—


    After watching Kieran execute these 3 Desertborn Brigand sentinels, a question rose in Altair’s mind.


    “How do you achieve these Executions? And, what are they? When I copied your action, I only received a Vital Critical, but I didn’t execute the sentinel on the spot.”


    Altair was curious why Kieran’s attacks were considered Executions but not his own. After all, he was an Assassin, a ss specializing in surprise andrge critical attacks. On paper, it should be easier for Altair to achieve an Execution.


    However, Kieran soon revealed the reason behind this. “An Execution is a rare type of critical. It’s not that I have a 100% sess rate of achieving Executions; it’s simply easier for me with all my damage modifiers. If I’m being honest, I have at least four active at all times now.”


    “WHAT!?!”


    Not just Altair, the entire party’s eyes widened in disbelief. Their expression remained that way for a few seconds because most sses would only receive one damage modifier while their other modifiers rted to ss specialties.


    But, because Kieran’s ss specialty was damage, most of the passive abilities he awakened thus far contributed to heavily increased damage. Kieran didn’t go into detail about the matter, but he more or less covered the gist of it.


    “Ezra should be aware of two of the passives I speak of.”


    “I remember,” Ezra nodded. “Blood Mania and Tormented Beliefs. Each increases your Attack Power, which should loosely trante to increased attack damage.”


    “Correct, but there are others. It’s hard to exin, but if I’m targetted by an enemy or view something as an enemy, my damage will increase again.”_.


    “Isn’t… that like turning you into a perfect machine for revenge? It doesn’t sound too safe,” Luna muttered after listening to the effects of three of Kieran’s damage-increasing skills.


    Kieran had no qualms about revealing this information because it was unstoppable. If word of his skills got out, they couldn’t be stopped regardless. Kieran’s skills would activate without fail if he lost Health or felt threatened.


    It wasn’t a matter of trust now; it was a matter of confidence.


    “I didn’t tell you all this for no reason. I’m trying to exin the basis of an Execution. It’s essentially a Vital Critical, except it’s taken a step further. I’m not sure about the exact numbers, but the Vital Critical’s base attack needs to exceed a certain threshold to activate an Execution,” Kieran exined.


    Altair pondered the information given. “So I need to increase my Attack Power to increase my chances of these Executions.”


    “Or, find ways to increase your Critical Damage Modifier. They’re both considered base damage in anything above a Vital Hit,” Kieran added.


    Kieran left out the matter of overpowering an enemy’s defenses. However, he left that information alone because it varied depending on the enemy. Overpowering individuals dressed in cloth like these brigands was a reasonably straightforward process.


    Everyone absorbed this knowledge, especially Lux and Luna, who were interested in increasing their Critical Damage.


    Another factor Kieran failed to mention was the incorporation of action-type Techniques, which could sharply increase the deadliness of one’s attack.


    However, that level of incorporation was beyond everyone’s expertise, so there was no reason to mention it.


    After killing off the sentinels, Kieran scrutinized his surroundings. There were many individual small rooms, seemingly belonging to Desertborn Henchmen. Based on their designs, the only use for these rooms was nourishment and rejuvenation.


    In other words, eating and sleeping.


    “These brigands must carry out other activities elsewhere. I must admit, for a criminal organization, they’re frighteningly organized,” Luxmented.


    “I’ll have to agree. Their head seems to be a meticulous person,” Kieran agreed with Lux’s opinion.


    Altair focused his attention on Kieran. “What’s the n? Do we covertly take them out, or do we cause argemotion?”


    “No. For now, recon is our objective. We need to understand this ce’s structure and find out what’s happening. We’ll tail those henchmen ahead and find out,” Kieran ordered.


    Blindly fighting inside an unknown ce wasn’t ideal. Before he decided to make any rash decisions, Kieran first wanted to acquire information.


    “If not for your age, I would have thought you were trained in espionage. I’m getting a tingly sensation thinking about our spy-like behavior,” Ezra giggled.


    Kieran looked back and snickered. “I watch a lot of movies.”


    Of course, that was only partly true. Kieran had conducted his fair share of invasion quests in the past. Some involved criminal organizations like these, and some involved rival guilds that the Golden Brigade sought to destroy.


