Harem System In A fantasy World - Chapter 100: Zenovia
Chapter 100: Zenovia
Elsewhere, far from the academy and its carefully ordered halls, an extremely beautiful young woman ran through a dense forest beneath the pale glow of moonlight. She could not have been older than twenty, yet the way her lithe body moved defied common sense.
With every step she took, her body seemed to fade and reappear several meters ahead, carried by a spell known as Ethereal Steps, a fifth-tier movement art that only an advanced mage could make use of, which meant this young woman was an advanced mage!
Her speed was so terrifying that her figure was reduced to little more than a blur as she leapt from tree to tree, the branches cracking beneath her feet as she passed.
Long strands of dark purple hair that lightened at the edges streamed behind her, whipped violently by the wind, and when the moonlight struck it just right, the tips of those strands shimmered faintly with gold, lending her an almost unreal beauty.
She wore a tight, black bodysuit that hugged her curvy, well-endowed body like a second skin, the black color absorbing light so completely that her shadow looked almost nude as it flashed across the forest floor.
Her ample breasts strained against the tight fabric with each powerful stride, her toned thighs flexing with the precision of a predator.
The only exposed part of her skin was her face, and it was striking—smooth, slightly tanned skin, sharp yet delicate features, and atop her head, a pair of feline ears pressed flat in distress.
A long, cat-like tail lashed behind her, betraying her agitation. Under different circumstances, her figure would have been a breathtaking sight. But pain twisted her expression, and blood streamed freely down her face, blurring her vision and staining her features red.
Another wound gaped at her thigh, though the dark fabric hid most of it, and her breathing came in ragged, uneven gasps as she forced herself onward. It was impressive that she kept up her speed even as her thigh had a gaping wound in it.
She leapt again, pushing off a thick branch and preparing to dash toward the next tree—when something metallic flashed across her vision.
It happened too fast.
A sharp woosh cut through the air, and by the time she realized what it was, it was already too late.
Shit! she hissed through gritted teeth.
She twisted instinctively, forcing her body aside with everything she had. She almost made it. Almost.
The silver arrow that had been aimed straight for her chest slammed into her shoulder instead, the impact ripping a scream from her throat as her movement spell collapsed.
Her momentum twisted violently out of control, and she was sent crashing downward, slamming into a tree trunk with a sickening thud before hitting the ground hard.
Pain exploded through her body. The taste of iron filled her mouth.
“Argh!” She screamed again as blood spilled from her mouth and nose, her vision swimming violently as the world spun. Leaves rustled nearby, and moments later, a man landed several meters away, straightening casually as though he hadn’t just brought down a fleeing advanced mage.
He grinned broadly, his eyes gleaming with madness. Two more figures emerged from the trees soon after, landing lightly in the clearing. All three wore black bodysuits similar to hers, though long robes hung over theirs, concealing weapons and runes alike.
“Come on now, boss, were you trying to kill her, that arrow was aimed for the heart.”
“Hey, I’ve known her for a while now, I even worked with her once, I’m well aware of what she is capable of, so I knew she would notice it at the very last second. However, even if she had died from that, I’m not past fucking her corpse either. I’ve savoured this moment for far too long to at least not get a taste of her.”
The man licked his lips disgustingly as he looked toward the dazed Zenovia.
Even through the haze of pain clouding her vision, she recognized them instantly. These were the men who had chased her all the way from Modolva city.
Zenovia forced herself upright against the tree trunk, baring her sharp teeth despite the agony tearing through her broken body. The effort made her head throb, but she refused to lower her gaze. But her defiance only earned her mocking laughter from her chasers.
“Come on now, Zenovia,” the man at the front said calmly, his voice smooth and confident. He appeared to be well into middle ages, and the way his eyes lecherously roamed over her wounded form, like he was undressing her with his eyes, made bile rise in her throat. “You know the rules. Fail a mission… and you die, there’s no need to struggle so much.”
“You bastards!” she snarled, blood dripping from her chin as rage burned hotter than pain. “I only failed because you interfered! You tipped off the target!”
The man clicked his tongue, shaking his head. “Now, now. Careful with your words.” His smile widened. “It’s not like you have any proof that we sabotaged you, is there?”
Zenovia’s hands trembled as fury surged through her. She understood it now—every step of it. These men had deliberately ruined her mission, ensured her failure, and then reported it to the guild.
And for what?
For her body!?
All men had always disgusted her to no end because they could not seem to be able keep their eyes and hands to themselves.
How often she had wished she could just cut all five of their limbs off and gouge their eyes out!
Now, because of these three men, the assassins’ guild, the very place she had grown up in, trained in, and devoted her entire life to, had placed a bounty on her head without hesitation. And now these three had come personally to collect.
“Boss,” one of the men behind him said, his voice thick with anticipation, “mind if we have a little fun after you have her and before finishing her off?”
The leader waved dismissively. “Sure. You can do whatever you want once I’m done with her.” He licked his lips in a circular motion as he looked her up and down.
The other, leaner and sneering, nodded. “She’s too pretty to waste without a taste. That face, those tits—it would be a shame to let ’em go cold without savouring.”
Zenovia snorted in contempt, but that only made her cough out more blood. Speaking as if her death were already a certainty.
It was infuriating
The truth was not lost on her, Zenovia’s eyes burned with hatred.
Utah.
Of course, it had to be him.
They had once been paired on a high-profile assassination, and from that moment on, he had pursued her relentlessly. He was stronger than her, higher-ranked, and well-connected within the guild.
When she rejected his advances—politely, he hadn’t taken it well. She had avoided him whenever possible, thinking distance would be enough to shake him off.
She had been wrong.
