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“One down.”

 

I appeared behind the person who was hiding in the shadow of a tree. I pointed my sword at them and then bound their limbs.

Once they were unable to move, I sunk them into the shadows and threw them into the tower where Siluru was watching.

 

“Four to go.”

 

The first one was easy to capture, but how about the others?

 

As I waited, I sensed that something was moving doggedly in the shadows.

It was moving just like the last one. I mused and was about to head towards it, but then I noticed a strange presence from a little far off.

 

“A feint?”

 

They pretended to send someone out using the same method but had the real person come from a different direction by the quickest route.

Speed was clearly prioritized. They must not care if they were detected.

 

I wouldn’t make it in time if I ran now.

However, I was able to melt into the shadows.

 

“…Yes. Got you.”

 

I didn’t know why, but I was much faster when shadow crossing.

 

I grabbed their ankle from the shadows. A horrified face turned to look at me.

And just like that, I pulled their struggling body into the shadows.

 

They stopped moving when I put a blade to their neck. When they went limp, I threw them down next to the others.

 

“Hmm. There was another one.”

 

They must have seen me disarm the second one.

I could see them as they ran frantically towards the inner compound at full speed.

 

Did the castle Left Hands lack experience?

I found it hard to believe that they wouldn’t pull out after being caught.

 

I would have left once and started over.

 

And so I sunk into the shadows again and caught up easily.

Ultimately, I captured the third one just as easily as the others.

 

“Two more.”

 

Things were going well.

Perhaps they were going too well.

I was able to capture three of them without much effort.

 

“…Hmm.”

 

I waited for some time, but couldn’t detect any presence coming closer.

I considered going out to search for them, but that wasn’t the point of this training.

Tonight, I was supposed to wait until the people who were trying to ambush me arrived. And then disarm them.

 

“What’s going on?”

 

This was boring.

As I thought this, I noticed that something was strange again.

A shadow had moved somewhere.

 

But where?

I scanned the area but couldn’t find it.

 

Were they too well hidden this time?

“No…it’s from above.”

 

When had they prepared it? There was a shadow gliding through the air with the help of some cloth and wood.

“Well, that’s interesting… But I can’t reach them.”

 

If I didn’t do something, they would reach the top of the castle.

And I would lose if they entered the inner compound. That was bad.

 

“Damn it. …I have to use it then.”

One of my magic spells.

 

And so I unleashed ‘Shadow Blade,’ which sent a blade soaring out from the shadows.

Thankfully, the area was incredibly dark, and no one would see me.

 

The blade tore up the black cloth and the Shadow spun wildly as it fell.

“I won’t need to tie that one up.”

 

The Shadow fell hard and would likely be unable to move for a while.

 

As for the last one. I was able to capture it just as it went over the wall.

They were out of ideas, it seemed.

 

In the end, the whole invasion attempt was a joke.

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