Assassin

Countless raindrops pounded the sea surface as fierce winds whipped the waves toward the shore.

Wave after wave crashed against the coastal reefs, exploding into countless droplets.

He secretly swam out of the sea, a dark gray fin lying almost flat against his dusky back.

He spread the fins on his arms to control his direction, continuously twisting his tail from side to side as he silently approached the black reefs.

A wave pushed him onto a reef. When the spray subsided, his body lay almost flat against the oyster-covered sea rock. The heavy rain drenched him, yet only made him more agile.

He climbed onto the black reef and steadily drew closer to the coastline...

Dusk under a gloomy rain.

The light was dim.

Two sailors with beer bellies hurried across the beach carrying buckets, jogging toward the harbor.

Their fat bodies made it impossible for them to truly run across the sand. Rain continuously battered their bodies, heads, and faces, flowing into their eyes and forcing them to squint.

The two crewmen panted as they ran along the coastline, leaving two clear rows of footprints in the sand.

Ahead lay a stretch of black reefs. Once they crossed them and ran a few hundred more meters, they would reach the edge of the pier.

The two sailors were already soaked through, while waves constantly battered their ankles.

A fish in one of the buckets flung itself out. With a splash, it fell into the seawater, turned into a dark blur, and vanished.

One of the fat sailors immediately cursed. Seeing the two fish left in the bucket, he had no choice but to slow down.

They were soaked anyway. What difference did it make whether they got back sooner or later...

If the last two fish jumped out as well, he would probably have to eat Black Bread with cabbage for dinner.

He wanted to call out to the companion running ahead, but rainwater rushed into his mouth the moment he opened it.

He hurriedly spat twice and continued jogging forward with his head down...

He lay low on the reef, waiting for his chance, a venomous gleam flashing through his eyes.

Strange gills grew on his blue-green cheeks. Several thin braids hung from his head, his ears pressed flat against the sides of his skull, and his face was nearly as hideous as a demon's.

His two arms were over a meter long and covered in blue-green scales. A black fin rose from his back. His upper body resembled a human's, but below the waist was a fish tail over two meters long.

The instant he spotted the two human sailors on the coastline, his golden-threaded pupils widened.

Even his breathing grew heavier. He pulled a sharp dagger from his waist and clenched it between his teeth before silently slipping from the reef into the seawater.

He nimbly circled around the cluster of reefs through waist-deep water.

He was already very close to the beach. The figures of the two human sailors several dozen meters away grew clearer and clearer through the heavy rain.

A large wave surged in, pushing his body swiftly toward the shore.

He forcefully swung his fish tail. Combined with the wave's momentum and his own acceleration, he shot out of the surf like an arrow.

He was within reach.

He spread his arms, whipped his tail, and pounced on the human Sailor lagging behind.

The human Sailor was bald and one hundred eighty-five centimeters tall. An anchor tattoo lay behind his ear, his beard was neatly trimmed, and his arms were thick and sturdy.

His enormous fat belly pulled his spine into an exaggerated S-shape, making him look as if he would cough up his lungs after only a few steps.

He did not even dare breathe too deeply, afraid of choking on rainwater.

He was merely a cook aboard the ship. His greatest hobby was sleeping with exotic women of different races at the harbor.

It was rare for him to have a day off, but he had been unlucky enough to lose his last copper coin the previous night. He could only take a fishing rod to the shore to pass the time.

The fishy-smelling black shadow lunged onto his back. Slimy, icy arms viciously locked around his neck—if that could still be called a neck.

The human Sailor saw a blue-green arm covered in scales, while the other finned hand gripped a sharp dagger...

The dagger sliced into the thick fat beneath his neck, finding his windpipe beneath the layers of flesh...

A flash of light cut through the rain...

Blood gushed from his throat.

He could not even let out a cry. Clutching his throat with both hands, he fell into the seawater, and the spurting blood instantly dyed the water around him red.

Strength drained rapidly from his body. He struggled to stand, wanting to call out to the companion ahead.

But the waves and rain drowned out everything. Until he lost his last bit of strength, he collapsed limply into the sea.

His fat body was carried by the waves and pushed onto the beach.

The heavy rain washed the blood from his body...

As the Sailor ahead ran, he realized there was no movement behind him.

He instinctively looked back and discovered his companion had somehow fallen on the beach, his bucket and fishing rod flung far away.

He wanted to curse, This damned weather!

As a wave receded, it swept away the fine sand beneath his feet, nearly making him fall into the seawater.

There was no one else in sight on the beach, and the heavy rain had blurred the surrounding scenery beyond recognition.

He thought his companion had merely slipped and fallen, and needed a hand getting up. Without a second thought, he turned and ran back through the rain...

