The invisible figure escaped Donovan's chains of light, and used a spell that Donovan was familiar with.
Shadowstep!
The next moment, the Assassin's hands emerged from Donovan's shadow, grabbing his feet.
Donovan immediately used his Blinding Light spell. A ball of light appeared, drowning the living room in pure, bright light.
The shadow disappeared, and the Assassin appeared on the floor with a scream, holding a black umbrella on their right hand.
A girl?
The Assassin's invisibility was released. They were dressed in a black attire that tightly clung to their body, and a black cloak with a black hood, as well as a black mask that completely hid their face.
Donovan hurriedly turned on the lights. His Blinding Light spell slowly disappeared.
Suddenly, the Assassin looked at Donovan, and they used a spell unfamiliar to him.
Donovan felt as though a hand was gripping his heart! He couldn't move his body, and his entire body was trembling.
What is this? A paralyzing spell? Agh…
The Assassin stood up, and charged towards him!
He grit his teeth, and broke free from the spell! The Assassin was visibly shocked, and their strike was blocked by Donovan's umbrella.
Donovan was at a disadvantage here. Mages were very weak in close combat.
Nevertheless, Donovan refused to give up. With Lightning Bursts still in effect, he pushed away the Assassin and summoned one Light Spear, hurriedly grabbing it.
He absolutely did not want to use any destructive spells. This was his apartment, after all.
As the Assassin regained their footing, they once again used a spell. Their hands were imbued in flames. Donovan recognized it as Flame Wielding!
Crap! No! Not here!
Donovan panicked. Then, he used Light Chain, chains wrapping around their legs, causing the Assassin's Flame Wielding to be cancelled.
But this proved ineffective. Before the chains of light could restrain their figure, the Assassin used a spell to escape.
Flickering Flame!
Their body was engulfed in flames, and disappeared from their spot. The chains of light collided with one another.
The next moment, flames appeared behind Donovan, and the Assassin's figure appeared from the flames!
Donovan gasped, and he swung his Light Spear as he turned around.
But his spear of light only struck fire.
Time seemed to slow down, and at that moment, he felt a sharp pain on his neck!
Light Blitz.
Donovan dodged the Assassin's dagger, and appeared in front of the sofa. Lightning Bursts had ended right after using Light Blitz.
If it had ended much earlier, Donovan would be dead.
As the Assassin was about to make their next move, Donovan let out a sigh. Well… Some sacrifices have to be made.
Donovan then cast Eyes of the Sun. "Take one more step and you're dead," he said.
Silence fell on the apartment room. The two Visitors stared at each other.
But right as Donovan was about to speak again, he felt a sharp pain on his left shoulder, as though a needle had pierced it!
While he was distracted from the pain, the Assassin lunged at him! But Donovan was faster. He let go of Light Spear, controlling it to clash with her.
The Assassin dodged the spear, and swung their umbrella at Donovan.
But their umbrella stopped. A barrier was protecting him.
Assassins are all about speed, not strength… Donovan grit his teeth. Then, he charged at the Assassin, causing him to release his barrier.
The Assassin was visibly surprised. Donovan tackled the enemy, and he delivered a swift chop on the back of their neck.
After that, the Assassin fell unconscious.
"Whew…" Donovan sat on the floor, placing a hand on his bleeding shoulder and the minor cut on his neck. It's only a minor injury… But damn, it hurts. What the heck pierced me? A needle?
He looked at the unconscious Assassin. He turned off the lights, grabbed a chair, and tied the Assassin to the chair. He placed their umbrella underneath the bed, somewhere the Assassin couldn't reach and find.
With a sigh, he sat down on a chair in front of the unconscious Assassin.
Why the hell is an Assassin after me? Donovan racked his brain, trying to recall anything that would make an Assassin want to kill him.
No, wait… It can't be… Donovan came to a conclusion. The three old dudes I fought in the alleyway? Is there an organization behind them?
Hm… No use thinking about it, I can just get the answers from this person…
Donovan hesitantly removed the person's hood, as well as their mask.
Upon doing so, Donovan's eyes widened.
Knew it.
The unconscious Assassin was a woman. She had beautiful, dark-red hair, as well as a beautiful face. There was a small scar on her right eyebrow. She seemed to be in her twenties.
"Sigh…" Donovan scratched his head. Now an organization is after me. This is very bad… Donovan then thought of something. It was time to use the golden necklace that Hana Isabelle had given to him.
After a while, the woman slowly woke up. She looked around, and upon realizing her current situation, she squirmed in her seat.
"Calm down." Donovan appeared from behind, sitting on the chair in front of her.
"Tch." The woman glared daggers at him.
"Now, who sent you?" asked Donovan. The woman scoffed. "You think I'll speak? Fat chance."
Donovan sighed. "Please don't make this harder for the both of us. You obviously don't want to go to jail, right? I'm willing to let you walk away if you provide me with details."
"I never snitch," she said. "Give up. If you call the cops on me, you're only going to put more attention on yourself. Boss will make sure that you're six feet under."
"Layla Vivian, Assassin, Shower Rank, Category 5," said Donovan. "Bad day to be carrying your ID with you."
"That…!" The woman, named Layla, paused at Donovan's words.
"I know your name now. I happen to have a Shade backing me. Do you know the name 'Hana Isabelle'?" Donovan then showed Layla a golden necklace with expensive gems and a cane symbol.
Layla was confused. She knew who Hana Isabelle was, but she had no idea why the man in front of her was showing her a necklace.
"Uh… Do you know what this necklace is?" he asked.
