The Assassin Guild's training hall was silent—eerily so.
Hundreds of torches burned along the black stone walls, each flame perfectly still.
Every assassin in Valoria who hadn't been deployed was gathered there.
And at the center of the hall stood Lin Xuan.
[ Guild Notification: Mandatory Exam – Phase II ]
Objective: Combat Evaluation & Skill Synchronization
Participation: Required for all Initiate Assassins (E–D Class) ]
The exam was announced two hours after his return from the Abyssal investigation.
He hadn't even slept. The System's lingering energy still pulsed beneath his skin, cold and alien.
A loud voice broke the silence.
"Listen up!"
From the far end of the hall, a tall man stepped forward. He was broad-shouldered, with twin blades strapped to his back and a scar running across his chin.
"Name's Kane Velar, D-rank Assassin. I'll be your examiner today," he said, his tone sharp. "You think you can survive outside? Then prove it here."
His gaze swept across the crowd and stopped on Lin Xuan.
"Especially you—the SSS rookie everyone's whispering about."
A murmur rippled through the hall.
Lin Xuan said nothing, his expression unreadable.
The Rules
"Second Assassin Exam: Duel Evaluation," Kane declared.
"Pair up. Kill your opponent—or make them yield before the timer runs out. If you hesitate, you're dead in the field anyway."
The torches dimmed, leaving only the red glow of the rune circle etched into the floor.
[ Exam Mode: Active ]
[ Combat Restriction: Non-lethal (Simulation Field Enabled) ]
As the other assassins paired off, Kane gestured toward Lin Xuan.
"You won't be fighting another trainee. You'll fight me."
Gasps erupted across the hall.
Even Selene, standing near the observation deck, froze. "Kane—he's barely been here three days."
Kane smirked. "Exactly. Let's see if the Guild's miracle recruit can actually handle a real fight."
The Duel
The rune circle flared as they stepped inside.
[ Opponent Identified: Kane Velar (D-Class Assassin, Lv. 22) ]
[ Danger Level: Moderate–High ]
Kane drew both his blades. "I won't hold back, rookie."
Lin Xuan's daggers shimmered faintly in response. "Neither will I."
Kane vanished first, his speed blurring.
[ Shadow Leap ]—a D-rank technique.
He appeared behind Lin Xuan, blades crossing in an X.
Lin Xuan's instincts screamed. He twisted, his own [ Phantom Stride ] activating a breath too late—
steel met steel, sparks raining down.
The force sent him sliding back, boots digging into the floor.
"Fast," Kane said, eyes glinting. "But too clean. Real assassins don't block—they erase."
He disappeared again.
This time Lin Xuan didn't move. He let the man vanish. Let the air shift.
Then, at the exact moment the faintest flicker of mana broke behind him—he struck.
One dagger upward, the other horizontal—
Kane barely parried both, eyes widening.
[ Skill Activated: Abyssal Sense I ]
For a split second, the world slowed.
Lin Xuan could feel Kane's mana flow, his heartbeat, even the faint flicker of thought before he moved.
He adjusted his stance—
And then attacked again.
A dozen clashes in a heartbeat.
The floor cracked under their speed.
Blades hissed, runes flared, the air filled with soundless death.
Then—Kane staggered back, a thin cut appearing across his chest.
[ Target Struck – Lethality 98% (Simulated Kill Registered) ]
The rune circle flashed red.
Silence fell.
Kane looked down at the mark, then laughed softly.
"Well, damn. Guess the rumors weren't exaggerated."
He sheathed his blades and stepped aside.
"Exam passed. D-Class license recommended."
A flurry of System messages filled Lin Xuan's vision.
[ Exam Complete ]
[ Rank Promotion: D-Class Assassin ]
[ Reward: +1500 EXP ]
[ Level Up! Lv. 10 → Lv. 12 ]
[ Skill Evolution Triggered: Phantom Stride I → II ]
Whispers and Suspicion
As the crowd dispersed, Selene approached, her masked expression unreadable.
"You held back," she said quietly.
Lin Xuan didn't deny it. "If I didn't, he'd be dead."
Her eyes narrowed. "Then I was right."
He turned to face her. "About what?"
"You've changed since that mission. Your aura… it's not human anymore."
The words lingered between them like a blade's edge.
[ Hidden Condition Detected: Abyssal Resonance (Growing) ]
[ Synchronization Rate: 29% ]
He looked away. "Maybe humanity isn't enough to survive what's coming."
Selene's tone dropped to a whisper. "Just make sure you survive yourself first."
Later That Night
Lin Xuan sat in his quarters, the room dimly lit by a single mana lamp.
The System shimmered faintly before him, its text pulsing irregularly.
[ Warning: Abyssal Connection Strengthening ]
[ Source: Unidentified ]
"So the Abyss is watching…" he murmured. "Then I'll watch back."
He tightened his grip on his dagger.
Somewhere deep inside, the Abyssal power stirred again—hungry, alive, and listening.
Status Panel
Name: Lin Xuan
Level: 12
Profession: Assassin (D-Class)
Talent: SSS – Silent Killer
Passive: Soul Assimilation (Evolving – Abyssal Influence 29%)
Skills: [ Dagger Mastery III ], [ Phantom Stride II ], [ Abyssal Sense I ]
Hidden Quest: 5 / 100 Perfect Assassinations
Next Evolution: Shadow Reaper (Locked)
Strength: 25
Agility: 29
Perception: 22