Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 251 251: Life At The GuildTimeless AssassinC251 251: Life At The Guild
(Twin Fang City, Guild District, Early Afternoon)
Leo spent the hours before his meeting in quiet observation, wandering the interlocked alleyways and ring roads of the guild district.
He kept to the shadows, not out of fear, but out of habit, as his eyes lingered on the local architecture— monuments built to glorify assassins, and murals painted in muted reds depicting legendary kills.
He stopped by the outer markets next, where blacksmiths hawked lightweight daggers and silence-enhancing footwear, and where a booth selling toxin-resistant gloves sat right beside another offering heart-stopping candy disguised as children's treats.
No one here asked questions and everyone watched their own back, as Leo felt oddly at home.
---
(Twin Fang City – Venom Lily Bistro, 1:57 PM)
Leo arrived at the designated meeting point a few minutes ahead of schedule.
The restaurant was subtle but elegant, lit by flickering blue crystals and shielded behind soundproof walls.
Table 22, the table he was told to meet Mr.Raiden at, sat near the rear corner, far from the main entrance, making it an ideal spot for a conversation that wasn't meant to be overheard.
And to his surprise, Mr. Raiden seemed to already be there, waiting for him.
Raiden was a bald man with deep laugh lines and a warm, disarming smile.
His loose dark robes gave the illusion of a merchant or scribe, but Leo could feel the restraint in his posture— the kind honed by decades of dangerous stillness.
"You must be Leo," Raiden said, rising slightly and offering a handshake. "Welcome to the Black Serpents."
Leo returned the handshake with a nod, but said nothing.
"I saw you at the Interstellar Circuit Finals," Raiden continued, gesturing for Leo to sit.
"Of Course myself and everyone else in the guild were rooting for young master Darnell to win over you, hahaha, but we can't deny your brilliance! You fought well—" Raiden said, as Leo didn't reply, but rather just offered the faintest smile as he settled into his chair.
Raiden then poured them both water before getting to business.
"The Serpents are a free guild," he began. "We don't chain our members down. In any given calendar year, you're only expected to complete two missions of your choice to keep your membership active. And there are no mandatory deployments or suicide orders that you must follow."
Leo raised a brow, mildly intrigued.
"There's a public mission board updated daily," Raiden continued, "with each task marked clearly by risk and reward.
Ninety-five percent of what we do here is assassination— the clean, untraceable, and discreet kind.
Object retrieval and kidnappings are rare, but constitute the remaining 5%.
While escort and dungeon work? We don't touch that trash here at all."
Leo nodded, absorbing every word.
"The guild offers all its members some perks such as discounted access to weapons, poisons, black-market materials. And more importantly, a mission board that never runs dry. You'll never beg for work here."
Raiden leaned back.
"Most of us work solo. That's the norm. But if the guild comes under threat? You'll see a miracle, as loners band to become legions overnight.
When Darnell Nuna was taken, hundreds of thousands volunteered to help. That's the bond we share. Not obedience, but loyalty."
He took a sip from his glass.
"Also our reputation in the universe is rock solid.
The reason no one in the outer galaxies dares touch a Black Serpent is because the consequence is never one blade. If one of us dies on a mission— three more are sent, as the message is clear: success is inevitable, and the price for killing a serpent will be returned in kind."
Leo's expression didn't change, but a flicker of approval passed through his eyes.
Raiden smiled.
"Right now, you're free to do whatever you want. No pressure. But if you need anything— anything at all— you come to me as I'm your designated point of contact for your newbie year."
He paused, then added, "And if you're hungry for something dangerous… I'll be leading an expedition in seven days. Big risks. Bigger rewards. You've got six days to decide if you want in."
Leo met his eyes and gave a respectful nod.
"I'll keep that in mind."
"I guess that's it. Feel free to check out the headquarters and the guild's mess hall where most of the veterans have a permanent table they hang out at.
Also don't forget to visit the missions hall…. See if there's anything you like there.
You need to only complete two in a year's time and they can be of any difficulty, so the choice is yours.
Usually we don't kick out members for failed missions, but try and maintain a success rate of 75% or more, because otherwise it won't reflect well on your evaluation CV when bonus seasons roll around.
I sincerely hope you enjoy your time here!" Raiden said as he stood up to leave, with Leo doing the same.
The two shared a handshake, and Raiden left a handful of money on the table although the duo had ordered nothing but water, before walking out, as he did not hang around for more chit-chat.
'Man, I like this place—' Leo thought once Raiden left, as contrary to the Rodova mess hall, the atmosphere within the Venom Lily Bistro was entirely different.
Apart from the very soft instrumental music playing in the background to prevent sensory deprivation, there was not a single noise in his vicinity, as all the guests sitting within the restaurant seemed to be dining in absolute silence and without peeping into other people's dishes.
Even Raiden, who talked kindly enough to him, did not seem interested in small talk, as after saying what he needed, he left immediately without ceremony, showing how practical people were around here.
Since this was precisely the type of crowd Leo approved of, he couldn't help but break into a soft smile as he walked out of the restaurant, as although he had joined the Black Serpents Guild for the sole purpose of regaining his memories, he could see himself staying here for a while if he had nothing urgent to do in the short-term.
—-----------
After his meeting with Raiden concluded, Leo began looking for his assigned residential quarters in the outer ring, where he had been assigned housing like all new recruits.
His designated quarters were located on the fifth floor of a modest brick building nestled between a weapons merchant and a silent meditation dojo.
The hallways were clean but plain, and his room, Unit 5C, was equally unremarkable having only a single bed, a reinforced mana-proof desk, a wall-mounted combat dummy, and a wardrobe containing two spare guild bath robes.
After putting his duffle bag on the floor and locking the entrance door behind him, the first thing that Leo did was to search the apartment for surveillance crystals or voice transmission arrays, however, he found nothing of the sort.
The Black Serpents did not seem to keep an eye on their guild members, making his apartment home a safe environment for him to call Muiyan Faye.
'I hope she picks up—' Leo thought, as he retrieved the communication crystal Faye had given him before his departure from Rodova, and softly injected his mana inside it, until the crystal ball started to glow blue.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 252 252: Meeting FayeTimeless AssassinC252 252: Meeting Faye
(Twin Fang City, Black Serpent's Guild Residential Quarters, Unit 5 C)
The communication crystal glowed softly in Leo's hand, its blue hue intensifying as it absorbed more and more of his mana to establish a connection.
Once the mana input stabilized and the receiver accepted the call, the projection shimmered, then took form.
The woman who appeared on the other side was no longer Instructor Muiyan Faye of Rodova Academy.
Gone were the prim academy clothes and the carefully placed make-up, as in her place stood Mu Fan, red-haired and radiant, dressed in the sleek tactical robes of the Mu Clan's covert operatives, her expression calm and cautious.
"Did you do it?" she asked without preamble, eyes locked onto his. "Did you get accepted into the Serpents?"
Leo tilted the crystal slightly, revealing the unadorned walls and training dummy behind him.
"I did," he replied coolly. "They didn't even ask for a physical or psychological evaluation. Apparently, my name was enough to impress them."
Mu Fan let out a quiet, bitter chuckle— one laced with a trace of disbelief and just a hint of resentment.
'Does he have any idea…
How many Cult agents— trained, disciplined, transcendent-tier had tried and failed to infiltrate the Black Serpents? How many operatives had been turned away at the gates by a background check they couldn't hack, because while not suspicious they weren't squeaky clean to the Guild's liking?'
And yet here he was.
Accepted without scrutiny.
Because of fame.
She shook her head, but didn't let the thought show on her face.
