I grow stronger by making my wife happy.

Chapter 83: 83:Teir 3... Rank 3.

The contractor vehicle left the asphalt, for a single heartbeat, everything became weightless. Silver could hear nothing except the roar of the engine and the wind rushing past the windows, then gravity reclaimed them.

CRASH!

The reinforced suspension slammed into the rocky slope below the collapsed bridge. Metal groaned as the vehicle bounced violently.

The rear end lifted from the ground before crashing back down, throwing both Silver and Ravenna against their seatbelts.

Dust erupted behind them like a sandstorm. Silver kept both hands locked around the steering wheel. His entire body fought the vehicle instead of trying to force it.

He let the suspension absorb the impact while correcting only enough to keep them from rolling. The contractor’s car skidded sideways over loose gravel, its tires screaming.

Finally, it burst through a patch of tall grass before stopping beside the remains of an abandoned maintenance building.

A brief silence filled the air.

Silver released a long breath.

”Thank goodness we’re alive.”

Ravenna rubbed her shoulder.

”Barely.”

Before either of them could relax, a loud impact echoed from above.

BOOM!

Another followed.

BOOM!

Silver looked upward.

”...They’re following.”

The black pursuit vehicle didn’t attempt the jump. Instead, it smashed through the safety barriers and descended along the old maintenance road that spiraled toward the riverbed.

”They know another route.”

Silver immediately unbuckled.

”We’re out... hurry”

Ravenna was already opening her door. Both stepped into the morning air. Silver opened the rear compartment.

Weapons were perfectly arranged.

His hand immediately found a rifle and slung it over his shoulder. His sword settled comfortably against his left hip, combat knife behind his waist, and extra magazines in his coat.

By the time he looked up, Ravenna had already done the same. The Fire Wolf tattoo above her chest flickered faintly beneath her shirt.

She looked toward the approaching road.

”...How long?”

Silver judged the distance.

”Less than thirty seconds.”

She nodded once.

”What now?”

Silver’s eyes swept across the terrain. The dry riverbed stretched for nearly a kilometer filled with large boulders, collapsed bridge supports, construction machinery left behind decades ago, and broken concrete pillars that offered plenty of cover.

It wasn’t perfect but better than an open road.

”They’re stronger,” Ravenna whispered worriedly

”I know,” he responded calmly.

”They’re faster.”

”I know.”

”They’re probably more experienced.”

Silver smiled slightly.

”I know.”

Ravenna frowned.

”Why are you smiling?”

”Because none of that changes anything.”

She stared flatly at him. He looked surprisingly calm; his breathing was steady and his movements precise. Not the Silver everyone in Delta-3 remembered, this Silver looked like someone preparing for a battlefield.

Ravenna slowly calmed down as she turned to watch the approaching vehicle. His calmness was what kept her from having a panic attack at the moment.

The black vehicle finally appeared, it rolled slowly toward them before stopping nearly sixty meters away.

The engine died and the doors opened. The two contractors stepped out without a hurry or concern, like hunters approaching trapped prey.

The larger man stretched lazily.

”...That was a nice jump.”

Silver didn’t answer. The speed contractor looked between Silver and Ravenna.

”I’ll admit... You surprised me.”

Silver lightly touched the rifle slung on his shoulder.

”So did you.”

The assassin smiled.

”I don’t think that’s true.”

Silver remained silent. The assassin sighed dramatically.

”You know... I was hoping you’d keep driving, it would’ve been easier.”

The strength contractor stepped forward, each footstep seemed unnaturally heavy, and small stones shifted beneath his boots. His beast enhancement clearly focused entirely on physical power.

”So,” he cracked his neck. ”You two planning to surrender?”

Silver tilted his head.

”Is that an option?”

”No.”

”I thought so.”

The big man laughed loudly.

”I like him.”

The assassin nodded.

”Shame.”

Ravenna quietly leaned closer.

”They’re buying time.”

Silver nodded almost imperceptibly.

”They’re watching us.”

”For what?”

”To see who panics first.”