When he reached his companion, he found the man's entire face buried in the sand, with thin streams of blood still flowing from his neck.

Cautiously, he crouched down and turned the body over. Only after laying him on his back did he see that his companion's throat had been slit open.

Blood bubbles continued to rise from the wound in his throat.

Overcome with horror, he immediately tried to flee...

A wave rolled in, its spray striking his legs.

He felt as though a hand had grabbed his ankle. Losing his balance, he fell backward into the shallow water.

Another wave crashed over him. He struggled to crawl toward the beach, but the hand around his ankle was like shackles, dragging him hard toward the sea.

A sudden pain shot through his calf. Looking back, he saw a dagger embedded in it, leaving a wound over a foot long.

Terror and pain made him scream hysterically.

He frantically slapped at the seawater with both arms, sending countless splashes into the rain.

The pouring heavy rain obscured every sound.

The waves dragged the Sailor's body farther and farther into the sea. He tried to grab a protruding reef beside him, but sharp shells immediately sliced several wounds across his palm.

Despite his violent struggle, the Sailor was still swallowed by the sea.

No one knew how long passed before the rain gradually weakened.

The Sailor, his face completely drained of color, leaned against a black reef with both legs submerged in seawater. His legs were covered in finger-width cuts, all of them pale, with no blood flowing from them anymore.

The Sailor opened his eyes in despair, raised a trembling hand toward the Da Nei River by the shore, and swallowed his last breath.

The morning after a heavy rain should have been bright and sunny.

But Castleton Harbour had an unusual climate. A cold air current blowing down from the north had arrived at just the right time, causing the temperature in Castleton Harbour to plummet after the rain...

The entire harbor was shrouded in thick fog, which grew denser the closer one got to the coastline.

Brown Street was the street closest to the sea, and with the Da Nei River running through it, the fog nearly blanketed the entire street.

Roy ran out carrying two books, plunging headfirst into the thick fog.

He felt his way along the street, while the Da Nei River on the other side made a constant rushing sound.

Blue-green, scale-covered fingers gripped the stone railing, sharp nails embedded in the stone. His body hung behind the railing, and the surging Da Nei River flowed beneath him.

Only after catching the scent of a human did he cautiously poke his head out.

In the thick fog, even the opposite side of the street was blurry. Fortunately, he could distinguish scents...

Naga, humans, and elves all smelled different.

He caught a faint human scent, which was why he had poked his head out to observe.

Thus, the naga assassin saw Roy walking through the fog...

Roy walked along Brown Street and had just reached the Potion Shop.

This was the intersection on Brown Street. The Da Nei River flowed into the sea from here, and the elves had built a stone bridge at this spot.

It had rained continuously for the past two days. The Da Nei River's water level was high, and its current was swift.

Roy was hurrying to Elf Academy and paid no attention to his surroundings. If he happened to encounter a Long Carriage at the intersection, he had even planned to take it to the academy.

Yet under the thick fog, the intersection looked cold and deserted...

As usual, Roy stopped beside Mrs. Winnie's Potion Shop. He wanted to see what a sorry state the Night Blade Leopard tied outside the door was in.

He bent down and glanced into the small kennel.

But today, the Night Blade Leopard was unusually well-behaved. It warily watched its surroundings, unease visible in its eyes as it repeatedly licked its paws.

Even when Roy arrived, the Night Blade Leopard gave no response.

Roy was somewhat surprised. If there were no inexplicable danger, the Night Blade Leopard would definitely bare its teeth at him. Their grudge had not begun just a day or two ago...

Roy looked around. The street was completely silent.

Because of yesterday's rain and this morning's thick fog, no vendors had set up their stalls at this hour.

There were not even any pedestrians on the street...

Roy instantly felt an indescribable sense of oppression.

At the same time, the Night Blade Leopard drew its head back into the kennel...

A black shadow appeared at the bridgehead, directly behind Roy. His body writhed like a giant python as he silently closed in on Roy.

Roy had not sensed danger approaching at all, but he saw that the Night Blade Leopard's pupils had narrowed into slits and the fur along its neck had stood on end.

Seeing the Night Blade Leopard frightened into such a state, Roy knew something was terribly wrong.

Roy did not even dare turn around. He shouted and bolted forward.

The naga assassin, who had already closed in, actually missed his first pounce. His sharp nails merely scraped Roy's linen shirt, tearing three foot-long gashes across its back.

Roy took the chance to dash away in a single stride...

At that instant, the Night Blade Leopard hidden in the kennel shot out like lightning. The thumb-thick Iron Chains around its neck snapped at once. Its two plump front paws landed on the wooden fence, and it launched itself high into the air, opening its bloody jaws to bite the naga assassin.