Left shoulder.

CLANG

Right abdomen.

CLANG

From behind!

"Fuck!"

SWISH

Dodging the oncoming shadow, I continued to look at my opponent to only see the tip of a sword right before my eyes.

But seeing the flaws in that movement the moment I look at the sword’s tip, I instinctively knew what I had to do. Or to be precise, I saw everything about it the moment I saw the sword itself.

CLANG

"WHAT! But I almost had you! How did you dodge that?"

Standing in a stance with Fangs in a sword form, I looked at Alyssa for just a moment before letting out my thoughts.

"Weak grip for someone who is best fitted for a longsword. You use your sword like a rapier, hold it like a short sword and put so much strength into it like it was a broadsword."

"What are you trying to say?"

"You are trying to copy my sword movements and put them all together as I could do. The only problem is that I, most of the time, know what I'm doing. On the other hand, you have only learned the longsword style after the basics because I knew that would be the best weapon for you yet here you are trying to mix stuff that only someone that mastered every one of these weapons could do. Or someone with an ability like I have."

I’m sorry to say this Alyssa but you are not that gifted in that part. The only reason that I’m able to do this is that my ability helped me to execute a move almost perfectly.

SWISH

Oh shit! I forgot about the…

“Shadows!”

Thinking almost at the same time, Alyssa and I jumped away as the blades out of shadows were coming right at us from the ground. Alyssa simply moved back by jumping backwards while I jumped higher up, spinning around the centre of my body.

CLANG

How can shadows have metallic properties? Why does the clash of my little blades with the shadow sound like metals clashing?

And why the fuck am I the only target here!

But that doesn’t matter now! Because with a kick towards a certain place and…

CLANG

Deflecting one of the 27 little blades that were levitating around my upper body, Alyssa looked at me with a victorious look while the blade flew right down to the ground. So you can guess how it ended when I send two more blades.

CLA-CLANG

“Hah! I hope you don’t think I don’t know what you are doing!”

ZIIP

“Do you really?”

“How?!”

I was right behind her as the side of my palm was right at her neck with the little blades moving around my arm as they were guided by my own Will.

Fangs was just that cool!

Hahahahaha! I couldn’t stop grinning at the final style of my weapon. It was a bit hard for me to create a fighting style that suited Fangs the best. It was like I had multiple options yet none of them felt to be the right one.

So what I did was combine them all. I don't have any kind of technique nor do I think I will create one. Even with my ability, techniques are not something that can be created like that, especially weapon techniques.

There may be a lot but that is only because there were a lot of talented awakened that had one specific style that would later turn into a technique for others to use.

But I don't have a specific path beside my multiple weapon use. This means that I most likely won't create a technique unless I want to stop using any other weapon than one specific one which would make my ability worthless. So I'll go with what I was thinking about before.

Unpredictability.

I have no style.

I have no certain movements.

Nor do I think a lot before moving my weapon.

All I think about is to do that next swing.

That next shot.

That next stab.

And the next victory.

So it wasn't that much of a surprise to see one of the nine parts of the blade that I first kicked dug through the ground and get out of the ground right behind her.

"You should stay more focused on your surroundings unless you want this to happen again. You won't know what abilities your opponent has so staying vigilant is always better."

"Says who? That old geezer must have tortured you for understanding this so early."

"Yeah…"

"Yeah…"

Alyssa and I just looked at the ground as we both thought about our time training. Or to be more specific, the time before our awakening.

But how dare this idiot next to me think she has suffered just as much! I was put through much worse training during my [Mortalis] times. Maybe because my body was in a catastrophic state to even lift heavyweight, not to mention awakening, but still!

I can't accept her torture to be as much as mine! I won't!

"Yes, yes. Laith, your torture was much worse… there there …"

The fuck are you doing now, harl- wait a second.

Did she read my mind that easily? I thought I had a good poker face now but my inner thoughts must have been too obvious with the expression I had a minute ago.

But that wasn't a reason for her to caress me like a little child! I'm grown, damnit!

"Stop it, my dear. Just look at him. He is so embarrassed now that he would start hating you."

"No, he wouldn't! And even if, he won't have a choice after I showed my womanly cha-BONK-ARGH! HEY!"

Coming from the two of us, Big Sis Ange and I hit her right on the back of her head. I don't know why she hit her as well seeing that slight red on her face, I could tell that this hit had satisfied her need to hit this idiot.

If it were only words, a light hit would have been enough but this girl had to move her hands all over her body, showing off her awakened body that could almost rival those paintings of Greek goddesses.

