Rei reacted instinctively.
Before the blade could reach him, the air around him trembled—"King's Authority" activated. The very fabric of reality bent to his will, and the dagger froze mid-air.
The attacker's eyes widened in shock.
Rei didn't hesitate. He turned, grabbed the assassin's wrist, and with a mere flick of his fingers—
CRACK.
The sound of bones shattering echoed through the silent street.
The assassin, cloaked in black, screamed, dropping to his knees. But Rei wasn't done.
He tightened his grip, lifting the man off the ground with one hand. The strength that coursed through his veins wasn't just physical—it was something deeper, something primordial.
The Guild officers drew their weapons.
"Stand down, Kisaragi!" the silver-haired officer barked. "That man is—"
"A trained killer," Rei interrupted, his voice eerily calm. His golden eyes glowed, reflecting the city lights. "Sent to eliminate me the moment I stepped out of that dungeon."
The assassin trembled in his grasp.
Rei leaned in, his voice dropping to a whisper only the man could hear.
"Who sent you?"
The assassin's breathing hitched. His lips trembled, but before he could speak, his eyes rolled back.
A pulse of dark energy rippled through his body—
And then, he collapsed into ash.
Rei narrowed his eyes.
"Abyssal Execution…?"
This wasn't just an ordinary assassin. Someone had marked him for death the moment he failed.
Which meant…
There was someone out there who already saw Rei as a threat.
And they were powerful enough to erase their own agents before they could speak.
Rei slowly turned back to the Guild officers, his gaze locking onto the silver-haired man.
"You wanted to take me in for evaluation?" he asked, his voice devoid of emotion.
The officer hesitated. The confidence he had just moments ago was gone.
"Forget it," Rei said, stepping past him. "If you want answers, tell your superiors to come find me themselves."
With that, he disappeared into the shadows of the city.
He had a throne to reclaim.
And now, he knew someone was waiting to take it from him.