The Monster Monarch System-Chapter 225: Assassins (Part Two)

The two surviving assassins staggered through the dense forest, the weight of their injuries dragging them down with every step.

Blood dripped steadily from their wounds, painting a grim trail on the dirt path behind them.

Despite the burning in their lungs and the searing pain in their bodies, fear drove them forward.

"I still can’t believe it," Garth growled through gritted teeth, pressing a trembling hand to the jagged gash on his side. "How the hell did one man — one fucking man — do all that?"

"Shut it," Calen snapped, though his voice lacked its usual edge.

He was struggling just as much, his left arm hanging limply by his side, likely fractured.

His movements were slow, deliberate, as he leaned heavily against the trunk of a tree.

"Keep your voice down. If he’s still close, we’re done for."

Garth glared at him but didn’t argue. The raw fear in Calen’s voice was enough to silence his complaints.

They had faced countless targets before, most of them stronger than the average mercenary, but never anyone like him.

The man in the cloak had been something else entirely — calm, precise, and utterly relentless.

As they moved deeper into the forest, the faint sounds of Ether Town faded behind them, replaced by the rustling of leaves and the occasional call of distant wildlife.

The silence between them grew heavy, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

Finally, Garth couldn’t hold it in anymore. "We were supposed to be the best," he muttered, bitterness seeping into his tone. "No one survives a hit from us. And yet... he made us look like amateurs."

Calen didn’t reply immediately, his eyes scanning the shadows around them. After a moment, he said, "He’s not normal, Garth. There’s no shame in admitting that."

"No shame?" Garth spat, his frustration boiling over. "Tell that to the others. Oh, wait — you can’t, because they’re dead. All of them. That bastard didn’t just beat us; he wiped us out like we were nothing."

"And yet we’re still alive," Calen said, his tone sharp. "So stop whining and focus on staying that way."

Garth clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms. He hated how calm Calen seemed, even now.

It was infuriating, but deep down, he knew his companion was right.

They had barely escaped with their lives, and dwelling on their failures wouldn’t change that.

The two assassins stumbled into a small clearing, finally stopping to catch their breath.

Calen leaned against a tree, his chest heaving, while Garth collapsed onto the ground, wincing as pain flared through his side.

"What do we do now?" Garth asked after a long silence.

Calen didn’t answer immediately. His gaze was distant, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of what had happened.

Before he could respond, a low, familiar voice broke through the quiet.

"What happened here?"

Both men froze, their eyes snapping to the figure emerging from the shadows.

A wave of relief and apprehension washed over them as they recognized their leader, Darren.

The man was a towering presence, his broad shoulders and imposing frame silhouetted against the faint light filtering through the trees.

His dark cloak hung loosely around him, the twin axes strapped to his back gleaming menacingly.

"Boss," Garth croaked, his voice trembling.

Darren stepped closer, his piercing eyes sweeping over the two of them.

His expression was unreadable, but the tension in his posture was unmistakable.

"Where’s the rest of the squad?" he asked, his voice low and even.

"Dead," Calen said bluntly, meeting Darren’s gaze.

Darren’s eyes narrowed. "And the target?"

"Still alive," Calen admitted.

The silence that followed was suffocating. Darren’s jaw tightened, his hand moving instinctively to the hilt of one of his axes.

"One man took out the entire squad?" he said, his tone dangerously quiet.

"Yes," Calen said, his voice steady despite the weight of the admission. "He wasn’t what we expected. His movements were... unnatural. Precise. It was like he could read us before we even made a move."

Garth added bitterly. "He was toying it us, smiling while he killed the others, ending their lives in an instant without remorse — like everything was some kind of game to him."

Darren’s gaze darkened, his fingers tightening around the axe handle. "Describe him."

"Tall, lean build," Calen began. "Wore a dark cloak but his face is just like how it was in the banner at the black market, but his eyes... there was something off about them. Cold. Calculating."

Darren’s lips curled into a faint scowl. "And the bounty? He’s only worth a thousand silver?"

"That’s what we were told," Garth said, shaking his head. "But someone got it wrong. No way someone like that is only worth a thousand. He’s... at least tens of thousands," He trailed off, shuddering at the memory of the encounter.

Darren turned away, his gaze fixed on the forest.

For a moment, he said nothing, his thoughts a mystery to the two injured assassins. But they hoped he wouldn’t freak out too much, because their leader was welll known for taking rash decisions.

Finally, he spoke. "Stay here and tend to your wounds. I’ll handle this."

Garth’s eyes widened in disbelief. "You’re going after him? Alone? Boss, you don’t understand — he’s not — "

"I don’t need your warnings," Darren interrupted, his tone cold and final. "I’ll judge his strength for myself. And if he’s not as powerful as your story made him out to be then I’ll finish the job myself."

"But — "

"Enough," Darren snapped, silencing him with a glare. "You two have already failed. Don’t question me again."

With that, he turned and strode away, his steps purposeful and unhurried.

Calen watched him go, unease gnawing at him. "He doesn’t know what he’s walking into," he muttered.

"Of course he doesn’t," Garth said bitterly. "And if he dies, we’ll be next."

Calen didn’t respond.

He leaned back against the tree, his mind racing.

Whatever Darren thought he was capable of, the man in the cloak was unlike anyone they had ever faced.

And deep down, Calen couldn’t shake the feeling that their leader had underestimated him, too.