Dan sat in the chair opposite the director 's desk, while Ilaris Draven stood in front of the magical map that still showed the slight crack in the barrier.
Dan said in a firm voice:
"As long as I wear this bracelet, the Void Assassin won't find me."
The headmaster slowly turned his head toward him, his eyes showing curiosity and skepticism, and then asked:
"And what do you suggest we do?"
Dan replied simply:
"To remove the bracelet and use myself as bait."
A heavy silence fell over the room.
The principal looked at Dan as if he wasn't serious, then said in a cold tone:
"Kid, you know he's an SS, right? Why do you think you'd survive if he attacked you?"
He pointed to his chest with his hand and said confidently:
"I'm fast, but I don't think I'm faster than the Void Assassin."
Dan looked directly at him, his eyes showing he was determined.
"The worst thing that could happen... is my death. Is there a problem with that?"
The director looked upset, didn't say anything for a moment, and then said:
"Boy... aren't you afraid to die?"
Dan smiled slightly, as if he was listening to a child say something naive, and then said in a sarcastic tone:
"Of course, I fear death more than anything else! Wouldn't it be nice to hide under the bed, crying and waiting for everything to end while the Void Assassin prepares a proper shroud for me?"
The director raised his eyebrows, and a small smile split his face.
"You're rude, but you have undeniable courage.
The director sighed, crossing his arms:
"Let's say I say yes... what exactly is your plan?"
Dan answered without hesitation:
"The best plan we have right now is to use surprise."
Ilaris raised an eyebrow in disbelief, and Dan continued:
"The assassin is probably looking around the academy right now. Sooner or later, he'll find me. There's no point in running... He's a truly powerful monster, but he has one small flaw."
"What's that?" The principal asked.
"He's an assassin." Dan said with a cold smile.
The director's eyes flickered with mild surprise, and Dan continued confidently:
"He specializes in stealthy attacks... He excels when the enemy doesn't know he's there,But direct combat against an equal or stronger opponent... is not in his favor."
The Director began pacing the room, pondering Dan's words, while the latter added:
"I take off the bracelet, expose myself to him, let him approach me... and then-"
He looked up at the director and said in a grim tone:
"You finish it."
The manager paused, looked at Dan for a long time, then said:
"You're counting on me being there in time."
"That's why I said it's a risk." Dan replied. "But we won't have a better chance.
The director let out a long sigh and said:
"It's a pity that the Academy's Knight Commander isn't around these days... If he were here, he'd be a big help."
Dan raised an eyebrow, but he didn't say anything, so the manager continued:
"But I do have a deputy director... an S+ archer. It won't help in close combat, but at long range? It'll make a big difference."
Dan nodded slowly, thinking about the idea again.
"So," the director said, looking directly at Dan, "where do you suggest we put the trap?"
Dan replied firmly:
"Best in the woods... away from the students and teachers. To reduce the damage if things go wrong."
He paused for a moment, then said:
"I'll go to the forest tomorrow morning, without the bracelet. Then the assassin will sense me and come looking for me. You'll be lurking around, and when he shows up, you'll attack him."
The director blinked slowly, smiled sideways, and said:
"You're offering yourself as bait... you're pretty confident, huh?"
Dan replied coldly:
"I just hate waiting."
The manager laughed lightly, then nodded and said:
"Okay, kid... let's see if your plan can catch a creature from the void.
Before Dan could leave the office, the principal stopped him and said:
"Wait a minute, kid."
The principal walked over to a big cabinet in the corner, opened it with a magic seal, and pulled out shiny black armor with fine silver lines that glowed softly.
"This is S-level armor." The director said this when he showed it to Dan. "It was made for battle. It won't protect you from a direct hit from a Void Assassin, but it will protect you from the aftermath. This includes explosions and shrapnel. It might even delay a lethal strike for seconds."
Dan looked at the armor, then at the manager and asked coldly:
"Is this a sudden act of kindness?"
The principal laughed lightly and said:
"It's a sense of responsibility. You're risking your life, and I'm not going to let you go without the slightest bit of protection."
Dan took the armor, and when the light caught him, he saw his reflection in it. He saw that he looked pale and tired, but also determined.
The next morning.
Dan stood in front of the mirror. He was wearing the new armor under his gray cloak. The cloak covered his body just enough to look natural. There was no sign of the confused child who woke up in a strange body a month ago.
He was a young man getting ready to be bait for a deadly monster.
He put his sword on his waist, making sure the bracelet was off his wrist. He stared at his empty hand and said in a whisper:
"Now... look for me, you bastard."
He quietly left his room and the academy building, and went into the forest.
Hours before Dan arrived, at the other end of the forest.
Ilaris Draven, stood on the branch of a tall tree. He was watching the scene with eyes that glowed with lightning. Behind him stood a tall, lanky man with a black bow that looked like it was made of night, and his arrows were strapped tightly behind his back.
"Are you sure this is the best place for archery?" The director asked without turning around.
The man answered calmly, his voice barely audible:
"From here I can see everything... and my arrows will reach any corner of the forest. Just let me know the moment you want to shoot."
The director nodded and said:
"Dan will be in the open plain over there. When the Void Assassin appears, I want you to wait for the right moment to attack."
The deputy director looked over at him and smiled, saying:
"You're assuming he won't notice us first... or that he won't kill you before my arrow reaches him."
The director replied confidently:
"Let him try. If he gets close, I'll make him regret every second of his life."
He breathed out deeply and looked up at the sky between the trees.
"It's too bad the Knight Commander isn't here... If he were, we would have closed in on the assassin from three sides. But this is what we have now."
The deputy said, changing his position:
"Don't underestimate us, Ilaris. We're not amateurs."
Lightning quietly moved around the director's body, and his eyes flashed a little. He said in a serious tone:
"I will not let one of my students die today."
The Forest - the same time
The fog was still clinging to the trees when Dan entered the forest. He walked slowly, but each step felt heavy. He carried nothing but the bracelet, which he removed before entering.
He stopped in the middle of a clearing surrounded by trees. This was a place he had chosen carefully. It was exposed enough to tempt the Void Assassin to show up, but not so devoid of cover that others might need it.
"Okay," he said gently, breathing out slowly. "Let the chaos begin."
He crouched down in the middle of the square, closing his eyes as if trying to calm himself. But the truth was that he could hear every little sound, like the rustling of a leaf or the breath of the wind. It was as if the whole world was breathing around him, ready to swallow him up.
Ten minutes passed.
Then twenty.
For a moment, Dan starts to think the plan won't work. He thinks the assassin has felt the trap or has changed his mind.
But then, suddenly...
The air in front of him quaked.
It was as if something had split from reality itself.
There was no sound, no footsteps, no breathing, and no rustling.
And then he appeared.
The assassin of the void.
He had indistinct features and a black dagger. He appeared out of nowhere, as if he didn't fit in with the world.
Dan stopped moving.
Everything inside him wanted to escape.
But he didn't move.
The game was about to begin.