The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

They set off once more, moving swiftly until they reached a dead end where a tall cliff wall rose straight into the sky.

Zephyrion came to a stop before it, his gaze sweeping over the area. This was where the tracks had led, yet the cliff face was smooth and unbroken, with no caves or openings in sight.

Jenna looked around as well, confused, then turned back to him, as though waiting for his next move.

After a moment, Zephyrion exhaled softly and closed his eyes, letting his awareness spread out.

He had already anticipated that someone as meticulous as Victor wouldn’t leave his hideout exposed.

But that had never been what he intended to rely on.

He reached out to the WorldPulse, and the world unfolded before him like a vast canvas. If Victor had truly been conducting those experiments, then a disturbance of the WorldPulse was inevitable.

As his awareness stretched further, a faint, undulating hum brushed against his senses.

His eyes snapped open, locking onto a large tree a short distance away from the cliff.

"It’s there."

Without hesitation, Zephyrion moved toward it. He tapped the ground around the base a few times, listening carefully until a hollow sound answered back.

Crouching down, he began clearing away the dirt.

Jenna had already begun to stare at him weirdly before he pulled out a large piece of rock.

The moment her eyes fell on the metal hatch hidden beneath, they widened. She turned to Zephyrion, shocked.

Just how had he found this place?

Zephyrion lifted the hatch, then turned to her, gesturing toward the opening.

"Ladies first."

Jenna blushed slightly, not expecting such a gesture.

"Y-yes."

She carefully lowered herself into the hatch. A moment later, the soft thud of her landing echoed from below, and Zephyrion gave a slight nod to himself.

’No traps.’

He dropped down after her, landing lightly in a narrow, dark tunnel. The darkness was almost absolute, barely allowing anything to be seen.

Using the air element, he mapped out the path and moved, with Jenna following closely behind him.

After a few minutes, the tunnel opened up, and they stepped into a vast cavern. Light poured from the ceiling, illuminating the entire space.

Zephyrion scanned the area in a single sweep.

Massive glass pods lined the area, each one containing a different mutated beast. Their bodies gleamed with metallic skin, and flames flickered and coiled around them.

"Incredible... it’s been two days and there’s still no instability. Haha... Victor Jasper, you really are a genius."

A fat, bald man stood at the center of it all, staring at the beasts with open fascination.

His expression was filled with pride as he spoke aloud, completely at ease, as though this were the most natural thing in the world.

Zephyrion’s eyes narrowed slightly as he recognized him.

Victor Jasper.

"...What a waste. Give me a few more weeks and I’d have it working on humans too." Victor shook his head, a hint of frustration crossing his face.

"No matter. I’ll start with the new specimens today. They’ll die, of course... but that’s a small price for perfection. Once we relocate, it’ll be finished—"

Grit.

Beside him, Jenna had suddenly gritted her teeth. The sound carried across the cavern, freezing Victor in place.

The doctor turned toward the entrance with a narrowed gaze.

"...Who’s there? Dune? Is that you? Why are you hiding?"

Seeing no reason to remain concealed, Zephyrion stepped into the light. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

Victor’s eyes widened instantly.

"Who the hell are you? What are you doing here?"

"You..." It was Jenna who responded, her voice a low growl. "...you’re the one behind what happened to our village."

"Village?" Victor frowned, then his expression shifted as realization dawned. "Ah... you’re from there. And here I thought Dune would’ve finished you off by now. That useless—"

Smack!

A brutal punch impacted Victor straight in the face, sending him crashing into the floor.

Zephyrion’s gaze was cold as he stared down at him.

"...you talk too much."

"Wh-what...? You... you hit me? You actually—wait... is this..." Victor’s trembling hands moved to his face, his eyes widening as he saw the blood smeared across his fingers. "blood? My face—my face! What have you done?! Do you have any idea what you’ve just—"

"Shut up!"

Jenna moved before he could finish, her fist driving into him with force and sending him sprawling again.

"Ah! You again?! Do you even know who I am? Do you understand my—"

His words were swallowed as Jenna’s fists came down in a relentless barrage. His arms flailed uselessly as her blows broke through again and again, driving him further into the ground.

"Stop! Stop—wait—don’t—! Please! You’ll kill me! My brain—my work—you can’t—!"

But Jenna didn’t stop. Rage burned in her eyes as her fists continued to fall. This was the man, the one who had almost brought ruin to their village. She would make him pay.

Zephyrion watched the scene with indifference. After a moment, he turned away, his gaze sweeping over the cavern once more.

’We don’t have much time.’

They needed to return to the village and join the fight. But before that... there was something he had to secure.

His eyes settled on the scattered stack of documents spread across a nearby table.

’His research.’

This had been his true purpose for coming here. Victor himself was nothing, pathetic, barely worth a thought, but his research was an entirely different matter. It was priceless.

Zephyrion couldn’t begin to measure how much he could gain from studying it. And beyond that, while selling it within the Ferran Empire was risky, it was easy to imagine the fortunes other empires and high houses would offer for something like this.

Zephyrion held no loyalty to the Ferran Empire. None at all. Even if this research led to countless lives being used and discarded in pursuit of its completion, it made no difference to him.

What mattered was what he would gain.

Something like this could translate into an immense number of elixirs. It could clear the fog, open the path forward, allow him to ascend.

He needed it.

However... there was a problem.

’He’s watching.’

The Silversteel assigned to their group, Zephyrion could still feel his presence, his eyes fixed on him.

If he took the research now, word would inevitably reach the house, and he would be forced to relinquish it.

He couldn’t allow that.

’I need a distraction.’

Zephyrion’s gaze shifted back to the doctor, a faint glint flickering in his eyes as an idea began to take shape.

...

A/N: Thanks for reading, as always! I wanted to get your input on the current pacing. Is it moving at a snail’s pace? Also, does this arc feel dragged out in any way? How are you enjoying the mission arc?