Summoned with an SSS-Rank Portal Skill

With the keys in hand, they could now access the vault where all the treasures were stored. Well, almost all—since the book William wanted wasn't there.

Before leaving, they dragged the bandit's body and hid it in a corner outside the main building. It seemed like a good spot, somewhere no one would find it.

Not that it mattered much in the end. If William wanted the artifact he had come for, he would have to confront the gang leader directly. Staying hidden no longer made much sense.

They returned to the vault using the same route they had taken earlier. Stuart camouflaged them again, ensuring they could reach the vault without drawing unnecessary attention.

The other sub-leaders were still drinking and chatting in the recreational area. The leader remained missing, and no one had any idea where he was.

When they reached the vault door, Lyfenea used the key to open it. The large door creaked as it swung open, but the noise wasn't enough to alert anyone.

What they feared was triggering some kind of trap, but nothing happened. They exchanged glances, excited to finally be inside the vault. William, however, was the only one not thrilled about the situation.

They stepped inside and found themselves in a massive room with no windows or dividing walls. The space was open, filled with all kinds of treasures.

Most of the items were stolen, but there were also things the bandits had acquired during their expeditions. They explored places that might hold valuable items.

But the majority of the loot was still the result of theft—from caravans and other gangs.

After entering and closing the vault door, William and the others felt more comfortable speaking, as no one would notice they were there.

"Check this place out," Lyfenea said, picking up a few items as she walked around. "There's so much stuff here."

The three assassins were in awe. William tried to share their excitement, thinking that, at worst, he could still sell some of the treasures for a good amount of money.

"Let's start grabbing the valuables," one of the women said. "We need to focus on the most valuable items. We can't take everything."

They had brought sacks to carry the treasures. Unlike William, who had an inventory system like something out of an online game.

He still couldn't figure out why he had this inventory while others didn't.

Anyway, they began searching for the best items in the vault and storing them as best they could.

However, after about five minutes inside, a voice echoed through the vault, sending chills down their spines.

"Seems I have some intruders here."

William quickly turned toward the voice and saw the person who had spoken. It was the leader of the Serpent Desert Gang.

At least, it seemed to be. He had a much more imposing aura than any of the sub-leaders they had encountered, which was why William assumed he was the leader.

When Lyfenea saw the man, she said, "Long time no see, little brother."

William was surprised, but the pieces quickly fell into place. How did Lyfenea know about all those secret passages? How had she left the gang without facing retaliation?

It was difficult—almost impossible—to leave a gang like that, especially if you held a high position. The life of crime wasn't easy.

But being the sister of the gang's leader? Well, that explained how Lyfenea had left that life without much trouble.

"Mind telling me what the hell you're doing?" the leader said. "I was lenient enough to let you leave without causing problems, and now you come to rob me? You know that even as my sister, you'll face the consequences for this."

Lyfenea laughed. "I know you won't kill me. What's a few more or fewer treasures? You should be helping me!"

"You're the one who wanted out of the gang because you were done with violence! I even helped you open that dump you call a shop. What the hell, sis. And who are these people you brought here?"

William listened to their conversation, and he wasn't feeling good about it. It seemed like they were arguing but still cared for each other. If that was the case, William might end up being the enemy here.

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"They came with me to help me rob you," Lyfenea replied. "What do you think? Can you take on all of us?"

The leader laughed, a dark, menacing laugh. He then pulled out an ancient book from his pocket, holding it in his hand. "You can be sure I'll win easily. I'm far more powerful than before. You don't stand a chance."

When he took out the book, William felt something strange, though he couldn't quite describe it.

The leader turned his gaze to them. "I know these women. They're your pathetic assassin friends. But who's this guy? Are you dating, little sis?"

"We're not dating," William said. "Do you really think I'd date an assassin who was part of a gang? If I'd known she was your sister, I wouldn't have come to this dump."

"This dump?!" the leader shouted. "Don't talk about the place I worked so hard to build."

William found it hilarious. "Worked so hard to build? That's a strong way to put it. You're a bandit, man. You've never worked a day in your life."

The tension was rising quickly, and Lyfenea wasn't sure what to do. Should she stand against her brother or try to talk her way out of this situation more peacefully?

When the leader grew angry and let more of his aura surge, William could feel just how powerful he was. His guess was somewhere around level 50, which was incredibly strong.

'Do I even stand a chance against him?' William thought.

Despite being at a lower level, William's attributes were impressive, given that he was one of the summoned heroes. Additionally, some of his skills were high-ranked, at least a few of them.

In other words, he felt he had a chance to win if he went all out—but that was assuming the leader didn't have more tricks up his sleeve.

"Both of you, relax," Lyfenea said. "You're acting like children."

How could William relax in a situation like this?

"Tell me now, little sis. Are you going to fight me, or are you going to leave those treasures behind?" the leader asked.

Lyfenea didn't hesitate. "Sorry, but I hate your entire gang. I hope they all burn. You're the least terrible of them, but you still deserve to lose some treasures."

She was willing to stand up to her brother, and that was good for William. He might have some help during the fight.

The leader wasn't pleased with her response. He placed his hand on the book and began whispering strange words. It sounded like another language.

Then, shadows emerged from the ground, wrapping around the legs of the two assassins who had come with William and Lyfenea. After that, the leader used the book to cast another spell, sending a horizontal shadow slash that cut the two assassins in half!

Everything happened too fast. William hadn't been caught by the first spell, but the shadow slash was heading straight for him. He had to dodge.

Luckily, William managed to dodge, remaining completely unharmed, which caught the leader's attention.@@novelbin@@

"Nice moves," the leader said. "But do you think you could've escaped if I'd trapped your legs too?"

"We'll find out soon enough," William replied.

Lyfenea watched the scene unfold before her eyes, unable to believe her friends had been killed so quickly. One moment they were there, and the next, they were gone.

"Why did you do that, you bastard?" she screamed. "They didn't deserve to die."

"And why not? They invaded my home, my vault, and tried to rob me. Their fate would've been the same if you weren't my sister."

The leader had already planned to either imprison Lyfenea or force her back into the gang. He didn't want to hurt her, but he couldn't let her off easy after she tried to rob him like this.

William seemed to be the one at the biggest disadvantage now. Without the two assassinas, he had essentially become the primary target.

"Even so, they didn't deserve that!" Lyfenea screamed.

With her dagger in hand, she charged toward the gang leader. With every step, black flowers materialized in the air, and her movements seemed to grow faster.

Her footsteps made no sound, and it was as if her body had become invisible, blending into the surroundings.

Yet, despite her extraordinary movements, the gang leader remained completely calm.

Lyfenea managed to circle around and attack him from behind without him noticing, but something very strange happened. The energy emanating from the book moved on its own, transforming into a magical shield that blocked Lyfenea's attack.

It was as if the energy had a will of its own, and the gang leader didn't even need to lift a finger to activate it.

"Nice try, but now you're going to suffer. And you're next, you bastard," the leader said, glaring at William.