"Good," she said instead, her tone softening. "That's really good."
As for the first time in days, she smiled a genuine smile.
"Tell me your room number. I'll come see you tonight."
Leo's eyes narrowed just slightly, but he didn't hesitate.
"Unit 5C. Outer Ring, guild housing block four."
"Keep your schedule clear," Mu Fan added, her tone dipping into something more serious. "It may take me a while to restore your memories."
Leo gave a single sharp nod, and said "Understood", as the projection flickered once more, and then vanished.
He lowered the crystal, knowing full well that the moment of truth was arriving fast.
It was finally time for him to become whole again.
—-----------
*Knock*
*Knock*
Around 8 PM that same night, Leo heard a soft knock at his door.
When he opened it, he was greeted by a version of Mu Fan he could barely recognize.
Gone was the modest attire of the Rodova instructor he once knew. In its place were the dark, high-collared robes of the Mu Family, layered with leather straps and bracers, each one holding a weapon in place—daggers across her chest, throwing needles lining her thigh holsters, and a slender black baton sheathed neatly at her hip.
She didn't look like an educator anymore.
She looked like a war-ready assassin.
Leo gave her a once-over… and then another, slower one.
"You quit teaching at Rodova?" he asked, stepping aside as he gestured for her to enter.
Fan nodded as she crossed the threshold.
"Yes. I was only there for you. Now that you're gone, I have no reason to stay," she said flatly. "I submitted my resignation the same day you left."
Without another word, she immediately began sweeping the room— checking corners, baseboards, seams, and faint mana signatures for any surveillance crystals or sound transmission arrays, mirroring the same systematic sweep Leo had done when he first arrived.
"It's clear," she said eventually, stepping back from the wall, before nodding toward the bed and gesturing for Leo to sit.
*Squeak*
The mattress let out a faint groan as Leo sat down. He leaned slightly forward, resting his arms on his knees, his eyes locking onto hers with quiet curiosity as a faint, lopsided grin crept onto his lips.
"Am I going to remember something painful?" he asked, as Fan shook her head slowly, but her expression didn't exactly comfort him.
"I'm just the keeper," she said. "I hold the memories, not the emotions. I don't get to see what's inside— so I can't say if they'll hurt."
She paused, and her voice dropped a pitch.
"But I can tell you this— once your memories come back, you won't be calm. You'll be angry. Restless. Because once you understand the truth— once you see how small a pawn you are in the bigger game— you'll remember exactly why you chose to carry this burden in the first place. Why you were willing to risk everything… for your family."
Leo exhaled slowly, his grin fading like vapor.
There was a tightness in his chest, but it seemed smothered beneath something deeper, something akin to desperation.
He was tired of the fog in his mind, tired of chasing fragments of identity in half-memories and instinct.
He wanted to become whole again, even if it hurt.
Hence, after letting out a deep sigh, he signalled for Fan to go ahead as he closed his eyes with conviction.
Fan moved sharply and placed the memory retrieval cap onto his head.
She pressed two fingers to its side, then began feeding her mana into the device in slow, precise pulses.
"Your memories were extracted in sequence," she said gently. "So you'll remember them in sequence. Don't resist. Let them play out like a movie. You'll know everything you need to by the end."
And with that, it began.
Memories long buried began to stir—rising like smoke from deep within his mind, as the fog started to thin… and the truth started to play out.
—--------------
The first distinct memory that Leo recalled was that of a toy.
A small white elephant figurine— worn around the edges from years of nibbling— that he used to chew on endlessly for reasons even he, in hindsight, couldn't explain.
It had been a gift from his father, a tall, broad-shouldered military man named Jacob, whose calloused hands had always been gentle when placing the toy in his chubby little palms.
It was that same elephant he often shared with his older brother, Luke, during their long play sessions on a fuzzy blue carpet in the living room. Luke would make the toy 'fly' while Leo tried to catch it with clumsy fingers, laughing endlessly, even when he fell over.
Their mother, Elena, watched over them like a sunlit goddess—her warm laughter always ringing from the kitchen, where she cooked meals that smelled like home. The taste of her honey-glazed vegetables, the rhythm of her lullabies, and the way she pulled him into soft, crushing hugs every night were so vivid now, so heartbreakingly real, that Leo felt his breath hitch.
Back then, the world was whole.
His brother protected him like a shield and encouraged him like a teacher.
His mother fed him love in every form— food, warmth, stories. And his father, though stern and rarely home, always ruffled his hair before leaving, always whispering, "Take care of them while I'm gone."
Recalling all that… a single tear of joy slipped from Leo's closed eye, as Fan watched him recall the best parts of his life with a satisfied smile.
Childhood was often the happiest and most carefree time of one's life, a kind of pleasant calm, before the storm of adulthood began.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 253 253: Recap (1)Timeless AssassinC253 253: Recap (1)
While his childhood memories were mostly happy, and he seemed to be living in relative wealth, all of that changed abruptly when he grew a little older and his father went missing.
Leo was still in elementary school when it happened. One day his father was there— tucking him in, telling him to take care of his mother. The next, he was simply gone, without explanation or goodbye.
In the weeks that followed, their existing life collapsed like a house of cards.
Him, his brother and mother were soon forced to relocate from their mansion when they couldn't afford to pay the mortgage anymore, and they were instead forced to trade it in for a creaky two-bedroom apartment with water-stained walls and neighbors who argued through the night.
However, that was only the beginning of their downfall.
Next year, both Leo and Luke had to change schools.
While Elena soon constantly found herself turning down bills, rationing meals, and doing everything she could to shield her sons from the full weight of their fall.
Leo remembered watching her cry quietly the day she sold her necklace and wedding jewelry. And he remembered how she never once cursed their father's name or spoke ill of him.
Even at her lowest, she bore the downfall of their family with grace, as watching her suffer like that, Leo changed.
Gone was the loud, spoiled boy who threw tantrums for toys, and in his place stood a quiet, observant young man who kept his head low, learned to eat in silence, and stopped asking for things.
He endured what many common children did— such as being mugged for pocket change, bullied in school for his worn shoes, and laughed at when he couldn't afford school trip fees. But he adapted. He learned to be content with less.
That phase of his life continued until Luke turned eighteen and began working odd jobs to support them, and two years later, he himself followed suit, joining the workforce the moment he legally could, as things began to improve for their family, if only slightly.
But then….. the world ended.
Planet Earth, already battered by frequent earthquakes, cyclones, flash floods, and atmospheric decay, was officially declared uninhabitable.
The President made the announcement informing the common people that the world was ending, and with it came news of an interstellar migration plan aboard a massive alien ship.
Mass hysteria soon followed, as the local governments worldwide informed their intentions of evacuating just one out of the eight billion people living on Earth in the first tranche, with the others being forced to live on the dying planet, until the next round of ships arrived to evacuate them a year later.
For Leo and Luke, two no-name repairmen, the dream of securing a spot on that ship was impossible.
But their mother made it possible, by selling her kidney to raise money for the ticket.
She bought them the cheapest tickets— cramped, windowless pods in the lowest class of evacuees. But it was still a way out. A path to Planet Terra Nova, the galaxy's new frontier.
And so, their journey began.
Once aboard the transport ship, daily chores were mixed with compulsory training inside a hyper-realistic VR game called Terra Nova Online. Which was a simulation meant to prepare Earth's migrants for the climate, culture, and economy of their destination planet.
The in-game currency and skills learned also carried to the real world, making it so that the better one was at playing the game, the more influence they could carry into the real world upon landing.
But here fate played a trick.
