Chapter 228: Ch228: The Knife Guild
The rain had grown heavier, turning the streets into a muddy blur. Sherlon broke into a sprint, weaving through the downpour with Daniel following close behind.
A few minutes later, they came upon what appeared to be an ordinary house. Nothing about it stood out from the others lining the street.
Daniel slowed to a stop and glanced at the house.
"Now what?" he asked.
"We’ve arrived," Sherlon replied.
There was a strange softness in his voice, almost as if the sight of the house had stirred an old memory.
Sherlon stepped toward the door.
*Knock-knock*
*Tap-tap*
*Knock-knock-knock*
A small viewing window slid open near the top of the door, and a pair of eyes appeared behind it.
"Name?" a deep voice asked.
"Sherlon."
The eyes shifted toward Daniel and narrowed suspiciously.
"What’s your business here, Sherlon?"
"A small talk with Valmond. Nothing else," Sherlon replied firmly.
*Click!*
The door opened.
A man dressed in a black robe stood behind it. Red patterns resembling streaks of blood ran across the fabric, giving him an ominous appearance. He looked to be in his late thirties, with the lower half of his face concealed behind a dark cloth.
The man glanced at Sherlon, then at Daniel.
Without saying a word, he tilted his head, gesturing for them to come inside.
Daniel paused.
"Status," he whispered.
——————
Name: Crand Wint
Age: 38
HP: 6200/6200
Mana: 5380/5800
Description: An assassin and member of the Knife Guild. He has a record of killing more than fifty people and is highly dangerous in close-quarters combat, particularly when wielding a dagger.
——————
Daniel’s eyes narrowed slightly as his body tensed, his fingers curling at his sides while his gaze swept over Crand, never lingering in one place for too long.
Crand opened another door, and they stepped into a larger room.
Several people were gathered around wooden tables, some throwing cards onto the table while others drank in silence. Daggers were strapped to their backs, and most wore worn leather clothing beneath their dark robes.
The room reeked of smoke and strong beer.
Daniel pinched the collar of his tunic over his nose as he stepped inside.
Several pairs of eyes lingered on them.
Their gazes followed Daniel and Sherlon as they walked across the room, their soaked clothes leaving a trail of water across the wooden floor.
Crand’s hand slipped beneath his robe, fingers wrapping around the hilt of his weapon as he remained alert for any sudden movement.
*Thud*
"Boss, someone wants to speak with you," Crand said, gesturing toward the man standing beside the window.
Rain pattered against the glass behind him.
Valmond turned around, a faint smile appearing on his face as his eyes landed on his former Knife Guild member.
"Sherlon. I didn’t expect you to change your mind so quickly," Valmond said, his deep voice carrying across the room. Then he glanced at Crand. "Crand, bring them some towels. Thank you."
Then he gestured toward the chairs.
"Please, have a seat."
Daniel and Sherlon sat down opposite him.
Valmond crossed his arms over his broad chest. His muscular frame was partly concealed beneath a brown tunic, while black trousers covered his legs.
"So..." Valmond said, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Tell me. What brought you back to a place you clearly dislike?"
His tone remained calm, but there was a faint edge of suspicion beneath his words.
"I never said I disliked it," Sherlon replied, meeting his gaze. "I simply wanted to go my own way. Besides, I’m here to ask for your help."
Valmond’s eyebrows rose slightly. "Help?"
"Status," Daniel whispered under his breath.
——————
Name: Valmond Berserk
Age: 46
HP: 16,900/16,900
Mana: 19999/20,000
Description: The leader of the Knife Guild and the third-generation guild master. A veteran assassin with exceptional skill in close-quarters combat, who possesses mastery over the Fire Element and is feared for his deadly assassination techniques.
——————
"There is a man named Klaus. He’s killing people and collecting their souls for some reason. I don’t know exactly what he’s planning, but whatever it is, it isn’t normal," Sherlon explained. "And I know you’re not the type of man to simply take my word for it, so I brought a witness."
Valmond’s eyes shifted toward Daniel.
"He carries a skull with glowing red eyes. It demands a hundred souls, and I heard him mention some kind of summoning magic," Daniel said, his tone serious.
Valmond raised an eyebrow.
"Summoning magic, you say... It must be dark, forbidden magic."
He reached toward a drawer in his desk and pulled it open. After rummaging through it for a moment, he retrieved a roughly hand-drawn poster.
"Is this the man?"
He held the poster up.
A detailed sketch of Zane stared back at them.
"Yes. That’s the man," said Sherlon, his eyes widening.
Daniel gave a slight nod.
"There’s no need for an introduction. I know this man personally." Valmond paused, his gaze fixed on the sketch. "I don’t even know how he’s still alive. He shouldn’t be alive."
"Why, Boss? What are you saying?" Sherlon asked almost immediately.
"Years ago, a civil war broke out between the Royal Saints and the Royals over control of the kingdom. Amid the chaos, a few men managed to break into the Saints’ hidden vault. This man was one of them."
Valmond tapped his finger against the table.
"Everyone assumed he died that day. But years later, he was spotted again."
His expression darkened.
"Alive."
A brief silence settled over the room.
"Which means he must have found something inside that vault..." Valmond murmured. "There are rumors of something called the Abyssal Babel. They say anyone who enters it will be cursed with all the knowledge the world has to offer — knowledge beyond human understanding. Knowledge that no ordinary human was ever meant to possess."
This name again... Daniel thought.
"Then, Boss, shouldn’t we do something about him?" Sherlon asked. "He’s already killed four of our assassins."
Valmond’s expression hardened, his fingers slowly curling into a fist. "He killed four of ours?" His voice dropped. "When?"
"Today," Daniel answered. "And he took their souls into that skull thing."
Valmond’s eyes hardened.
For the first time since they entered the room, the calm expression on his face disappeared.