Does the Assassin Girl Dream of the Mana Doll?

The Tragedy Unleashed by the Hero

After allowing Curtis and his party enough time to enter the ruins, Ghost silently made her way inside. After a while, the sounds of battle ceased from beyond the door.

As she stepped into the ruins, a frown formed on her face as she quietly surveyed the scene in front of her. “This is… horrible. I had an inkling, but…”

Before her eyes lay the aftermath of a gruesome tragedy.

Some monsters had been cleanly sliced in half, granting them a more merciful end. Others bore the brutal scars of powerful strikes, rendering their upper bodies unrecognizable, as if they had been pulverized. Scattered amidst the carnage were remnants of creatures whose limbs, both arms and legs, had been torn apart.

But what they all had in common was the unmistakable fact that they stood no chance against their opponents.

While it could be somewhat comprehensible if it were only goblins, the low-level monsters, but as Ghost delved deeper, she stumbled upon larger and more strong monster corpses—orcs, hobgoblins, and ogres, growing in both size and strength.

And then, to her surprise, she came across the shadow stalkers. These creatures dwelled within darkness, seamlessly merging with human shadows, their forms resembling silhouettes. Yet, even they had been expertly cleaved apart, as if taken off guard.

Additionally, there were remnants resembling slimy creatures scattered around, seemingly torn apart by a force of magic.

“Both physical and magical attacks… The magic could be attributed to the mage.” As she assessed the strength of her opponents, she followed the trail left by the onslaught.

Curtis undoubtedly has the combat prowess that could rightfully earn him the title of hero. But to what extent were these traces his doing? How much did his accompanying mage and warrior contribute?

“Troublesome. I suppose I’ll have to find out for myself.” Ghost muttered in annoyance, slightly quickening her pace.

***

“Lord Curtis, a stone golem up ahead and a giant spider approaching from the right! I’ll take care of the golem!” The warrior shouted and intercepted the heavy blow of the golem with his shield.

The shield, known as a tower shield, was a massive rectangular shield that curved slightly. When crouched behind it, it offered ample coverage to protect the entire body. It was an exceptional shield, but its size made it heavy and challenging to wield.

Nevertheless, the warrior skillfully maneuvered the shield, effectively blocking and enduring the golem’s attacks.

“Don’t you dare try to give me orders!” Curtis snapped back at the warrior as he swiftly headed towards the right.

His movements were beyond human.

Clad in a metal chestplate adorned with shoulder guards, gauntlets, and shin guards, Curtis seemed to forego a helmet, confident that he wouldn’t be struck. While his attire was lighter than that of a warrior donned in chainmail with additional metal components, it was far from lightweight. His armor likely weighed close to 10 kilograms.

Nevertheless, he maneuvered with such grace and swiftness that it appeared as if he wore nothing at all.

Curtis swiftly advanced, seemingly taunting the giant spider as it raised its forelimb to strike. Before the limb could descend, he struck with his sword, severing the spider’s head in a single blow.

Typically, these monsters were known to possess strength and endurance, requiring meticulous planning and a group of several people to defeat. Yet, in the hands of this man, they proved to be as fragile as mud.

“Hey, don’t just stand there!” Curtis swiftly pivoted on his heel and closed in on the golem that had been momentarily distracted by the warrior.

Due to this distraction, the golem, originally fixated on the warrior, experienced a momentary delay in its reaction, and that proved to be fatal.

With effortless ease, as if slicing through butter, Curtis cleaved the golem in two.

The sight was incredibly surreal, leaving the warrior and the rest of the party utterly speechless. They had long lost track of how many times they had been rendered speechless on this day.

“Is that all? Alright, let’s keep going. Move forward, all of you!” Curtis firmly nudged the thief’s back, and urged the party to continue.

Not a single person dared to voice their complaints. His martial prowess alone was enough to silence the surroundings. If that was the caliber expected of a hero, there was no doubt that he truly embodied the qualities of a hero.

***

“He’s a monster,” Ghost murmured to herself as she observed the scene from a distance, coming to a conclusion.

The strength and swiftness displayed by Curtis surpassed human capabilities, but above all, it was his remarkable reaction speed that truly stood out.

It seems he has the ability to perceive the unseen, having an uncanny knack for sensing presence. It could be either an exceptional skill in detecting subtle cues or a natural instinct.

Ghost settled on the latter explanation.

Her reasoning stemmed from the fact that, thus far, there had been no indication that he had fully detected her presence.

Curtis would instantly react to anything displaying hostility, but when it came to those that didn’t, his perception seemed uncertain—sometimes noticing them and sometimes not.

Certainly, his ability to sense presence surpassed that of an average human. And that’s where Ghost found herself at a disadvantage. After all, catching opponents off guard from their subconscious was her specialty.

Dealing with adversaries who could react even to stimuli outside their conscious awareness would prove to be incredibly troublesome.

“Now, what should I do…” Ghost muttered to herself, refocusing her attention on observing the situation.

***

Curtis and his party were advancing with astonishing ease, almost suspiciously so.