"No."
"…"
Damn. Donovan was planning to scare her by showing her the necklace that Hana Isabelle had given to him, but since the other party did not know about the necklace, he was at a loss.
"Hah. You're bluffing. No way would a Shade protect you." Layla laughed.
Damn it… Donovan maintained a poker face. "It isn't a bluff. Tell me who sent you, and I won't tell The Sunrise your name."
"Alright, I'll tell you."
"Really?"
"Kidding." At that moment, Layla broke free from the ropes. Then, she charged at Donovan, and swung her fist.
Donovan reacted fast, and blocked her punch with his right hand that was holding the necklace. Layla Vivian came into contact with the necklace.
Suddenly, her vision darkened. Then, she saw fleeting images that quickly flashed through her mind.
A flower blooming in the summer, a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, a mother holding her child in her arms, a surgeon finishing a successful operation on a patient, a tree slowly becoming larger, a tiger tending to their cubs, a flock of lambs running around the green grass, and more images that showed the symbols and vitality of life.
At the end of the vision was Hana Isabelle's darkened figure, and her making a shushing gesture in the darkness with a sinister smile.
Layla recoiled back, hitting the chair and sitting on the floor. Her heart was beating at an abnormal speed, sweat dripped from her jaw, and she was breathing irregularly.
Donovan was about to deliver a counterattack after her swift punch, but upon seeing this, he was confused.
Layla looked at the man in front of her. This man…! He's…! He's really… being protected by her!
"…What happened? Are you okay?" asked Donovan. He walked towards her, but Layla quickly stood up with a fearful expression and took a few steps back.
She succinctly said, "Ah…! Alright, alright, I'll tell you who sent me… Just, please, don't tell Hana Isabelle about what happened here… Alright?"
Donovan looked at the golden necklace in his right hand. Did touching this make her immediately submit? Hm…
After a few seconds, Layla sat down on the chair, calming her breathing.
Donovan sat in front of her and said, "Now, speak."
"…Damn it…" Layla scratched her hair. "We're… a very well-hidden crime organization operating inside Umbrellas…"
Oh? An organization within an organization… That reminds me, can Umbrellas even be considered an organization? It's more like a space empire than a space organization.
She continued, "Our boss… sent me. We call him 'Boss,' but… we don't know his real name. We only know about his title, 'The Begrimed Foul Hand of the Black Death.' He is a man removed from the Visitor Records, and he hides deep beneath this city. He is a man not bound to the Visitor Canopy System… Even the officials at Umbrellas HQ have no knowledge that he is actually inside this city…"
Begrimed Foul Hand of the Black Death… What a mouthful of a title. And if memory serves me right, the Visitor Canopy System is what we call the classes, magic, and spells of Umbrellas… It's basically the name of this city's own "power system"… Donovan asked, "How is a crime organization able to operate inside a dangerous city?"
"…I just said we're very well-hidden."
"That doesn't explain much," said Donovan. "What's the name of your crime organization?"
"…Plague Rats."
Donovan almost let out a laugh. "You know that's not a very intimidating name, right?"
He continued, "Tell me why you were sent here. Is it because of the three old dudes I beat up badly and sent to the hospital?"
"…Yes." Layla tsked.
Hm… How'd they know it was me? How'd they know my name and everything…? Wait, damn it, I told them my name in the heat of the moment… Sigh…
Then, Donovan said, "I don't get it. This city is very strict in terms of crime activity. I never thought a crime organization could exist here…"
"…Members of the Plague Rats will suffer a quick death when—" At that moment, Layla's eyes widened, and she stood up.
Donovan was alarmed and he stood up as well.
She looked around, and touched her body. She put a hand on her heart. "What…? Why…? How…?"
Donovan raised a brow. "What? What's happening?"
Layla spoke with a trembling voice, "How… am I still alive? I just remembered that telling information about our boss and the organization will make members immediately die on the spot…"
"How am I still alive?!" she shouted. She looked at the golden necklace. "Is it because of that…?"
Donovan raised his right hand that was still holding the necklace. "This? Wait a moment, tell me what happened when you touched this necklace. I'm sure something happened to you."
"…I saw visions of life."
"…Visions of life?"
"Enough about that. Tell me, that necklace belongs to Hana Isabelle, The Sunrise, right?"
"…Yes, it belongs to her."
Layla paused. Hana Isabelle is a Shade of the Healer Class… In terms of strength and power, she's equal to Boss… Because of that necklace, I didn't die from the boss' spell…
I… I'm free! I'm finally free! At that moment, tears streamed down Layla's face. This confused Donovan even more.
"…Thank you. Because of you, I'm finally free from that f*cking organization! 'Begrimed Hand' my ass! Stick your dirty fingers up your ass, you dirty, smelly, sunlight-deprived bastard!" she shouted with ecstasy in her voice.
She wiped her tears. "I forgot that I haven't asked for your name."
"Ah… It's Donovan Volgard."
Layla nodded. "I'm sorry for trying to kill you earlier…"
"It's alright," he said with an awkward smile.
"I've always been trying to escape the organization… They tricked me with getting quick and easy money, faster progression through the ranks, strength, and power! But all I got in return was always looking over my shoulder, avoiding the cops, having to endure conversations with those dirty bastards, and an even harder life than before I joined the organization! The last ten months would've been easier if I just didn't indulge in my own greed and refused to join…"
She cleared her throat, and spoke with a loud voice, "Donovan Volgard! I will help you in infiltrating our organization, and together, we'll kill the boss!"
What?