Reset Life – Chapter 93

Chapter 93: Even I Was Deceived (4)

Without information, plans can’t be made, and concealment isn’t smooth.

In the end, the guys who attacked us probably fought us to obtain that first piece of information.

“That makes sense.”

“Hoo, you could certainly think that way. Then, combining the three hypotheses, you’re saying that the assassin trainee fulfilled all the preconditions for assassination activities in order to utilize assassination techniques?”

As soon as Lucy finished speaking, Al and I stopped dead in our tracks. Lucy took one more step forward and then looked back.

“What’s wrong with you guys?”

“Lucy, what did you just say?”

At my question, Lucy tilted her head and repeated what she had said.

“I said they fulfilled all the preconditions for assassination activities.”

Al and I looked at each other almost simultaneously. I don’t know about mages, but those who fight on the front lines have their own intuition.

As soon as I heard Lucy’s words, that intuition grabbed hold of my steps.

“It’s dangerous……”

“I agree, Al.”

I’m sorry to say this to Lucy, but I don’t think there have been many times when Lucy’s words have carried this much credibility. The hypothesis obtained by combining the three people’s words was quite plausible.

Lucy, whose specialty wasn’t physical combat, scratched her head.

“Hmm, is it that dangerous?”

“It’s tricky.”

“Tricky things are mostly dangerous.”

“What, it’s the same thing in the end. Is it dangerous enough to stop walking?”

Lucy said nonchalantly, and Al and I carefully began to explain the danger so as not to hurt Lucy’s feelings, and to summarize it:

Being suddenly shot by an arrow and dying in your sleep is the best-case scenario. Poisoning the water is also common, and you can be backstabbed when you need to take care of physiological needs.

All of these things are undoubtedly planned according to our level, so they will likely be beyond our ability to respond.

It wouldn’t be a problem if it ended there, but the biggest burden of the assassination threat is that your nerves become frayed due to the anxiety of not knowing when you’ll be killed.

And you’re trying to go where the Black New Moon is without knowing that? Is your head made of stone? You said it yourself, but you don’t realize how bad it is? Is that thing on your shoulder just for decoration?

And so on and so forth.

It seems like some harsh words were added in the latter part, hmm, well, it can’t be helped.

Lucy stroked her chin and agreed.

“It’s not all pleasant to hear, but there’s definitely that risk. So what do we do?”

“First, we need to prepare as much as possible. For example, we can take enough food and water to avoid local resupply, and we can install a separate portable toilet in the campsite.”

“Hey, that’s going to stink.”

“Compared to the smell of hell’s sulfur, it’s a heavenly flower garden.”

“Huh? Why hell? I’m sure I’m going to heaven, no matter how you look at it.”

“Liars go to hell.”

“훗. Lies are forgiven for handsome people.”

Al and I jeered at Lucy until she went ballistic.

And we lightened the mood with appropriate jokes and decided to carry out what we had planned.

They’ve probably set countless traps along the way. Securing food and water as we move forward is synonymous with suicide.

We first turned back without hesitation and retreated for about three hours, and drew as much drinking water as possible from the spring there.

We decided to solve the food problem with the rations we had, regardless of nutritional imbalance. It will take a few days at most, so it’s unlikely that nutritional imbalance will occur in that time.

“As long as we have water, sugar, and salt, we won’t collapse immediately.”

According to Lucy, water, sugar, and salt became the supplies we had to save until the very end.

In this way, it reminds me of the extreme survival training I experienced in the military.

We were transported deep into the mountains while sleeping and had to return alive through a four-day mountain path with only a dagger, canteen, map, and compass.

Compared to that, now is like heaven. We have other food besides rations, and the summer mountains are relatively abundant. Spring is the best time, but summer is not bad either.

It takes about two days to reach point 5.

“We might be able to compete with the Black New Moon.”

Al said with gleaming eyes.

It’s fascinating that both Lucy and Al are heading straight for the descendants of the assassination group that has been called the best and worst since the beginning of time, yet they’re not afraid.

At first, we set out with the thought of just finding Levidian, but after being attacked and the opponent being presumed to be the Black New Moon, are they motivated instead?

I don’t know what their driving force is, but I have no intention of backing down either.

Since we’ve come this far, we need to find out what their relationship is with Levidian. Is Levidian’s disappearance related to them?

