Underground of the mansion a group of people was sitting on school benches, with a piece of paper lying before them. They were dressed and looked different from each other, but they had one thing in common. They were all assassins or spies. Some struck from the shadows, some gathered information, but they all worked behind the curtains, and it made them feel uncomfortable to meet here, in such a big number. “Good morning.” Before the blackboard, a figure appeared from thin air. It was a tall and slim figure wearing a black suit with gloves. His upper face was hidden by bandages that wrapped around his head, which were held together by a top hat, only showing his wide smile. A leather belt running through his chest held a magnificent staff on its back. Two twisting branches of gold and black metals ended in two crosses which held a sphere that faintly shined in rainbow colors. Yet what caught the attention of the people wasn’t the staff but the way he appeared. No mana fluctuation or presence, as if he appeared from thin air. The words of master assassin floated in their heads, a title was given to those who have developed amazing skills and got rid of powerful individuals. “Thank you for coming to this class. I am Darwin Tim Right, your new boss, and instructor. Today I shall tell you how to identify your target the easiest way possible.” The smiling man turned around and started to write on the blackboard with white chalk. HOW TO IDENTIFY YOUR ISEKAI PROTAGONIST AND HOW TO KILL IT 101. “Before we start, can somebody tell me what a hero is?” At the back one of the assassins raised their hands. “Yes!” “Heroes are beings possessing overwhelming powers and or possess knowledge, not from this world!” “Correct! You get a point.” Darwin walked to the middle of the class; his hands folded behind his back. “Because of these qualities heroes are a dangerous existence, their presence alone may shift the outcome of a war, but this power is also their biggest sign at an early age, making it easy to locate them. Today I will tell you about the different types of young heroes and their usual pattern of comportment.” Darwin walked back to the board and started to write. “Let’s call our first group, the Loud Ones.” He wrote the word down and turned around. “This group consists of heroes who receive their other world knowledge and powers at an early age. They are quite easy to find since they lack any sort of self-control. These types of pf children are documented several times in the history books, your prodigies who are able to beat trained knights without any training or possess knowledge far above their age. To be sure that our target is a hero, several signs need to be observed. The first one is: Does he have a harem?” As he wrote the question down, he noticed that one of the assassins raised their hands. “Yes?” “What is a harem?” “Good question. A harem is but is not limited to a group of people usually of the opposite sex who are attracted to a single individual. This individual is typically an exceptional individual. This group may have sexual activities with each other. A loud one usually incorporates as many members into their group as possible, without regard for their social status. Now let us talk about the other type of hero, which I personally call, The Quiet ones. These people are ones who do not possess any ambition and wish to live in peace, but when the time calls they are ready to fight. You need to be careful with these people since anything can set them off, but if there is no motivation then they are the least dangerous ones. Finally, the last group, which in my opinion is the most annoying, is the Late Bloomers.” This made some assassin chuckle. “I know, I know, but believe me this name quite fits their profile. These people are the ones who do not develop their special abilities till later in their lives. This makes it hard to identify them at first, but when they start to remember it becomes such a piece of cake to locate them, even a five-year-old can do it. Their personality changes, from trash to a proper man appearing, and they make them and their surrounding life better. “ As he was speaking the assassin sitting before him raised its hand right into its face. “Yes?” “Teacher, why do we need to know this? It does not change our procedures the slightest.” “…sigh, it does. Let me give you a scene. What if I give you a target, the third son of a noble family who is an eyesore? How would you proceed?” “… I would first search around the estate for families myself with its infrastructure. Then when I have located the bedroom of the target I would sneak in and when night falls kill him. “What if the target senses you?” “…I would escape. Then I would try to poison his food next.” “What if the target has poison resistance. What if he has a group of followers who are faster and stronger than you?” “…I would kill myself.” There was a deafening silence in the room which was interrupted by Darwin clapping his hands together. “This is what this class is all about. It teaches you to think. Someone else, what would you do?” In the back, one of them spoke up. “Gather information?” “Yes! Good! Now, where would you go to get it?” Another one answered. “…Get employed by the noble household and observe the noble?” “Good, but it's time-consuming. Another one?” “…A bar?” “That’s