MIGHT AS WELL BE OP - Chapter 353

Chapter 353: Come forth
Before Anthony could even vanish, the guards materialized before him in an instant.

In perfect synchronization, they encircled him, their expressions resolute.

Having heard his words, they knew they could not stand idly by.

Allowing Anthony to depart unescorted was simply out of the question.

His safety was their sworn duty, an obligation they could not afford to neglect.

Should misfortune befall him beyond these walls, there would be dire consequences.

Their very lives would hang in the balance by dawn.

“Apologies, Young Master, but we cannot allow you to leave the estate alone”

One of the guards said firmly.

Anthony found himself at a loss for words.

If he wished, he could simply teleport away, vanishing without a trace.

They wouldn’t even know where he had gone. But he chose not to make things difficult for his bodyguards.

He understood all too well how terrifying his parents could be, despite the warmth and kindness they displayed.

Beneath their smiles lay an authority that even he dared not challenge carelessly.

Letting out a reluctant sigh, Anthony finally spoke.

“Fine. You may follow me, but do not interfere unless I am in genuine danger, which, frankly, I doubt will happen”

At his command, the guards exchanged glances before nodding in unison, their loyalty evident in their silence.

“Young Master, how do you intend to visit the Assassin’s Guild if you don’t even know where their base is?”

One of the guards inquired.

“I’ve already acquired the information I need from one of their own”

Anthony replied coolly.

Without a word, Igris’s figure dissolved into shadows, seamlessly merging with Anthony’s own.

The guards exchanged uncertain glances.

They had no idea how Anthony had obtained such classified information, but they chose not to question him.

After all, they could never have imagined that he possessed something as extraordinary as the Authority Of Information.

The Assassin Guild was notorious for their secrecy, ensuring absolute loyalty through the use of powerful cursed marks.

These marks were etched onto every guild member, preventing them from divulging information to outsiders.

Even their minds were not spared, inscribed with intricate seals designed to counter mind reading, memory extraction, and other invasive techniques.

Should any form of mental manipulation be attempted, be it mind control or coercion, their brains would detonate instantly, leaving no trace of their secrets behind.

It was through such ruthless measures that the Assassin Guild had remained shrouded in mystery, hidden from the eyes of the world.

Of course, there existed a select few who could bypass these so called impenetrable safeguards as effortlessly as breathing.

With a single step, Anthony disappeared.

His figure reemerged high above the Null Estate, suspended in the vast sky.

In an instant, his guards materialized beside him.

Then, with a thunderous boom, Anthony shot forward, tearing through the air like a streak of light.

His guards followed close behind, their forms slicing through the sky as they raced after him.

Within minutes, they arrived at a vast mountain range, where towering peaks and dense forests stretched endlessly in every direction.

The guards immediately expanded their senses, meticulously scanning every crevice and shadow within the rugged terrain.

Yet, despite their efforts, they found nothing, no structures, no signs of life.

“Young Master, there’s nothing here”

One of the guards reported, his tone laced with confusion.

Anthony chuckled, a knowing smile appeared on his lips.

“Of course you won’t see it. Why go through the trouble of hiding in a mountain range only to build their base out in the open? They’ve concealed everything with runes”

Very few things in this world could remain hidden from Anthony’s eyes, the Assassin Guild was no exception.

To him, their so called secrecy was no different from being fully exposed.

With a simple snap of his fingers, an unseen force surged through the air, unraveling the intricate web of runes concealing the base.

In an instant, the illusion shattered.

Before them, a sprawling city emerged from the void.

Buildings of varying sizes stretched across the landscape, their structures meticulously arranged.

Roads, paved with immaculate precision, wove through the city like veins, connecting its many districts.

What was once hidden now lay bare beneath Anthony’s gaze.

The moment the runes shattered, blaring alarms erupted in every direction.

The once-bustling city came to an abrupt halt.

Assassins, merchants, and informants alike froze in place, their instincts screaming danger.

They knew exactly what that sound meant.

Their veil of secrecy had been torn apart.

They had been found.

Heads snapped upward, searching for the force responsible for their exposure.

