Adventurer of Many Professions

The moment Raymond heard the agonized scream of the Red-Eyed Crows' leader, he knew it was time to stop holding back.

Swish!

Before the leader could react, Raymond's blade flashed through the dimly lit room, severing its head in a single, clean stroke. The sickening thud of the severed head hitting the floor was quickly followed by a crimson geyser erupting from its neck, splattering the bed in deep scarlet.

The space was cramped, suffocating. The Red-Eyed Crows, creatures known for their aerial prowess, were like caged beasts, their movements sluggish and uncoordinated on the ground. Raymond had exploited this perfectly. His ambush had been ruthless, decisive. The leader of the Red-Eyed Crows had died before it could even grasp what had happened.

Yet, Raymond hadn't just killed it, he had made it suffer first.

Instead of executing a swift decapitation, he had deliberately sliced off one of its wings before delivering the fatal blow. The agonized shriek that tore through the room was no accident, it was part of his plan. He wanted the other Red-Eyed Crows outside to hear it. He needed to lure them in.

He wasn't sure how many of the enemy could be eliminated by Sylph's Explosion Magic. Nor did he know how many would be left standing afterward. But he was certain of one thing, the two Red-Eyed Crows on the roof would likely survive. Arya could possibly take one down with her arrows, but success wasn't guaranteed.

And once the Red-Eyed Crows realized they were under attack, they wouldn't hesitate. They would swoop down on Arya and the others in an instant.

Raymond's strategy was simple but effective, use the leader's death cry as bait. The distraction might give Arya the opening she needed to pick off one or two more before the rest could react. It would also force some of the Red-Eyed Crows that were besieging Arya's group to abandon their attack and return in a desperate bid to protect their fallen leader.

If everything went according to plan, Arya and the others would get a brief window to escape the overwhelming assault. And if it meant Raymond would be the one to bear the brunt of their fury instead?

He didn't care.

He had never been afraid of these Red-Eyed Crows to begin with. From the start, his only concern was whether they would flee before he could kill enough of them to complete the mission.

Now, with the leader's body lying lifeless in a pool of blood, the other four Red-Eyed Crows in the room erupted in a chorus of enraged screeches.

"Gah! Gah! Gah!"

Their crimson eyes gleamed with fury, their wings spreading wide as they lunged at him. They didn't understand. A moment ago, there had been nothing, just empty air. And now, a man had appeared out of nowhere, slaughtering their leader in an instant.

Their rage overpowered their fear. Had Raymond challenged the leader head-on and won, they might have hesitated, just like the mutant rats he had faced before. But this was different. This was a sneak attack. To them, it was not an act of overwhelming strength, it was treachery. And for that, they would tear him apart.

Four vicious Red-Eyed Crows lunged at him, talons extended, wings beating violently.

Raymond didn't flinch.

He had anticipated this. If they had chosen to flee, he was prepared to use Taunt to keep them engaged. But now?

Now, he didn't even need to waste a skill.

He rushed forward instead.

Swish. Swish. Swish.

In a blur of movement, shadows flickered across the room. In the span of a breath, Raymond had moved from the bedside to the door.

In his right hand, Dark Moon gleamed, its edge now coated in a fresh layer of crimson.

Behind him, four guttural cries of pain rang out, then silence.

The bodies of the Red-Eyed Crows slumped to the ground in pieces, their torn flesh and scattered feathers soaking in the growing sea of blood. The stench of iron filled the air.

Raymond turned, surveying the scene.

Four lifeless corpses. One fallen leader. A battlefield drenched in red.

He exhaled slowly.

"I didn't expect the Assassin's agility to be this effective in such tight quarters," he mused.

It had been effortless, natural. A seamless fusion of his instincts as a Fighter, the precision of a Swordsman, and the speed of an Assassin.

It almost felt like he had activated a skill.

But he hadn't.

When power, instinct, and mastery came together… did it even matter if a move was labeled as a skill or not?

Of course, Raymond's raw power might not compare to some advanced attack skills, but at this stage, it was more than enough.

Especially with Dark Moon, a magic-infused weapon, in his grasp and his own formidable strength as a warrior, there wasn't a single creature, not even the infamous Crazy Baboon, that would dare to take his attack head-on.

