From an outsider's perspective, Tris still wore his usual calm expression.
But in truth, behind that somewhat emotionless face lay something entirely different.
'Four of them? That bastard is really determined to kill me, isn't he?' — Tris felt both anger and unease.
In particular, he noticed the man standing beside Zyron—a figure wearing a black mask who seemed especially dangerous.
Just moments ago, that man had turned his head and looked directly toward one of the nearest "Feathers," observing them.
'Instinct? Or can he actually sense distant gazes? Either way, using No. 4 against him doesn't seem like a wise choice.'
Tris began listing all the cards he had in hand to calculate the strategy he would use.
Naturally, that included a retreat plan if necessary.
'First, let's start with preparing the outfit.'
After a brief moment of thought, Tris sprang into action.
* * * * * * * * * *
"What's wrong?"
Seeing Fang's unusual reaction, Zyron asked.
"Probably just the monsters in this area watching us," Fang replied casually.
"Then it's nothing to worry about."
After all, the strongest creatures in this region were only around D or C rank.
Even if a B-rank monster appeared, their group could handle it easily.
So mere monsters weren't a concern.
What Zyron cared about more was what that strange brat might be planning.
Along their path, several monsters appeared and attacked.
However, neither Zyron nor Fang needed to act.
The other two assassins swiftly handled everything.
They were a pair of twins with identical faces.
One wielded a blade, while the other wore iron gauntlets.
When a black bear over three meters tall appeared, the twins immediately charged forward.
A punch from the gauntlet user deflected the bear's swipe, while the other quickly circled behind and severed one of its hind legs with a slash.
Losing a leg made the bear's movements sluggish, and it was quickly killed by the two.
"Your subordinates are impressive. Those two working together are probably comparable to a B-rank adventurer, right?"
"That's right. Anyone weaker would be a burden following us."
Zyron silently nodded in agreement.
The group of four continued forward without obstruction.
Following the compass, they soon found Tris at the mountain peak.
At this moment, Tris wore a black outfit with a high collar that covered the lower half of his face.
His eyes were cold as he stared at Zyron.
Beside him stood only a single puppet.
It was equipped with light metal armor and a sword and shield, ready in its hands.
The scene resembled the time when Tris participated in the tournament a year ago.
Seeing Tris, Zyron spoke:
"I'm quite surprised you didn't run away."
"I want revenge for my father," Tris replied, his voice filled with anger.
To an outsider, it looked like a child overwhelmed by rage, choosing to face the enemy instead of fleeing.
Because Tris's anger was genuine, it made the scene even more convincing.
However, as experienced individuals, both Zyron and the assassins had already guessed that Tris intended to use the terrain to his advantage.
Thus, all of them heightened their vigilance the moment they arrived.
Zyron especially—after learning of Veylor's death, his caution toward Tris had reached its peak.
It could be said that even before a single move was made, both sides had already begun clashing through information and words.
Tris himself wasn't naïve enough to believe his dramatic act would make them underestimate him as a child and reveal mistakes in battle.
What he wanted was simply to probe them further—after all, it cost him nothing.
Tris continued:
"Why? Why did you send people to kill my father? Wasn't he someone who loyally served the village?"
His voice carried deep sorrow and indignation.
Zyron replied coldly, attacking the boy's mental defenses:
"Your father worshipped an evil god. Then he used that forbidden power on you.
That makes both of you a great threat to the village.
And yet, you still refuse to repent."
'Damn it, this old man is truly shameless.
Sending assassins, then even bringing more people to gang up on a child, yet still acting righteous like this.
No wonder he became the leader.' — Tris cursed inwardly.
At the same time, he responded:
"Lies. You dare slander my father."
Zyron seemed about to say more.
However, seeing no opportunity to extract further information—and unwilling to let him mention Veylor and Zarek—Tris immediately launched a spell toward Zyron's head to shut him up.
That marked the beginning of the battle.
The attack was a stone bullet.
It was easily blocked by something Zyron pulled out from his ring.
That object was massive—at least four meters tall.
It had a humanoid shape, with a small head, a thick body, and large, powerful limbs.
A mage is often strongest when protected at the front while freely casting spells from behind.
One common method is summoning Golems—artificial constructs—to act as frontline guards.
However, what Zyron summoned merely resembled a metal golem.
In truth, it was a magical puppet directly controlled by him.
Because of that, it was far more agile and powerful than a typical golem.
As the battle began, the three assassins immediately rushed toward Tris.
To avoid being surrounded, Tris quickly moved sideways while continuously firing a barrage of stone bullets at them.
At the same time, he commanded his puppet to charge toward Zyron's golem to stall it.
In such a dangerous situation, Tris understood he couldn't drag the battle out like he did with Veylor.
The longer it dragged on, the more dangerous it would become for him.
The only way to win was to reduce the enemy's numbers as quickly as possible.
A murderous resolve flashed through Tris.
As the stone bullets flew toward them, the assassins easily dodged or deflected them without difficulty.
At the same time, they noticed the target moving sideways while throwing smoke bombs to obscure the surroundings.
With their ability to fight even with limited visibility, they continued advancing precisely toward the sound of Tris's footsteps.
Because Tris moved to the side, the assassin wielding the blade—positioned on the outer edge—became the first to reach him.
But just as he rushed forward, he suddenly stepped into one of the traps Tris had prepared earlier.
It was small—just enough for a foot to fall in.
Inside, sharp spikes were planted downward along the hole.
Anyone stepping into it would be stuck, unable to pull their leg out.
However, unlike the earlier success against Zarek using the same method, this assassin reacted instantly and reinforced his leg.
Even though his foot fell in, he crushed the spikes beneath and avoided being trapped.
Still, Tris had never expected the trap to hold him for long.
What he needed was merely a single moment where the assassin stopped moving.
The instant the assassin stumbled, Tris closed the distance at unbelievable speed using "Flash Steps."
At the same time, with a dagger in hand, he unleashed "Dimension Slash" straight at him.