Returning to the Mysterious Era

Chapter 162 - I Don't Even Know His Name

"..."

The deputy leader remained silent, the black mask on his face concealing his expression, making it impossible to see what lay beneath.

"We're leaving." He turned decisively, as if afraid of being discovered by the people in the manor. Their small hill was not far from the manor, and anyone could easily spot them.

The people in the manor were definitely not ordinary. It would be best, the masked man thought, to plan carefully rather than act rashly this time around.

Just a wall away, the sparring between the two elders continued. However, no longer was it a sparring match; it was now a full-blown battle, just short of a life-and-death struggle. It was clear that Oro, the elder of the Skyfall Cross Sect, and Aomori, the elder of Steel Fist Dao, had some old grievances as neither of them held back.

At the same time, both still exercised some restraint, refraining from using their ultimate moves or killing moves. Although they would've felt satisfied, they knew that if they seriously injured the other, it would sorely damage their sect's interests.

The Northern Covert Martial Arts Alliance had established rules beforehand which were inviolable. Anyone who broke them would be severely punished and this included not just the offender but the entire sect.

Each of Aomori's steps tore up large patches of turf on the grass. His toes moved like a high-speed drill, providing powerful propulsion. His bursts of speed were so quick that each forward motion felt like a lightning strike. His feet acted like a bulldozer especially during sharp turns, ripping up half-meter-long strips of grass. From above, the once lush green square of grass now looked like a battlefield with a mess of torn earth and debris. Scattered pits and long gashes appeared at regular intervals, with the yellow-black soil standing out starkly against the green grass.

In contrast, Elder Oro's movements were doing less damage to the surroundings. Unlike Aomori's straight, powerful charges, Oro's footwork was more focused on agility and close combat, frequently exploiting his opponent's blind spots. He moved like a twirling top, constantly spinning in place.

Moreover, their fighting styles were completely different. Aomori's style from the Steel Fist Dao was extremely aggressive, his fists rotating like heavy hammers and radiating a menacing aura. Every punch and kick seemed designed to kill. It was an obvious display of dominance and strength.

In contrast, Elder Oro of the Skyfall Cross Sect was much more composed. Like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows, he waited for his prey to reveal a weakness before striking swiftly and lethally. He exuded a chilling aura that seemed ready for the silent kill.

His method of attack was a perfect example. With his hands in his pockets, it was impossible to predict his next move. When he did finally unleash his technique, his cross-shaped muscles bulged and exploded quickly, his hands striking like a deadly drawn blade. Furthermore, his hand strikes often targeted the neck and joints.

Aomori and Oro's sparring match in the manor lasted a full ten minutes, and when it ended, both emerged with only minor injuries.

A life-and-death battle between masters usually didn't last this long, and usually only took a minute, half a minute, or even a few seconds to determine the outcome. They only fought for so long this time around because the two were holding themselves back.

Even with Oro and Aomori's decades of battle experience, they probably couldn't decide the winner even if they sparred for an hour since they weren't revealing their true killing moves. It also wasn't the right time for a sparring match, so naturally, they stopped after a while.

Cassius, who had been watching the entire time, was thoroughly impressed. Just like how a scholar needed to read many different kinds of books to gain a broader understanding, so too did a Covert Martial Arts Practitioner. Learning from others would lead to self-improvement, right now, Cassius was gathering the "stones" to build a gem collection.

First, he needed enough stones to work with. Although it wasn't a life-and-death battle, the sparring between the two combat artists was a good stone that he had already memorized and added to his pile. He only needed to wait until the stack of stones was large enough before a flash of inspiration would strike. Amidst the ensuing fire and lightning, the stones would crumble into dust, revealing a perfect gem.

As dusk approached, the weather grew increasingly gloomy. Cold winds swept through the city streets, swirling the dust and leaves around. The clouds hung low in the sky; it looked as though rain would soon fall.

