In Zone 0, there's someone you're bound to run into eventually.
“Professor!”
It was Elize.
She was in the middle of personal training. I’d been running for cardio endurance, and in her tracksuit, Elize ran up beside me and matched pace.
“Where are you headed?”
“Nowhere. Just endurance training.”
“Then I’ll come with you.”
Good news.
Running alone is boring.
“The wind’s cold today, professor.”
“It is.”
Even before the run began, I already had a feeling how this would end.
Even though I’d invested plenty of star fragments into my [Stats], Elize would still outclass me in both [Stamina] and [Agility].
On top of that, she had buffs from her beastkin bloodline—the Xikos family. Her running ability was on another level.
We ran across the cold winter winds.
But our bodies were warm, so it didn’t feel that cold.
Running.
A strange kind of exercise.
Your breath gets ragged. Your body protests.
And yet somehow... it feels good.
Back in the lab, when I worked like a slave, I never ran like this. But now, inside this game world, I find myself doing it often. Over hills. Across slopes. Through vast open fields.
I feel free.
These days, if I run at full force, I can hit 100 meters in about 7 seconds. That’s roughly 50 km/h. Basically, the speed of a small car.
When I run like this, the scenery rushes past. The ground seems to vanish beneath my feet.
“Mm...! This feels amazing...!”
“It does.”
Elize was right—it did feel good. We were running along the road that looped around a lakeside ridge. Not a single car in sight. Silence everywhere. Just running through that space was deeply satisfying.
Why?
Why does running bring satisfaction?
It reminded me of the racetrack.
I once tagged along because it was one of my professor’s hobbies. On the way, I wanted to hit him in the back of the head with a monkey wrench—but once we got there, it was more fun than I’d expected.
Not the betting part—the running horses.
When they dash with all their might, and you can’t tell who’ll win until the end... When someone in the back suddenly surges forward and overtakes the rest...
Even though I didn’t have a single coin on the race, it thrilled me.
Maybe, long ago, one of my great-great-great-grandfathers survived by being a damn good runner. Maybe his DNA made it to me.
“The view’s nice. Let’s rest for a bit.”
“Okay.”
Near the landscaped lakeside, Elize stopped and caught her breath.
“Ah, I feel great. How about you, professor?”
“Good.”
“Not tired?”
“I’m fine.”
Actually, I was about to collapse.
I was breathing through my nose just to look strong.
【 Elize: ‘As expected of the professor.’ 】
Exactly. That’s what I’m going for.
Wait. My head’s spinning...
I kept my poker face.
“Mm. I’m happy.”
Even now, Elize still had energy to spare. She hopped up and sprinted far off, then came back.
Watching her, I realized—she must’ve slowed down earlier to match my pace.
Just now, she moved insanely fast.
“Elize Xikos.”
“Yes?”
“Wanna do a 100-meter time trial with me?”
“Huh? Sure!”
Among my preset illusions, I had one for measuring tape. I laid down a 1-meter marker a hundred times to mark the 100m stretch.
Then I opened the stopwatch function on my [Crystal Orb].
“Ready.”
“Mm!”
“Go!”
Elize launched forward—her body tilting nearly horizontal to the ground.
Then, just moments later, she raised her hand at the other end.
2.81 seconds.
I ran the math in my head.
That’s about... 130 km/h.
What is she, a cheetah?
“How’d I do?”
“That’s fast. 2.81 seconds.”
Honestly, it was shockingly fast.
Easily senior professor level—or more.
Among people her age, was there even another assassin this fast? Especially since [Movement Technique] isn’t even her main specialty.
“Oh, really?”
Elize didn’t seem too impressed.
Numbers are for adults, after all.
So what does Elize actually like?
Given how she’d been glancing around earlier...
【 Elize: ‘Hmm.’ 】
【 Elize: ‘No one’s watching here...’ 】
And then how she glanced at me...
She was clearly gearing up for another “assassination play.”
【 Elize: ‘.......’ 】
Eventually, Elize crept closer—pretending to look far away while clasping her hands behind her back.
I knew her [Subspace Pouch] and blade were behind her.
She was trying to stab me while pretending otherwise.
But I was used to this by now.
I conjured a ball with [Illusion] and tossed it far away.
“Fetch.”
Elize instinctively turned her eyes to the ball, then looked back at me, bewildered.
【 Elize: ‘Fetch......??’ 】
For a moment, confusion filled her gaze.
She glanced between me and the distant ball—thinking hard.
Then she crossed her arms.
Her lips pouted a bit, like she was annoyed.
“Professor.”
“Yeah?”
“Aren’t you treating me a little too much like a dog?”
...Huh?
She suddenly got smart?
“What do you mean?”
“‘Fetch’? That’s something you say to dogs. Why would I pick up a ball with my mouth?”
“Then carry it back.”
“......”
She thought about it.
【 Elize: ‘Carry it...?’ 】
【 Elize: ‘Do humans carry things back too...??’ 】
【 Elize: ‘Hmm...’ 】
Then she ran off, picked up the ball, and handed it to me.
“Well done.”
“......”
She nodded.
Even though I didn’t pat her or anything—(that would be too doglike)— Just the praise alone seemed to make her really happy.
“...Huh, that’s weird.”
“What is?”
“Why does that feel so good...?”
But of course it did.
Hunting dogs retrieve fallen birds after humans shoot them.
Elize’s Xikos family was bred from retrievers—and the word “retriever” literally means to bring back.
So her bloodline is wired to find joy in carrying that ball back.
“Professor. One more time!”
“No.”
“Eh? You’re so mean. Pleeease, just once more.”
“No.”
“...Then I have no choice.”
