Chapter 44: Five Shadows of Death

Bernard’s father was once a baron in the northern lands.

When he was very young, his father became addicted to gambling and sold his baronial title. Therefore, his family had no choice but to move to the City of Icy Winds.

This made him resent his father. It was because of his father that he was unable to become a baron himself; it was because of his father that he had to live amongst the lowly commoners of the City.

He worked hard ever since he was a child and soon became a qualified Knight. He practised his ancestral breathing method to the highest point and killed his own father in cold blood.

He then felt the touch of the Lord of Shadows by accident, and he believed. With his strength as an intermediate Knight, he joined the Voice of the Dead Bird and gradually became the Lord of Shadow’s mouth—the Silver Assassin of the Shadows.

The assassin grading system is divided into bronze, silver, gold, and darkness.

Those with the strength of a generic Knight and who have completed five successful assassinations are regarded as bronze assassins; the qualified Knights with fifteen successful assassinations are silver assassins; and a high-level, perhaps bordering on a Great Knight, with thirty successful assassinations are gold assassins.

As for the Darkness tier, there are only five known assassins with that title in the Voice of the Dead Bird, and they are known as the Five Shadows of Death. They are closely attuned to the Lord of Shadows, and they are the arms and legs of the Lord of Shadows in this world.

Nobody knows who they are, but one thing is for sure: all of them are Great Knights.

Their identities are shrouded in mysteries and shadows, fitting for an agent of the dark.

Night came, and stars were scattered across the navy sky.

Bernard’s body faded into the darkness, and he sneaked towards Levi’s last known location.

Bernard was known as the Shadow Hunter in the Voice of the Dead Bird; he rejected the commodified Siren Breathing Method and instead practised the breathing method tied to his blood: The Shadow Leopard Breathing Method, known for its extreme dexterity and stealth capabilities.

In Bernard’s view, the Illusory Demon Knight failed in his mission due to carelessness and underestimation of his enemy. An opponent like Baron Levi should be dealt with by a qualified Knight like himself.

‘After this mission, I’ll be able to redeem my baronial title and retire,’ Bernard whispered in his heart. He had waited too long for this moment.

The Shining Tavern.

Levi bought a glass of Unknown, commemorating Anonymous, the Knight of a Thousand Faces.

The proprietress is still bored, holding her chin as she gently sips on her wine.

Soon, flocks of Knights and nobles flooded into the Tavern.

A burly Knight also walked in among the crowd, and Levi knew he was the Hog Rider.

“Why did you sell me so little a while ago?” the Hog Rider asked with a frown.

“I was a little busy,” Levi replied.

“You seem stronger than before, Geralt. I can smell power from you,” the Hog Rider said in a low voice.

Levi did not respond but instead asked, “Where’s the money?”

The Hog Rider wordlessly took out the money and showed it to Levi, shaking the bag of gold coins before him.

Levi nodded and led the Hog Rider to the delivery location outside the City.

After all, it was inconvenient for him to lead his men into the city. Hence, the two of them agreed to initiate the trade outside the City but meet inside the Tavern.

With his current strength, he doesn’t have to worry about being robbed by the Hog Rider.

The Hog Rider inspected the goods and instructed his men to load the goods into the carriage, saying, “Your armour is improving. You must be a very talented blacksmith in the making. If you join my organisation…”

“No need,” Levi replied swiftly.

The Hog Rider saw that it was useless to invite him and left grumpily.

“Go back home,” Levi ordered his soldiers. “I still have some things to attend to.”

Levi returned to the Shining Tavern once again. When he was trading with the Hog Rider, he could feel his oppressive aura turn calm, as if the Hog Rider was acknowledging that they were on equal footing. If they were to fight, Levi was confident he could kill him.

It’s unnecessary, he thought to himself. Even if the Hog Rider is his enemy, this enemy of his is his sole customer.

Levi waited in the Shining Tavern but did not find the Knight who sold ambergris. He planned to stay in the City for a few days and wait for him; if the other party did not appear, he had other ways to find ambergris.

Little did Levi know that he had been targeted by the Shadow Hunter.

Levi, bored, decides to look at the task board located within the Tavern.

His eyes darted all over the board, and soon he found a task relating to ambergris. A noble was also buying ambergris; the commission was issued three months ago, and yet nobody has completed it.

Levi’s face turned visibly ugly; it is highly unlikely that anyone would want to complete that noble’s mission.

He knew that ambergris was completely monopolized by that damned White Knight. The prospect of him becoming a Legendary Knight caused the market’s supply of ambergris to vanish overnight.

‘I might have to go to the Tuva Empire if this continues,’ he sighs internally.

He really didn’t want to go to the Tuva Empire. An unfamiliar environment always comes with unknown risks.

His eyes washed over the task board in disappointment, but his eyes caught a mission in the corner of the task board.