Due to a glitch, or perhaps some calculation by the gaming system that he did not understand, Leo's character was forcibly assigned the role of the biggest big shot from the very start, when he was nothing more than a small fry, as he adopted the moniker 'The Boss'.
At the time the system forcibly portrayed him as the top player who was at the very top of the player rankings, although he was not really that skilled.
The twist in this situation was that if the truth behind his fake strength was ever exposed, he would lose his life.
And so, he faked it.
He wore the fake ranking like armor, and paraded like a king among lions, and bluffed his way into respect.
However, what began as an act soon turned real, as through tireless effort and relentless survival, he mastered every skill he once pretended to have, as eventually, 'The Boss' became more than a role.
With the persona becoming him, and him becoming 'The Boss'.
Along the way, he gained many friends. Such as Amanda, his girlfriend, first love and hopeful future wife.
Chaosbringer, the manager of his Empire and his right hand man.
Ben Faulkner, his assassin instructor, second father and master.
And Dumpy, his pet, who he hatched from a lottery egg, and who the Universal Government was currently nurturing at some untold facility, until he retrieved him.
It was an eventful journey, and he managed to reach the status of a 'Master' warrior by the end, becoming one of the best players to ever play the game.
However, this was where the light in his memories began to fade.
Because it was from this point forward that every problem he now faced began to unravel.
It was only towards the end of his journey that he realized that the Earthen Government's promise of a green new world and a fresh new start wasn't actually true.
That the locals of planet Terra Nova were not actually evacuating them out of a dying planet because of the kindness in their hearts, but because they needed more workers and soldiers to keep their economy booming and front lines secured.
If he wanted to, he could have kept his mouth shut and taken a hefty payday to keep the information he knew concealed.
However, out of the kindness of his heart, he exposed the ploy to every Earthen migrant, and in the process became the enemy of the local government of planet Terra Nova.
The Terra Nova Government, now mad at him for making them suffer potential losses of millions of MP, sued him for leaking state secrets and registered a case against him in the universal court, branding him as a criminal.
And the fate that he was ideally to suffer upon landing, was one of being handcuffed and arrested, however, a sudden interest by the Mu Clan into his skills and performance opened a way out for him from this mess.
Apparently, Mu Fan contacted the captain of the ship before landing, and hatched a plan to save him from his arrest, however, the catch was that he had to be separated from his family in the short term, as Mu Fan could only safely manage to evacuate one person at a time, and besides, it wasn't his family that was wanted, but rather just him.
And so, upon landing, he found himself evading the local authorities waiting to arrest him, by hiding in a transport cart carrying ships command logs and internal data slates, until he found Mu Fan at their designated meet-up spot.
However, mid-way through his escape, as he asked Mu Fan as to what would become of his family.
Mu Fan replied that they would most likely be arrested and interrogated in the short term, before being released later on…..
And it was here that Leo suddenly changed his mind and decided that he did not wish to leave without them, as this was where everything turned to hell.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 254 254: Recap (2)Timeless AssassinChapter 254 254: Recap (2)Leo abandoned Mu Fan's guidance mid-way through their escape, feeling convinced that he did not need her.
He believed he knew better.
Believed he was still untouchable.
In his mind, he was still 'The Boss'— the strongest player in the system, the king among men.
But that illusion he had about his power was about to shatter big time, as in the real world, a 'Master' ranked warrior was barely a blip on the power scale.
Nothing more than a bottom-feeder and a plebeian.
However, blinded by arrogance and narcissistic self confidence, Leo marched back toward the Arc Ship, determined to safeguard his family's interests… only to be intercepted and arrested before he could even make it halfway.
The local authorities didn't just apprehend him. They made an example out of him, by beating, mocking, and torturing him like a criminal whose pride far exceeded his value.
It was during this phase of his life that Leo truly remembered what it meant to be humble. What it meant to live like the forgotten, to survive on the fringes where dignity was a luxury and violence was a daily routine.
As thrown into one of Terra Nova's most brutal prisons, Leo faced unimaginable struggles from the moment he stepped inside.
Stabbings, murders, and hand-to-hand death matches were not isolated events but daily entertainment for the inmates.
As he was cast among the filth of the planet, the absolute worst humanity had to offer, and if he wanted to survive, he had no choice but to adapt quickly.
So he became resourceful.
He learned to stay alert, to sleep lightly, and to watch every corner as if his life depended on it, because most days, it did.
But even caution could only take him so far, as despite his best efforts, he was still roughed up almost every other day as his attitude as "The Boss" only made things worse.
It did not intimidate the other prisoners, not when he was barely a master level warrior, but rather provoked them and made them want to break his spirit that much more.
Eventually, desperation began to seep in.
Leo knew that he needed to find a way out, any way out, and fast.
And finally, he found a sliver of hope when an inmate mentioned the Warden's genetic trials.
The rumor went, that the Prison Warden was the disciple of a twisted genetic scientist who had vanished from public records.
However, as his chief disciple, the Warden continued his legacy through underground experiments on selected inmates of his own, promising freedom to any who survived his testing.
Most didn't.
But Leo volunteered anyway.
Because even the smallest chance to escape this hell and reunite with his family was better than the certainty of death he was facing in this prison.
And so, he was taken away by the Warden and tested for his genetic make-up first, with the discovery being nothing short of shocking for even the Warden himself.
Leo not only carried the blood of a God, but also carried the blood of an ancient dragon, in what was the most unique Genetic Make-up he had ever seen.
Turning obsessed, the Warden treated Leo as his most precious subject and even contacted his master the Mad Scientist to collaborate on testing, which his master agreed happily to, because his master, just like him, could not resist the temptation of testing on such a unique specimen.
And so began the sub-optimal genetic trials on his body, as it was these two mad idiots, who first had the crazy idea of introducing a mana heart into his body.
—--------------
(Flashback, An Underground Testing Facility, somewhere on Planet Terra Nova)
Leo found himself strapped naked to a cold, metal operating table, his limbs bound with thick restraints that pulsed faintly with suppressive mana.
The air around him stank of iron, antiseptic, and burnt flesh, while the ceiling above was lined with harsh, white lights that flickered occasionally, revealing glimpses of overhead observation lenses and rune-carved ducts dripping with condensation.
The laboratory itself was a horror show masquerading as science.
Tall glass tanks filled with semi-formed creatures lined the walls, some twitching feebly in their nutrient fluids, others still as death.
Dissected organs floated in containment pods, while machines whirred and hissed at uneven intervals, many cobbled together from different technologies, biotech, mana tech, alien alloys, all held in place with rusted bolts and makeshift bindings.
Two voices echoed from behind a thick pane of observation glass, bickering non-stop about how to progress with the experiment.
"The blood of the god running through him is very thin," one of them said. "It's been through at least fifteen generations of thinning. If not for the trace of dragon blood mixed into his body, it wouldn't have triggered any reaction at all."
"You're wrong," the second voice countered, sharper and more excitable. "It's the other way around. It's the god blood that activated the dormant dragon lineage. The dragon blood is even thinner than the divine strain. It only reacted after he learned how to absorb and circulate mana. The two are synergistic— each amplifies the other."
"What a waste," the first muttered. "The boy grew up on a mana-less planet. I wonder how many generations of his family lived and died without ever knowing what flowed through their veins."
"Exactly why we must enrich it. Before any other experiments, we'll need to clone his stem cells, concentrate the traits we want, and then re-infuse his body with higher quality blood. That will make him more receptive to the Genetic Awakening Serum later."
"Fool. We should be implanting a forced mana nucleus now. Stabilizing his core first, so that it will yield faster results—"
"Nonono. That comes after. First we strengthen the source. You don't build a tower on rotting flesh!"
