After getting back to the dormitory, I decide to try something out. If my hypothesis is correct, I can cast a spell through my sword thanks to its high magic conductivity. Normally, this property is used to increase an adventurer's attack power, but I might be able to do just the opposite.
I head to the bathroom, close and lock the door, and get my sword out of its bead. I then channel a healing spell through it before jamming the tip of the blade through my hand. Blood starts dripping into the sink and pain spreads through my body, but I can feel the spell activating in the wound. I pull the sword back and look at my hand, which is covered in blood but otherwise fully healed already.
This worked exactly as I hoped it would, which isn't too surprising when I consider that my spells work by reacting to what I want. I don't know if someone else could do this, but I can make it look like I killed weaker adventurers in the arena without actually killing them. They'll still bleed, so that will help hide the fact that they're perfectly fine. All I need is to find a way to tell them to play dead after I stab them.
I clean the sword blade, the sink and my hand before leaving. Who knows what my roommates would think if they found blood in the bathroom like this?
With approximately two weeks ahead of me before my first arena battle, I have to become stronger as fast as possible. I'll accept every invitation to help clear dungeons and apply to scheduled clears I'm not specifically invited to no matter how inconvenient it is. Midterm exams are coming, so I'll also have to try my best to not fall behind academically, but stopping the Architect is my priority.
And so the following week turns into a blur as I find myself constantly busy. Only relatively low-level dungeons seem to be appearing lately, which isn't as good for increasing my level, but they're still better than nothing. In the free time I have between dungeon clears, I try my best to keep up with my classes, but that leaves little time for leisure. My roommates seem to notice that I'm even busier, but they don't ask for any details.
After a week like this, I receive a text message from an unknown number telling me to go to a specific place in the city. Figuring that this is likely related to the Architect, I choose to not ignore it. There's no date and time in the message, so do they mean... now? Bit of a short notice, but I'm not otherwise occupied, so I grab my stuff and start heading there.
I eventually reach a small alley filled with trash bags, empty liquor bottles, cigarette butts, and various other items that clearly indicate that no one's taking care of the place. I expand the range at which I can feel magical power and detect two people in there, but they don't seem to be prepared to fight, they're just standing around.
I walk in, the bead containing my sword hidden in my hand, just in case. After turning a corner, I see the two people I detected earlier as well as the Assassin who tried to kidnap me a few weeks ago. Her daggers are still sheathed, and it looks like she was waiting for me, as she says:
"Your name is Matt, correct? I understand that out first meeting didn't leave the best of impressions, but I hope we can work together now that we have the same boss."
I nod. I can probably assume from this that they still don't know the brand has no effect on me. I also realize that I might have an opportunity here. While I can't feel the magic in her body right now, I know where she's branded, and I can tell where the spell is etched on the bodies of the other two. I could possibly get three more allies today.
She continues:
"I called you here because this is the way to enter the arena where you're going to be fighting next Friday. You're to show up here at five in the afternoon, our boss decided to make it a dinner and battle combo for our clients this time. He also asked me to tell you to toy with your opponents a bit, to offer a better spectacle. All of them will be weaker than you, so your life should not be in danger. If the worst happens, you'll be healed."
"Who can I expect to see in the audience that night?"
"Mostly rich people with more money than sense. A few adventurers invited by the boss will be there as well, but I don't have access to that list. If you're worried about our secret getting out, the Architect is on top of it already. This will not affect your reputation outside of the organization."
I can't know ahead of time who these adventurers are going to be. Jeremy already told me he'd be there, but I can't prepare the terrain by meeting the others ahead of time. We'll have to stick to the original plan and catch him off guard with no one around us.
"Very well. Could you show me how to enter the arena then?"
"Of course, please follow me."
We walk to a rusty garage door. She opens it and closes it back once we're inside. The two guards do not follow us.
She grabs a rusty wrench and taps a specific part of the wall with it. An electronic lock opens, and she pushes the wall, revealing a tunnel leading underground. I follow her down, and we eventually reach a combat arena surrounded by a magically-reinforced cage. Around us are multiple richly decorated booths, and I can spot the windows of what appear to be private rooms. I'm surprised to see such a large installation hidden like this underground.
The sand under my feet is surprisingly clean considering battles to the death already took place here. They might be replacing it between each fight.
If everything goes right, my battle will be the last one to take place here. Without the Architect and his brand, the operation will fall apart, and future generations of adventurers will be just a bit safer.
However, I can't help but wonder how many organizations like this exist around the world. It can't be a well-kept secret that adventurers grow fastest when killing each other, and not all adventurers are averse to the idea of killing other humans. Some of them might willingly be doing business with clandestine groups that kidnap adventurers to grow faster.
But for now, this place is my goal. I can worry about the rest once I've taken it down.
Would now be a good moment to try and remove the Assassin's brand? I don't feel anyone else around us. It's probably the best chance I'll get.
I turn towards her and see that she's waiting at the entrance of the arena for me to be done looking around. My crystals can't destroy a body part as cleanly as the beam that monster used on Jeremy, so I start replicating that spell in my hand. The Assassin asks:
"Ready to go back up?"
"Ah, yes, but before that, I wanted to know if..."
With that, I gained just enough time. The spell is ready to cast. I raise my hand and immediately blast.
She sees the attack coming and manages to dodge it before dashing at full speed towards me, unsheathing her daggers. I immediately break my sword out of its bead, just in time to block her attack.
"How could you betray us?"
"Hopefully, I'll be able to explain everything soon."
I push her back. She stops herself and tries another attack.
I feel like she's not as fast or as strong as last time. I can follow her movement a lot more easily, and I don't struggle when I parry her strikes. I might have managed to surpass her level already.
We exchange a few more hits before I decide to start charging the beam spell again. This time, however, I channel it through my sword.
The Assassin tries a few feints, taking advantage of the fact that she has two weapons against my one sword, but I keep blocking or dodging the hits. Eventually, I see an opening and bring the point of my sword near her neck. Her own attack is closing in on me as I release the spell. A large red beam shoots out of my sword, piercing a hole through her upper torso and lower neck.
She falls on the ground, and her energy-hiding spell dissipates, allowing me to confirm that I hit her brand. She's bleeding on the sand, but I can worry about cleaning that up later. I put my sword back in its bead as I start casting a healing spell on her. The hole slowly closes, and her breathing stabilizes as her airways reform.
Once I'm done healing her, seeing that she's still unconscious, I try to extend my magic down into the sand to grab the blood and get it out of there. The process is surprisingly easy, and I soon find myself with a ball of blood floating over my hand. I guess I'll just warp it into a spatial bead for now.
I gently grab the Assassin's unconscious body and leave the arena. We're less likely to be found in the narrow corridors than here.
She seems to fill an important role in the organization. I hope she's going to forgive and agree to help me now that her brand is gone.