And that is about how far I'll describe it. Even if the legends and myths aren't truly the same as they are known by normal humans, they are about right when it comes to their actions and personality.

And when it comes to beauty and Greek mythology, there is one thing someone can never say.

Just never.

But besides that, something has piqued my interest for a while now.

"Big Sis Ange, what grade are those glasses exactly?"

"Can't believe you knew they were artefacts before asking why I had glasses on first. But they are [Epic] grade if you are wondering."

Epic grade glasses. Red glasses which were held by a black frame that had been inscribed by a quite particular rune language.

Norwegian runes and the glass is most likely out of garnet or ruby crystals that have been processed to have little pathways inside which help to see better and… a feature I can’t decipher from the artefact.”

“Did you just analyse my glasses? Rude!”

“Oh, no! It’s my ability. I can sort of hear information about artefacts while those that I make and recognise as my true weapons share my Will reserve with me. I once tested it with the scythe of Gramps and my head was almost exploding from the information but this one is much simpler than the scythe so I can sort of handle the information.”

“Haaah~... you are right on everything but this isn’t the reason why I got these glasses today. They are sort of my weapon now which I have been waiting for for a month now. That special feature that you mentioned is an intimidation function that I would like to use with my ability together.”

Ah! That’s the feature that I heard but didn’t understand from the glasses. Interesting.

Is she going to become something like a nightcrawler when using it as intimidation? Quite possible if I look at it up front.

Nothing but the glasses would shine pure red as she would look at you with a state too complicated to understand.

A very intimidating image just popped up in my mind but I don't know if I could see Big Sis Ange like that. It’s like looking at your friend wearing a vampire outfit.

Though thank god she doesn’t wear anything but her special uniform as a director most of the time. Otherwise, I would have to cringe at her for wearing something that cliche when she got the power to control shadows.

But that was beside the point! Because there was something I was very eager to ask.

“So? When can I go do my mission?”

I looked straight at Big Sis Ange with stars in my eyes. I mean who wouldn’t be excited for their first ‘Mission’ as a secret agent of the Association Director herself? What surprised me though was the fact that I wasn’t rushed to do my mission, which isn’t normal in an organisation that is bragging with their all up to date information network and disciplined members.

“Oh, that. You see. After Aunty said that sending you on normal missions this early would be a mistake, I gave that mission to a member of mine instead and decided to give you a much easier but more vital job. What I want from you is to investigate a certain building that has been storing some payload presumably from one of the families that makes sending an Association member lead to political problems. So I have to get some outsider to do this for me. All you have to do is to tell me exactly what the things that they are storing are and if the awakened ones are from one of the families or not. The former is more important, so you should return to me only after finding out what they have there and preferably take an example if you can.”

First of all, slow down there! I have to process my situation first.

So now. Thanks to Lady Eguchi, I missed my opportunity to go on my original mission which was to track down a group of wanted men that have been awakened recently. This mission was more like a test apparently but it seems that my newly made skill to warp to any of my weapons was more than enough for Big Sis Ange to acknowledge me.

I’m kind of pissed at the fact that I was put on the bench because of Lady Eguchi but it was all fine as long as I can get my mission. Not only will I get experience from this but I will gather points as well.

And for what I want to use them, every point counts.

Now comes the second thing! My mission! Heheheeee~ getting to investigate something is not bad as well. I am not sure about my surveying skills but I should be able to get away fast enough. I should be fine so long there isn’t any [Illustratus] realm awakened.

I should be fine…

“Don’t get so nervous now. I’ll send you more detail right now while you should prepare for now.”

“For now? Am I going already?”

“As much as I’m against the idea of sending the boy to his first mission, this is something you should do as fast as possible, my dear.”

“And why doesn’t someone stronger go? Lad-, I mean Granny is working for the Association but she is the third strongest human so no one should be able to figure out anything if she is going to do the mission. Not that I’m complaining or anything. Just that it doesn’t really make sense for me to go on a mission that is so important.”

Ugh… I had to get used to Granny now. Not as natural as Gramps but I should get used to it as time passes.

But what’s more important is my question. Unless it was him who told them to send me, I would not understand why the two of them would think of sending me on this mission under such time pressure. Someone like Granny should be enough to do this with no traces left behind, right? She is in the same realm as Gramps so she should be as god-like as him, right?

“Unfortunately, because of what had happened with that outbreak of awakened, the Association is under a lot of doubt by most countries which makes our job a lot harder. This means that there are a lot of eyes directed at us and not only from the normal people but awakened as well. That is why I ‘gave’ Aunty a role to play as she will go around the earth for a couple of days to heal most people and repair the damage completely that has been done.”

