--section 8, northeast of King's Landing.

　The clash of steel against steel, the occasional dull, raw sound of water, and the screams of crushed frogs.

　Blunt weapons being wielded and dark weapons flying about. Those who go for the head, looking for an opportunity to get closer, are blown away in return.

　Wind Earth Note was still fighting.

　Breathing hard, he gripped the iron door again tightly with trembling hands.

　He must have killed twenty people already.

　I don't know if he's actually dead or not, but the number of people he's beaten with intent to kill and cripple must have exceeded twenty.

　I exhale loudly, wondering how many people I've hired.

　If they are so relentless and determined to choke him out, he has a good idea who is after him.

　Many of the assassins took the trouble to make sure that the girl was not nearby.
　The information had already been disseminated.
　If the goal was to kill him and retrieve his daughter, there was only one answer.

The ...... prince had nothing to do with it.

　The Fifth Prince of Barrier Reef.
　He was a young man who still looked exactly the same as he did six years ago, although he had taken on the strange alias of Ocean Big Wave.

　I had seen him many times when I was in the service of the First Princess of Azalea.

　Azalea had always gazed happily at him as he jumped into the sea with his friends, nobles and commoners alike, surfboard in hand.

　It was after Azalea's death that the Prince of Barrier Reef ran away.

　Wind had heard of the terrible civil war going on in the Imperial Kingdom.
　However, he never thought that Barrier Reef would come to the kingdom to fulfill the duties of the Imperial family.

"......, my lord.

　Closing his eyes, Wind shook his head.
　At the same time, he intercepted a man who jumped at him with an iron knife.

　He leaped and threw his body weight into the blow, which, even with a knife, was very powerful.

　He stopped and flicked it away, then landed lightly and threw the dagger again as if looking for an opening.
　While Wind was distracted by this, another assassin attacked from left and right behind him.

　It was an uncomfortable battle of attrition.

Who hired you, ......?

　I wish I could ask that question and get an answer.
　Of course, the assassin would never answer.

　But there was a question in Wind's mind that he couldn't shake.

　Some of these "assassins" looked familiar to him.
　It's not that I know them, but the Orba Trading Company sometimes hires assassins.

　Yes. They are from this country or King's Landing.

　Wind believes that their employers are from the Imperial Kingdom.
　But they didn't send them all the way from a distant country.
　That would mean they're recruiting assassins in this country.

　--We haven't received any reports that Ruri's father has come to this country.

　Wind believed that he intended to retrieve the princess and his daughter, Ruri, and use them as pawns in his own struggle for the succession to the throne.

　The line that he was taking advantage of the visit of the Fifth Prince of Barrier Reef to blend in his own forces has been broken.

　Currently, Wind didn't know the details of Ruri's father's relationship with the royal family.

　Wind was feeling very tired as the situation continued without knowing who was behind it.

　He pushed forward in the darkness, not knowing when he would be able to get out.

　It's been three days of fighting.
　Thanks to the barrier leaf, he was able to rest a little, but it was almost a relief.

　But if that's judgment...

　If it's a test to see how much I can fight for Ruri's safety...

　I'll take it all in stride.

"Ohhhhhh!

　The number of assassins in sight is eight.
　I can feel them in the building at 5.

　I don't think we have much time.

　We've been in sector eight too long.
　The information must have spread, and the pursuers I thought I had shaken off are showing up one after another.

　There are four more from the rear with clear hostility.


　Seventeen.

　It's depressing to think that there are nearly twice as many assassins as we slaughtered in three days.
　But we've been cutting them down, man by man, in similar situations.

　We'll just keep doing the same thing.

"Wind Earth Note: ......!!!

　I suddenly felt an intense hostility.
　When I turned around, I saw a presence I didn't recognize, but I had felt it before.
　Perhaps it's the same one I encountered when I was in the assassin business.

I'm not sure what to make of it, but I'm sure it's worth it.

　The straight sword he drew was a work of art. A sharp blade can severely damage an ironworker's armor if it's received lazily.

　At any rate, it won't be cut off, but ...... this knife is Wind's lifeline.

I can't deal with you alone, but come on.
Pull it out!

　Painful hatred.
　He's certainly beaten to death with his own hands all those who were his comrades, even on the job.

　That's right. It's not only those who want Ruri, but also those from the past who are attacking Wind now.

　I... Judgment is a good word for it.

　He's good with a straight sword.
　I knew from the moment we crossed swords that he was not a man to be taken lightly.

　That's why I bite my teeth.
　These "assassins" may be a group, but they are not a monolith.


　It is conceivable that a whole man could be targeted by the Wind, and I have seen it happen twice.

　Such unscrupulous people have been purged by them, but it is not surprising that it has happened many times.