Their bickering intensified, voices overlapping and echoing with frustration as Leo, through the haze of pain and sedatives, could only make out pieces, but they were enough.
He had the blood of a god in his veins.
And dragon blood too.
At the time, he didn't know what that meant. He didn't think of his parents as divine or draconic, nor did he believe his lineage was anything more than human. But apparently, buried somewhere in his ancestral code, was a rare and volatile combination.
Eventually, the debate ended, and action began.
Wires were attached to his neck, arms, and chest. The hum of blood-cycling machines filled the room, followed by the sting of multiple insertion needles.
His body began to shudder as his natural blood was extracted and replaced, slowly, systematically, with a synthetic version engineered from his own cells.
This new blood retained only the attributes the scientists considered valuable, while it was purged of everything else.
The process was brutal.
His body rejected the new blood almost immediately after insertion.
His muscles clenched, vision blurred, and every cell screamed out in resistance as it recognized the infusion as foreign.
But Leo endured.
Through sheer willpower, and the fact that his DNA still held enough compatibility to the new blood, however slight it may be, his body began to adapt.
It was neither easy nor graceful.
But with the stubborn determination of someone who wanted to live and return to his family anyhow, Leo somehow survived the transfusion.
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Leo had only just begun to recover from the blood transfusion when the voices around him grew louder— sharper, more frantic.
"It's the boy's family! They're trying to rescue him. Don't stop them—call off the guards. Let them walk into the chamber willingly. If we contain them, we can test all of them at once," one of the scientists said, his tone brimming with twisted excitement.
The words struck Leo like a bolt of lightning, every warning bell in his mind going off at once.
'Why are they here?' he thought, panic creeping in, as he began to restlessly struggle against his binds.
"It's too late," the second voice replied in a rising pitch. "There's no intercom, no way to contact them from here. I'd have to run to stop them manually—"
"You fool! I told you a hundred times to install basic intercoms. You're a disgrace of a disciple!" the first snapped.
"I'm sorry, Master. I'm unworthy—"
"Don't bow, run! Try to salvage the specimens if you can!"
Leo heard the hurried clatter of footsteps as one of them sprinted away.
He began to thrash against his restraints, heart pounding, breath quickening.
His body was still weak, but the thought of his family walking into the same nightmare as him, lit a fire inside him that overpowered pain and exhaustion alike.
"Arghhh stop squirming you rat… looks like your sedative is wearing off," the first voice said, as he walked towards Leo to give him yet another sedative injection, however, before he could, Leo suddenly broke free from one of his restraints, and used his free hand to break free of another.
"DON'T TOUCH MY FAMILY!" He lashed out in anger, as he jumped onto the frightened scientist and placed him in a chokehold, slowly draining the life out of him.
"Grgh…Kyaak–"
Squirming and thrashing, the scientist tried to claw at his arm with trembling fingers, his legs kicking weakly against the floor, but his resistance only prompted Leo to tighten the choke even more.
Leo's body was still trembling from the blood transfusion, every nerve raw, but his fury was stronger than his pain.
He didn't let go.
Not until the scientist's limbs were twitching in slow, fading spasms… and then they went completely still.
*Thud*
The lifeless body dropped to the floor, slumping sideways in a heap of crumpled robes and lab gear, as Leo rose unsteadily, his legs wobbling beneath him as he staggered toward the wall-mounted control console.
His fingers shook violently as he reached for the interface, pressing at random until the dusty screens flickered back to life.
A row of grainy visuals lit up in sequence covering everything from the facility corridors, security doors, various observation labs, to the exact area his family was currently fighting in, as Leo breathed a sigh of relief when he saw them.
The camera feed showed Amanda, Luke, Alia, Elena and Jacob being escorted through the eastern hallway.
Two guards flanked them with rifles drawn, while the second scientist led the way, talking animatedly as if preparing for a grand performance.
Leo's eyes narrowed.
He didn't need to hear the audio to know what was going on. They were being brought in for testing.
Without wasting a moment, Leo crouched beside the dead scientist and began stripping him of his robe, gloves, and mask. The coat was damp and smelled of blood and chemicals, but Leo pulled it on anyway.
Before grabbing the glasses and face covering as he finished the disguise.
At the same time, he activated [Mirror World].
A perfect illusion of himself materialized in front of the operating table, as Leo laid the clone down exactly where he had been and secured the restraints again, replicating the earlier position to the last detail.
From a distance, everything looked untouched and soon footsteps echoed in the hall right outside the lab.
Hurriedly, Leo stepped near a stack of instruments, hunched his shoulders, and lowered his head, mimicking the posture of a scientist running tests.
As the doors slid open with a–
*Hisss!*
"LEO—!" Amanda's voice cracked as she rushed forward, only to be struck across the face by the butt of a rifle.
She collapsed to her knees with a grunt of pain.
"Shut up, bitch," one of the guards muttered.
"That's enough," the second scientist said, raising a hand. "I'll take them from here."
The guards nodded and turned to leave, the heavy door sealing behind them.
"I did it, Master," the scientist said with a proud smile, turning toward Leo. "I saved them."
*Step*
*Step*
The second scientist stepped closer, lowering his head respectfully… However, right as he came within striking distance, Leo raised his hand and drove a scalpel straight through his throat.
[Kill Strike]
The man staggered back, gurgling in confusion, clutching at his neck as blood spilled across his robes.
Leo caught him before he hit the ground, whispering coldly.
"Shouldn't have gone after my family"
Before turning to face his family, who were all smiles and joy to see him.
"Leo, my baby!" His mother said first, running quickly to give him a hug, however, was unable to because of her restraints.
"Mother you're bleeding—" Leo replied in response, looking shocked as he hugged her before quickly looking for antiseptic to clean her wound, as he hurriedly began to treat her.
"Leo!"
"Leo~"
"Leo,"
"Leo"
The rest of his family members said, one after another, as Leo unshackled them after treating his mother and gave them all except their father a tight hug.
"Thank You so much for coming to save me, I'm sorry to put you all under so much trouble," Leo apologized heartily, as his brother gave him a tight smack on his head.
"Don't thank us… find a way for us to get out of here!" Luke said, as Leo's eyes sharpened once again.
"The lady who saved me, she did teach me a method to find her if I ever got seperated…. I guess I could give her a call–" Leo said, as he began searching for an external communication console within the lab's various control panels.
It took him a while, but eventually he did find it and sent out an SOS with his current location attached.
However, what he did not know was that the channel he sent the SOS out to, was not limited to Mu Fan only, but rather open to the whole Evil Cult network, with every Evil Cult operative within the same solar system, getting the alert.
As of all the mistakes he made, somehow this one just happened to be the worst of them all.
—---------
(Meanwhile, Mu Fan)
Mu Fan observed the emotions playing out across Leo's face with careful attention, her eyes scanning every twitch, every flicker in his expression, as though reading a battlefield for signs of a turning tide.
He looked shocked. He looked angry. He looked moved.
But he didn't look betrayed.
Not yet.
That part hadn't returned to him.
Not the memory of the final night. Not the memory of the deal she made.
*Gulp*
She gulped hard, as the fear of his memories returning scared her.
Her hand trembled faintly as she pressed more mana into the memory retrieval circuit, praying as she waited for his anger to show.
'I only did what I had to. For the cult. For the mission. For him.'
Her gaze softened, but the weight in her chest only grew heavier.
'I just hope… when the truth finally resurfaces, you'll understand why I chose the path I did. I hope you'll remember the reasons, not just the pain.'
