[New Quest: Kill them in 20 minutes. Failure: Death.]

  "...."

  Himmel’s grip on his sword faltered slightly. His eyes flickered upward.

  “…Failure is death?” he muttered.

  The system was him to kill.

  A smirk curled on his lips as he sheathed his sword and faced the assassins with bare hands.

  “Iing,” he said, tilting his head slightly. “And what exactly do I get as a reward?”

  [...".......]

  The system didn’t respond.

  Himmel let out a low chuckle. “You’re demandio kill them… and you won’t even tell me what I get iurn?”

  Still, no answer.

  He sighed, shaking his head. “Fine, let’s die together then.”

  The assassiated for the first time.

  But it wasn’t them Himmel was addressing.

  It was the system.

  A flicker of frustration seeped through the system’s voice.

  [Reward: Minor Mana Potion.]

  Himmel blihen, he ughed ht.

  “A mana potion?” he scoffed. “How amusingly stingy of you. I’m dying here, and that’s all you offer? Do you think I’m an idiot?”

  Somewhere in a dark void, the translut figure of a woman—the system—gritted her teeth.

  She didn’t want to give him something valuable. Not yet.

  But…

  She needed him to fulfill the mission.

  Relutly, she rummaged through her iory, her glowing fingers brushing over powerful artifacts. Then, with a sigh, she pulled out something far more valuable than she had inteo offer.

  A long, magnifit staff materialized in her hands, radiating a powerful aura.

  A notification fshed in Himmel’s vision.

  [Reward: High-Tier Staff.]

  Now that got his attention.

  “Ah, now we’re talking,” he said, crag his knuckles. “Alright the’s get this over with.”

  In an instant, he moved.

  The assassin o him attempted to flee, but Himmel was already upon him. He grabbed the man’s cloak, yanking him back with a force that sent him crashing against the wooden wall.

  A siing crack echoed through the room.

  The sed assassin lunged forward, but Himmel easily sidestepped. With a swift motion, he caught the attacker’s wrist, twisting it sharply until a dagger cttered to the floor.

  Then, he drove his ko the assassin’s stomach, making him colpse with a choked gasp.

  Himmel crouched down, gripping the man’s throat.

  “Who sent you?”

  The assassin chuckled darkly, blood dripping from his lips.

  “My lord… will kill you again.”

  Himmel’s eyes narrowed.

  Again?

  Before he could press further, the assassin bit down hard—on his tongue.

  A violent gurgle followed as blood poured from his mouth. His body went limp.

  Himmel cursed under his breath. “Coward.”

  His gaze shifted toward the other assassin—dead.

  Annoyed but posed, Himmel rifled through their belongings.

  After a moment, his fingers brushed against two small wooden pques—almost like identification tags.

  Strange symbols were carved into the surface.

  A writing.

  For most, it would have been unreadable.

  But Himmel uood it perfectly.

  One word stood out that was written on the pques [Sigil].

  Beh it were numbers: 99 and 98.

  Rankings?

  [Why are they here?]

  Before he could analyze further, the system’s voice echoed in his mind—sharper than before.

  Himmel’s brows furrowed.

  “Yhem.”

  The system didn’t answer immediately.

  Then, after a long pause, she finally spoke.

  [I ’t tell you, dear. You’re too weak to know them.]

  Himmel ched his jaw.

  “This excuse again?”

  Her voice remained firm.

  [This isn’t something you handle even if I tell you, so If you want answers, get stronger. Asap.]

  A quiet determinatioled in Himmel’s chest.

  He pocketed the pques, his mind rag with questions.

  Who were they?

  Why did they know his real name?

  And what did that assassin mean by again?

  He exhaled slowly. Not yet. It wasn’t the right time to get answers.

  He would wait.

  For now, he focused on ing up the bodies and disposing of the evidence.

  Once everything was in order, he turned his attention to the system’s interface.

  [Quest pleted.]

  [Reward: High-Tier Staff.]

  A weight materialized in his iory.

  With a flick of his hand, he summohe staff.

  The moment it appeared, a pulse of raw magic coursed through his veins. The staff was long, beautifully crafted, its engravings glowing faintly. A on worthy of a true mage.

  Himmel twirled it experimentally, feeling the bance.

  A slow smirk formed on his lips.

  “Now this is useful.”

  Whatever was i, he would be ready.