"Who in the world dared to do this?!"
"Unacceptable!"
The Centaur Clan war party was engulfed in a tidal wave of visceral rage. This site of slaughter, located so close to the great gates of Xiwa City, was not just a crime—it was a vicious, blatant provocation to the entire Centaur Empire.
Krell, the leader, watched as a Centaur medic knelt to examine the fallen. A moment later, the medic rose, his face contorted by grief and furious indignation. "Sir! They are fresh—the blood is still warm. No more than five minutes since the attack. Every single child was downed in one or two clean strikes. They were Assassins, and masters of their trade!"
"Based on the speed and precision, they must have been high-Tier," the medic concluded, gritting his teeth. "At the very least, they were 2nd to 3rd-tier Assassins!"
The false conclusion was made. The fury in every Centaur's eye intensified.
"It has to be the humans!" a Centaur Knight roared, his voice thick with vengeance. "This is a direct act of retaliation! They dare strike us on our own border?" The memory of the skirmish at Rabbit Town flashed in their minds, fueling their thirst for blood.
With bloodshot eyes, the entire force turned, their attention fixated on the human-controlled territory of the Gloomy Jungle.
"This ends now! We will avenge our children!"
"CHARGE!KILL THEM ALL!!!"
Krell's eyes, burning with a desire for vengeance for his late protégé, Vera, turned deep crimson. He raised his massive spear and roared a command that shook the plains, leading the massive Centaur Clan contingent in a full-speed charge toward the Gloomy Jungle. He didn't know the exact assassins, but he knew the humans were there, and that was enough.
Simultaneously, within the Combat Affairs Department's command post at the Gloomy Jungle, the temporary crisis was facing a new level of scrutiny.
In the center of the tent stood Director Zephyr, a thin middle-aged man whose subtle aura of power was far more imposing than any physical display. He listened to Lei's report on the cryptic message.
"So, we have a message from a cloaked Assassin, delivered through civilian runners, claiming the 'Boss' has left and asking us to evacuate," Director Zephyr summarized. "And your core doubt is that it could be a psychological operation by the God Advent Sect?"
Lei, the young warrior, nodded stiffly. "Precisely, Director. They didn't show their faces, and they used stealth to manipulate the youths. It smells like a trap."
Director Zephyr remained silent for a long moment, then slowly shook his head. "I believe the message is genuine."
The team exchanged astonished glances.
"Silas reported that those two from the Paradise team are absolutely not the type to suffer a single loss," Director Zephyr explained, a flicker of grudging respect in his eyes. "They are Tier 0s who openly engaged a Centaur party of Tier 2s and Tier 3s, and successfully killed Vera, a problem Centaur who had given both me and Silas a continuous headache. Their audacity is profound. I am not at all surprised that they would try to manage the fallout of their actions."
He then turned his focus to the cleared area near the Instance entrance. "The abnormal part is how quickly our Tier 0 Professionals evacuated. They fled in minutes. At Rabbit Town, that would be normal—they had experienced war. But these are youths in Long Reach City; they should have stayed out of youthful curiosity, despite the danger."
Director Zephyr's eyes narrowed dangerously. "The speed of the exodus clearly indicates that someone else was using their panic to efficiently guide the evacuation. That level of rapid, coordinated influence points to a third, sophisticated party acting in the background."
Lei's expression tightened. "Director, are you suggesting the God Advent Sect was guiding the civilian evacuation, possibly to help us by clearing the area, or merely using the panic to mask their own movements?"
"It is a serious possibility," the Director admitted, shaking his head. "We must assume they are active now."
Before Director Zephyr could fully process the implications of the God Advent Sect's potential involvement, a translucent phantom suddenly shimmered into existence inside the command post. It solidified into the grim figure of a female Combat Affairs Department Assassin who had been deployed for scouting.
"Director! Immediate emergency report!" Her voice was grave, barely a whisper of urgent static.
Director Zephyr's frown deepened. "Report, quickly. What is it?"
"Two human Assassins launched an unprovoked attack and killed a massive number of Centaur Clan Tier 0 Professionals on the road from Xiwa City!" The female Assassin's heart was pounding so hard it was audible in the tent.
The announcement caused a wave of stunned silence.
"Explain. Every detail," the Director commanded, his eyes boring into her.
The scout, regaining her composure, rushed through her report. "I was on perimeter patrol on the west side. I only saw the end of the action. Two human figures suggest one male, one female—disappeared into stealth after the attack. I immediately investigated: every single Centaur was killed cleanly, primarily by a single, devastating blow to the head."
Her expression turned even more urgent. "While I was assessing the scene, a huge Centaur Clan force, easily over a hundred strong, led by a Tier 3 Knight, arrived from the direction of Xiwa City. They were utterly enraged by the sight. I was forced to retreat, but I saw them change course. They are charging straight toward the Gloomy Jungle now, demanding a confrontation!"
A sense of terror settled over the room.
"How many casualties?" Director Zephyr asked, his voice low and dangerous.
"I counted forty-six Centaur Clan Tier 0 Professionals killed."
Forty-six. The number hung in the air, paralyzing the officials. Historically, the human side had always been on the defensive, reacting to Centaur provocation. An unprovoked, large-scale massacre like this was unprecedented. The Centaur Clan's predictable, domineering fury would be unimaginable.
"It must be the Paradise team!" someone suddenly whispered, breaking the shocked silence. "Think! Their message to the students—it said they were going to 'do something that might provoke the Centaur Clan' and asked us to evacuate immediately!"
The realization hit the entire command post like a physical blow. The message was confirmed. The Paradise duo had used the Centaur's mobilization as cover to launch a counter-attack and, simultaneously, tried to warn the human officials to avoid the fallout.
"Director, they've already left, and the Centaur army is incoming. What is the order? Do we retreat and allow the Centaur Clan to occupy the Instance entrance? Or do we stand our ground and risk an all-out, unwinnable war?" Lei asked, his hand trembling slightly.
The Director's face was a study in grim contemplation. He was the highest authority here, but the coming political storm exceeded his rank. He took a single, deep breath.
"Hold your positions," he ordered, his voice suddenly loud and steady. "No movement. This is no longer a tactical decision. I am making a direct, high-priority call to General Alistair in Long Reach City. He will decide if we retreat or if we stand and fight."
Director Zephyr walked to the edge of the tent, his back to his subordinates, and activated his secure communication link. The fate of the Gloomy Jungle command post, and perhaps the future of the armistice, rested on that single, urgent call.
Vincent and Thalia, blissfully unaware of the chaos they had unleashed at the Gloomy Jungle, continued their deep infiltration.
In the distance, the sprawling, alien architecture of the Centaur Clan's capital city, Xiwa City, dominated the horizon. Its grand, imposing structures, built for four-legged movement and immense scale, were a jarring contrast to the vertical cities of humanity. They had reached the critical, highly dangerous edge of an enemy capital.
And directly ahead, near the well-trodden supply lines, another large group of young Centaur Professionals appeared, moving without a care in the world. They were laughing and chatting loudly, utterly convinced of their safety in the shadow of their home city.
"Brother," Thalia whispered, her eyes shining with cold, strategic excitement.
Vincent made no verbal reply. He simply drew his dagger in a fluid, lethal motion, the polished steel reflecting the setting sun.
"Let's give Xiwa City a proper welcome."
The two assassins moved, melting into the terrain, already closing the distance on the oblivious young Centaurs for the second, more daring strike.
The two assassins moved, melting into the terrain, already closing the distance on the oblivious young Centaurs for the second, more daring strike.