Following the death of the magistrate the girls stand. Pertified from the shock they had no idea how to comprehend what had just happened.
Swift as the wind the assassin leaps from the shadows. "Was a lot easier then i expected," The assassin clad in dark clothing , and a mask says as they kneel down to the magistrates body. "I can't believe that noble man went through all of this trouble to hire us for a nobody like you." The assassin taunts.
The assassin snaps their head to Nanami and Rika, the both of them clearly afraid jumps. "Were you two with him?" They asks.
Rika quickly shakes her head. "Never seen that guy in my life." She lies. Nanami nods. "Not a single day." She adds.
The assassin stares at them. "Come now it's all girls here be honest." She says. Rika and Nanami decides not to answer. She doesn't appreciate their silence. Tilting her head she summons two additonal assassin's who appear so swiftly. It's as if they teleported.
"We have no need to continue, killing the bystanders wont gain us anything." A taller male assassin states plainly. The other one nods. "Yes, boss will be happy with our success, now that this Kaito fella is dead." The third unknown one states.
Nanami and Rika edged away from the assassins, every step measured and cautious.
"It looks like they're letting us go," Nanami murmured, exhaling slowly.
Rika sagged with relief. "Thank the gods... now just pray Kaito doesn't show up."
But the rapid thud of approaching footsteps shattered that hope.
Kaito burst into the room, wild-eyed. His gaze locked onto the lifeless body on the floor, and his face contorted in disbelief.
"I'm... dead?" he gasped.
Panic overtook him as he patted himself down frantically. "Wait—am I a ghost now!?"
Before anyone could answer, the corpse shimmered, the illusion dissolving to reveal the true form of the magistrate. Kaito let out a breath of shaky relief.
But the moment's peace was short-lived.
The assassins, realizing the deception, sprang into action. The leader summoned a gleaming short sword with a snarl.
"We've been had!" she barked, lunging at Kaito.
With a swift gesture, Rika conjured another illusion—a massive beast barreling through the fortress, snarling and wild-eyed. The assassins turned instinctively toward the new threat.
Seizing the distraction, Rika grabbed Kaito's arm. "Run!"
They sprinted for the exit just as Dante skidded into the room, late and breathless. Without missing a beat, Rika shoved him forward.
"Move it!"
The four of them fled down the corridor together, the sounds of chaos echoing behind them.
The leader assassin's realizes this is a mere illusion. Before they get too far she gives chase.
"What happened!?" Dante asks. "Magistrate's dead, he disguised himself as Kaito and those assassins killed him!" Nanami explains, the kids take a sharp right turn continuing their escape.
"He's dead?! What now?!" Kaito questions.
Before he can answer, Kaito spins on instinct—CLANG!—deflecting a dagger that whistles past his face. No time to breathe. The assassin lunges from the shadows, blade flashing toward his throat.
Steel scrapes steel. He blocks again, barely.
Kaito leaps back, but she stays on him like a shadow. Another slash. Another block. Somehow, he's reading her strikes. Too well.
"How is he keeping up? I've hidden every intention…" she thinks, brow furrowing.
She sweeps low. Kaito's legs are torn from under him—but as he falls, he twists, locking his ankles around her and dragging her down with him.
With startling grace, she flips mid-fall, kicking her legs skyward and hammering Kaito into the ground.
"You're keeping up. Impressive. Assassin-trained?" she asks coolly, brushing dust from her coat.
Kaito scoffs as he rises. "As if!"
"Very well," she replies, voice colder. "Then I'll end this."
She dashes in—faster this time. A blur.
Kaito counters with an underhand strike. She veers off-course mid-motion, dodging it cleanly—but too late. The dagger's edge sings across her mask, slicing it with precision.
"I... missed that?" she thinks, stunned.
Kaito wastes no time. He channels Energy Fission—light bursts around him—and rockets forward. The shockwave rattles the tiles beneath them. The assassin narrowly flips into the air, dodging by inches.
From above, she launches a thunderous counterstrike, descending like a blade from the heavens.
"Should we help?" Dante asks, peering over the edge.
Nanami shakes her head, eyes wide. "I can't follow what's happening. We'd just slow him down."
Rika, watching closely, lets out a low whistle. "Yeah... let's stay out of this one."
Kaito blocks, but the blow knocks him off balance. She darts to his side—slash—a clean cut across his forearm.
He retaliates instantly, scoring a hit of his own across her bicep. They break apart, breathing heavily.
"He's good," she admits quietly. "Might've made a fine assassin."
Suddenly, she halts. The wind calms.
She begins to circle him, slow, deliberate. Then something strange: more of her appear—afterimages slipping between steps. A blur of motion. This is Assassin Step—a mastery technique that overwhelms with illusions.
Kaito blinks. Then grins wide. "That's so cool!" he yells. "How'd you do that?"
She stumbles—confused by his reaction—as Kaito starts copying her movement, mimicking the rhythm.
With raw instinct and a spark of mimicry, shimmering, imperfect clones flicker beside him. Not refined, but close enough to surprise her.
"You… you copied it?"
Then her tone shifts. Cold again.
"Tell me, boy—why did you abduct that man's daughter?"
Kaito frowns. "I didn't. He's got it wrong. I never touched Nyla."
"Yeah, he's innocent!" Rika calls out from behind, startling the assassin.
She snaps her head toward Rika—who promptly ducks behind Dante.
The assassin narrows her eyes, considering. Then relaxes. "Alright, Kaito. Leave. Now. Others will come, and they won't be as forgiving."
"You don't have to tell me twice!" Rika says, bolting.
Kaito lingers, giving the assassin a long look. There's a flicker of respect between them—then he runs.
Once they've vanished into the distance, the assassin exhales. A rare smile forms.
"…That was kind of awesome," she says with a laugh. "Don't die out there, Kaito. I want a rematch."
The kids storm outside of the fortress. Nanami quickly jumping into a carrige manned by a guard. Rika throws the man out and they begin riding away.
The others rest as for some reason they leave Rika in the driver seat. "Looks like our situation has become worse." Nanami says.
Dante shakes his head, a silent, grim agreement. "I guess the noblelady's dad is sending assassin's after Kaito."
Kaito groans. "And the magic guy is dead. I can't believe he died." Kaito says feeling sorrow for the man. "We never got the chance to capture him." Nanami says but an arrow is fired into the carrige.
Kaito peers outside and spots the assassins gaining on them in their own carriage. "Oh come on—these guys again? Do they live in that thing?"
"Now would be a fantastic time for that bow you pretend to know how to use!" Rika yells from the front.
"FASTER, BEAST!" she commands the horse-like creature pulling their carriage. The beast, clearly not paid enough for this, neighs in protest but speeds up anyway.
The assassins draw closer, like bad decisions at a high school reunion.
Nanami scrambles to the front, eyes wide. "Canyon!" she shouts, pointing to the literal gaping death trap ahead.
Rika leans forward like she's in a video game. "We can totally make this!"
Dante stares at her, horrified. "We're not in a fantasy racing game, Rika! That's a canyon!"
"Slow down!" Nanami pleads.
Kaito pops up front. "Okay, everyone just stop moving!"
But Rika's in her own action movie now. She narrows her eyes. "We're absolutely making this jump."
The beast launches off the cliff. Mid-air, Rika throws her arms up. "We're gonna make it!"
Gravity politely disagrees. Their momentum stalls, and the carriage starts its majestic fall into the abyss.
"We're not gonna make it!" Rika screams, backpedaling hard.
"You've killed us all!" Dante yells, already composing his I-told-you-so. The assassins stop when they reach the canyon. "Well they're dead."