He wasn't entirely sure how much physical reinforcement the Crazy Baboon could withstand, but that didn't matter. If brute force wasn't enough, he still had his skills to fall back on.

Suppressing any lingering thoughts, Raymond calmly raised his right hand. With a flick of his wrist, Dark Moon sliced through the air.

Snap.

Every trace of blood was flung off the blade, leaving it pristine. The floor, however, was now speckled with fresh crimson.

His job here was done. The five Red-Eyed Crows, including their leader, lay motionless in a gruesome heap. Without sparing another glance, Raymond sheathed his sword and strode out of the room.

He didn't know if Arya and the others had finished their battle yet. He needed to reach them fast, just in case something unexpected had happened.

But before he could get far, he spotted Arya and Sylph approaching from the distance.

As soon as Arya laid eyes on him, her face lit up with surprise.

"Raymond!"

Without hesitation, she rushed over.

"Are you okay?" she asked, concern evident in her voice as she stopped right in front of him.

Raymond smiled, shaking his head. "I'm fine."

Arya's gaze quickly scanned his body, no injuries, no bloodstains. He really was unscathed.

"What about the Red-Eyed Crows in the house? Did you get all of them?"

Sylph and Lorene had now caught up, both looking at him expectantly.

Raymond nodded. "Yes. Including their leader, all five are dead."

Sylph blinked, momentarily stunned. "All of them? That quickly?"

It wasn't that she didn't believe him, it was just that he looked as if he hadn't even been in a fight. No wounds. No exhaustion. Just the same calm, composed Raymond.

Raymond smirked. "Didn't I tell you? As long as they stay on the ground, they're no threat to me."

With that, he turned. "Come on, I'll show you."

Leading the group back toward the house, Raymond activated his Hunter's Observation ability, discreetly checking the three of them for injuries.

Their clothes were untorn. Not a single scratch on them.

That could only mean one of two things: either they had wiped out the Red-Eyed Crows outside before the creatures could get close, or the crows had fled after sensing their leader's death.

As they neared the ruined doorway, the carnage inside became painfully clear.

Through the shattered frame, Arya and the others caught their first glimpse of the scene.

Dismembered bodies. Torn feathers. Blood pooling across the wooden floor.

The air was thick with the stench of iron.

"Mmgh—"

Arya paled instantly, her hands flying to cover her mouth and nose.

She had just seen Sylph's Explosion Magic obliterate a group of Red-Eyed Crows in the square. She had even taken down two of them herself with her bow.

But this?

This was different.

The crows destroyed by magic had been charred black, their remains barely distinguishable. The ones she had shot with arrows had fallen cleanly, with only small wounds to show for it.

Here, however—

The bodies were mangled beyond recognition. Flesh torn apart. Feathers soaked in blood. A scene so raw, so visceral, that it made her stomach churn.

If she hadn't just steeled herself by killing two of them earlier, she wouldn't have just turned pale, she would have vomited on the spot.

Sylph immediately noticed. "Arya, are you okay?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

Without a word, Raymond stepped in front of Arya, blocking her view.

"That's enough," he said firmly. "You don't need to go any closer."

Sylph and Lorene exchanged glances. They had no intention of arguing. They helped Arya sit down a little further away, giving her a moment to breathe.

Raymond, meanwhile, turned to them and asked, "Did any of the Red-Eyed Crows outside escape?"

Sylph grinned proudly. "Escape? No chance! I used 'Explosion Magic' to take down all the ones that were eating!"

Lorene nodded in agreement. "And Arya shot the two on the roof before they could react."

Raymond raised an eyebrow, then turned back to Arya with a smile.

"Really? You took down two monsters on your first mission?"

His voice was light, teasing. "Arya, that's impressive."

Arya, who had been pale just moments ago, flushed a deep shade of red at Raymond's praise.

"W-Well..." she stammered, shifting her weight awkwardly. "I only managed to take down those two Red-Eyed Crows thanks to Lorene's 'Blessing of Courage.' Also... the noise from your battle inside distracted them, so I had an opening to shoot."