“So you are going as well…”

Alyssa looked at Granny with such puppy eyes that even I was slightly affected by them. Can’t believe that this girl is the same that was just caressing herself so sensually. Either she is truly weird or just a great actor.

“Don’t look so sad, little girl. Not like I won’t return. And besides…”

Caressing Alyssa’s head before looking at me, I felt perplexed in my mind for only a moment.

Because I know that look. The look of someone who just wants to apologise. What… what is it this time?

Because the last time I saw those eyes was when that fucking old bastard who had these eyes before he ran away. And seeing now on the face of someone who had such a different personality than he made me quite uncomfortable for an instant.

Just a moment. Because right after noticing my inner thoughts, I could see those eyes escaping that oh-so innocent face. Or at least it seemed that way.

“I’ll have to go as well now that the weekend is over. There are only three weeks left for the Break to happen so work is piling up more and more. I trust you to complete the mission, Laith. And I’ll see you with great news. Laters!”

And just here and there, she got swallowed by the shadows beneath her feet, leaving nothing but the slight scent of her perfume in the air.

SNAP

And we were back home with nothing out of order. No turmoil. No shaking room.

And definitely nothing but silence. This wasn’t bad though as this silence was the result of Granny hugging Alyssa tightly, drowning Alyssa’s anxieties with her care.

“I’ll be back in a couple of days. You should go sleep while Laith will be out for his mission. I’m sure he would be back in not less than a couple hours, right?”

“Yeah. Don’t worry about me, Alyssa.”

Caressing that low head of hers, I tried to reassure her. I could have told her that I am going to tell her I’m fine each hour or that I’d leave a weapon here but that could fire back with her always waiting for something from me.

So the best thing sometimes is just a nod followed by actions.

“We should get going. Good night, my dear.”

“Good night, Alyssa.”

Looking at the two of us with those puppy eyes, she soon let out a sigh before closing those eyes. I’m not entirely sure how Alyssa is feeling right now but one thing for sure is that her anxiety comes from the fact that Gramps has already left.

What if we are leaving as well? What if we can’t return? What if we don’t return?

What if we don’t want to return?

Fears that lie deep with her determination…

The only way to fight that would be to steady your heart, I guess. I’m not the greatest person to talk to when it comes to mental stuff but that is what I believe to be a good way to start.

I hope.

“Good night, you two.”

And just like that, I turned around to leave my apartment from the front door as I could hear one distinctive sound.

SNAP

CLICK

And I was outside the closed door, having the last bit of sunrays that were coming from the windows of the hallway hit my face as I walked down to the elevator. All my equipment is with me.

Either in my ring.

Or in my soul.

So it was time to do my first mission.

The night approached as fast as it could. And that means that it is the best time to sneak around with Stalker.

Checking on my phone every detail while I changed my clothes inside the elevator with my ring, I soon left the building to start my mission.

This will be my second real experience and my first experience as an agent of the Association director.

Let’s hope everything will go well…

Hmm~...

About 37 [Mortalis] realm people…

No… 35 [Mortalis] realm men and 2 [Discipulus] realm awakened.

Standing on the rooftop of a high building that wasn’t far from the building I had to enter, I tried to analyse my situation. Looking at the building and the people I sense inside, I tried to plan ahead for what could possibly happen. And with two awakened on the board, plans had to change.

Because this means that any stealthy approach can fail as I don’t know which level those two are at. I may know that they are [Discipulus] realm awakened but that’s it.

Unless I spread more of my Will, figuring this out as a [Discipulus] realm awakened will be impossible. I simply hope that I won’t have to fight now and just get the items.

But before any of that, I have to find a way which doesn’t really seem that simple. The building was a normal building that seemed to be in the middle of construction.

Cliche but I accept it. It was somewhat a smart decision when knowing that seeing so many construction sites in this city nowadays is more normal than seeing garbage on the streets.

But every kind of opening is being blocked by a guard in a corner. The building wasn’t next to the main road so having guards with guns wandering around wouldn’t be as noticeable as during the daylight.

And since they had all just handguns, they wouldn’t be seen as suspicious as if they had automatic rifles either.

But 14 entrances and all of them are blocked. I may have to really think about entering with a ba-... No…

There may be one way and that would be the unfinished ventilation system. An ambiguous way to enter the building but it is worth the shot as long as I can enter without any [Mortalis] realm person realising.

Okay… there seems to be no one so~...

SWISH

I threw one of the 27 big blades of Fangs towards the very top of the building where the ventilation system was supposed to start, I presume.

