Online Game: Starting With SSS-Ranked Summons-Chapter 195: Greed (2)
His mind raced. The logical side of him screamed to play it safe—go back, get help. But the greed? The greed gnawed at his insides, whispering sweet promises of wealth and power.
He looks weak… The stalker rationalized. If I time it right, I can end him before he even reacts.
Arthur, still holding the glowing item, sighed loudly. "Man, that’ll sell for a fortune back at the guild. Couple with the hundreds of gold coins my dad has given me, I will be able to buy it."
He took a step forward.
The stalker’s pulse quickened. If he leaves, I’ll lose everything I can get alone.’ His feet itched to move, but caution chained him in place.
Arthur squatted down, pretending to inspect the cheetah’s corpse further. His voice carried again, "This is too good… maybe I should hunt around here more often."
The stalker crouched low in the foliage, his breath shallow, every muscle in his body coiled with anticipation.
"I’ll wait until that hawk engages with another monster… then I’ll take action."
His eyes remained locked on Arthur and Hank, watching the hawk circle above, seeking its next prey. The stalker’s grip tightened on the hilt of his dagger, coated with paralytic poison. One strike—that’s all he needed.
Arthur, as if on cue, wandered deeper into the forest. His movements were casual, his posture relaxed, but the stalker remained wary.
Then, as if the assassin’s wish was answered, a Brown Bear lumbered into the clearing.
The ground trembled beneath Arthur’s feet as the towering Level 15 Brown Bear emerged from behind the trees, its heavy paws crushing twigs and foliage with each step. Its hulking body loomed, muscles rippling beneath its thick fur.
Arthur’s lips curled into a faint smirk. ’Perfect.’
The presence that had been following him still lingered, hidden in the shadows—watching and waiting.
Arthur could feel the stalker’s intent, he was biding his time, likely hoping for Hank to get distracted before making a move.
’You want Hank busy, huh? Fine. Let’s give you a show.’
"Hank," Arthur spoke aloud, his voice calm but commanding, "deal with the bear."
Hank, still perched on a high branch above, shrieked and launched into the air.
Hank’s wings unfurled wide as he dived toward the bear. The stalker, hidden among the dense foliage, narrowed his eyes, watching as Hank zeroed in on the beast.
Arthur made sure to stand back, putting on the facade of a vulnerable summoner who relied solely on his creature.
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Hank’s talons tore through the air, raking across the bear’s back. The bear roared in fury, swinging its massive paw toward Hank, who expertly veered away before swooping back in. The battle began in earnest—Hank’s speed and aerial advantage clashing against the bear’s raw power and endurance.
The stalker’s lips curled into a grin. ’Now’s my chance.’
Arthur, sensing the shift in intent, kept his posture relaxed but focused. His fingers grazed the handle of his sword beneath his cloak, though he made sure not to draw it just yet. This was the moment he had been waiting for—the exact bait the stalker wanted.
The hidden figure crept closer, carefully moving through the underbrush. His breathing slowed, and his footsteps calculated to avoid noise. The bear’s furious roars and Hank’s shrieks masked much of his movement, giving him the perfect window.
He reached for a dagger strapped to his thigh, the blade coated with a faint green poison—a paralytic that would immobilize Arthur in seconds.
’One clean hit and it’s over.’
Arthur, however, was ready.
He felt the presence closing in—closer… closer…
"Now."
The assassin lunged, his dagger slicing through the air, aimed straight for the back of Arthur’s exposed head.
Silent. Precise. Deadly.
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A wicked grin spread across the assassin’s face as he closed the distance in a blink. The tip of the blade hovered just inches from Arthur’s skull.
But then—
"Shadow Bind."
Arthur’s cold voice echoed through the forest.
The assassin’s entire body seized mid-strike, frozen in place as if shackled by invisible chains. The dagger halted a mere breath away from Arthur’s head. His muscles strained, veins bulging, but nothing moved—not even his fingers.
"What… the hell?!" The assassin’s mind spiraled into panic. "I can’t move! I can’t even blink!"
Arthur turned slowly, his eyes void of emotion. The assassin’s heart pounded in his chest, each beat louder than the last.
Arthur’s gaze was piercing. "It’s about time you showed yourself," he said, voice sharp as ice. "I almost mistook you for a rat."
The assassin’s pupils shrank. His breathing became shallow as fear flooded him.
Arthur extended his hand, casually brushing the dagger aside. "Did you really think I didn’t notice?" He stepped closer, his presence suffocating.
"How... how did he know?!" The assassin’s thoughts raced as he fought against the bind, but his limbs remained locked.
Arthur tilted his head, studying the man like a bug under glass. "You know, I was going to let you go. But now? You made this personal."
He turned his head toward Hank, who was still fighting the brown bear, whilst being on the losing side. The hawk spread its wings wide, blood glistening on its talons, and screeched at Arthur’s call.
"Hank," Arthur commanded, his voice low and cold, "finish the bear."
With a shriek, Hank slashed the bear’s throat in a single clean motion, sending a torrent of blood spraying across the ground.
The massive beast crumbled, dead in seconds.
The assassin’s eyes widened at Hank’s speed and power. "That hawk… was holding back?!"
Arthur stepped even closer to the paralyzed man, the edge of his katana grazing the assassin’s neck. "You’re weaker than I expected. How disappointing."
Arthur was still using shadow bind, to bind the assassin. Although the skill was draining his mana at a fast rate, his mana regeneration rate was faster, simply due to the assassin being weaker than him.
The assassin’s mind screamed, trying to regain control of his body.
"Move! MOVE!"
But Shadow Bind wasn’t a normal skill.