'Because if you don't… if you see only betrayal in my actions… then everything that comes next will be so much harder for both of us.'
Her fingers tightened around the mana conduit.
And silently, she prayed that the boy she protected over the past year, the young dragon she molded, would still see her as an ally when the final veil fell.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 256 256: Recap (4)Timeless AssassinC256 256: Recap (4)
(Leo's memories, the underground testing lab)
Just a few minutes after Leo sent out a distress signal.
*KABOOM*
A violent explosion rattled the underground laboratory, as grains of sand fell from the ceiling onto the floor.
Emergency alarm sirens began to blare, and as Leo looked into the surveillance footage, he could see that some unknown organization seemed to be infiltrating the base through the front gate, as the local security teams scrambled to respond.
Then, suddenly the lab doors unlocked with a hiss, probably in response to the emergency override protocol, as two guards burst in with weapons drawn, expecting to find panicked scientists and sedated test subjects inside— only to be shocked when they found a free standing Leo instead, moving towards them with a scalpel in hand.
"Get down!" Luke shouted, diving at the first guard before he could even take proper aim, while Alia flanked the second and slammed a metal tray into his helmet.
Leo arrived last, slashing with the stolen scalpel, as blood of the two men sprayed across the floor.
*Splat*
The fight was quick and brutal.
The guards were trained, but unprepared for a coordinated ambush from desperate survivors. And once they dropped, Leo retrieved one of the rifles, swaying slightly as his vision pulsed, before tossing it to his father, who he knew could use it well.
"We move. Now," Luke said, already leading the way out, as Amanda and Elena helped support Leo from both sides until he regained his footing.
Together, they weaved through the chaos, slipping past distracted patrols and half-destroyed corridors, but it wasn't without resistance.
In one hallway, they had to fight a mutated test subject that had escaped containment.
And in another, they clashed with reinforcements trying to seal off the tunnels, as throughout, Leo fought till the limit of his capabilities, but unfortunately for him, his strength was fading fast.
He wasn't in an optimal condition to fight after his blood transfusion, and desperately needed proper rest, however chose to fight on the vanguard nonetheless.
He felt dizzy and disoriented, with his current strength and stamina being extremely limited compared to his usual energetic self, which made him sloppier than usual in combat.
Going through just two short battles, he received a deep cut across his shoulder, another across his lower leg, and the worst at the side of his neck, where a curved blade managed to tear off a chunk of flesh.
As in the end, his knees buckled just as the group approached a blast sealed exit that looked like a dead end.
The last thing he remembered seeing before his vision gave out was the wall beside them being blown apart, as a red-haired figure stepped through the smoke, caught him before he hit the ground, and slung him over her shoulder with a firm grip.
"Follow me if you want to live," Mu Fan said, her eyes scanning the area sharply, as she led the entire family out in one swift, decisive motion.
And then everything went dark.
—-----------
The next time Leo woke up, he found himself lying on a soft bed, sunlight pouring down across his face through a tall window lined with white curtains.
As he squinted, the haze in his vision faded just enough for him to make out a vast green field stretching beyond the glass, its surface dotted with blooming wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze.
But his attention quickly returned to the room, where he spotted Fan seated quietly beside him.
"Where am I? How long was I out?" he asked, his voice dry and groggy.
"You're safe… and you've been unconscious for over three days," Fan replied with a soft sigh, watching as Leo's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Three days? My family must be losing their minds. Can you let them know I'm awake?" he asked, already beginning to sit up.
But Fan shook her head.
"They're not here anymore, Leo. Your actions at the lab turned you all into fugitives. For their safety, we had to send them away."
Leo's entire body tensed as he forced himself upright, his gaze sharp as a dagger as he glared at her.
"Sent them where? Who are you really… and what did you do to my family?"
His killing intent flared instinctively, but it evaporated almost instantly as Fan's eyes narrowed, her presence alone enough to freeze him in place.
His breath caught in his throat, and for the first time in a long while, he felt genuine fear. Not from pain. Not from injury. But from the invisible pressure she exuded, one that even actual dragons in VR game Terra Nova Online couldn't replicate.
"Don't test me, boy," Fan said, her voice low and laced with restraint. "I've been patient with you. But you're still too naive."
She rose slowly, brushing the side of his bed with her robes as she spoke.
"I suspected from the start that you weren't ordinary. That there was something divine in your bloodline. The way you played the game… the forbidden skill you awakened that no player was ever meant to touch—it confirmed it for me. That's why I stepped in to save you. That's why I risked everything."
She paused, her tone turning colder.
"But then you had to throw it all away. You ignored my plan. You returned to the Arc Ship like a fool and got caught.
Because of that, not only did you destroy your own future, but you delivered your entire family— every last one of them carrying the blood of the Timeless Assassin— into the hands of a cult hungry for their next savior to appear."
Leo's fists clenched, but she wasn't finished.
"Your actions sealed your brother and father's fates.
As whatever it is in your blood that makes you special, also runs through them, and the Elder I report to has decided to prepare all three of you for the post of the dragon... separately."
She took a step back and folded her arms.
"Your mother, your girlfriend, and your sister-in-law— they're safe. The cult has no interest in them. They're being protected and treated with dignity."
"But your brother… he wasn't so lucky. The Elder has arranged for him to be hunted every day by trained assassins, without him knowing it's a simulation.
He will live his life as a beggar, a drifter, scraping by, always running, always hiding. They'll chase him, break him, and watch to see if he rises.
Until he grows strong enough to either kill them all or breaks beyond the point where he's useless." Fan said, as she exhaled deeply, her expression darkening.
"And your father… Well, let's not talk about your father. You won't be able to handle it."
Leo's chest tightened as he listened to Fan speak, rage beginning to swell inside him like a storm.
"What do you mean I can't handle it? What do you mean they're torturing my brother?! Free them! Tell me where they are! I'll kill every last one of you if I have to!"
But before he could move, she was already there, faster than his eyes could perceive, as her hand clamped over his mouth and forced him back down.
"Listen to me, you arrogant brat," she said, eyes boring into his. "You want to save them? Then stop yelling. Stop threatening. And prove your worth."
Her grip loosened just enough for him to breathe.
"If you want the cult to lose interest in your family… then outshine them. Become the next dragon. Become the one they want."
Her voice softened, just barely.
"And if you succeed, I promise you this, your family will walk free."
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 257: Recap (5)Timeless AssassinC257: Recap (5)
Leo clenched his fists beneath the covers, his jaw tightening as Fan's words echoed inside his skull.
He hated it.
Hated being forced into decisions he never wanted to make, pushed into corners he never walked into willingly.
Every part of him wanted to scream, to reject the twisted logic she was feeding him, but deep down… he knew there was no way out.
The cult had his family, and Leo wasn't strong enough to save them on his own yet.
They had him by the balls, and he had no choice but to cooperate.
"You may not know anything about the prophecy. You may not understand the title of the Dragon," Fan said, her voice calm but firm, "but fate has already begun weaving itself around you."
Leo looked away, his heart thudding with silent rage, but Fan continued before he could speak.
"This cult you currently dislike… is fighting for its survival. We're not the villains you think we are. A great evil is rising, and if we don't act, it will consume everything. Your bloodline wasn't born to live quietly. It was born to stand at the heart of this storm."
She stepped closer, her eyes locking onto his with unwavering intensity.
"You can try to look away. You can pretend that if you run far enough, live small enough, hide deep enough… the war that's coming won't reach you. But it will."
Leo's breath caught in his throat as her next words cut deeper than any blade.
"You and your family carry the blood of the Timeless Assassin, and for that reason alone, the so-called Righteous faction will never let you live in peace.