Within a single day, they successfully conquered four levels and spent the night there. The following day, they swiftly cleared the fifth level and proceeded to the sixth.

As they progressed, the monsters grew stronger, posing an increasing challenge for the warrior to withstand their attacks. The healer was fully occupied with tending to injuries, while the mage had to focus on providing support rather than relying on his primary offensive abilities.

And the thief? After disarming traps and alerting the party to potential ambushes, his role mainly consisted of hiding and remaining concealed.

However, there was one person who remained entirely unfazed by the circumstances—Curtis. Not even an iron golem could impede the relentless strikes of his blade. As for the legendary mithril golem… It was highly unlikely to encounter such a creature in this particular ruins.

Moreover, when confronted with a snake-like monster emitting poisonous mist, Curtis inhaled the toxic fumes without experiencing any harm. He must possess an extraordinary resistance to poisons.

And now, they found themselves standing before a door that led to the seventh level. The thief cautiously examined what lay beyond, sensing a noticeable shift in the atmosphere.

“Hmm… This feels different compared to before. It’s… No, it could be…” The thief hesitated, his hands coming to a sudden stop.

“What’s the matter?”

“My Lord, this trap is quite dangerous. I can’t guarantee that I’ll be able to disarm it, and if I make a mistake, it could be a one-way ticket to the afterlife. Could you give me a moment?”

“I see. In that case, how about this?” Curtis casually remarked as he suddenly pushed the thief from behind.

Thrown off with an inhuman motion, the thief crashed into the door. In an instant, the trap was triggered, and a surge of electricity engulfed the thief, burning him to a crisp.

“Aaaaaaaarrrrggghh!”

The thief’s agonized scream felt otherworldly as he crumbled to the ground. The rest of the party stood pale-faced, while Curtis laughed with a twisted delight.

As soon as the lightning subsided, the door swung open.

“You’ve done a splendid job, as expected,” he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “I guess that works just as well.

“Hey, what are you all standing around for? Get going!” With that command, he forged ahead, urging the others to follow suit.

***

“That’s one way to do it,” Ghost murmured, her gaze fixed on the unfolding spectacle.

There was neither indignation nor fear etched on her face. She appeared to comprehend and embrace the ruthlessness, the absolute lack of mercy in his actions.

It was precisely due to people of his nature that she was able to fulfill her role and be entrusted with such tasks.

With that in mind, she continue to maintain her distance and quietly trailed behind, observing their every move.

***

“Looks like we’ve reached our destination…”

After passing through the door, the party descended a long staircase that stretched out before them. They emerged into a space that bore a noticeable difference from their previous surroundings—an atmosphere saturated with magical energy.

Mechanical pillars and walls adorned with flowing lights were intricately engraved around them. Scattered pipes appeared to serve as conduits for the magical energy.

And there, up ahead, stood several tanks that clearly concealed something of great significance.

Upon seeing it, Curtis smirked, his lips curling into a knowing expression.

“Well done, My Lord,” the warrior spoke in a voice devoid of emotions, yet carrying a genuine tone of admiration.

The lingering shock of the thief’s tragic demise still hung heavy in the air, rendering the party unable to shake off its impact. Both the mage and the healer were overwhelmed, unable to offer even the slightest insincere compliments.

“Yeah, thanks to all of you, we managed to reach this point without much trouble. Thanks… I suppose,” Curtis remarked, his words laced with a tinge of sarcasm.

With that, he swung the longsword in his hand in a wide arc, swiftly severing the warrior’s head before he could even react.

“Wh—what have you done?!” The mage managed to desperately utter those words.

No, deep down, they all understood. They understood everything. They knew the kind of person Curtis was. Yet, they didn’t want to accept it.

“What do you mean?” he smirked. “You see, it appears that this place is a goldmine, filled with the potential for unimaginable treasures. And in such a situation, who knows, you guys might try to get ahead of me, right? Thanks, but I prefer to handle things on my own.”

In an instant, the mage’s head was sent flying. The healer, too stunned to utter a single word, slumped down to the ground.

With a twisted expression of delight, sporting a smile that combined innocence with cruelty, Curtis advanced toward the healer, reminiscent of a child crushing insects. “Now that I think about it, I never really needed your help, did I? Always relying on healing magic, you’ve been the most useless one. But don’t worry, as the last member to die, I’ll make sure to remember you. You should be grateful.”

“Hel… Help…”

“As if anyone would.”

And then, the healer was mercilessly sliced in half.

An unnaturally dense silence engulfed the space, permeating every corner.

“Now then… I know you’re here. It’s time for you to reveal yourself.” After a brief pause, Curtis called out, as if anticipating a response.

***

Author’s Note:

On a stage soaked in blood, two figures stand shoulder to shoulder, no longer recognizable as mere humans. Who’s the predator and who’s the prey?

As the primal nature awakens, the girl silently hones her sharpened fangs.

Up next: The Inhuman and the Assassination Tool

Now, let the showdown commence in earnest!