On Purple Iris Street in East Sea City, two average-looking girls were walking along the sidewalk, both dressed in casual clothes. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. However, they were walking rather oddly: stepping with their toes first, then their heels. The technique allowed them to react and dodge quickly in case of danger, a basic skill they had learned as disciples of the White Water Sword. Tonight, they were out to purchase some essentials for their sect.

The street was bursting with people, as it was the end of the workday. People shot the occasional glance at the two girls. Though they weren't particularly beautiful, their straight legs and impressive figures, shaped by years of training, were still attractive. White Water Sword wasn't like Steel Fist Dao. With their focus on using the cross sword, and not on building muscle, there would be no issue of both genders looking bulky.

Among the crowd, a man in a black jacket looked in their direction. He wore sunglasses and a common wide-brimmed hat. He strolled along the sidewalk, walking in the same direction as the two girls.

Five minutes passed before the three reached a secluded area. As the sky grew darker, the clouds seemed to hang low enough to touch the ground and only a few scattered pedestrians were left.

At the street corner, the man watched the girls' backs as he removed his sunglasses, revealing only one eye. His name was Hiss, the deputy leader of the White Wind Organization. After this morning's events, he had decided to gather information. The simplest method was to directly ask someone.

The two girls in the distance chatted as they turned into a narrow alleyway, their footsteps growing fainter. Hiss glanced down the street where there were hardly any pedestrians. He immediately started walking after them, expression cold and unreadable. After extracting his desired information, he needed to kill those two girls; no one could see Hiss's true face and live to tell the tale.

He quickened his pace and turned into the alley. It was dimly lit, and the girls' silhouettes were no longer visible. Hiss hurried forward, turning another corner.

Suddenly, a dark figure blocked his path. In the dim light, Hiss could see that it was a handsome young man with sharp, well-defined features. His strong, lean frame stood about six feet tall, and his slightly narrowed eyes were calm and emotionless. What stood out most was the young man's silver-white hair and eyebrows, which had an almost translucent quality. It didn't look dyed; it seemed natural.

"You're in my way." Hiss narrowed his eyes slightly, his expression darkening upon realizing he had been discovered.

"What are you planning to do by following my two junior sisters?" the silver-haired youth asked, his tone leaving no room for doubt. "State your identity, then surrender."

The arrogance! Hiss hadn't encountered such a conceited young man in a while. That domineering tone made it sound like he had already won!

"It's been a very, very, very long time since anyone has spoken to me like this." Hiss removed his sunglasses. "So what if you possess some supernatural power? You don't seem much of a threat at all at thirty years old."

He chuckled softly. Suddenly his leather jacket burst open, revealing thick and coarse fur along with bulging inhuman muscles. Hiss's body rapidly expanded until he was two meters tall, radiating a bloodthirsty aura.

"So, you are an enemy... I heard a few days ago that some mortals in East Sea County could temporarily gain formidable supernatural power through some strange means." The silver-haired youth paused. "But after seeing you today, it's clear you don't live up to your reputation." He shook his head, then narrowed his eyes. The sharp corners of his eyes were like the edges of two swords, radiating a fierce aura.

"Not living up to it? Hahaha!" The half-man, half-bear monster roared with laughter. "I hope your mouth is just as tough when I kill you!"

"Heh..." The silver-haired youth only smiled faintly.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing much, I just suddenly feel like eating bear paws."

A bright silver cross-shaped sword light instantly illuminated the entire alley.

Boom!

Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and torrential rain poured down from the sky.

***

The entire East Sea City was shrouded in a gray mist of rain as water streamed from the rooftops and ran in rivulets down the streets. The wind swept across the sky, creating wave-like patterns in the mist. As the raindrops landed on the street, so did dark red droplets of blood. First one, then another, then a third, all blossoming like flowers...

At a heavily damaged street corner, a tall figure was slouched on the ground with blood gushing from his neck.