I shouldered my backpack, which had become heavier due to the water, and summoned my motivation.

“Let’s go! Let’s pierce the heart of the assassination group!”

We moved north with momentum.

July 12, 375 Imperial Calendar.

Drip.

I even paid attention to the sound of dew drops falling. Being on guard duty is always tiring, and even more so when someone is trying to kill you.

The mountains were hazy with fog, and the dense fog gathered on the leaves and branches of the trees, forming water droplets.

The sun hasn’t risen yet, so the temperature is cool, but I think today will be incredibly humid and sweltering.

I stretched and yawned. I’m sleepy and tense, so I’m three times more tired than usual.

I rummaged through the campfire and added some relatively dry pieces from the piled-up firewood. Thanks to the campfire that burned all night, the humidity around here was less.

Lighting a fire while an assassin is targeting us is nothing short of crazy.

However, Lucy said that if it’s the Black New Moon, they’d already know our location, so lighting a fire wouldn’t make things worse. It’s better to conserve our strength.

I nodded at her words and installed wires over a 50-meter radius and randomly lit fires in various locations.

Just because I accepted it doesn’t mean I’m an idiot who will just sit still.

It was damp and I managed the embers well, so a forest fire didn’t start. Most of them would be out by now.

I can see faint smoke rising from the closest one, a little over 15 meters away. That’s the limit because of the fog.

I took out my pocket watch and it was 7 a.m. Because a large mountain range passes through the east, the sun hasn’t risen here yet. That’s why I hate the inside of valleys.

It’s time to wake up Al and Lucy and start today’s journey.

I cracked my neck left and right to loosen the joints and got up.

Al hadn’t moved an inch from his rigid posture, making his sleeping bag look like a coffin. On the other hand, I was worried that Lucy’s sleeping bag might tear. It’s quite high quality.

It was when I slightly bent my waist to wake them up. The faint smoke suddenly wavered. Is it the wind?

I lowered my posture and watched it closely. The smoke rose and then coughed out rough smoke as if it had choked.

It wouldn’t rise like that unless someone touched it.

I lowered my posture further. There aren’t that many people who can touch the campfire besides us in this area. For example…… the Black New Moon.

But why did they carelessly touch the campfire?

“Ah, are they angry because of the numerous fakes?”

I’ve lit about 20 around here alone.

Just in the place where the smoke just rose, there are about six or seven fakes along the 50-meter path.

Maybe they got angry after continuously finding fake campfires and kicked it.

I picked up a few small stones. It’s a lack of patience for an assassin, but thanks to that, I was able to notice. Are they really a trainee?

Thud! Thud!

I threw the stones at Al and Lucy to wake them up.

Al’s eyes popped open like a vampire greeted by the night as soon as the stone landed next to him, but on the other hand, Lucy only opened his sleepy eyes after being hit in the face a few times.

“Mmm……?”

“Shh.”

I quickly signaled Lucy to be quiet as he was about to yawn cluelessly.

Lucy frowned, looked around, and picked at his eye boogers. But he still looked sleepy. He was a bit weak in the mornings.

Al got up quietly and rubbed his eyes to chase away his sleepiness, and I silently drew my sword.

Rustle! Swish! Crackle!

Now they’re even making careless footsteps.

Judging from the sound, it seems like about six or seven people are approaching.

I exchanged glances with Al. Then we pulled up our masks to check each other’s faces. We decided to wear them as a temporary measure, just in case they release poison again.

Al naturally moved to Lucy’s right, and I moved to his left silently.

My right hand held the longsword ready, and my left hand slowly gripped Iperfect.

Six or seven people means three or four per person.

If it’s the same level as last time, we should be able to hold out until Lucy uses his magic.

You careless assassins. This time, you’ll be the ones surprised!

‘Al, are you ready?’

‘Anytime.’

Al and I exchanged glances and nodded. It would be nice if our charge timing matched, but a difference of a second or two doesn’t matter much.

Crunch. Rustle! Snap!

The sound of grass being trampled, dry branches being stepped on. They’re careless, but they must have already cut the wire I set up. They’re strangely diligent.

The sound is getting closer. 6 meters ahead. The moment a human shadow slowly appeared beyond the bushes.

Whoosh!

Al jumped in first. Eight! I can’t be late! I jumped in less than two seconds later.

