[Vol. 8] Chapter 220: Blue Butterfly Dances in the Night
What happened during the day actually had many suspicious parts. One of them was closely related to a certain Sword Saint. Beavis must have noticed this too, so instead of showing up himself, he sent his newly accepted disciple to make contact.
For example, the quiet girl who had been following behind Vera all day, acting as a bodyguard, was using a sword. And not just that, she was actually very strong. Strong enough to easily defeat the dozen guards Aiden had brought with him, all on her own. If you had to describe her strength, she was probably on the same level as the “Vicious Wolf” Nicholas, whom the priestess had first met in the Human United Kingdom.
And the reason for comparing her to that guy was obvious—
“Still not showing yourself? Are you waiting for me to draw my sword and invite you out personally?”
A sudden voice rang out in the dark night, making the priestess pause in surprise. Because she didn’t trust her [Chameleon Cloak], which had a terrible record of failure, her first instinct was a helpless thought, ‘Don't tell me I’ve been exposed… again?’ She almost smiled bitterly on reflex.
But then she suddenly realized something and stayed silent. She simply raised an eyebrow and turned her head to look.
From the shadows in the corner of the courtyard, a tall and cool-looking figure quietly walked out. She wore light, form-fitting clothes, and her long black hair, tied into two sections, flowed in the night wind. In her hand was a sword that looked both elegant and deadly, with a blade that gleamed like icy blue crystal.
As she spoke, her sharp gaze, shining like starlight, was aimed straight at the upper level of the building, not toward where Violet was, but in the complete opposite direction.
Wait, so she wasn’t talking to me at all…?
The priestess blinked, both surprised and amused. Looks like she had really become too jumpy after getting caught so many times. But come on, this was a piece of sacred-tier equipment, only usable by those at the transcendent level or above. There’s no way just anyone passing by on the street could see through the [Chameleon Cloak] so easily.
No way. Definitely not.
As for the sword-wielding girl. She was, of course, the same person Violet had seen earlier at the market. The bodyguard who stood quietly beside Lady Vera. But clearly, there was more to her than just that.
After all, normal bodyguards don’t carry swords that are at least of spirit-grade quality, nor do they possess overwhelming strength at the peak of the Sky Realm. And then there was the aura faintly coming from her, it was just like that of “Vicious Wolf” Nicholas. In other words, she had clearly been trained in the Swift Wind Style.
As for the little pests she had sensed hiding in the courtyard, Violet had already noticed them too. Otherwise, why else would a priestess be wandering around someone’s house at midnight, chatting with the wind?
Sure enough, after the sword girl’s words exposed their presence, one shadow after another began to appear from the darkness. They had blended in with the night so well that it was like they had become part of it. But now, they stepped into view from the rooftops.
Each one carried weapons. All wore black clothes and masks. Their eyes were cold, showing no emotion.
The leader’s eyes, in particular, were filled with a chilling intent. He had already led them to completely surround their target in a killing formation.
Somehow, the courtyard that had frequently seen patrols before had now become deathly silent. It was as if the entire area had been sealed off from the rest of the world. A wave of killing intent surged violently through the air.
Only now did people realize, the wind blowing through the girl’s hair was not the cold night breeze, it was the murderous aura itself.
But the sword girl didn’t seem fazed. She calmly looked around at the dozens of black-clad assassins surrounding her and slowly raised her sword.
“Blue Butterfly Sword, this matter is none of your concern. Leave now. Out of respect for the Sword Saint, we’ll spare your life.”
The assassin leader on the rooftop spoke coldly. His deep voice was like a final warning, filled with cruel indifference, as if human life meant nothing to him.
The sword girl, known as Blue Butterfly, seemed stirred by the words “Sword Saint.” Her eyes flickered slightly, and at last, she responded:
“I’m only a second-generation disciple of the Sword Saint. I don’t deserve that kind of respect. But my grandmaster once said, disciples of the Swift Wind Style don’t seek power or fame. We only seek to follow our conscience. We walk the world with our swords. If we see injustice and do nothing, wouldn’t that go against the teachings of the saints?”
"It’s my master's order, I cannot disobey. Please understand."
"Hmph! What a fine excuse, ‘can’t disobey your master's order.’ You insist on protecting that woman, but have you thought about who will protect you? Earlier, we only backed off out of respect for the Sword Saint’s name. Do you really think you alone, with just a sword, can stir up this storm?"
The leader of the assassins let out a cold laugh.
"You’re just a little swordswoman who hasn’t even touched the edge of legendary level. Even your master, the strongest among the Six Great Disciples, would..."
Before he could finish speaking, the girl’s Blue Butterfly Sword let out a sharp hum, interrupting his pointless threat.
"You talk too much. Are you an assassin or a salesman?"
"......"
With just one sentence, she had basically torn away any pretense of civility. As expected, the assassin leader fell completely silent, and in the very next moment...
“Shhh-shhh-shhh-shhh-shhh!!!”
Without needing a single command, dozens of black-clad, masked assassins, whether hiding on rooftops, in bushes, or under the eaves, moved at once. In both light and shadow, they all raised their cold, shining weapons.
But the Blue Butterfly Sword was even faster. Almost the very moment they revealed their weapons, the sword's tip began to tremble violently!
"Clang!"
Unlike the chaotic swooshes from dozens of blades cutting through the air, the sword made just one clear sound. A sound that sliced through the darkness like icy light.
Her long hair danced as she moved, and it looked as if a frost-blue butterfly had suddenly taken flight, darting straight at the assassin leader she had just been talking to!
Two dark figures leaped at her from both sides at the same time, like black spiders pouncing on their prey, sharp limbs outstretched.
She struck! The sword flashed!
“Splat! Splat!”
In a blur, the two elite assassins were instantly killed before they could even clash with her properly. Under the wings of the Blue Butterfly, their heads were cleanly cut off. Their headless bodies, gushing blood, tumbled helplessly off the rooftop.
Then, with a loud "Clang!", another metallic crash echoed. It was the assassin leader, who had just barely managed to block her dazzling sword strike in time by raising his blade.
“Wait, you...!?”
As if realizing something from this brief exchange, the leader shouted in shock and anger. But his words were quickly drowned out by the storm-like flurry of the Blue Butterfly Sword.
“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!!!”
The death of their two allies didn’t scare the assassins at all. They were professionals, it was clear that their target was the sword-wielding girl herself.
They didn’t run. Instead, while their leader was locked in a duel with her, they rushed in without hesitation, aiming for openings in her defense.
For a while, the sound of blades clashing filled the night air.
Even though she was surrounded by dozens of elite assassins, the girl called Blue Butterfly Sword remained calm and steady. She countered each move with perfect timing, using footwork and speed far beyond theirs to hold her ground.
She moved like she was dancing, fighting, dodging, and striking down enemies in an instant.
Like a frost-blue butterfly fluttering through a field of flowers, she weaved in and out of the chaos. One after another, the assassins were cut down. Each with a clean slash to the neck. Their lifeless bodies kept falling from the rooftops.
The smell of blood slowly filled the air, staining the soft silver moonlight of the moon with a deep red curtain.
This was less a fight and more a dance…
A massacre.