Tris directed the "Feathers" to spread farther away from the assassin's position, scanning the area as thoroughly as possible.
What was he searching for?
In truth, Tris was wary of a "second party" hiding somewhere farther out.
If he were in their position, he would do the same—hire an assassin to strike, while personally observing from a distance to gather information.
And if the opportunity arose, he could move in quietly to finish off an enemy who was distracted or weakened.
After several minutes of probing with "Eye From Nothingness", using the "Feathers" as intermediaries, Tris finally discovered that second presence.
Surprisingly, it wasn't Zyron.
The figure was small, no more than 1.5 meters tall.
He rode atop a large bird whose black feathers blended seamlessly into the night sky.
Without the "Feathers," Tris would never have detected him.
At that moment, the man held what seemed to be a magical device, aiming it directly at the mountain peak where Tris was hiding.
To confirm his suspicion, Tris immediately relocated.
Through the "Feathers," he observed the result—both individuals adjusted their direction, locking onto his new position.
'Clear enough. Both of them are enemies, and they're using that damn compass.
And the one on the bird… his role is probably long-range observation.'
'More importantly, that device he's pointing at me doesn't look like a weapon. It feels more like a surveillance tool.'
But in the end, whether it was a weapon or not, Tris's objective did not change.
He had to eliminate the rider first—
before dealing with the assassin.
He could not allow someone to remain in a safe position, continuing whatever task they were performing.
* * * * * * * * * *
His name is Noct.
He was part of the same mission as Jace.
Though "same mission" was a loose term, their roles were completely different.
While Jace's task was assassination, Noct's job was simply to trail from afar and gather information.
Naturally, his reward was nowhere near what Jace stood to gain.
Still, Noct preferred his role—safer, easier, far less demanding.
At that moment, checking his compass, he noticed the target had moved.
Continuing his work, he raised the magical device in his hand toward the new position.
The device functioned like a long-range eye.
It allowed someone far away to see everything it observed in real time.
Strictly speaking, Noct's job had not even begun yet.
What he needed to capture was the entire battle between Jace and the target.
Since the fight had yet to start, he was completely at ease.
"What kind of strange request is this…" Noct yawned lazily.
Suddenly, the hawk beneath him let out a sharp cry.
Its wings beat erratically, its movements filled with unease.
Seeing his companion's unusual behavior, Noct instantly grew alert.
The bird he rode was a magical beast highly sensitive to danger.
That instinct had saved his life many times before.
He scanned the surroundings carefully.
Nothing seemed different.
The target's direction hadn't changed. There were no signs of other magical beasts.
"What's wrong, partner?" Noct patted the creature.
The hawk showed clear signs of wanting to flee.
That only deepened Noct's unease.
In his line of work, abandoning a mission without a valid reason was taboo.
The consequences could be severe—ranging from reputation damage to outright punishment.
After a moment of hesitation, Noct made his decision.
He ordered the hawk to retreat.
No consequence mattered more than his life.
Unfortunately—
He was too late.
The moment the hawk began to turn away, an attack struck without warning.
From a higher position nearby, a group of birds—hidden from sight—unleashed a barrage of projectiles.
And that was not all.
From the ground below, a long-range attack shot upward, targeting both Noct and the device in his hand with pinpoint precision.
The attack resembled the "Magic Bullets" used by the "Feathers."
But it was faster, stronger, and far more precise.
Faced with such a coordinated ambush, Noct instantly realized—
He had been targeted.
If it had only been the birds, he might have assumed they were wild magical beasts.
But simultaneous attacks from both above and below, perfectly timed—
That was no coincidence.
Even though he understood the situation, he had no time to react.
Both he and the hawk were pierced through by the barrage, leaving gaping, bloody holes in their bodies.
The magical device in his hand was destroyed.
As his life slipped away, only one thought crossed his mind.
'What kind of job did I get myself into…?'
And just like that, he fell from the night sky—
vanishing forever.
* * * * * * * * * *
The compass could only indicate direction, not distance or elevation.
Because of that, Noct had no way of knowing that Tris had been moving straight toward him.
Elsewhere, however, the assassin Jace noticed something strange.
The compass needle was shifting rapidly—
The target was moving at an alarming speed.
Fearing the target might escape, Jace immediately gave chase.
Then he heard something from above.
A dull impact.
A sound like something shattering.
Followed by the pained cry of a beast.
Moments later—
Another heavy thud echoed, as if something had crashed into the ground.
Jace's expression darkened.
The dense forest blocked his view, preventing him from seeing what had happened.
But he could guess.
Something had gone wrong with Noct.
'What the hell just happened?'
Unease crept into his thoughts.
Without wasting time, Jace rushed toward the source of the sound—
which also aligned with the target's current direction.
There, he saw—
a young child.
The child stood calmly, using a branch to poke at a mangled corpse lying on the ground.
In the desolate mountain forest at night, the scene resembled something straight out of hell.
Even those with strong nerves would have felt a chill.
But to Jace, the forest at night was no different from home.
He paid it no mind.
He quickly recognized the corpse as Noct's.
And from that moment on—
His entire focus shifted to Tris.
Then, after a single glance—
Jace turned and ran.
He ran without stopping.
Ran until he left the forest behind.
Ran until he reached the gates of the town.
Dawn had begun to break, and the gates had just opened, welcoming the flow of people starting their day.
Only then did Jace finally stop to catch his breath.
Amid the lively scene of townsfolk beginning their routines, a man drenched in sweat, utterly exhausted, stood out sharply.
He drew curious glances from passersby.
But Jace paid them no attention.
His entire body was spent.
His muscles burned.
Even breathing felt like a struggle.
Yet despite the exhaustion—
There was something to compare it to.
Thinking of Noct's fate, while he himself had made it back alive—
Jace couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
'Ah… I survived again.'
The thought carried a quiet pride.