Published: July 5, 2025
Ryo burst through the forest without hesitation.
A few arrows and spells were fired at him, but they were all deflected by the ice wall layer 10.
The only place where the assassins managed to impede Ryo's advance was right in front of the entrance to the mansion.
It was more accurate to say that Ryo appeared there as he had no choice but to pass through.
"Icicle Lance 32!"
Thirty-two ice spears with rounded tips struck at the chins and bellies of the assassins.
Sixteen assassins fell instantly, but only one woman remained unscathed.
That was because Ryo had not attacked her.
Why hadn’t he attacked?
Because she was someone he recognized.
"Hello, Natalia."
Yes, she was the executive who had likely been a close aide to the former leader, Hasan, who had dealt a fatal blow right in front of Ryo.
She had been leading the attack on the delegation in Twilight Land.
"Why are you here...?"
The words finally escaped Natalia's lips, trembling.
It was understandable.
Natalia knew the enormity of Ryo's power.
He had single-handedly decimated the cult's village in the kingdom and had fought to a standstill against the former leader.
The former leader, whom Natalia knew to be the strongest man... anyone who could fight evenly with such a person was nothing short of terrifying.
However, that very person of terror was supposed to be in the Central Nations, in the Naitorei Kingdom.
There was absolutely no way that he was in the Western Nations.
"Don't you know? The Central Nations, meaning the kingdom, has sent a delegation."
"I have heard about it..."
"That's right."
Ryo shrugged in response.
Understanding those words, Natalia grimaced as if she had bitten into a bitter bug.
She remembered.
The agreement made between her and that terrifying man right in front of her.
If they touched the Naitorei Kingdom, they would annihilate "Black" and the new assassination cult.
That’s what she had been told.
But if they didn't touch it, they would be let go...
"As promised, our cult has not touched the Naitorei Kingdom!"
"The ore is to be bought by us, the Naitorei Kingdom."
"That’s absurd..."
"So please withdraw."
"I can’t just do that..."
Natalia was flustered.
The former leader of the assassination cult had been astonishingly skilled in alchemy.
Among those who had grown under him, there were also exceptionally talented individuals.
They struggled, but managed to analyze the acquired Bracelet of Concealment and Fusion Magic brooch and successfully created similar items.
Both were objects that assassins would crave desperately.
If possible, she wanted to equip everyone with them...
Magic stones could be dealt with.
It would take time and effort, but it was not impossible to obtain.
However, another important item... the Mitriro Ore was not so easily acquired.
The source was the dark continent.
And even in that dark continent, it had currently ceased to be on the trade routes.
No matter how much money was offered, it could not be obtained.
What to do?
The only option was to acquire it within the Western Nations.
But in the first place, it was not something that circulated among the general populace.
Government-to-government transactions were the main means, but... it seemed that such transactions had not been occurring for several years.
In such circumstances, news had come in that the Mafalda Republic possessed refined Mitriro Ore.
It was something they had purchased in bulk during the time it was still circulating, refined, and stored.
The Republic was a peculiar nation in the Western Nations.
It had a long-standing hostile relationship with the Holy See of Fundebie Kingdom, which could be said to be the center of the Western Nations.
Because of this, there was little open trade with many countries in the Western Nations.
Due to such circumstances, the Mitriro Ore had remained stored within the Republic for a long time.
The assassination cult aimed for that.
Of course, it would mean turning the state of the Republic into an enemy.
Moreover, the new base established in the Western Nations was within the forest of that very Republic...