The newcomer wore a form-fitting black assassin's garb, standing at an unremarkable height with slender limbs, yet their muscles were perfectly proportioned. Their face bore a seventy to eighty percent resemblance to Moke, with short hair as vividly red as fresh blood.
Upon hearing Moke’s words, the figure frowned. "Moke, you should know I’d prefer you to call me 'Mother.'"
"Ha, my apologies. I really can’t bring myself to say it, Ms. Mo Yi." Moke stared intently at his blood relative. "A creature like you, neither man nor woman… is truly disgusting."
"Do you intend to renounce your bloodline?" Mo Yi licked the blood from the dagger—Moke’s blood—making him shudder. "You are my finest progeny, inheriting my legacy. You possess lightning-fast reflexes, unparalleled agility, and a genius for assassination..."
"And a voice that can mimic the mating calls of magical beasts," Moke sneered, adding mockingly.
Mo Yi seemed puzzled but didn’t press further.
"Come back, Moke… You should return to inherit my glory. I sense it—with your talent, you could surpass me." Mo Yi extended a hand. "You could become the King of Assassins."
"Use your brain for once. Why do you think I fled the Assassins' Guild?" Moke bared his teeth. "Because I can’t stand your philosophy of killing for money, you bastard!"
Moke drew the dagger at his waist and charged at Mo Yi with a furious roar.
Clang—
The two blades moved so fast they became near-invisible blurs, sparks flying with each clash.
"Moke… You dare raise your hand against me? Hah. I am your mother. Every technique you know, I taught you."
Moke gritted his teeth. His moves were being read effortlessly.
"And… you’ve grown weaker. Have you neglected your assassin’s training for some useless hobby?" Mo Yi taunted. "I heard you carry a lute now… How far you’ve fallen, wasting your life on such trivialities!"
Suddenly, Mo Yi’s figure blurred, vanishing from Moke’s sight.
"Damn—"
Moke’s pupils shrank. In the next instant, Mo Yi reappeared from his blind spot, delivering a brutal kick to his chest that sent him flying.
Boom—
Moke staggered to his feet, ribs cracked, his condition dire.
"Come quietly, Moke. You have no choice." Mo Yi’s voice was icy. "With your talent, a few more years of training, and you’ll reach my level."
"Heh." Moke spat blood.
"You seem fond of that rabbit," Mo Yi remarked abruptly.
Moke’s expression twisted into fury, and he lunged again, dagger aimed for the kill.
"A beastfolk scout, and quite talented… If you return with me, I’ll capture her for you. You could breed." Mo Yi deflected Moke’s strikes with ease. "Your offspring would have potential."
"Dream on!" Moke’s dagger thrust toward Mo Yi’s heart, but his wrist was caught mid-motion. A sharp elbow strike to his face followed.
Dizziness washed over Moke as he collapsed to the ground, nose throbbing.
"You’re no match for me… and the weak have no right to choose." Mo Yi stepped forward, clearly intent on taking him by force.
"Whoosh—"
An arrow streaked from behind. Mo Yi twisted, deflecting it with her dagger.
"Impressive archer," she muttered, flexing her stinging hand.
"Hey! Who are you? What did you do to Moke?!"
Liyana fired several more arrows in rapid succession, but Mo Yi dodged them all with fluid movements.
"Hmph. Your companions?" Mo Yi’s voice dripped with menace. "If you don’t want them dead… you know what to do."
With that, she melted into the shadows of a nearby alley.
"Moke! Moke! Hang on—I’ll get you to Musen!"
Liyana didn’t hesitate, hoisting Moke’s bloodied form onto her back.
"Liyana…"
Relieved to find him conscious despite his injuries, she even managed a tease: "Lucky you’re so short—what, five-foot-three?—or I’d never manage this."
"Bastard…"
"That how you thank your savior? Want me to drop you?"
"…Thanks."
"Ha. Much better."
Liyana carried Moke to the church, where Musen immediately began healing him. Soon, Xia Lun and Aina arrived as well.
"Moke… who was that?" Liyana demanded once his color improved.
Moke pressed his lips together.
"Liyana, this is Moke’s business. You don’t have to share if you’re not ready," Xia Lun interjected gently.
Nearly two years had passed since Moke joined their adventuring party.
As a rogue, his skills were extraordinary for his age—unnaturally so. Yet he’d never spoken of his past, and Xia Lun had never pressed.
"Her name is Mo Yi… my mother," Moke finally said. "And my father."
"…What?" The group stared in stunned silence.
Liyana blinked. "Moke, what does that even mean?"
"Mo Yi was born intersex. With a witch’s help, they gained the reproductive capacity of both sexes." Moke’s smile was bitter. "I’m the product of their self-replication."
"That’s… unbelievable," Liyana murmured.
Moke continued, "They’re also the leader of the Assassins' Guild. I was raised under their training from childhood."
"Wait—so you’re actually crazy strong? You’ve been holding back this whole time?" Liyana yelped. "You slacker! All those battles where you barely lifted a finger!"
Moke: "Uh, no. I just know how to kill people. Monsters are a different story…"
Somehow, Liyana had derailed the conversation.
But the rest was obvious: Moke had fled the guild, turned to thievery to survive, and joined their party as an adventurer. Now, the past had caught up.
"Captain Xia Lun." Moke rose slowly.
"I’m leaving the party."