They'll hunt you. Relentlessly. Across planets, across systems, across lifetimes if they have to." Fan warned, as Leo sat in silence, trying to process it all, but it felt like drowning.
Like he was being forced to breathe underwater while the weight of destiny pressed down on his chest.
"You don't have to fight for the cult. You don't have to fight for me. But you do have to fight. Because if you don't, you'll lose everything, if not now then later." Fan said, as she folded her arms and took a step back, her voice softening just a little.
As her words settled in, Leo felt his rage begin to waver.
He didn't like any of this— not the situation, not the pressure, and certainly not the idea that fate or some destiny could dictate the course of his life. But from the weight behind Fan's voice, from the way her gaze never faltered, he could sense that this was bigger than him… perhaps far bigger than anything he had ever known.
And so, swallowing his pride and setting aside his base instinct to rebel, he made the wiser choice for once.
*Sigh*
Exhaling slowly, he looked her in the eye.
"Fine," he said. "Tell me everything. What is the cult really? What is this Dragon title you keep talking about? And what did you mean when you said a great war is coming?"
As nodding, Mu Fan did her best to explain to Leo the exact situation he found himself in.
"The supreme beings of this universe are called Gods," Fan began, her voice calm but resonant, as if every word carried the weight of history.
"They are immortal, untouchable, and eternal— beyond the reach of time, death, or decay.
No mortal blade can pierce them, no mortal spell can harm them, and no mortal can outlive them."
She paused, letting the silence sit heavy before continuing.
"But this invincibility… It breeds arrogance. It turns divinity into tyranny."
Her gaze drifted toward the window, as though seeing beyond it.
"Three thousand years ago, the universe was a different place. A darker one. Mortals on countless planets lived in fear, praying to gods they could neither understand nor disobey. A single mistake, a delayed offering, or even a defiant thought could result in entire civilizations being wiped out overnight."
She turned to face Leo again, eyes steady.
"Any warrior who dared rise past the Transcendent realm was viewed as a threat… and eliminated. Dreams were silenced before they could bloom, as back then, the idea of justice was just a pretty word with no teeth."
"But that's when our cult was born. The Cult of Ascension. Not as heretics, not as rebels, but as resistance. As the last hope of mortals."
She leaned in slightly, her voice quieting.
"Our founder was no ordinary man. He was the first to unlock a method where mere mortals could unite and slay a god. And not just that—he ascended. He became divine himself. Not by birthright. But by blood, sweat, and the will to protect."
Leo felt his heart race.
"They called him the Timeless Assassin. And for a thousand years, he brought terror to the divine. One by one, he hunted the tyrant gods and struck them down, restoring balance and kindness to a universe that had forgotten both."
Fan's voice trembled, just slightly, as she said the next part.
"Under him, the Cult of Ascension rose to rule the stars. We became the governing body of the known universe, and under our rule, mortals thrived for a couple centuries, but unfortunately it didn't last."
Her expression darkened.
"Two thousand years ago… came the Great Betrayal. The surviving gods joined forces in secret and ambushed our creator.
They killed him first. And then they turned on the cult, driving us back to obscurity, as we fell from the stars into the shadows."
"And yet, in our darkest hour… we found hope."
Leo blinked. "Hope?"
Fan nodded. "A prophecy. Left behind by the founder himself. It spoke of a descendant, someone born from his bloodline who would rise and finish what he started. Someone who would become the next Timeless Assassin and avenge his death."
"And that descendant… within the cult is called Dragon."
Her voice softened again, yet remained firm.
"Over the last two thousand years, over five hundred candidates have been chosen. All of them hunted. All of them killed. Because the so-called Righteous Alliance— the same forces of gods who banded together to betray us— fear what that prophecy means."
Leo's hands clenched beneath the sheets.
"And that's why," Fan continued, "whether you want to or not, they will come for you. If not now, then later. If not you, then your son. Or your grandson, for this war is not something you can outrun… not with the blood of the Timeless Assassin flowing through your veins."
She let that sink in before delivering the final truth.
"At any given time, the cult only recognizes one Dragon candidate. One legitimate heir to the Timeless Assassin's legacy, so if you become that heir… the cult will then stop grooming your father and brother for the throne, and release them from the path."
Her voice dipped, turning almost gentle now.
"Becoming the Dragon is cruel. It's a path of isolation, war, and pain. But tell me, Leo, if someone must bear it, who would you rather it be? You… or your family?" Fan asked, her voice fading into silence, as Leo closed his eyes, because the weight of her words had already settled inside him, like a burden he could neither refuse nor escape.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 258: Just A PawnTimeless AssassinC258: Just A Pawn
"So what you're telling me," Leo said slowly, his voice flat yet simmering with disbelief, "is that just by existing, just because of my bloodline, I'm destined to be hunted across the stars by some self-proclaimed righteous faction, whether I've wronged them or not?"
He asked, as Fan gave him a quiet nod.
"The very fact that your blood exists is a threat to their universal order, they won't rest until every last trace of the Timeless Assassin's lineage is erased. Which is why you don't get to choose peace, which is exactly why the only viable choice you have now is to become the next Dragon, as it's the only way to free your family from this nightmare." Fan replied, as for a while Leo said nothing.
For a while, he did nothing but look at his clenched fists, as if making up his mind.
But then eventually, he did look up, and this time he had steel in his gaze.
"Fine," he said, voice firm.
"If me and my family can't avoid the fate of war, then there's no point in me thinking that I could have just sat this one out somehow.
Give me the fastest and hardest route to becoming the next dragon, but give me a sure shot way.
If someone must carry this burden, then it's best it's me, rather than Luke or that washed old man.
So tell me what must I do to become this Dragon that you want me to be?" Leo asked, as a faint spark of appreciation flickered in Fan's eyes.
"The hardest path?" she asked, arching a brow. "Are you sure that's what you want?"
"There's nothing in this universe that I, 'The Boss', can't achieve," Leo replied coldly.
"If becoming the Dragon is the only way to protect my family, then so be it."
He leaned forward, eyes burning with resolve.
"Just tell me what I need to do next." He demanded, as Fan exhaled a long, weary breath before speaking again.
"Alright then, listen carefully, because your mission won't be easy. You'll have to erase your memories, suppress your identity, and infiltrate the very heart of the enemy. You'll train amongst the righteous faction's elite, hide in plain sight, and pass every psychological background test they throw at you."
Leo's brow twitched, but he didn't interrupt.
"You'll live as a common student at Rodova Military Academy," she continued. "You won't remember your past, your family, or even who you are, not until the time is right."
She stepped closer, her voice lowering.
"And if you survive it all, if you somehow make it through the ranks undetected, your final task will be to infiltrate the Black Serpents Guild and retrieve a lost scroll placed securely within their armory.
It's a scroll that's extremely important to the cult and must be retrieved at any cost necessary, and if you manage to do all that, no one in the cult will ever question your right to be the Dragon, and I can guarantee you will be crowned the successor." Fan said, as she studied him for a long moment.
"So, Leo Skyshard, I ask you this one final time….. Are you truly prepared for this? To give up everything you are, just for a chance to save your family from a life of horrors?"
As Leo's answer came without hesitation.
"Yes," he said, voice steady as stone. "Yes, I am."
—----------
(Present moment, Leo's new accomodation room, Twin Fang Planet)
Once the memory recall was complete, Leo slowly opened his eyes, the ceiling above him appearing a blur at first, as his senses realigned— except this time, he remembered everything.