Hit! And even without any sound! So now that one of Fangs’s blades is there, I can warp myself there as well. To be honest, now I’m thankful that I got to learn how to warp with my weapons. So convenient.

Alright, last check. potions…weapons… and as backup, let’s leave one blade here as well.

Just in case.

Alright… here I go…

ZIIP

Alright! I hope no one heard me but the slight lightning wasn’t as visual as the first time I warped myself so it should be alright.

I waited for a bit, so if someone might have heard me, I could react accordingly but it seems I’m clean for now. So it was time!

It’s stealth time!

Entering the vents wasn’t as hard at first but moving straight down was a kind of challenge I had to overcome by using Stalker’s claws on the gauntlet. I just hope that the slightly thicken Will around my gauntlets won’t be noticed.

But the more I got through the vents, the better I had an understanding of the building. Some parts of the building were far more worked on than other parts.

As if they had a certain priority for this building. Maybe this building was supposed to stay in construction so they had a hideout for a while.

But that the construction site would stay for a couple of years wouldn’t really be a surprise here… hehe…

I never understood why they take so much time for simple things. Like-

“You three! Come with me! We need more men in the storage for the shipment.”

My thoughts of a complicated problem were interrupted by a male voice calling out to three guards that were sitting on covered-up materials next to the one guard actually guarding one of the 14 openings.

“What? Why the rush man? Not like we have been found o-”

“Apparently, we have been found out. And besides, the young master wants the first shipment. So get your fucking asses up before I have to use force!”

“Alright! Alright… sheesh…”

Young master? So this is from an awakened family? Or it may just be a very rich family doing a drug deal but if the Association is involved then it must be one of the awakened families.

The Meisslers? Bergers?

Oh, who am I kidding? There are only three families in Berlin and those two are more like Vassals to the Petros. If this has to do with one of the families and neither the Meisslers nor the Bergers would try something funny unless forced to by the Peltros.

Poor people. Trying to show that they are powerful and unrestrained to the general public only to be commanded by someone else.

But there was something that piqued my interest. The rush and a shipment. Wherever that shipment is, I should follow them quick. The only problem is that I can’t really leave the vents without being noticed, even if I have been covered in black clothes thanks to Stalker.

That is why I continued to go with the vents as I followed the footsteps of the four people now going down to the storage. I sometimes lost their footsteps but there was that one chatty person that made my search ever so easy.

“So what do you think is all that stuff?”

“We do not need to know that. Just focus on what you are being told and don’t ask unnecessary stuff.”

“But I thought we were deep enough in this shit to know.”

“And I thought that my men were trained personnel who were just acting like gangsters instead of actual second rate gangsters.”

“Alright… I’ll be quiet.”

Shit. just when I had a lead to their current position!

Nah, I’m just messing.

We were already near the basement which seems to be where the goods are. But it became easier for me because the vents seemed to become slightly larger as well.

A much easier time for me to move around. If only they cleaned it in here as well, I might actually enjoy this trip through the vents.

But the more we went down, the more I could feel the two awakened coming closer.

So it was time to finally drop the Will from my gauntlets. Any risk is unacceptable since the moment they notice me is the moment that they may run away with the stuff.

Or worse, destroy it and run away in the mayhap. If that happens, I would be left with no clues and a failed mission.

So it was time to go slide down the vent with my bare hands as they held on to the metal far better than the metal gauntlets.

And the deeper I went, the louder the conversation became. Which also meant that I caught up.

“Let me just tell you one last time. We have two men from the family here in the name of the Young Master.”

“But isn’t this place supposed to be Niklas’s? You know, the bas-”

“One more word and I have your tongues cut off altogether.”

A cold and cunning voice echoed throughout the whole basement the deeper we went. This must be from one of the two awakened ones. I can’t tell much about him actually besides that the voice was more masculine sounding than feminine and that by how he spoke those words, he is rather overprotective to this Niklas.

But I can see the light at the end of these vents. And oh, how grateful I am for that! My hands started to get sweaty without the usage of Will so it was only a minute before I would accidentally make a sound.

And the moment I arrived just before the end of the vents, I held myself back from looking. Although they seem busy with their conversation, peeking wouldn’t be a good option for me now less I want them to feel my gaze.

“Fucking peasants! Can’t even show some respect.”

“And why are you getting agitated, Frank. You serve young master Walter, not young master Niklas.”

“It is still the same. Young master Niklas was always there for the young master even when I couldn’t and for that, I’m grateful.”

Frank? Shit… wasn’t he like a level 5 [Discipulus] realm awakened?