And just like that, she tried to assassinate me again.
So I had no choice but to throw the ball and play fetch.
“Bring it here.”
“Okay!”
Roughly 20 times.
⋮
< [Stamina] +3 >
< Total Combat Power: 183,113 → 183,203 (▲90) >
⋮
“Elize. When you go to the Academy, tell them to start prepping for the assassination squad’s external schedule.”
“Huh? Did the department ask about scheduling?”
“Not yet, but before setting anything, I want to measure your stats. We’ll be conducting a major test soon.”
Elize nodded seriously.
The first real mission of Dante’s assassination squad was drawing near.
* * *
After sending Elize off, I trained alone again.
I’d been doing physical and illusion training daily, but starting today—I’d try something new.
“The harmony of illusion and martial technique.”
To create an [Illusion], you must imagine. That’s the realm of intellect.
But [Combat Technique] requires movement—that’s the realm of instinct.
Of course, illusion can involve instinct, and combat requires tactical intelligence...
But the point is: doing both simultaneously is like playing two different games with each hand.
That’s the core weakness of illusion-type assassins.
Illusion magicians don’t care. They stand still while warriors guard them.
But assassins are alone.
‘Right.’
To help explain, let me break down the three major combat roles in this game world.
At the center of battle is the magician.
As an assassin, I hate to admit it—but those spell-casting vending machines are the keystones of warfare.
In battle, warriors and magicians move in pairs. The warrior protects. The magician casts.
The warrior holds the line—defends like a wall. Strong warriors can even bulldoze the enemy and destroy enemy mages.
Meanwhile, the mage provides steady, consistent firepower. (That “steady and consistent” is what sets them apart from assassins.)
A good mage can unleash firepower far beyond that of an assassin.
Even the world’s #1 ranked assassin today couldn’t recreate even half the defensive spells Ezekiel—our living shield—can manifest.
So what’s the assassin’s role?
The assassin is a class that goes all-in—for short bursts.
When the warrior is overwhelmed, the assassin breaks the line in a flash.
When the mage's fireballs scatter enemies but the commander survives, the assassin goes in and kills them.
But once that’s done, the assassin’s just sucking his fingers. All mana spent.
Put simply, the assassin is a premature finisher.
I’m the Professor of Premature Combat.
My squad?
The Premature Assassination Corps.
Warrior vs Assassin:
If it’s a surprise attack—assassin wins.
If not—warrior wins.
Drag it out—warrior wins big.
Quick kill—assassin wins.
Mage vs Assassin:
Assassin wins by type advantage.
Assassin vs Assassin:
Both act like scared animals.
Whoever makes the first move dies.
That’s the usual triangle. But I am different.
Normal assassins either throw bombs or go in swinging—then die, win, or pass out.
But an illusion-based assassin? Their “bombs” aren’t even real!
A giant explosion that destroys nothing! So scary...
But what if I could throw out [Illusions] mid-combat? What if I could stab someone while simultaneously messing with their five senses?
No one’s done it yet.
But I’ll try.
“First—basic combat.”
I started shadowboxing. Dante’s <Synchronized> body already knew how to fight—the motions came naturally.
I’d noticed it while suppressing Balmung. My fighting skill was above most warriors.
Balance from core weight. Tension and elasticity in my muscles. Explosive bursts of force.
CRACK—!
One punch shattered a dry tree. [Strength] increases natural defense, which also reinforces skin and bones. At this point, my fist was as hard as granite.
‘Still, that’s meaningless on its own.’
I tried again. What if I focused on [Illusion] at the moment I threw the punch...?
‘...Didn’t work.’
It wasn’t easy to concentrate.
Imagine throwing a punch while simultaneously operating a graphics program in your head. Not something you master overnight.
Back when I fought Toxin or Jinksythe, I could focus on [Illusions] even while moving. But back then, I was only running.
When I fought Balmung, I used illusions in the “pause” between movements. I was just optimizing the moment.
But real combat requires far more mental strain than walking or running.
Think about it. You can daydream on a treadmill. But who the hell daydreams mid-sparring? Do that and your jaw’s in pieces.
‘This is something only I can even attempt...’
Because I’ve mastered the continent’s most intricate illusion: 『World Forgery』. My proficiency is monstrous.
Normal illusion assassins—even [Grandmasters]—don’t cast while moving. They cast then move—or stop to cast.
“This path... is mine alone.”
With that resolve, I kept practicing combat while casting.
⋮
Time passed. I started to almost get a feel for it...
But one problem remained.
‘There’s no tension when I’m alone.’
I was too relaxed.
But real combat is constant pressure.
If I wanted to use this in the field, I’d need an opponent—someone unpredictable.
But who?
I couldn’t ask anyone. Sparring loses meaning when you know they can’t kill you.
I’d need to face someone who actually could kill me.
But Elize? Too dangerous.
If only someone could help...
And just then—
【 Joaquin: ‘...Found you.’ 】
An uninvited guest appeared.
* * [N O V E L I G H T] *
“What? You went running with Professor Dante?”
“Yeah! It was amazing!”
“.......”
Balmung’s jaw started trembling with rage.
Why her and not him?
He went jogging this morning too...!!
“Oh, and we also played fetch with a ball.”
“...?”
That part sounded... weird.
Wait.
What?
Played fetch?
Dante threw a ball, and she brought it back?
That... didn’t sound right.
“...Why did you... do that?”
Elize blinked wide-eyed.
Even she wasn’t sure.
“Hmm. You’re right... Fetching a ball is kind of weird, huh? That’s what Minimung usually does...”
“No, I mean—why did you do it?”
“...Huh?”
Balmung’s face darkened.
“I...”