mage and they will receive additional abilities. But in rare cases, a sacred blessing would bestow the title of Hero, granting a unique class or subclass.

Then Cero released his aura—a massive surge of green aura that erupted outward, menacing and vast. His aura devoured hers effortlessly, swallowing it like a candle flame in a storm. He thought to himself, "Releasing this aura will attract dangerous monsters from the Cursed Forest of Monsters...but I have no choice."

Sarah did not flinch.

A veteran of many deaths, she stood firm. She thought to herself, "His aura... it's almost as vast as Commander Darius's, who reached the fourth aura core. To achieve that at his age... it's madness. Just how many years has he trained? How much has he suffered?"

Steadying herself, a smirk crept across her face. With a glint of excitement in her eyes, she uttered, "Aren't you interesting, kid? Let the hunt begin."

Sarah struck first.

She wielded a single dagger. With a sharp exhale, she vanished in a blur of blue aura, her dagger slicing through the air with a high-pitched, "Shhhk!"

She reappeared behind Cero in an instant, aiming for his spine—but her blade met only the shimmer of a fading afterimage. "Tch...He's fast" She muttered.

Cero had already moved. Using his speed, he reappeared behind her, his green aura surging as he infused his twin daggers with aura. The blades gleamed under the moonlight, deadly and precise.

Sarah spun just in time to meet him.

The clash rang out, "Clang! Clang! Tsssh!" as steel met steel in a flurry of strikes too fast for the eye to follow. Sparks flew with each impact.

With a burst of agility, Sarah flipped backward, her movements fluid and acrobatic, landing with grace. Cero, in contrast, simply stepped back, calm, composed, and calculating- his eyes never leaving hers.

Cero narrowed his eyes, his thoughts sharp and focused.

"She's not relying on her blessings... she's skilled. I need to stay focused." He spoke, his voice low and commanding, "I suggest you leave while I still show mercy. I'll let you and your knights walk away for the chaos you caused at our Magic Tower. I am not Witch born—and as a hero chosen by God, you should honor my request."

Sarah's eyes flickered with irritation, "His swordplay is monstrous. I shall end this swiftly. I can't match him in endurance and aura." She scoffed, her voice laced with venom, "Don't try to sweet-talk me. I'm not like Commander Darius—I don't care about honor. I want you dead, kid... and I'll kill your old man, Ren Restes, too."

Cero's expression darkened, "She's unreasonable. Crazy. A hypocrite. I can't believe someone like her was chosen as a hero... corrupted and unhinged."

Then, in perfect unison, their voices rang out, "Playtime is over."