The silence in the room felt heavier than before, as he pushed himself up ever so slightly and saw Mu Fan standing at the foot of his bed, watching him carefully, almost nervously.
Her hands were behind her back, her posture straight, yet there was a flicker of unease in her eyes, as though she wasn't sure if he'd thank her or try to kill her.
Leo said nothing at first.
He simply stared at her, his gaze blank, yet simmering just beneath the surface, as the truth of everything he had learned sank deep into his bones.
He had been played.
Used by the cult like a piece on a chessboard, as he was handed nothing but half-truths by Mu Fan, who forced him into a war he never asked to be part of.
The worst part?
He was manipulated by the very side that claimed to be saving him, as at this point his only reason to stick with the Cult was because they were the only faction in the universe that did not want him dead, while everyone else was out for his blood.
"So…" Mu Fan finally said, her voice cautious, "how do you feel?"
Leo let out a dry, mirthless chuckle, but his eyes never left hers.
"I feel enlightened," he replied coolly, "I finally understand the rules of the game."
And though he didn't raise his voice, and didn't accuse her directly… the weight of his silence said more than any words ever could.
Mu Fan gulped nervously, as Leo's reaction confirmed her worst fears.
'He has stopped trusting me and the Cult—' She assessed, as she let out a dry mirthless laugh of her own.
She had known long ago that the methods the elder suggested to manipulate Leo into taking part in this game were wrong.
However, such was the desperation of the Cult, that neither could they be forthright with Leo, nor could they afford to lose him.
He was the last dice they had to roll to turn the tide of war that had seen them shrink in influence over the past 1000 years.
As unless the next Dragon could rally the strength of the entire Cult Of Ascension behind him.
Mu Fan knew that they might not survive yet another 100 years and still remain a credible threat to the current universal order.
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 259: Mission ChoiceTimeless AssassinC259: Mission Choice
Leo took a moment to steady his breath, forcing himself to calm down.
Now that his memories had returned, a quiet confidence settled over him, because he finally remembered that this wasn't the first time that the odds had been stacked against him.
It was just another battle in a long line of impossible battles, and like always, he intended to survive it.
"Tell me more about this scroll I'm supposed to retrieve, Fan… I assume it's the final hurdle I need to clear before the Cult releases my family and picks me as their Dragon, or was that promise a lie as well?" Leo asked sarcastically, as Fan felt her stomach twist at the coldness in his voice.
Pressing her lips into a thin line, she took a moment to steady herself, choosing to ignore the barb as she replied with quiet sincerity.
"The scroll once belonged to the previous Dragon, Noah. He lost it during his final battle with Dupravel, and it's been in the possession of the Black Serpents ever since.
According to our intelligence, the scroll is locked inside their Loot Vault— a place that's nearly impossible to breach from the outside.
To retrieve the scroll, you will need to earn their trust by completing a mission that grants you unimpeded access to the vault, and only then can you attempt the heist." Fan explained, as Leo gave a small nod of understanding.
"Very well… I suppose I'll dance for you again, play my part, and somehow find a way inside that vault.
However, I expect that you'll train me on how to carry out a heist when the time comes…. For 'TheBoss' is not a petty thief and doesn't have experience carrying out robberies" Leo said coldly, as Fan's frown deepened.
With his memories back, Leo's old arrogant persona was also coming back to light, as she had not heard him refer to himself as 'TheBoss' in a while now.
"Of Course… when the time comes, the Cult will provide you with all the help you need to carry out a heist," she answered, though Leo did not even do her the courtesy of looking into her eyes.
"Then leave. Your work here is done, and I have future missions to plan for," he muttered, turning away completely as Fan watched him in silence for a moment longer.
"I know I should've been honest with you from the beginning," she said softly, her voice tinged with guilt. "But I was under strict orders not to reveal the truth until now. Still, if it means anything… I have no intention of keeping things from you again.
And if you do ever find it in yourself to trust me… I promise I won't break it."
With those words, she turned and left the room, hoping—perhaps foolishly—that something in her honesty would reach Leo's heart.
—------------
To be fair, Leo wasn't all that mad at Mu Fan to begin with.
It wasn't her fault that she had been forced to act a certain way under orders, and he even acknowledged the fact that she had probably done her job as his overseer in the best way she knew how, while staying within the confines set by her superiors at the Cult.
Even so, the fact that she remained a loyal soldier of the Cult unsettled him, as he did not wish to place his trust in people bound by rigid hierarchies and doctrine, because loyalty to an organization could always eclipse loyalty to him the moment it became inconvenient.
And so, Leo quietly resolved to begin distancing himself from Fan—emotionally, strategically—and to treat every Cult member with measured suspicion going forward.
As although he was indeed allied with the Cult, he always needed to remember that it was an alliance of convenience and necessity, and not one born out of trust or choice.
"No point crying over spilled milk… it's best I move on and focus on how to get into that vault as soon as I can—" Leo said to himself, as a few minutes after Mu Fan was gone, he headed out as well, with his destination being the mission's hall.
—-----------
(Black Serpents Guild Mission's Hall, Inner District, Twin Fang Planet)
Leo was surprised to see over a hundred people within the missions hall when he entered it, as although the missions hall was open 24x7, he did not expect to run into a thousand people inside it as late as 11 pm.
Assassin's of all tiers and races who had somehow managed to become a part of the Serpents stared at the hundreds of mission postings stuck to the missions wall, as they contemplated whether any was worth undertaking.
Since the Black Serpents only mandated that people complete 2 missions during any calendar year, most left without showing interest in any mission when they found nothing suitable, as the Black Serpents remained one of the very few guilds in the universe that frequently received more jobs than what they could complete.
The missions posted on the wall were color coded into six categories: White, Green, Yellow, Red, Black, and Gold.
Each hue corresponded to a tier of difficulty and reward, and every assassin in the hall understood exactly what each one represented.
White missions were at the very bottom. These were handed out to fresh recruits or to those desperate to meet their yearly quota. The targets in these contracts were often petty shopkeepers, minor business rivals, or unguarded political voices. The payout was minimal, but the danger was nearly nonexistent, making them the go-to choice for those seeking to avoid unnecessary risks.
Next came the Green missions, which made up the majority of the board. These were considered the bread and butter of the Black Serpents, and typically involved targets like prominent martial artists or politicians surrounded by loyal guards. Only Grandmaster-tier assassins and above could accept them, as the margin for error was thin and a misstep could lead to serious complications.
The third tier was marked Yellow, and these missions carried a very real threat of death. Targets here were dangerous individuals—renowned killers, high-ranking cultists, rogue warlords, or beings enhanced by experimental technologies.
Only Transcendents and a select few Grandmasters with perfect track records were cleared to take them, and the rewards ranged from one to tens of millions of MP, but so did the number of casualties, which made even seasoned assassins hesitate before taking one.
Above Yellow came Red, and Red missions were simply cataclysmic. These involved assassinations of royal bloodlines, orchestrating military coups, or eliminating entire dynasties in a single sweep. Completing such a mission often meant going dark for years, as the fallout from such assignments was galaxy-wide and unavoidable. These were the highest paying jobs short of suicide, and only a select few assassins within the guild were permitted to attempt them.
And finally, at the apex, were the Black missions.
In theory, anyone could take them, however, in reality, only one man could ever hope to complete them, with that man being the guildmaster Dupravel Nuna himself.
These missions were widely regarded as impossible. No successful attempts had ever been recorded. And they were pinned to the wall like curses, their mere presence serving as a reminder of what true madness looked like.
However, aside from these five standard categories, there was a rare and unpredictable sixth—Gold.