Yet, to their shock, there was no grand army descending upon them, no legions of soldiers laying siege to their hidden stronghold.

There was only one figure, floating silently in the sky.

But the moment they saw him, a chill ran through their bones.

They knew exactly who he was.

Null Anthony.

A name that resounded across the planet.

A name feared and revered in equal measure.

The illegitimate son of the Heavens.

And a man whose bounty was anything but small.

Anthony gazed down at the city below, his expression unreadable, his presence suffocating.

Then, he spoke.

His voice rolled through every corner of the hidden stronghold, reaching every ear as if carried by the very wind itself.

“You people have been interfering with my peaceful, lazy schedule for far too long. I don’t care who you assassinate or what petty contracts you fulfill, but I do hate pests. So, consider this a warning”

His lips curled into a faint smirk.

“And, of course, I don’t give warnings with words, but with blood”

A heavy silence fell over the city.

“And with the destruction of a base or two… Maybe your HQ will finally back off”

Then, without hesitation, Anthony dropped.

He slammed into the ground with earth shattering force, the impact sending violent tremors rippling through the city.

The very land beneath his feet cracked and crumbled, massive fractures splintering outward like a spiderweb.

A deafening shockwave exploded from the impact, tearing through the streets.

Weaker assassins were sent flying, their bodies flung like ragdolls through the air.

Buildings quaked, debris cascading from rooftops.

The city had just been shaken awake.

Of course, if given the choice, Anthony would have preferred to head straight to the Assassin Guild’s headquarters and have a little talk with their Guild Master.

But there was just one problem, he didn’t know its location.

Even with his Authority Of Information, the whereabouts of the true headquarters remained obscured.

And even if he did know, he wasn’t so arrogant as to march in unannounced.

Someone capable of reigning as the Guild Master of the Assassin Guild wasn’t just some small-time player.

That was a position that demanded fear, cunning, and unparalleled strength.

Anthony wasn’t foolish enough to engage in a battle with no clear reward, or worse, to court death without reason.

“Come forth”

At Anthony’s command, darkness unfurled from beneath his feet, spreading like an all consuming abyss.

From its depths, shadows surged forth.

Igris. Beru. Bellion. George. Unknown.

They emerged in silence, their presence alone sending a chill through the air.

No words were needed.

In an instant, they blurred forward, their figures vanishing into the heart of the city.

Then, chaos erupted.

Screams tore through the night, sharp and panicked.

Explosions ignited the sky, turning darkness into momentary flashes of searing brilliance.

The earth convulsed under the sheer force of battle, splitting apart with high-magnitude tremors.

Mountains crumbled.

Hills collapsed.

Trees disintegrated into splinters.

Buildings, once hidden by runes, shattered into dust and debris.

Spells were unleashed in every direction, their brilliance casting eerie shadows across the battlefield.

Mana flooded the air in an overwhelming surge, both in absurd quantity and terrifying quality.

The clash of steel echoed like war drums, ringing through the sky.

Desperation followed.

Trump cards were activated, assassins vanishing into the void or unleashing forbidden techniques in a last ditch effort.

Some fled.

Some, seeing no escape, resorted to suicide bombings, detonating themselves in futile attempts to take down their adversaries.

But it made no difference.

Blood flowed.

Pooling. Merging. Forming rivulets of crimson that snaked through the ruined city.

The scent of iron saturated the air, so thick it clung to tongues and lungs alike, suffocating in its intensity.

Dust. Smoke. Fumes.

They rose in towering plumes, obscuring the battlefield in a suffocating haze.

Yet, the slaughter did not end.

For every shadow soldier that fell, Anthony’s infinite mana resurrected them anew.

Unstoppable. Unrelenting.

The Assassin Guild branch had been plunged into a nightmare.

Speaking of Anthony.

He was already floating high above the carnage, a glass of fine wine lazily held in his hand.

His posture was relaxed, utterly detached from the massacre unfolding below.

Beside him, his personal guards stood in silent vigilance, their eyes locked onto the battlefield.

Anthony took a slow sip, savoring the taste as screams and explosions painted the night in fire and blood.

A faint smirk appeared on his lips.

“The night is still young”