"Huh?

　A glint.
　From the edge of Wind's vision, a dagger was thrown, coated in a light black color.
　I tried to evade it, but...

"Don't look where you're going!
Agh!

　Oh...
　You're in over your head.

　For all intents and purposes, it's poison.

　If it sticks, the body's far from its prime. You won't get away with it.
　The only reason you can't avoid it is because you've been so wronged.


　"Judgment. Well said. 　





"If you're going to be judged, Wynn.





"It's not just punishment. You'll be rewarded for your service as well.









Imitation: Lino Roses.







　There was a storm.

　The shadow that intervened between Wind and Dagger spun around on one foot like a topple.
　Wind's eyes widened as she realized what had happened in that moment.

　She grabbed the handle of the dagger and threw it back at the person who had thrown it.

"Geez.

　The storm left a golden glow in his widened eyes as it struck the "assassin" one after the other into his field of vision, without looking at him as he fell into a coma from the thrust into his throat.

Mimicry: Eru Keat = Assassination Technique, Snake

　The man appears in an instant behind the "assassins" surrounding Wind.

　Before he can even speak, a hand pierces his throat, and by the time he collapses, he's not even a shadow.

......13,12,11......

　In the event that you've got any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

What the hell is going on?

　At the moment of shouting...

《Mimicry: Wind Earth Note = Self-Rule Random Strike》

　An iron axe shot from behind him.

　The man falls helplessly from the second floor, crashing through the building.

　At the same time as the sound of a boxwood cracking, a metallic sound echoed behind Wind.


　Everyone in the room knew they had to get to him before Wind did.


　At the same time, a swarm of daggers was unleashed.
　A rain of blades, of which six were trivial in number, caused the golden eyes to widen once again.

Imitation: Soldo Klatt = My Way of Throwing

　In an instant, he spotted the fastest dagger, grabbed its hilt with his other hand, and slammed up the remaining five.

　The five blades fluttered in the air, gleaming in the noonday sun, but without a moment to be lost in admiration.

　Starting with the blade in his grip, he grabs them one by one in the order in which they fall and unleashes precise projectiles.


　--If you throw a dagger, it will be returned and you will die.


　I'm not sure if this is a good idea, but it's a good idea.

　The next moment, the storm was nowhere to be found, as he pulled out two iron knives that were standing on the ground.

　The man with the straight sword who was trying to kill Wind was the one who ate the foam.
　The man with the straight sword who was trying to kill Wind ate the foam. He forced the storm out of his consciousness and faced Wind, not wanting his wishes to be trampled on at this point.

"I don't know about you, Wind Earth Note, but you're the only one--
"One.
What?


　Before you can swing your straight sword.
　I'm not sure if it's a good idea, but I think it's a good idea.


　There was no sign of movement as the man fell to the ground.


　It had only been a moment.

　Seventeen men.

　That was the number of bodies lying on the ground, motionless.



"Huh. ...... Thank God you're okay!
"Huh, Mister Futa.

　I'm sure you'll be glad to hear that.

You're a wreck. You need medical attention right away.
"Ahh, .......

　The stunned Wind is innocent.

　Just...

"Ha-ha-ha!　That's good.

　A familiar girl's laughter appears as she claps her hands.

What are you laughing at? You're all wound up.
I've already made arrangements. What if an amateur touches it and makes it worse?
You are .......
You're a better assassin than you think. I think you're going to be a good ...... character, with your transformation.
I don't have time to talk about that right now. I'm ......
Yeah.

　Finally, the master turns his attention to the bouncer.

"Your stupid honor, you got through after all. You fool.


"Ha, ha. I'm serving you, too, with your silly honor.
I'm paying you well, you should be serving me. ...... That's why you're wasting your time.
This is harsh.

　The escort that brought him here made a makeshift stretcher and slowly carried Wind, who had lost the will to stand with relief.

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm sure it's a good idea.

"Well, okay. Once you get your emotions under control, you won't be such an a**h*le anymore.
"...... hahaha.
Affirmative, .......

　Pasta had a vague idea of why Wind hadn't turned to Orba for help with this case.
　It was a story of emotion that Pasta could not understand.

　But that's why.

　She patted her chest in silence, glad that he was okay.



"Huh, Mister Futa.
"Ah, yes. What's wrong?
"Ruri... What's wrong with Ruri, ......?
Oh, Ruri.

　Wind's face paled for a moment at the realization that Futa was here.
　But Futa laughed and shook his head.

We're having a party at Richter's tonight. I'm sure Prim and Richter will be with you, so don't worry.
That's ...... good to know.

　It was just that natural enemy number two had shown up and was causing about one more person a lot of heartache.