Chapter 31 – Breaking the Edge
They did not approach the town directly.
Instead, Jack led them along the tree line, keeping the settlement just within view while shifting their angle toward the rear where the land sloped downward. The ground changed as they moved, the firm surface of the road giving way to softer earth and uneven patches where water had once collected. The terrain here was less maintained, less visible, and that alone reduced the likelihood of structured patrols.
It also made movement quieter.
Jack slowed slightly as they reached the point where the slope began in earnest, not stopping, but adjusting his footing to match the change in elevation. His awareness extended ahead, Blood Sense tightening into a controlled field that mapped the movement beyond the ridge before they crossed into it.
There were still guards.
Fewer.
More spread out.
The pattern here lacked the same density as the front, and the timing between patrols left wider gaps that could be used without forcing unnecessary engagement.
Hanna moved behind him without speaking, her steps lighter now, her posture lowered to match his pace. She didn’t ask questions. She didn’t try to direct.
She followed the structure he set.
That was enough.
They reached the edge of the slope and paused just short of breaking the line of cover. From here, the back section of Boiling Springs came into clearer view. Older buildings stood closer together, their condition more worn than the front-facing structures, but still intact enough to be used.
Movement passed between them.
Slower.
Less disciplined.
But present.
Jack focused on the nearest signal.
“Identify.”
[Human Guard — Lv.6]
Type: Controlled Combatant
Traits: Reactive, undisciplined
The difference was immediate.
These weren’t the same as the ones at the front.
Less trained.
Less consistent.
Still dangerous.
Jack exhaled slowly, letting the pattern settle before moving.
“We take the outer ones first,” he said quietly.
Hanna nodded once.
No hesitation.
The first guard moved along the edge of the buildings, his path loose, his attention divided between the structures and the open ground beyond them. He wasn’t watching the tree line.
He didn’t see Jack until it was too late.
Sanguine Surge activated.
Jack closed the distance in a smooth, controlled motion, the shift sharpening his perception just enough to ensure the strike landed exactly where it needed to. The scythe cut cleanly across the man’s torso, ending him before he could react.
Jack caught the body as it fell, lowering it without letting it hit the ground.
No noise.
No disruption.
He let Sanguine Surge fade as he eased the weight down and stepped back into position.
Hanna moved up beside him briefly, her eyes scanning the area before settling on the next closest patrol.
“Two more,” she said quietly. “Same pattern.”
Jack nodded.
He had already seen them.
They split slightly this time.
Not far enough to lose line of sight, but enough to cover more ground without drawing attention.
The second guard moved between two buildings, his path cutting through a narrow space that limited his visibility. Jack adjusted his approach to meet him there, stepping into the gap just as the man turned the corner.
The reaction came a fraction too late.
The scythe struck low, precise and controlled, breaking his movement before it could form into resistance. Jack followed immediately, ending him before he hit the ground.
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.6)]
[Experience Gained]
The notification passed without acknowledgment.
Jack was already moving.
The third guard never saw him.
Hanna reached him first.
Jack watched from a short distance as she closed the gap, her movement quieter than before, more deliberate. She didn’t rush the strike. She let the timing align before committing, stepping in just as the man turned slightly away from her.
Her blade cut across his side, not perfectly placed, but effective enough to disrupt him. The guard staggered, trying to turn, but she adjusted quickly, following through with a second strike that ended it cleanly.
[You have defeated: Human Guard (Lv.6)]
[Experience Gained]
She steadied her breathing as the body settled, then glanced back toward Jack.
He gave a slight nod.
Not approval.
Acknowledgment.
She returned it and moved back into position.
The outer edge was clear.
For now.
Jack extended his awareness again, mapping the space ahead. The signals grew denser the closer they moved toward the center, the structure tightening in layers that would require more than simple removal to break cleanly.
But the path they had taken had worked.
The edge was thinner.
Weaker.
It gave them an entry point.
He stepped forward again, moving deeper into the town, his pace controlled, his focus sharpened by the shift from approach to execution.
Behind him, Hanna followed.
The sounds from the center were clearer now.
Not constant.
Not chaotic.
But present enough that they no longer needed to be imagined.
Jack didn’t react to them.
He didn’t let them change his pace.
What mattered was still the same.
Remove what held this together.
Everything else would follow.
The next layer waited ahead.
And this time—
It would not be quiet.