Clang! Clang!

“Ugh?!”

“Oh no!”

I heard surprised voices from the other side. Distracted by Al first, they didn’t notice me charging in from the opposite direction.

Crack!

The first strike was successful. My lightning-fast roundhouse kick knocked down the guy who was looking at Al.

“Ugh!”

“It’s a feint!”

“That’s for fetching water!”

I landed and immediately swung my sword.

The advantage is different between those who haven’t yet taken a fighting stance and us who have already launched a surprise attack. I immediately thrust my sword forward and swung my left hand forcefully to the side.

Iperfect flashed silver in the fog.

Clang!

I thought I had scratched a guy’s chest, but sparks flew.

He’s wearing iron armor, unlike an assassin. What is this? Clothes made of iron wire?

The guy who got his chest scratched immediately retreated and drew two short swords, about 50-60 centimeters long, from both sides of his waist. He was a dual wielder.

“Dual wielding? Sorry, but I’m familiar with it!”

Sometimes I had close combat with Jay. Jay’s specialty is close-range dual wielding using agility. The masked man who was hit by my attack narrowed his eyes.

His arms crossed, drawing whip-like trajectories as the two short swords closed in. Ugh? Are you upset because I said I’m familiar with it?!

I jumped back two steps to avoid the short swords and dodged the enemy trying to stab my side with a weight shift. I pushed my body forward, aiming for the guy’s waist, and then shifted my weight again to strike upwards with my waist.

“Kuh!”

It wasn’t a big blow, but it disrupted his balance. I elbowed him in the back and kicked him towards the guy who was running at me with his twin swords.

Thud!

He fell helplessly, but the masked man with the twin swords lightly jumped over him and ran towards me.

By the time he landed, I was already moving forward, and he held out his two swords crossed.

Clang!

I swung my longsword down and entangled the two short swords. I could see his eyes widen in surprise.

Are you a trainee after all!

Thwack!

“Gah!”

But it was me who got hit. The guy who fell had thrown a stone and hit my forehead. Ugh! That hurts!

“Didn’t your mother teach you not to throw stones at people!”

I blurted out a line like Lucy’s in a moment of anger. And I immediately regretted it because the other masked men around me started to attack me as well, alerted by my voice.

Damn it! Do I look weak?!

I moved in a direction where there were no enemies and swung my sword around. It may look like I’m swinging randomly, but it’s actually a sword technique with a defensive effect.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sword cut through the fog like smoke, making a wind-cutting sound. Even the guys who were running at me hesitated and waited at the momentum.

Clang! Clang!

On one side, Al was showcasing the advantages of his gauntlets, striking with his fists to deflect weapons and delivering impact to the inside of the iron armor.

Tsk! If I knew this would happen, I should have learned martial arts from Levidian!

Seeing how my Levidian talk has increased lately, I’m seriously obsessed. It’s strange how I miss her more because she’s not here. It seems like I really like her. Huh.

“Eeeiyaa!”

Whoosh!

I kicked up the dirt with my foot and rotated my body, moving forward. And I backhanded a full swing with my sword, hitting the closest guy without hesitation.

Clang-!

The sword and sword collided with a terrifyingly loud sound. The mountain birds must have all woken up by now.

In a fight against multiple opponents, taking the initiative is the most important. It’s good to make the opponent take a defensive stance by imprinting on them that a great sacrifice is required to defeat you.

“Hya-!”

I deliberately let out a loud shout and attacked everything in sight with all my might.

Left. Stab with the dagger. The right side is open. Draw a circle with the longsword. Two of the four who surrounded me are pushed back. The other two come in to fill the gap, but my arms are already pulled inward, ready to cross.

If you’re ready, it’s the way of the world to act!

Clang! Clang!

Half a step forward. The four are surrounding me from three steps away. Two of them try to go around me, but I deliberately move to the right.

Swish! Swish!

Three stabs in one breath. Even Al gave up on facing the triangular stabs. The guy who became the target probably had no choice but to retreat.

The four are now in a line. I dug into the middle of them in a low stance. Hands together in front. A stabbing posture.

Swish! Swish!

Two swords pass over my head with a burning sensation. Coincidentally, my mask got caught on one of their swords. But I traded my mask for position.

Thwack!

I struck the backs of the knees of the guys next to me with the hilts of the two swords.

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