Master Assassin of the Ronan

Chapter 54. The Siblings of Ashen Harbor (2)

“It looks like everything’s shut down.”

As expected, the pier was quiet.

Even as Kuze scratched his head and looked around, it was the same.

With the red moon rising, Ashen Harbor connected directly to Ashen Strait on the shipping route.

Known as the Empire’s most treacherous waters, that was precisely Ashen Strait.

Bang! Bang!

Fssss! Fssss!

While one side of the harbor bustled with the intense heat and activity of ship construction, the opposite pier had barely any foot traffic.

Still, they couldn’t afford to wait until a week after the red moon would fade away.

“First, I’ll look for a broker.”

“A broker?”

When Tina asked curiously, Kuze explained briefly.

“It’s a unique custom here in Ashen Harbor. Whether you’re a commoner or a noble, if you want to secure a ship, you go through a broker.”

Ashen Harbor, a large port where ships from all across the Empire converged. If individuals sought out ship tickets on their own in such a place, it would be utter chaos.

The brokers’ role was to manage this flow, from passenger ships and cargo ships to even Imperial warships.

As long as the conditions fit, they could go anywhere through a broker.

Although Rubin’s purpose in coming to Ashen Harbor was to board the Blue Cat, for now, he left things in Kuze’s hands as it was a necessary part of the process.

“Oh, wanting a ship at a time like this, truly…”

The broker narrowed his eyes, scanning Rubin and Kuze.

It wasn’t easy finding a broker at such a rare time for profitable deals.

The slyness of the broker they’d finally met was rather blatant.

“Is it impossible?”

“Well, it’s not impossible. Just that it will cost a bit extra.”

Kuze shook his head, handing over an amount sufficient to pry the broker from his seat.

The broker, after carefully examining the amount, shrugged and finally stood up.

“Let’s begin our search, then. Just one noble and a single servant? Is that it?”

“And a cat.”

Rubin added curtly.

“A cat? That makes it harder. Sailors would consider it a bad omen. With the moon red, if they hear about a cat, they might just tell you to swim instead.”

But giving up wasn’t an option.

The cat, being Tina’s favorite shapeshifter, had the advantage of avoiding suspicion even if it disappeared or did something strange due to its feline habits.

On a confined ship, it was far better to board with the cat from the start rather than having a mysterious creature appear out of nowhere.

“It’s a cherished cat. If we secure a ship, I’ll pay double the advance.”

The broker seemed pleased with the offer and lazily stepped onto the street.

“Ah, not an easy task. Wait here for a moment.”

The first ship the broker introduced was an Imperial warship. Some cabins on warships returning to the capital were occasionally made available to travelers.

Though it was a massive vessel capable of easily crossing even the Ashen Strait, it was unthinkable for Tina to board alongside the Imperial military.

“Not this one.”

Rubin shook his head.

“Are you serious? With an Imperial pass, the fare is practically free…”

“Next.”

“Picky, aren’t we? Fine, let’s move along.”

Beside it was a cruise ship docked by the elves.

A grand vessel rivaling the Imperial ship in size, its passengers were mostly elves, boasting both safety and elegance.

They didn’t care about the bad omen of the red moon.

But the problem was—

“This cruise ship is for non-humans only. Humans are not permitted onboard.”

“Wouldn’t these quiet passengers be preferable to those smelly orcs?”

“How dare you call an orc a non-human? It’s a beast, human. And besides…”

The supervising elf’s crystalline eyes shifted between Rubin and Kuze.

“They carry a troubling aura.”

“What do you mean, troubling aura? These individuals are of respectable status with Imperial passes.”

Eventually, Rubin cut off the broker’s explanation.

“No need, broker. I’m not interested either. Let’s move on.”

“…”

The supervising elf continued to eye Rubin cautiously before turning and disappearing into the ship.

“A troubling aura…”

Although he had completely concealed Dark Ripple, the elves’ keen senses seemed to have picked up on some trace of it.

Staying on a cruise ship would mean at least six months at sea, and with elves like those, it wasn’t appealing to Rubin either.

“A cat, you say? Has this man gone mad!”

From that point on, it was constant rejection.

One sailor who scoffed at the red moon as mere superstition still firmly refused to allow the cat, dismissing them at the door.

“We don’t take young passengers, Imperial pass or not.”

Another sailor said, scanning Rubin with a scrutinizing look as he whispered into the broker’s ear.

They were running out of time, wandering around the pier, dealing with an endless parade of superstitions.

“A week from now, there will be plenty of ships. Why not wait until then, sir?”

Now exhausted, the broker started to negotiate. Kuze glared and snapped at him.

“You haven’t tried every ship yet.”

They hadn’t even seen the Blue Cat, the one they came for.

The broker, scratching his head and scowling, suddenly remembered something and got to his feet.

“Ah, right! Both of you said Kapotini was your final destination, didn’t you? The city of wizards?”

“That’s correct.”

“There happens to be a ship called the Poniak docked here.”

“The Poniak?”

“It’s a luxurious ship carrying students from Kapotini Magic Academy in first-class cabins. For a little extra, ordinary travelers can also book the remaining cabins.”

