Cassien continued to move forward without stopping.
Every step he took left a trace. A trace of blood.
While he did so, the D-Ranked boss back inside the atrium watched the clock ticking atop a statue in the center.
His gaze lingered over every individual bound in rope.
It wasn't just any rope. The material they used had incantation engravings, ones that couldn't be tampered with unless the caster chose to release them, or someone of a higher rank intervened.
Those incantations prevented anyone from using their mana, unless, of course, their rank surpassed that of the casters.
But that made Cassien think for a brief moment.
Where did they get all these materials from?
Only one thought surfaced in his mind, and the place he imagined was nothing out of the ordinary.
That store didn't abide by any government law and operated illegally.
It had existed, as stated in the novel, since the first great calamity.
Which was now a millennium ago.
No, it couldn't be. They wouldn't be able to gain access. The main character only did so after defeating the third-rate villain.
And by doing so, he had practically unlocked a whole new world.
One Cassien didn't have time to think about right now.
The boss began pacing unimpressively across the polished, well-kept floor as he continued to watch the clock tick.
"They sure are taking their sweet ass time."
Step. Step. Step.
"Now that I think about it, it's awfully quiet…"
He looked around, scanning the upper windows.
"Didn't I assign some of the bandits to watch the northern window on the second floor? Where are they?"
The footsteps grew louder.
The boss randomly grabbed a teacher by the collar.
"What the fuck is going on here?! Tell me before I kill you! Who called back-up from the association?!"
"U-uh-uh…"
The male teacher stuttered.
Students remained there, some crying, some trying to keep their composure, others feeling the pressure but wanting to act.
And then there were the teachers…
Pathetic as always.
"I said, tell me!"
"Sir, no one did!" He shook his head. "I swear no one had the time to!"
"Then tell me why my gang randomly disappeared!"
The teacher hesitated, trying to answer something he knew nothing about.
Genuinely, nobody understood what was happening.
This was all uncalled for.
"Damn it! What did you idiots not understand about my threat?! I specifically said not to call anybody, or else this entire place would get blown to bits!"
The cries continued, and gasps filled the air in pure terror.
No one wanted to die. No one wanted to meet their end. They resisted it because that was how humans had always been in this novel.
A bunch of ugly cowards.
Except for a chosen few, of course.
"S-sir, I-I wish I had the answer, I don't." The teacher responded, his voice breaking under the fear gripping his soul.
"I said!"
Krrrkkk…
The boss of the bandits turned his head sharply toward the right after hearing the door creak open quietly.
He dropped the teacher onto the floor with a heavy thump, but nothing cracked. Everything remained sturdy.
Then he narrowed his eyes, trying to make out the clearest image of the person standing there.
A whisper through tears suddenly echoed from the back.
"Brother…"
Slam!
The door shut from the inside.
The figure before them ran a hand through his hair arrogantly, smirking as his sharp blue eyes swept across everyone in the room.
He walked forward with the utmost care and elegance.
Whispers spread through the room. Some teachers blushed at his appearance, while the men looked relieved that someone had finally arrived.
But there was no guarantee that he had come to save them.
Even so, everything seemed to slow down for a brief moment.
The boss straightened his posture, exhaling quietly.
"You shouldn't blame the teacher, bossman," he continued to approach calmly. "To me, this just looks like your fault. You didn't account for any x-factors. I mean, did you?"
It was none other than Cassien who had stepped into view.
And for a moment, the boss thought carefully, but then a disturbing sensation crawled up his spine.
"Just who are you?"
Cassien pulled the gun from his pocket and pointed it directly at the boss.
"My name shouldn't be handed out so easily. Wouldn't it be better if I kept it hidden?" A smug grin formed on his face as he casually waved the gun around. "Just imagine this on the news. A nameless killer massacred a group of bandits who raided an elementary school because they were too weak to do better, and still ended up dying. Sounds interesting, don't you think?"
The boss's nerves snapped. He hated everything Cassien represented.
Calm, smart, powerful, rich, with a dark demeanor.
Everything about him made the leader of those dead bandits want to torture him piece by piece.
"Don't get too mad now," Cassien whispered, winking at one of the beautiful female teachers for fun. She clearly blushed back. "It would ruin your image. Either way, bandits aren't regarded as anything more than human trash these days, so you're better off dead."
Then he pointed the gun directly at the boss.
"Ehhrrrrr!"
The boss grew increasingly enraged. He couldn't control it.
"Oh." Cassien closed one eye and kept the other open. "Turns out someone gets angry really quickly."
Then he smiled.
"Thought it'd be harder than that," he exhaled calmly, his grin widening. "I guess this will be my first real hard-hitting kill."
The boss started rushing forward.
"Isn't it common courtesy to at least offer your regards before death? Rushing in so quickly won't give you enough time."