## 1. The Infiltration
General Varkos's mansion was a fortress of stone and marble, a monument to his cruelty. The rain, which was once an inconvenience, became an ally, muffling footsteps and breathing.
Yuzuki was a ghost. He moved with lethal grace, his black sword, the **Black Moon**, gliding to slit throats with surgical precision. He did not hesitate, he did not feel. It was the cold efficiency of a professional assassin.
Hiroshi, on the other hand, was contained brute force. He used the technique taught by Yuzuki, channeling the draconic power to harden his skin and silence his movements. He disarmed traps and neutralized guards with quick, dry blows, avoiding the use of the **Death Breath** as much as possible, as it was loud and conspicuous.
"You are slow, but strong. Use that," Yuzuki hissed, as Hiroshi crushed a guard's armor with a punch to the chest, without making a sound.
The tension was palpable. Kerchack, in his mind, was impatient: "**Kill them! Don't just knock them out! Morality is a luxury we cannot afford!**"
Hiroshi ignored the Dragon, focusing on the mission.
## 2. The Confrontation with Varkos
General Varkos was in his office, counting gold coins on a mahogany table, oblivious to the silent massacre taking place in his home. He was a large man, with a prominent belly and a cruel smile.
Upon seeing the intruders, Varkos laughed, a harsh, unpleasant sound. He was not a warrior, but a manipulator.
"The Red Demon and the Archaeologist. What a pathetic duo. Do you think you can stop me? I am the system!"
Varkos triggered a magical alarm. Yuzuki advanced, but the General threw a potion on the floor, creating a dense, paralyzing mist.
"He's a support mage! Don't let him escape!" Yuzuki shouted, coughing.
Varkos tried to escape through the window, but Hiroshi was faster. He used draconic speed, cutting through the mist and grabbing the General by the collar.
"You're not going anywhere, worm," Hiroshi growled, his voice distorted by rage.
Varkos, desperate, activated a defense artifact, a magical armor that enveloped him in light.
"You're strong, trash! But you're not a warrior!"
Hiroshi's fury exploded. He remembered the chained children, Luna's scream. He channeled all the power of the symbiosis. Black lightning crackled around his body.
"**Death Breath!**"
This time, the breath was not a mist, but a concentrated jet of cold darkness. Varkos's magical armor disintegrated in seconds, and the General screamed, his body turning into ashes.
## 3. The LitRPG Progression
The alarm sounded throughout the city. They had to flee.
Yuzuki looked at Hiroshi, who was breathless, with black scales covering almost his entire forearm and part of his neck.
"You're getting stronger, archaeologist. And more dangerous," Yuzuki said, with a glint of envy in his eyes.
The LitRPG interface flashed in Hiroshi's vision:
> **HIGH-VALUE ASSASSINATION QUEST COMPLETED.**
>
> **REWARDS:**
>
> * **XP:** +5000
> * **LEVEL:** Leveled up to **Level 5**
> * **Skill Unlocked:** **Draconic Skin** (Increases Defense by 50% when activated)
>
> **DRACONIC SYMBIOSIS: 15%**
The escape was tense, but Yuzuki used his knowledge of the city's secret passages to evade the guards. They returned to the hideout at dawn.
## 4. Luna's Comfort and Yuzuki's Envy
Luna was awake, waiting. Upon seeing Hiroshi, she ran and hugged him, ignoring the blood and dirt.
"You came back," she whispered, nestling into his chest.
Hiroshi held her tightly, feeling the warmth of her humanity. He felt the weight of the assassination, the darkness of the power. Luna was his anchor.
Yuzuki watched the scene, smoking a cigarette. The envy was palpable. He saw Luna's devotion, the comfort she offered, and the way Hiroshi clung to it.
"You're an idiot, Hiroshi," Yuzuki said, his voice low. "You kill a man, but you still cling to that weakness. I had a family, and it only made me weaker. You're playing with fire."
"You are alone, Yuzuki," Hiroshi replied, without letting go of Luna. "I am not."
Yuzuki laughed, a dry, joyless sound. He turned away, leaving them alone. The truth was that Yuzuki envied Hiroshi's ability to maintain tenderness amidst the brutality. He envied Luna for being the reason Hiroshi did not become a complete monster.
Varkos's assassination had changed everything. Hiroshi was stronger, but the price was the growing darkness in his soul.
***
**END OF CHAPTER 12**