Gold missions were outliers. Their difficulty fluctuated, sometimes as manageable as Green, other times deadlier than Black.
But the one constant was the reward— which was always astronomical for Gold missions.
These missions were also nicknamed as "Golden Opportunities," within the guild, as they were often unique tasks tied to specific time-sensitive events or strange cosmic alignments, and these missions often attracted dreamers and lunatics alike.
Once Leo read the color chart and its meaning, his gaze moved from one section of the board to the next, color by color, until his eyes landed at the far-left corner.
There, behind a layer of reinforced mana shielding, two missions gleamed faintly under soft illumination—one Gold, one Black.
---
[Golden Mission – Temporal Zone Expedition]
Objective: Enter and retrieve a particular item from a time-stilled world located in the Kael Vortex region.
Notes: The world's time has been frozen due to an ancient anomaly. All previous teams have failed to return. No communications. No traces.
Threat Level: Unknown, presumed lethal.
Reward: 6.5 billion MP or one unrestricted item of choosing from the Black Serpents Vault.
---
[Black Mission – Terminate Evil God Soron]
Objective: Locate and assassinate Soron, Supreme Leader of the Evil Cult.
Notes: Divine-tier entity. Possesses reality-altering abilities. All prior assassination attempts have failed.
Threat Level: Maximum.
Reward: 551 billion MP or any ten items of choice from the Black Serpents Vault.
—--
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Show menu Novel BinNovel Timeless Assassin Chapter 260 260: ResearchTimeless AssassinC260 260: Research
Leo stared at the various missions and their rewards posted on the mission's board, however, after scanning everything, he realized that there were only two missions currently posted up there that granted unrestricted access to the Black Serpents treasury.
One was the Golden Opportunity mission into a time-stilled world and the other was the Black-tier mission to assassinate Soron, the Supreme Leader of the Evil Cult.
And since assassinating the Evil Cult God was out of the question for him, the Gold mission remained as his only viable choice to gain the unrestricted access he needed to carry out the scroll heist.
'What even is a Time-Stilled world? Why have I never heard of it during my time in Rodova?' Leo wondered, as he frowned slightly.
The mission sheet provided no information on what exactly the mission world was, nor did it provide information on the risks associated with going to such a world.
'If I am to accept this mission, I need to first gather more information on it and assess whether I am capable of doing it or not,' Leo thought, as he scanned the hall for someone who seemed talkative and approachable, with whom he could discuss this mission.
And thankfully, he soon spotted a familiar face in Mr. Raiden.
The older assassin was standing near the board's edge, speaking animatedly to a sharp-eyed man with dark shoulder-length hair and a tablet tucked under one arm as without hesitation, Leo made his way over.
"Well, well, if it isn't Leo Skyshard!" Raiden said warmly as he spotted Leo's approach, as he slapped him happily on the shoulder.
"I was just talking about you to Cipher here." Raiden continued, as the man beside him turned, his gaze narrowing as recognition flickered across his face.
"Wait… you're Leo Skyshard, right? From the Interstellar Circuits?" He asked, as Leo gave a brief nod.
"Thought so. You were insane in the finals. I'm Cipher," he added, extending a hand. "Raiden's… unfortunate assassin partner."
Leo accepted the handshake, still calm and composed. "Pleasure."
"So," Raiden said, folding his arms with a smirk, "what brings you to the mission board at this hour? Don't tell me you're already hungry for your first contract."
Leo tilted his head toward the gold-plated mission at the far end. "That one caught my eye."
Raiden blinked, then let out a loud laugh. "You're kidding. That's exactly the mission I was referring to this afternoon. Looks like we're on the same wavelength already."
Leo didn't smile.
Raiden continued. "That mission is as dangerous as they come, but the payout? Worth it. If a party of six manages to complete it, each member could retire seven generations deep. That 6.5 billion MP reward is too sweet to pass on without trying."
He leaned in, dropping his voice slightly. "But so far, over a hundred teams have tried. No one's returned."
Leo's brow tightened. "What's it about and why is it so dangerous?"
"We don't know," Cipher said. "But I've been collecting materials— old notes, theories, journals on time-stilled anomalies. I'm confident there's a strategy to survive them, and I'm working on one now with Raiden."
Raiden nodded toward him.
"I'm putting together a party that can explore the time-stilled world with myself and Cipher. I have already convinced two members and I'm looking for two to three more.
You're a great fighter kid, we could use someone like you if you're interested, and it will always be safer to go in as a team versus individually.
If it works out, we will be rich, but if not, we are the type that prioritise our life over rewards, so we will bail out before it becomes too dangerous." He said, as Leo gave a slow nod in reply.
"I'm interested. But I'll do my homework first, before committing" He said, before turning to Cipher.
"You said you've been collecting notes. Mind telling me where I can start?" He asked, as Cipher smiled.
"There's a restricted archive in the Guild's library, section Zeta-9. Ask for the 'Chrono Lock Archives.' That's where I found most of the useful theories."
"I'll check it out," Leo replied, then glanced back at the golden placard one last time.
He didn't have the full picture yet, but if this mission held even the possibility of getting him closer to the scroll and the vault—then it was worth exploring.
Even if it meant taking calculated risks.
—----------
(Black Serpents Guild Library, Section Zeta-9 – The Chrono Lock Archives)
*Step*
*Step*
Leo's footsteps echoed lightly through the corridor as he made his way down the torch-lit passage toward the inner chambers of the Black Serpents Guild Library.
The architecture here felt older, more carved than constructed— vaulted ceilings supported by rough-hewn stone arches, each lined with narrow crystal tubes that pulsed faintly with mana, casting a dim, flickering light.
Compared to the Rodova Military Academy's library, this one felt smaller and less curated.
Rodova's archive had been an intellectual fortress: a sprawling monument to knowledge with entire wings dedicated to every known science, warrior path, and political treatise across the star systems.
But this… was different.
It was colder. Quieter. Less polished.
But also more focused.
Here, the shelves weren't meant for scholars or students— they were created for killers.
Dozens of tomes and handwritten scrolls sat sealed behind protective casings, many of them filled with forbidden studies, classified reports, and blacklisted military experiments that had long been purged from public record.
This library was not a place that one browsed for research or to satiate curiosity, but rather a place one visited to prepare for assassination.
Zeta-7
.
.
.
Zeta-8
.
.
.
Zeta-9!
As Leo reached the far corner of the library, he finally saw a dull brass plate hung over a blackwood arch labelled: Zeta-9.
As this was the section nicknamed the Chrono Lock Archives, containing a list of skills, events and worlds linked with abnormalities in 'time'.
Less than 100 books sat in there, as most of the section was filled with assassin written hand notes on how to take down targets possessing peculiar time abilities, however, there were still a few useful things to be found.
On the very first shelf, was a large book with a worn cover titled 'Tracking and Taking down targets in a Time-Stilled World' which piqued Leo's curiosity, as he selected the book and proceeded to sit on the central table to begin his research.
*Thud*
The book made a slight sound as Leo opened it, and the very first page he found was blank, except for a single sentence scrawled in red ink:
"If given a choice between going into a time-stilled world or not... don't go."
Leo's eyes narrowed, but he turned the page without flinching.
Whoever wrote this book clearly did not want others to follow suit for him to leave such a warning, however, Leo did not let it deter him.
He wasn't here to be coddled or frightened off by ominous scribbles. He was here for answers. And if the truth about time-stilled worlds was buried in these pages, no matter how grim or unsettling, it was knowledge he intended to uncover.
Slowly, he flipped to the next page, his gaze sharpening as the first inked page came into view, as he began reading with a clear mind.
Contact - ToS