    Kieran and the other continued their cautious travel after catching up with the brigands’ movements.


    …


    A few minutes earlier,


    Deep inside the Desertborn Brigand’s hideout…


    A man dressed in luxurious beige robes, simr to the other brigands but of higher quality, sat before arge sand desk with their hands folded. An ominous glint shed in their eyes as they listened to the report from a woman standing before him.


    “Commander Dusvim, we have located Deserea’s body. As we expected, we found her dead after days without contact. We estimate she died not too much longer after she was dispatched.”


    The man in luxurious brigand robes, Dusvim, stroked his beard with a streak of grey in it as he leaned back against his chair. “I’ve lost contact with our snide inside Aeredale City. Does that fool believe he can y me? We’ve conducted business for more than a year, and he chooses now, the most crucial of times to betray me?”


    “Does that sound logical, Leader? What if there is another reason?”


    Dusvim’s expression teemed with intrigue. He was curious to know this woman’s opinion. “Hmm? What do you suppose is the reason, Facina?”


    Facina, the woman with long sand-colored hair standing before Dusvim, exhaled before giving her opinion. “What if the Merchant Association finally grew tired of your actions and dispatched someone powerful to deal with Deserea?”


    Dusvim grumbled while considering the likelihood of the situation happening. “We chose the Aeredale Kingdom for a reason. It is neither a backbone of the Xesian Empire nor where the Merchant Association has ced its interest. Our sources have confirmed this.”


    After a brief pause, Dusvim continued. “As a result, neither of these powers would pay close attention to the happenings or fate of the Aeredale Kingdom.”


    “I understand. But, do you not believe there is a limit to everything? Even if those two powers won’t step in, what about the Aeredale Kingdom pleading to surrounding kingdoms for help? Surely some ancient ally wille to their aid in their time of crisis,” Facina sighed, trying to get Dusvim to see the situation another way.


    However, Dusvim felt Facina was too naive.


    “Have I spoiled my daughter so? You do not know the treachery of this world. Help? This world is one of the strong and the weak. If you are weak, you have no right to own tond you sleep upon. Unless it is in a kingdom’s supreme interest, no kingdom wille to the aid of a struggling kingdom. They’d rather watch it copse and swallow its remains.”


    Facina gasped after listening to Dusvim’s recount of this world’s views.


    “Then… how do we exin Deserea’s death? She was one of the more talented Sand Controllers, so she could fend for herself in dangerous situations provided she was surrounded by sand.”


    “Was she killed outside of sand?” Dusvim’s brow rose. He wondered if Deserea made a foolish oversight that led to her death. If so, then the only one to me for her death was Deserea.


    “No. We found Deserea’s remains at the edge of the Desert of Crumbling Sands, right where we dispatched her to. Also, I feel whoever killed her…” Facina paused, considering whether or not to give her opinion on the matter.


    “Go on. Don’t bite your tongue, my daughter.” Dusvim gestured for Facina to speak.


    Facina’s eyes dulled while her expression sank. “I feel whoever killed her enjoyed doing it. Although she was dead, I could still feel the fear in her eyes as her bodyy in two parts. It was like she was killed slowly to give her time to understand her circumstances.


    Bisected?” Dusvim’s gaze grew cold as the sand on the floor formed miniature swirls. “Someone had the gall to desecrate the body of my beloved Deserea?!”


    Dusvim exhaled and regained hisposure while sping his hands once more. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t out for blood. He would undoubtedly find the culprit.


    “How much of our forces have returned?”


    “Approximately 95%. No more than 50 members have yet to reactivate their sigil.” Facina read off the information recorded on her clipboard.


    Of course, they weren’t aware that some of the activations would never ur. Kieran had already killed a few on his way inside the structure.


    “Have they entered the Deep Sands Chamber?”


    “Many of them are making their way there as we speak. Have you decided our course of action?”


    “Of course,” Dusvim spoke clearly and stood up from his desk. He ced a special turban on his head, outfitted with what seemed to be an exquisite Magic Stone. When he put it on, the sand in arge radius trembled.


    A cold smile formed across Dusvim’s lips. “Our course of action… is revenge.”