She understood immediately; for professional killers, mental pressure came before violence. If their prey broke psychologically... the fight became easier.

Silver calmly rested the rifle against a broken concrete slab. He looked almost relaxed but inside, his mind moved at a frightening speed.

With the two different powered opponents, one close-range monster and one assassin, they were a classic combination. The only way they could stand even the luckiest of chances against them was to separate the two killers, or they would die.

The assassin spoke again.

”You know... I’ve been wondering.”

Silver waited but his guard grew.

”Why would someone spend this much money to kill a rookie?”

Silver’s expression didn’t change.

”So I was right.”

The assassin smiled.

”Oh? We were hired.”

The larger man looked sideways.

”...Idiot.”

The assassin shrugged.

”They’re dying anyway.”

Silver had already guessed. Still... Hearing it confirmed something important. This wasn’t random, someone inside Delta-3 had acted very quickly, almost as though they’d expected him to leave early.

His thoughts immediately drifted toward one person; his tenth Uncle then drifted further, perhaps more than one.

He pushed the thoughts aside, that was for later, survival came first then investigation afterward.

”Any more questions?” The assassin asked almost politely.

Silver shook his head.

”No.”

”No?”

”I’ve lived long enough to know professionals don’t answer honestly.”

The assassin blinked, his eyes widening slightly in amusement.

Silver continued calmly.

”If I capture you... You’ll lie. If I threaten you... You’ll lie. And if I torture you... You’ll lie until you die.”

The assassin slowly smiled.

”...You’re interesting.”

Silver simply looked back.

”So...there’s no point asking. I’ll just kill you.”

For the first time, the assassin’s smile disappeared. The strength contractor sighed.

”I was hoping this wouldn’t become personal.” He rolled his shoulders. ”Oh well.”

A deep brown tattoo suddenly illuminated across his chest, the ground beneath his feet cracked; Pure physical enhancement.

Silver immediately activated his own perception.

[Spatial Sense Lv1 Activated]

{Mental Consumption: Minimal.}

The world subtly changed; distances became clearer and movement easier to predict. His head throbbed ever so slightly but it was still manageable, for now.

Ravenna slowly exhaled. The Fire Wolf’s warmth spread through her body. She rested one hand on her sword.

Her grey eyes never left the assassin. She quietly whispered...

”The fast one.”

Silver answered just as quietly.

”The big one protects him.”

”I noticed.”

”If they separate...”

”I take the assassin.”

Silver nodded.

”I’ll keep the other occupied.”

Occupied not defeated, neither of them was arrogant enough to think otherwise.

The assassin disappeared, though not completely, just... too quickly. A blur crossed Silver’s vision and his instincts screamed.

Left.

Silver threw himself sideways. A knife sliced through the air where his neck had been a fraction of a second earlier.

CLANG!

Steel scraped against concrete as the knife lightly cut through it.

Silver rolled and drew his pistol.

[Phantom Draw Lv3 Activated]

Three shots erupted almost simultaneously.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

The assassin twisted unnaturally. One bullet grazed his shoulder while the other two struck empty air. He landed several meters away, his eyes narrowed.

”...Impossible.”

Nobody that inexperienced should have reacted that fast. Silver didn’t give him time to think, he drew his sword in one smooth motion.

[Beginner Swordsmanship]

{Synchronization Complete.}

The strength contractor suddenly appeared between them as his enormous blade crashed downward. Silver barely raised his own weapon in time.

BOOM!

The impact sent a violent shock through both arms. His feet slid nearly five meters backward. The ground beneath his boots shattered and his wrists screamed in pain.

’...Strong.’

He was far stronger than the ape or any Tier Three beast. A Rank three contractor could not be compared with a Tier three beast since they could easily kill a Tier three beast without breaking a sweat.

The large man grinned.

”You blocked it?”

His excitement was genuine now. Silver’s hands trembled slightly from the sheer force of the impact.

Behind him, he heard Ravenna draw her sword. Steel rang against steel. The assassin had reached her.

The battle... had truly begun.