Infinite Skill Devourer
Chapter 66: Member Number Three III

Chapter 66: Member Number Three III

"Tch."

Althea scoffed weakly, spewing out blood, and reached to grab his shirt. "My mother will come for you, Ryuen, mark my..."

Her words ceased when a sword was stabbed into her skull, shutting her up completely.

Ryuen simply sighed and rose to his feet, then turned to face the terrified army.

"Everyone seems shocked. I wonder why."

Yuta and Kenta were the most surprised. They had stopped moving a while ago, ensuring they were actually seeing him and not someone else.

Not that they weren’t glad—just shocked.

Aika’s hands trembled. Her anger rose despite being frozen halfway. She wanted to kill him so badly, but she couldn’t move.

"Damn you, Ryuen!"

Ryuen smirked, unfazed by her rage. "What’s wrong, Aika? You look like you’ve seen a ghost."

His eyes flicked toward Erina and back to Aika, a slow grin stretching across his face.

"You were always so confident," he mused. "Like that time in the hot springs. Remember?"

Aika’s eyes widened.

That memory—

She had almost killed him then. Almost.

She had cornered him in the steam, thinking she had the upper hand.

Her blade had been at his throat, and he hadn’t seen it, since he hadn’t had his guard up then—or even had the eyes to see such.

But Ryuen had moved faster.

He had shoved her backward into the water, slipping away before she could recover.

They had bantered, taunted each other, and she had sworn she’d get him next time.

There was supposed to be a next time.

And that next time was at the dungeon—where Jun did the honors.

She hadn’t been particularly in on the plan, but the fact that even their father feared Ryuen—and his title as an assassin haunted them as well—had been enough.

He was really here. He was alive.

"Aika," he said, his voice softer now. "You talk a lot of shit, but you’re not stupid. You knew this was coming, didn’t you?"

Her now completely free hand clenched into a fist.

She hated that he was here, standing over her like this, like he was superior, when he was actually just a mere human.

A weak and stupid human.

Was what she would have said if she hadn’t come across him—and then met more of his kind.

Daiki, Yuta, and Akari had shown her that humans were not to be underestimated.

But still.

She hated that they had to be stronger-willed—and even physically stronger too.

And yet—

Her lips twitched into a weak, almost bitter smile. "Yeah... I guess I did."

The fight left her shoulders.

"I should’ve finished the job back then and not let you see the light outside that dungeon," she mumbled.

Ryuen tilted his head. "Probably."

She smiled warmly, now completely free to move. "You are such a pathetic, annoying being. Hope you know that?"

Ryuen shrugged. "I don’t really care at this point, because to me, it looks like you’re the annoying one."

"I hate that you’re actually moving, Ryuen. Jun is so useless."

"And dead. Don’t forget dead," Ryuen added with a smile—an innocent smile, like he wasn’t involved in what had happened to Jun.

He didn’t even care. He just loved the effect he had on her—the shock and pale look on her face.

"Did you kill your stupid student too?"

"Yes."

She gasped, initially hoping he wouldn’t have touched Haruka—at least. She had probably seen that as a good sign.

"A... are you actually going to kill every one of us?"

"Yes."

"Even your other students?"

"No."

"What about Erina?"

At the mention of her name, Erina looked at Ryuen, already knowing what her fate would be.

If he came for the royal family, she would obviously be one of them, but then Ryuen smiled and shrugged.

"I intend to make her a slave."

"Subjecting a princess to servitude—how dare you?!"

Before Ryuen could respond, her body moved—fast, swift, a final attempt at something, anything—

But the sword was already swinging.

SLASH!

Aika’s body froze mid-way, her expression caught between shock and dread—probably something more.

Blood splattered on the palace grounds, staining the concrete almost immediately.

A stain that would be impossible to take off.

She fell.

And in that moment, there was only silence.

Then—

"NO!"

One of the palace soldiers screamed, but it was too late.

Ryuen flicked his sword, letting the blood drip from the edge as he straightened.

His hazel eyes burned in the fading sunlight as he turned to Erina and the boys behind her, smiling with a tilt of his head.

"Now, would you three tell me where the king is, show me to the queen’s bedroom, and pack up?"

________

The grand palace halls were silent as Ryuen stepped inside, his boots tapping against the polished stone floors.

The scent of blood lingered in the air, trailing behind him like an unseen shadow.

The soldiers who had survived the battle outside dared not interfere, their fear keeping them frozen in place.

Yuta, Kenta, and Erina had no choice but to lead him deeper into the palace.

They had seen what happened to Aika and Althea.

Resistance was pointless.

Fighting him would be useless, even though they didn’t want to.

As they walked, Erina’s hands trembled at her sides.

She had always known Ryuen was dangerous, but this? This was something else entirely.

He wasn’t just a rogue assassin anymore—he was something far worse.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Ryuen didn’t slow his pace. "Revenge. And a little bit of fun."

Kenta clenched his fists. "You’ve already killed enough people today. What more do you want?"

Ryuen smiled, his hazel eyes gleaming in the dark.

"I want to show that humans are not to be played with. We are not toys."

They arrived at the grand doors of the throne room.

Ryuen turned to Erina. "Open it."

She hesitated, but when his sword brushed against her throat in warning, she pushed against the heavy doors, revealing the throne room inside.

It was the same as he remembered it, with the king’s throne at the far end of the hall, his throne at the center.

The two empty—and assumably cold—seats belonging to the queen and Jun.

He almost felt bad for wiping out her entire family, but then—they had instigated him.

She would understand that.

But then, he wondered how she would feel wherever she was.

Yes, death may be the end, but he knew she was actually watching—he could feel it.

She was basically the only person he would bring himself to trust at all.

At the far end, on an elevated dais, sat the king.

King Arel.

Ryuen had a strong feeling the man on the throne also had a hand in whatever had happened to him.

He was clad in his usual royal attire, the red robe and gown.

The silver-lined robes cascading down the throne and covering his legs.

His red eyes met Ryuen’s with a sharp, calculating, and bored gaze.

"You," Arel said, his voice laced with authority and pride. "So, you’re still alive after all."

Ryuen smirked, stepping forward. "And you’re still pretending to be a good king."

The guards around the throne looked to their king for orders, awaiting his command. One word or gesture was all it took for them to move and end Ryuen.

Arel exhaled slowly.

"I underestimated you once. I will not make the same mistake again."

With a flick of his fingers, the guards charged.

Ryuen moved like a shadow, his blade glowing in the light as he charged as well.

The first guard fell instantly, his throat slashed open before he could raise his sword.

The second lunged forward, swinging his spear in a wide arc, but Ryuen ducked beneath it and drove his dagger into the man’s ribs.

He twisted it before yanking it free.

Blood sprayed across the polished floors as more guards rushed in.

Ryuen sighed. "You’re wasting my time."

[Mist Veil Activated 95%]

Then he vanished.

By the time the soldiers realized where he had gone, it was already too late.

One by one, their bodies collapsed to the ground, after a spray of blood—lifeless.

Erina stood frozen, watching in horror as the last guard fell to his knees, gurgling on his own blood before falling forward.

More guards poured in, like they were being summoned, and it was getting really annoying for Ryuen.

However, he still kept his cool and flexed his muscles.

"Alright. Who’s next?"