His single eye was wide open, disbelief etched on his face. He tried to speak, but all that came out were hoarse gasps. His hand, nearly reduced to bare bones, trembled as he tried to lift it but failed. Half of his shoulder had already been sliced off.

Hiss struggled to lift his head, gazing at the figure swaying in the distance. A faint trace of hope glimmered in his eye, but in the end, the silver-haired youth did not fall. He planted his broken sword into the wall, supporting himself as his damp white hair clung to his forehead.

"..." Hiss's body trembled slightly.

He roared internally, I am the White Wind Organization's second-in-command and a knight-level Hellsing of the Black Rain Manor! How could I lose? How could I fall to some unknown enemy? I don't even know this white-haired bastard's name!

The last thing he uttered was, "Fuck!"

After the surge of hot blood and resentment, coldness crept in and a distant darkness began wrapping around him. Hiss was dead. Sometimes, that was just how fate worked.

He didn't die on a grand battlefield nor fall to a brilliant scheme. His death didn't even have anything to do with Black Rain Manor. His simple curiosity about the Northern Covert Martial Arts Alliance, his choice to follow the two girls, and his encounter with the stranger with white hair had all led to him getting himself killed. Honestly, his predicament was a bit confusing and somewhat frustrating. However, life was full of unexpected turns; what Hiss experienced that day was clearly just one of those incidents. Who could guarantee that they wouldn't be hit by a truck one day? Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The white-haired man rested in an alley for a while in his upright position. Once he regained his strength, he stepped forward and delivered another slash. Hiss's head rolled off, spinning as it hit the ground. The single eye glared resentfully.

The white-haired man lifted Hiss by the hair. He studied the headless corpse for a moment, then struck again. With a soft thud, a hand was severed and rolled to the corpse's feet.

Goder had always been a man of his word since he was a child. If he said he would eat bear paws, he was going to follow through. The white-haired man bent down slightly and picked up the hand.

That evening, a group was gathered at Plank Manor.

"What? You said you encountered someone who could turn into a half-man, half-bear monster?" Mi An looked solemnly at Goder, who was covered in bandages. "That type of supernatural ability likely belongs to the Hellsings' Werebeast Sec. By injecting beast blood into themselves, they can gain superhuman strength. They're quite strong. That's not important right now, though. What is important is that this Hellsing was following two female disciples of the White Water Sword."

Mi An's brow furrowed tightly and he glanced at Cassius, who was sitting on the sofa beside him. "This means we might have been exposed. Black Rain Manor is watching us and has noticed our movements. They've sent Hellsings to monitor our every move."

Hearing Mi An's words, Cassius also frowned. In the room, four or five elders from various Covert Martial Arts sects also felt a twinge of concern. Their plan being uncovered before they even had the chance to launch it was not good.

Perhaps, even as they spoke, numerous Hellsings, sent over by Black Rain Manor, were watching the Northern Covert Martial Arts Alliance from the shadows, constantly monitoring their movements and relaying information back to the manor. The mere thought of such a scenario made everyone anxious.

"We can't continue as planned!"

Cassius, who had been deep in thought, suddenly looked up. "The original plan to transport in four batches over four days should be compressed into one day. We don't have to worry about being too disruptive; we'll get the Cloud Dog Sect to cover up as much as they can. If we really can't cover it up, there's nothing we can do. Also, we can transport the explosives and weapons from the army directly to Anta City overnight. There's no need to delay any further." Cassius narrowed his eyes. "By the way, Mi An, are the carriages from Solar Steed ready?"

"Pretty much, they're just finishing up. What about your side?" Mi An glanced around the room at everyone present.

"Everything was ready as of yesterday," Cassius responded, arms crossed over his chest.

"If we're all set, then let's depart for Anta City tomorrow morning. We must strike Black Rain Manor within three days!"

An unexpected incident had created a sense of urgency within the Northern Covert Martial Arts Alliance and the well-organized plan was now being fast-tracked.