Chapter 419: Assassination

These individuals had long been swayed by Medel, so their participation was to showcase Medel’s strength and attract more followers.

Not every participant in Operation Cradle could seize control of the world; many were realistic about their capabilities.

Among those sent by each wizard organization, only a few were true contenders, while others were merely support.

These people would maximize the opportunity to gain more benefits for themselves.

Helag stayed on the sidelines, sipping red wine, keeping a low profile.

In his view, numbers meant little against absolute power.

After the banquet, two more people seemed to have joined Medel’s camp.

Helag remained passive, making no moves.

Medel didn’t approach him, only watching as Helag left.

***

After the banquet dispersed.

Helag sat in a carriage returning to the Rose Inn, smelling of wine but not intoxicated.

The streets were mostly empty, this area not being a commercial district, so few were out at night.

The driver yawned, eager to finish the trip and head home after a long day.

The carriage moved swiftly through the streets, the sound of hooves echoing around.

Familiar with the area, the driver guided the carriage into a narrow alley, a shortcut to the Rose Inn.

Helag, initially meditating with closed eyes, sensed something and opened them.

A figure in a black robe, wielding a slender sword, suddenly appeared from the alley wall, leaping down with the sword aimed at Helag’s head.

The process was silent, without even a whisper of wind.

The black-robed figure seemed almost nonexistent, leaving no trace.

The sword approached the carriage roof silently, piercing the wood smoothly, meeting no resistance.

The figure’s eyes were fixed on the sword, breathing steadily.

As the sword neared Helag’s head, he opened his eyes, his body rapidly expanding, covered in dark gold armor.

Simultaneously, his growing form shattered the carriage.

Helag reached out, catching the slender sword between two fingers.

In his massive form, the sword seemed like a mere toothpick.

The figure tried to withdraw the sword but found it clamped tightly by Helag’s fingers, immovable.

As the figure prepared to release the sword, Helag grabbed his head.

Helag’s long arm allowed him to reach the figure effortlessly.

Helag’s large hand enveloped the figure’s head, applying immense force.

However, the expected outcome didn’t occur; the figure dissolved into black mist, leaving a black puppet in Helag’s hand.

Helag examined the puppet. “Casting material, seems to be a decoy.”

The black-robed figure was a shadow spell, using the puppet as a casting material.

Without heightened vigilance, an ordinary wizard might have fallen victim to the assassination.

The spell was silent, devoid of magical fluctuations.

The figure used shadow magic to conceal his presence, undetectable without specific probing.

Helag detected him through Deep Blue’s environmental scan, sensing danger as the figure appeared.

This led to the recent events.

The figure was merely a spell, using the black puppet as a casting material.

It seemed purely offensive, lacking defense.

Helag scanned the surroundings, finding no suspicious individuals.

Deep Blue’s scan showed no anomalies, indicating a likely remote spell.

“Who would want to assassinate me?”

Helag pondered this question.

Medel?

He hadn’t joined Medel, possibly angering him enough to take action.

But it could also be Abyssal cultists or even someone from the Eye of the Storm.

The ambush location suggested constant surveillance.

Not sensing the surveillance indicated a special method used.

Helag pocketed the puppet, a used casting material, now useless.

However, it might serve as a clue later.

Helag stopped pondering the assassin’s identity, lacking evidence to deduce the culprit.

He glanced at the terrified driver, cowering in a corner.

The carriage was destroyed, the horses fled.

Helag retrieved a bag of gold coins from his spatial ring, tossing it to the driver.

“This is compensation for your carriage.”

The driver, initially hesitant, picked up the bag after Helag left.

He glanced at the fleeing horses’ direction and hurried after them.

Feeling the weight of the gold, the driver’s fear subsided.

He had feared for his life, paralyzed by the sudden appearance of the armored giant.

Watching the horses run, he couldn’t move to chase them.

Unexpectedly, the giant was his passenger, and the gold more than covered his losses.

If he found the horses, he’d profit greatly.

***

Back at the Rose Inn, Helag examined the puppet, identifying it as an Ashen Puppet, a first-tier shadow spell material.

The puppet alone couldn’t reveal the caster’s identity, so Helag set it aside.

After the incident, Helag decided to stay indoors for the next month.

He could rely on the inn’s staff for errands, avoiding the need to venture out.

The Rose Inn was secure, designed for wizards, equipped with protective arrays.