Apparently, the Poniak was the ship the wizard at the checkpoint mentioned as exclusive to magic students.

“With an extra fee, it should be possible.”

The broker informed them of the cost to book a general cabin on the Poniak. Kuze turned to Rubin, his expression asking what he wanted to do.

“I’m not interested.”

Rubin shook his head in refusal. It wasn’t the Blue Cat.

“A perfect match for the destination, yet…?”

The displeased broker muttered, glancing at the ground.

“And… traveling with wizards now is dangerous.”

Neither Rubin nor Kuze had decided on what identity to adopt in Kapotini. Getting tangled with magic students before they even arrived would be risky.

The broker sighed deeply.

“There’s really no other ship available now.”

At that moment, Rubin’s gaze fell upon a ship docked along the pier.

“Found it.”

“What about that ship?”

Though much smaller than the Imperial warships or elven cruisers, it was about the size of a three-story inn, adequate for a mid-range voyage.

“That’s an unusual design.”

Kuze remarked honestly.

The bow of the ship was wide and rounded, unlike typical vessels. It resembled the snout of a whale.

“Oh, that one? Hmm, well…”

The broker glanced at the ship and quickly turned away as if discussing it would be a waste. His dismissive wave only fueled Rubin’s curiosity.

“Well, if it can actually sail, it’s capable of taking you both to Kapotini.”

“If it can sail?”

Rubin asked, but the broker continued on.

“And the fare should be cheap. They won’t mind the cat, nor will they reject young passengers. The red moon? To them, it’s no different than a red apple.”

“So, it’s a safe, affordable option. Isn’t that perfect?”

“I said, ‘if it can sail.’”

“Why can’t it sail?”

The broker shook his head repeatedly as though tired of this conversation.

“Forget it. Give up on that ship.”

“I need to know why. Maybe it’s something we can fix.”

“Hmm…”

The broker hesitated before raising his index finger to his ear.

“You hear that sound?”

“Sound?”

Now that he mentioned it, there was a heavy, thudding sound echoing continuously.

It was loud enough for anyone nearby to hear.

Up until then, Rubin had thought it was merely the sound of ship construction at the harbor.

Boom. Boom. Boom.

The sound was strange.

Rubin and Kuze spread out Dark Ripple, thin and wide, amplifying their senses. They aimed to pinpoint the source of the sound precisely.

Boom. Boom.

The sound persisted without end.

‘This…’

Colliding fists, entangled attacks.

It was unmistakably the reverberation of a fierce clash.

Rubin and Kuze nodded at the broker, prompting him to explain.

“The sound of a brawl.”

“A brawl? Isn’t it shipbuilding?”

The broker chuckled as if Kuze’s calm question was natural.

“Well, it’s easy to mistake. But no, it’s the sound of siblings locked in a fight, throwing punches and kicks at each other.”

“Fighting siblings?”

The noise was far too loud for that. Anyone would think it was the kind of thunderous sound produced by smashing logs or breaking boulders.

Curiosity grew. Beyond securing a ship, he wondered what kind of siblings would cause such a resonance with mere fists and kicks.

“I want to see for myself.”

“Excuse me?”

Rubin immediately headed toward the direction of the noise.

The sound’s source was an open area some distance away. Seeing Rubin walking off without a word, the broker quickly followed, alarmed.

“Sir, stop! If you watch, you could get hurt.”

“It’s fine. I’ll just watch from a distance.”

“That’s not what I mean. Think about it. Why aren’t there any people here if everyone likes to watch fights? It’s because anyone watching could lose their life if they’re unlucky.”

Ignoring the broker’s warning, Rubin continued walking.

The closer they got, the more he sensed the broker’s words were no exaggeration.

The aura surrounding the open area already felt on a different level.

The closer they got to the fight, the louder and more powerful the resonance became.

Kuze noticed something unusual and started to grow wary.

Then, a loud shout rang out from ahead.

“Not giving up?”

“Did you just ‘meow’ at me? You’re dead, seriously.”

“Insane!”

Whish.

Though they hadn’t yet reached the open area, Rubin realized the sound of rushing wind was someone’s fist narrowly missing a vital point.

‘If only by sound, this isn’t just fistfighting. It’s like a siege weapon.’

The man’s counterattacks that followed also carried intense killing intent.

They were genuinely battling to kill each other.

‘Are they truly siblings?’

Sharp competition among siblings was a common sight in the Assassin Blade Family and other houses.

It was even normal for them to sustain serious injuries during practice.

But to see that scene in the peaceful harbor, on a quiet dock, and between seafaring siblings, was unexpected.

Moreover—

“Their builds are…”

When Rubin entered the open area, he saw two massive figures engaged in a life-or-death melee, brimming with killing intent.

‘They’re not just large.’

Bulging veins protruded all over their bodies.

Their muscles looked ready to tear apart, swollen to the limit.

Steam rose from their bodies, indicating just how overheated they were.

Those enormous builds, muscles, and immense strength—

Recalling vague memories from his previous life, Rubin felt a powerful shiver.

“Who’s this brat?”

“What’s this kid?”

Finally, the two Bloodborne siblings, having noticed an observer, looked down at Rubin and spoke simultaneously.