it! A bar! Pub! A tea house! Search for the hubs of gossip and gather info from as many sources as possible!” Once he was sure everyone was listening, he slammed his hand on the board and smiled. “Alright. Now let us talk about how to pacify or cripple our target before we capture them.” **** The class was going better than I thought. These people seemingly paid attention to me and took notes. What I knew, as they didn’t work for us, instead, they were members of the assassin union, an underground organization that, you guessed it, dabbled in killing, stealing, and gathering information. I have no idea how History assigned them to me, but here they were, and I will use them in the best ways I could. In the middle of the class, I received a report from Igor that almost made me punch the board. ‘We found the Book. It’s protected by the king. Awaiting orders.’ The failure was still alive?! How! The amount of spores showed into its body, should have killed, and turned it into a monster. ‘Send every force you have at it. I want the book and the king’s head!’ “That’s it for today. I hope you found this lecture helpful. If you are interested, please come back next week where I will explain the way to safely approach a hero and become a member of their party. Lady… Mayra, can I have a word with you? ” One by one the people left except the one I asked for. It was a young woman, in her mid-twenties, with an attractive face and a revealing white dress which was quite strange for three other darkly dressed people here. “Yes? How can I help you?” Unlike her figure, her eyes and words were cold and professional. This girl went through some rough times, and she is living in a rough environment, so it was natural for her to act like that. “Miss Mayra, I called you out here, because I have a proposal for you. It's not an order or anything obligatory so there is no need to worry.” From my suite, I took out a piece of paper that contained her information. “Born on the streets of the capital, without any parents, the only family member is a non-blood-related sister. At age thirteen, both of you joined the assassin organization. After a decade of hard work your sister is wounded gravelly on the back, making her unable to move.” As I was talking, her eyes became colder, chilly even. “What is your point?” “My point is simple. I can make your sister walk.” I took off my left glove and showed her my hand. Concentrating, I made the skin on my palm open showing the gears turning behind amongst my black flesh. “This hand, my legs, even my eyes, they are all mechanical. Controlled by mana currents while skin and flesh grow around it. I can do the same thing for your sister or even you. Make her strong, better than anyone.” The girl looked at my hand for a while, fear, and disgust written on her face. “Or you can just leave her as she is. Crippled and useless, waiting for the assassin’s guild to kill her.” This made her react, staring right into my nonexistent eyes, with rage burning in them. “What do you want in exchange?” The permanent smile on my face got slightly wielder as I put my gloves back on. “ I want your loyalty with your body under my knife.” ***** ??? POV: In a dark room, a robed figure sitting in a wheelchair, painting a pentagram encased in a circle with a mope that was dipped in red paint that had a metallic scent. The robed figure took a deep breath and started the chant, Making the circle shine in red light, scorching the stone ground around it. “I invoke and move thee, o spirit! Being exalted above ye in the power of the highest, I say unto thee, OBEY! Visit me in peace, appear unto my eyes! Be friendly, OBEY! For I stir them up in the name of the Lord! Here my call, feel my soul, so my wish thee OBEY! BY THE WORD OF YOUR MASTER, DEMON APPEAR!” Flames rose from the circle, releasing heat so intense that it could easily melt titanium, but it somehow didn’t harm the figure or its environment. “WHO DARES CALL UPON ME?!” A booming voice shook the room, as something rose from the flames. Something that shouldn’t exist. * * * [ Name: Darwin Tim Right 'Plague Father' Race: [ True Kayeri (Mechanically Augmented)] LV: 1/10 000 (1/10 000) Main Class: [Dark Apostle of Putrefaction] Sub Class: [Life Father] MP: 6000/6000 Blessings: [Blessing of Nergal] [Blessing of Airmed] Active Skills: [Basic Steady Hand] [[Hive control] [Hive Absorption] [Hive Repulsion] [Mold Field] [Basic Spirit Voice] [Aether Vision] [Steam Engineering] [Dagger Arts][Presence Concealment] [Lock Picking] [Mold Manipulation] [Fly manipulation] [Plant Manipulation] [ Decomposing touch] [Plague Berserker] [Inorganic conversion] [Plague Mist] Passive Skills: [Body Knowledge] [ Plant Knowledge] [Medicine Knowledge] [Stamina Enhancement] [ Movement Enhancement] [ Reflex Enhancement.] [Basic Sponge Mind] [Perfect Stomach] [Hive Mind] [Music Instrument Knowledge[Healing Hands][Medical Senses] [Medical Mind] [Surgical Precision] [Mechanical Skeleton] [Toxic Air] [ High Regeneration] [Organic Clockwork] Demon’s Presence] Affinities: [Basic Farming Affinity] [Basic War Affinity] [Basic Pestilence Affinity][ Basic Fire Affinity.] [Basic Life Affinity] [Basic Death Affinity] Titles: [The One Who Saw a Thousand Worlds] [Knowledge Driven] [Chosen by Flies] [Medicine Pioneer] [Hive Master] [Giver of Life] [The 13th Dark Apostle] ]