The team’s trek under the blazing sun was about to pay off.

Crouching in the bushes, they looked ahead. Just as Cody had said, two Cat Demons were curled up napping under a tree, while another, having just finished eating, was licking its paws.

The last one was making a show of looking around, but it was clearly lethargic and seemed half-asleep.

Bain glanced at Cody. The team’s new Assassin understood the signal immediately. He reversed his grip on his Short Knife and took a slow, deep breath.

Cat Demons weren’t Goblins; they were much harder to deal with. Though there were only four enemies to their five, three of their party were unreliable rookies. If they charged in head-on, victory was certain, but injuries would be inevitable.

It was normal for Adventurers to carry wounds—for instance, the injuries several team members had sustained in their last battle still hadn’t fully healed, even after a trip to the church.

But injuries meant a decrease in Combat Power and an increase in risk. If they were wounded too often or too severely, they would have no choice but to retreat to the city to recuperate before setting out again.

This was a huge waste of time. Besides, many missions had deadlines, and a round trip could easily cause them to miss one.

But if he could take one out first, changing the situation to five-on-three, that would be a different story.

They would have a high chance of finishing the fight completely unscathed.

This was the value of an Assassin. An enemy’s lapse in vigilance was the perfect opportunity for him to shine!

Cody centered himself, held his breath, and quickly readied himself for the kill.

He braced himself on the ground with his hands, legs coiled and tense. His determined gaze was locked on the enemy before him.

He was like a viper hiding in the grass, poised to strike.

You had to admit, he looked pretty professional.

Lin Mo watched the Assassin’s performance with great interest. Though his power had grown considerably since he’d first arrived, Lin Mo hadn’t let it go to his head. He certainly wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to learn and improve.

Seconds ticked by. The well-fed Cat Demon also leaned against the tree, pillowing its head on its paws and preparing to sleep.

The Cat Demon responsible for keeping watch grew increasingly drowsy, its eyes barely able to stay open.

In a short while, one of the sleeping Cat Demons would take over, relieving it from guard duty.

This final stretch was also when it would be at its most impatient and careless.

The instant it turned to survey the other side, Cody, who had been waiting patiently, seized the opportunity. He burst from the bushes!

He was fast. His movements were swift and clean, yet he made almost no sound—as quiet and unnoticeable as a whisper of wind.

’Back Attack!’

Cody thought. This was one of his Skills; it granted a bonus when attacking an enemy from behind.

He had executed it almost perfectly, displaying all the fine qualities of a veteran Assassin. And yet...

Just as the blade was about to plunge into the creature’s back, the drowsy Cat Demon’s ears suddenly shot up, its fur bristling. Its keen Insight let it perceive the imminent danger. With an almost instinctual forward roll, it dodged. Cody’s long-prepared attack merely grazed its back, leaving a moderate gash.

’So, I failed?’

Cody’s brow furrowed in frustration.

’The Cat Demon’s Insight is just too sharp... Of all the low-level Demons, they’re among the hardest to ambush successfully.’

With the first strike failed, the Cat Demon’s shriek woke its companions. Cody didn’t dare give chase. Gritting his teeth in frustration, he fell back to regroup with his teammates for a direct confrontation.

But at that very moment, a figure suddenly appeared in his field of vision.

From behind the three newly awakened Cat Demons, a figure shot out like a phantom—so fast Cody could barely track it. The Cat Demons themselves seemed utterly oblivious to the danger at their backs.

In the blink of an eye, a sharp blade sliced across one Cat Demon’s neck. It was like a hot knife through butter, effortlessly separating its head from its body.

Only then did Cody finally get a clear look at the figure.

’It’s him?!’

The shock was so intense that Cody was momentarily stunned. Meanwhile, the remaining three Cat Demons entered full combat mode. Bain and Evan charged out from the bushes, while Millian drew her bow, nocked an arrow, and sent a precise shot flying toward the Cat Demon Cody had wounded. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝙚𝔀𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝒐𝒎

Realizing their companion had been killed, the other two Cat Demons let out piercing shrieks and chased after Lin Mo as he made a timely retreat.

Lin Mo was completely unflustered. He tossed his Short Knife into the air, simultaneously drawing the Wolf Bone Sword from his back. He then blocked one of the Cat Demon’s attacks with a one-handed grip on the sword.

The second Cat Demon attacked from the other side. Lin Mo, seemingly oblivious, glanced up at the Short Knife he had just tossed into the air.

The Short Knife spun as it rose, glinting brightly in the afternoon sun.

Gravity took hold, and the Short Knife began to fall. The Cat Demon was now less than five meters away.

[4 meters]

As it fell, the glint from the Short Knife vanished into the shadows of the dense forest. The spinning blade sliced through the air with a WHOOSH.

Lin Mo raised his hand, reaching toward the empty air...

[3 meters]

The Cat Demon saw the enemy before it, occupied by its companion. His hand was empty; he had no weapon to block its attack.

Its shriveled, almond-like brain was incapable of questioning Lin Mo’s seemingly pointless action, and it paid no mind to the falling Short Knife.

Its eyes were fixed on Lin Mo’s neck—that soft, fatal spot. All it had to do was sink its sharp claws into it, and it could kill this human, adding a fine dish to its evening meal.

[2 meters]

Lin Mo opened his hand, fingers held in a loose grip. He simultaneously twisted his body, using the standoff with the other Cat Demon to angle himself into the perfect position to strike.

Victory seemed within its grasp. This, combined with its opponent’s still-empty left hand, made the Cat Demon drop all caution. It closed the distance at maximum speed, sharp claws reaching for his throat.

[1 meter]

With perfect timing, Lin Mo caught the hilt in a reverse grip. As both he and the Cat Demon rushed toward each other, the Short Knife was in front of its face the very instant it landed in his hand.

Ferocious power stirred a sharp wind. By the time the Cat Demon sensed the danger, it was already too late.

’Slashing!’

His 6 points of Strength, amplified by his Swift speed, achieved a result beyond its normal limits. His Slashing, now at Level 4, also demonstrated an even greater explosive power.

Before the Cat Demon’s claws could touch him, the Short Knife had already plunged into the side of its throat, running it through without any doubt!

CRACK—!

The momentum from the blade sent the Cat Demon’s head flying. Riding the force of the spin, Lin Mo twisted his body and, putting power into his right hand, flung back the other Cat Demon he had been facing, preempting its next attack.

It all happened in the span of a single second...