Building My SSS-Rank Universal Empire: From Trash to Cosmic Overlord-Chapter 39: Assassin I

I screamed and knew I was going to die. The difference between us was simply too much, they had actual techniques, unlike me, who was only using shaped essence. My body screamed with discomfort, pain was fire replacing my veins, and my shoulder burned with it.

Suddenly, I saw a shadow darken the corner where I stood, and I didn’t even question why they hadn’t finished me off with arrows.

I poured my frustration into my will, imagining the largest attack I could come up with and pouring my essence into it without care. But I didn’t release it yet. I held it back with all my might, waiting for the best opportunity, my eyes flashing.

The female assassin held two green blades while vines covered her like a cloak, twisting around her like serpents. "Interesting, you’re still not dead. I understand why they sent us now. Do you have any last wishes?"

My bright green eyes stared at her, filled with distaste as I labored to take one breath after another, blood pouring down my limp right hand. I smiled grimly. "You... should have killed me quickly...."

She felt a moment of surprise before intense power bellowed from me, surging through me and I shaped it. 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

Essence poured and condensed into a rope the size of a human, moving like a serpent. It covered the distance between us, snapping forward and slammed into the assassin, tearing through the layers of vines protecting her and gouging into her chest.

Through her chest and sent her body flying back.

The ground and rocks around me were broken and jagged, left smoking in the wake of the power I’d just unleashed. My vision swayed where I sat, my core screaming at me for the overuse of my essence.

The other assassin outside heard the sound of the attack and saw the flash. He also noticed his partner’s body blasted outward. He froze at first, scanning the area with his senses in case someone more powerful had shown up.

’Shit! They didn’t tell us the boy was this type of freak! How does he have this much power? Or is it an enchanted tool, maybe even an artifact? Or a construct?’

He hovered uncertainly, looking down at the smoking body below. Her upper body, from the chest up, had been blasted away. The only thing that remained was a bit of spine poking out of the torso.

’Something that can kill without giving a Knight-rank time to retaliate... I must get out of here! And the enchanted tool that’s controlling the time freeze is on her body’

He tensed, sending a mental command to his enchanted tool, then shot forward, blurring toward the body. He grabbed her and flew upward, disappearing with a ripple.

I saw the shadowy figure carrying the assassin’s body away, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. I smiled bitterly. "I wouldn’t have been able to fight him off if he hadn’t run.

"But maybe I’ll die from blood loss."

My shoulder throbbed in time with my heart and head. My green eyes were hot and dull as I gasped shallow breaths. My vision clouded over, and I fought against the unconsciousness creeping over me.

Suddenly, the air in front of me rippled again. Something cleared away from my senses, as if a weight I hadn’t noticed before was suddenly lifted.

’The time freeze is finally broken! Yes, they should be able to find me! But it looks like I’ll be unconscious by then!’

I held on fiercely, using the pain to fuel my mind. But, as if I were underwater, my eyes glazed over, and my thoughts slowed. I fought it for a while but the darkness that followed was a balm to my pain.

☆☆▪︎▪︎☆☆

When I opened my eyes, I was lying on a bed, and the yellow light shining from the glass globe above made my eyes water.

"Huh." I groaned as I tried to move, pain stabbing into my head as if it were being worked over with an axe. I moved my jaw, swallowing against my dry throat.

For a second, I lay there, trying to recollect how I’d gotten there. Then the memories flooded in, and I groaned again. "Assassins."

I flopped back on the bed and looked around. It was a small room with a bed, a chair, and a table. It smelled like old herbs. I tried moving my right hand next, and to my surprise, it responded. I raised it again.

"I was healed?" I clenched my fist, my hand moving almost as usual, though it felt slower.

The door to the room opened, and Slya froze when she saw my green eyes looking at her. Her face lit up, and she retreated, closing the door, only to open it again moments later with Kren, Arvas, Tiber, and Slya entering together.

Kren rushed to my side, worry etched across his face. "Are you alright?"

I nodded slightly, not wanting to aggravate my headache. "I am. Did you catch the assassin?" I knew there was little chance of that, but I asked anyway.

Arvas snorted, his piercing eyes focused on me. "No, we didn’t. They were already gone by the time we found you. We did a sweep of the surrounding area but found nothing."

I sighed softly. I’d been expecting that. The assassins the Clan sent were experienced and must have been expensive, with all the enchanted tools they used. And the one that created the isolated space... it must have been rare.

Tiber stood to the side, his steady gaze fixed on me. "That was a fierce battle. The marks we saw on the ground... They must have been extremely powerful Squires or were using very strong enchanted tools."

I chuckled but immediately regretted it as my head protested violently. I managed to squeeze out, "They were Knight-rank—two of them. And one of them is dead."

The room froze. Everyone turned to look at me, their eyes wide, except for Arvas, whose face was mostly hidden by his hair.

Seconds later, I winced as they shouted, "WHAT?!"