Land of Izuwan
Izuwan — an infamous land, known across the realm for its assassins and cruelty. Every day is a living hell for those who survive there. Hidden high in the mountains lies the Valley of Blood, an academy for assassins. The only way in is brutal: walk the path to the academy within the time limit. Fail, and you're left to die.
The academy has three ranks of disciples:
Class C: The entry-level. Disciples learn the basics—stealth, combat, and survival.
Class B: A hardened level. Training becomes brutal, with disciples learning elite skills like Phantom Viper and more.
Class A: A living nightmare. Constant near-death experiences. Only the cruelest survive. Adapt or die.
Even Class C is a hellish gauntlet, but Class A is beyond comparison.
Every disciple is stripped of their identity and given a code—a cruel reminder they are property of the academy.
Each year, twenty Class B disciples are split into four teams of five. Their mission: recruit new blood—whether the targets like it or not.
The Hunt Begins
"Run!!"
Three boys sprint through a dark forest. Behind them, the elite assassin team Blood Revex is on their trail.
A vine snaps.
A figure swings from above and crashes a boot into one boy's face. The crack of impact drops him into the mud. Unconscious.
"Running isn't an option, kid."—She smirks.
(WANTED STATUS)
Name: Ruby
Assassin Code: 033
Difficulty: ★★★
Reward: 25,000 Gold Coins
The other two boys scatter. One dives into the bushes. The other vanishes into the deeper woods.
The boy in the bushes trembles, breath shallow. "hff...hff..." He can barely stay conscious.
Suddenly—lightning.
A flash reveals a figure looming behind him. His heart stops.
Before he can scream, his world fades to black.
"Could've been easier if you cooperated. All you did was annoy me."
(WANTED STATUS)
Name: Leo
Assassin Code: 020
Difficulty: ★★★
Reward: 45,000 Gold Coins
Leo drags the unconscious boy as another figure steps from the shadows.
"Why do they always make it harder..."—Rowan mutters, tossing the last boy onto the pile.
(WANTED STATUS)
Name: Rowan
Assassin Code: 035
Difficulty: ★★★
Reward: 22,000 Gold Coins
"They had us chasing for hours. Still just mud compared to the other group's catches,"—Ruby says, kicking at the dirt, clearly frustrated.
A whistle pierces the night—coming from the mountain.
"That's our signal," Rowan says. "They wouldn't call unless they found something."
"Let's go." Leo lifts a boy over his shoulder and vanishes like a ghost.
Ruby, now calmer, blushes faintly.
"He's cool as ever."
They move.
Two unconscious kids lie near a tree. A silver-haired girl leans against it, arms crossed, sword in hand.
"Took you morons long enough."—Jane scoffs.
(WANTED STATUS)
Name: Jane
Assassin Code: 026
Reward: 36,000 Gold Coins
"So much for genius, huh Leo?"She smirks.
Leo doesn't react. But Ruby flares up, stepping forward.
"What did you just say?!"
Before she can lunge, Rowan grabs her collar.
"Not again, Ruby..."
Unbothered, Leo adjusts his gloves.
"Where's Johan?"
"I'm here!" a voice echoes from above.
(WANTED STATUS)
Name: Johan
Assassin Code: 022
Reward: 43,000 Gold Coins
Johan stands on a branch, adjusting his chain weapon. His coat flaps dramatically—until it snags on the branch. The branch breaks and falls on his head.
Dead silence.
"Ahem... Exactly as planned."He rubs his head, silently mourning his coat.
"Why do we bring this idiot?"—Ruby mutters, arms crossed.
"Obviously because I'm superior to you,"Johan grins.
Before Ruby explodes again, Rowan sighs.
"Just tell us why you called us."
Jane's smile vanishes.
"Kael... They found him."
Leo's expression darkens.
"Thousands of Class A and B are mobilizing to catch him. We're joining them."
Leo clenches his fists—knuckles whitening, skin tearing.
"You know him?"Rowan asks.
Long silence.
"Where?"Leo's voice is ice.
"Eldermere."
Eldermere - The Marked One
Kael sits alone in a crumbling house, still cloaked in his worn gear.
"I shouldn't have fought in the bar… Izuwan probably sent assassins already.""I can stay here maybe three days, at most."
He removes his hood, cloak, and shirt—revealing a long scar down his chest. He stares into a cracked mirror.
A flash of memory. His breath quickens.
His eyes shift—pupils glowing white, sclera turning black.
A defense mechanism. Triggered only by pure, primal fear.He calms himself, the transformation halting halfway.
"Huff… huff… too close."
Suddenly, outside noise. Curious village kids near the abandoned house.
One sees Kael in the window—his silhouette veiled in dust and shadow. Terrified, they scream and flee.
"Troublesome... Better move."
He gets dressed and leaves.
Outside, at a food stand, a boy accidentally bumps into him.
"I'm sorry! I didn't see you there!"The boy—Adrian—apologizes politely.
Kael senses his luck. His potential.
"If he were born in Izuwan… he'd be a genius-level assassin. Lucky for him, he wasn't."
Suddenly, a group surrounds them.
A man with a prosthetic arm steps forward—the same thug Kael maimed in the bar.
"You think I'd let you go after this?!"He snarls.
"Boss, a kid did that to you?"One of the group laughs, mistaking Adrian.
One charges at Adrian—but trips. Adrian's insane luck protects him.
"No! The one in the cloak!"Another rushes Kael with an axe—Kael dodges effortlessly.
The axe buries in the ground.
"You almost killed us, idiot!"
The thug sighs, pulls a bigger weapon.
"I'll kill you myself!"
He charges.Kael catches the blade mid-air—shattering it.
"I made a mistake... letting you live."
Kael grabs the man by the neck.
His hand glows yellow—heat rising.Smoke curls.
The man screams.
"I'll burn you to death."Kael's voice is devoid of emotion.