Chapter 47: Forest of Dames(5)
At the same time, in an inconspicuous bar that served as the headquarters of the Assassin's Guild, the leader of the organization sat smoking gloomily, pondering recent events. Despite the bar's familiar atmosphere, the calm was deceptive. He knew the situation was spiraling out of control.
Thanks to his contacts within the police, the leader learned of the failed assassination attempt on Leon Bartfort. His men had botched the job, and the consequences could be catastrophic.
"Taking down sixteen of my best men without even using his armor? That means he's far more dangerous than I initially thought. I never should have gotten involved with him," he muttered, staring pensively at his cigarette.
He was well aware of the damage this failure had caused the guild.
"But damn it, defeating sixteen of our top assassins alone? It's not just surprising; it's humiliating. This failure will deal a severe blow to our reputation. Worse still, we've lost sixteen fighters in a single day. Our guild has never suffered losses like this."
He took another drag before continuing, as though speaking to himself:
"We only have around a hundred members, and losing sixteen is a heavy blow to our strength. On top of that, we'll need to relocate our base. I can't be sure those captured won't give up the location under torture."
The urgent need to relocate wasn't just about the captives. The guild's archives held critical documents. Despite their illicit status, the guild had ties to numerous nobles, including the influential Marquis Frampton. These documents could incriminate not only the guild but also many aristocrats.
The leader glanced at the window, planning his next steps. But his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of shattering glass.
Through the broken window leaped a young man with black hair. His devilish grin lit up the dim room, and his eyes burned with determination.
"Found you," Leon said, his gaze locking onto the guild leader.
---
Preparing for the Assault
A while earlier, Leon had been deciding what weapon to bring with him.
"I need something non-lethal to neutralize them without killing anyone," he said, sorting through his options.
Hovering nearby was Luxion, his AI companion.
"Why not just kill them?" Luxion asked. "It would be faster. Or better yet, let me destroy the entire building."
Leon sighed heavily, shaking his head.
"First of all, I'm not a killing machine. Second, money. They're paying 100 gold coins for each one captured alive. I've already made 1,600, but I want more. If I can take down the entire guild, the reward could exceed 100,000. Isn't that fantastic?"
"I can create gold at any time," Luxion replied nonchalantly.
Leon shot the AI an annoyed look.
"One, if you start churning out gold, you'll cause inflation, which will crash its value. Two, money earned through hard work is far more satisfying. It's like a game: cheating makes it boring, but grinding for rewards makes it fun."
Luxion paused for a moment, processing his response. Then, a robot appeared beside him, holding a machine gun.
"Then I recommend this weapon," Luxion said.
Leon frowned.
"I already told you, I don't want to kill anyone!"
"The bullets are rubber," Luxion clarified.
Hearing that, Leon's face broke into a near-maniacal grin. Gripping the weapon tightly, he turned to Luxion and exclaimed:
"Let's go!"
---
The Guild Showdown
The guild leader was a seasoned fighter and one of the strongest mages in the region. Seeing Leon, he quickly activated a body-strengthening spell, preparing for battle.
"I'll tear you apart, boy," he growled.
But his magic was no match for advanced technology. In the world of Mobuseka, firearms were virtually nonexistent. Their weapons could fire only 10–20 rounds per minute, whereas Leon's machine gun boasted a rate of 600 rounds per minute.
Leon pulled the trigger, showering the leader with rubber bullets. Despite his magical defenses, the pain was unbearable. Within seconds, he collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
"Hasta la vista, baby," Leon quipped, lowering the weapon.
He turned toward the safe, where, according to Luxion, critical documents were stored. But before he could open it, the AI stopped him.
"Wait, master. If you open the safe incorrectly, everything inside will be destroyed."
Leon stepped back, gesturing to Luxion.
"Got it. Can you handle it?"
"Of course. The code is child's play for me."
Moments later, the safe opened. Inside were documents exposing the guild's connections to high-ranking individuals. Leon quickly stuffed them into a bag.
"By the way, when is the police arriving? I sent them the base coordinates in advance."
"They're already here, master. Preparing to storm the place."
At that moment, Leon heard footsteps from the remaining guild members.
"Looks like they heard the gunfire," he said, grabbing his machine gun.
"Well then, time to greet our guests," he said with a smirk, ready for another round of battle.
---
Victory at the Guild's Headquarters
The battle at the guild's base ended faster than anyone could have anticipated. Within five minutes, the assassins began surrendering. Leon's machine gun, loaded with rubber bullets, proved incredibly effective. Though the bullets didn't kill, the pain they inflicted was unbearable. Each hit left not only physical marks but also a fear that shattered even the coldest resolve.
As Leon methodically advanced through the base, he encountered small groups of opponents. They tried to hide, but the machine gun easily suppressed any attempts at resistance. With screams of pain and panic echoing throughout the building, the remaining guild members had no choice but to give up.
Meanwhile, the police had surrounded the building. Officers occupied every exit, destroying any hope of escape. Realizing they were cornered, the surviving assassins made the only sensible decision: they surrendered.
Leon, working alone, had managed to neutralize nearly a hundred people without killing a single one.
When the police finally entered the base, expecting a tough fight, they were shocked to find rows of bound and subdued criminals. In the midst of the chaos stood Leon, holding his machine gun with an indifferent expression.
The officers were stunned.
"You did this alone?" one of them asked, unable to hide his amazement.
"Well... something like that," Leon replied, shrugging modestly.
The room buzzed with noise as officers discussed the unbelievable scene. They had anticipated heavy casualties in their planned raid, but thanks to Leon's actions, none of them had even needed to draw their weapons.
"This is incredible! He's a hero!" someone exclaimed.
Praise poured in from all sides. The officers thanked Leon, admired his skill and bravery, and hailed him as a savior who singlehandedly dismantled a dangerous organization.
Leon, caught off guard by the overwhelming reaction, looked noticeably flustered.
Wanting to avoid further attention, he quickly gave his statement to the officers. Grabbing the incriminating documents, he left the scene amidst a round of applause from the police.