But at least two things are for sure. The first thing for sure is that the other guy is most likely on the same level as Frank since he actually talked back.

And the second thing I’m sure of now is that the young master they referred to is Walter Peltro, the fucker that messed with my school.

But this was kind of a blessing.

Because not only Walter, but Frank also owed me a big apology.

And with each moment, his debts would only grow more and more…

“You four! Get these five boxes out to the last truck before it turns half-past.”

“Alright, sir!”

Five boxes with four men. This means that if the boxes are too large, they will have to leave one to get back later. I hope my luck is enough for now.

“Let’s… go… urgh… boys.”

Yep. Luck.

Something is off. That is not how this would go, right?

“Haaah~... finally some peace and quiet from these maggots!”

“You seem a lot more stressed than usual, Finn.”

“What can I say? These plans the young master is currently preparing for are becoming more and more out of hand. I mean, even kidnapping that student?”

“You have it all wrong. They are planning for a much better future. I am sure that you are aware of this as well, right?”

“Yes, of course, but-”

“There is no but. Let them have their extra games while watching the bigger picture crumble down, Finn.”

“How fortune for young master Walter to have such a faithful servant by his side.”

“Aren’t you just as faithful?”

“Heh… obviously.”

A kidnapped student, extra plans and having the bigger picture crumble down. That’s enough for a whole squad to take these two young masters with them.

But without concrete evidence, I can’t really do much about it besides warning Big Sis Ange since I am no real member of the Association and that no one besides 6 people know about my involvement with Big Sis Ange.

But this was where I had to learn more. I had to be as silent as I ever was.

Come on, Laith! Remember your time training the [Phasing Flash Step]!

Okay… I think I am quiet now.

“But it’s odd…”

“What do you mean?”

“That those hypocrites didn’t show up at all until now. I mean, they are bragging with their oh-so-amazing information network and they didn’t even come here to check on the building…”

“What do you want to say now? I can’t really follow.”

“What I’m trying to say is that one of us should go up and see what these idiots are actually doing. Not that they may be ambushed by those bastards as they take our stuff and leave.”

“Then why are you not going if you are so scared of losing the goods.”

“I’m busy.”

“With what? Drinking tea?”

“I have other tasks to do as well so would you be so kind and just-”

“Don’t smile at me like that! I’m already going! Man, that smile is always so off-putting.”

The hell? Only one left? Shit, that means-

CLANG

And what seems to be a metal door just closed as I could hear the footsteps of someone going out of the storage and along the stairway.

But having only this Finn here doesn’t make me feel well. In fact, it actually makes me want to leave.

“Where the rush, my guest.”

Of.

Fucking.

Course.

He had to notice me.

“It is quite unfortunate that I only realised now that we have a guest so please let me be a good host and offer you some tea?”

Alright, enough holding back!

And as I thought of it, I started to let my Will flow normally without any way of holding back. And as I did that, I felt the power of Finn.

[Discipulus] level 5 as well. Of course, I was right…

It almost feels like a cheap cliche…

But instead of just leaving the vents, I rushed out of it while screwing off the screws of the exit with my Will.

THUD

Lightly landing on the ground, I let it have some sound which was definitely not how I’m used to doing this.

Always landing as silently as possible made me almost get obsessed with the way that I landed now so this was a bit painful to my heart but a great sacrifice for the best outcome.

“No uniform and hiding behind a black mask. You must be the so-called ‘Black Knight’ that fought against our young master Walter and even cut off his right hand.”

[And you must be Niklas Peltro’s manservant. The one that serves the bastard.]

“How dare you!”

Wow! Although doing sarcasm with a robotic voice was hard, only mentioning the word ‘bastard’ and I got him more enraged than when trying to do 50 sarcastic lines.

I must say, that is not a well-trained mind, mister! You should have thought about it more.

“Hah… anyway, it is actually a good thing that you are here.”

[Oho… and why is that?]

“You see, the young master was so desperate to help his little half-brother with his revenge that he actually started to move carelessly.”

Finn slowly held his right hand out, the ring on his middle finger glowing slightly before a whip with two ends appeared out of the ring.

“And I can’t let him fall like that! Not like this!”

So it came to a fight again…

Not a stealth mission…

Haaaah…

[So you want to defeat me.]

“I want to kill you! I can’t let you live any second now.”

VUUUUUM

The pressure of a level 5 [Discipulus]! It made my joints slightly weak but besides that it was manageable. Nothing like before when I was only a level 2 [Discipulus].

But as I looked into the eyes of my enemy that were filled with pure killing intent, I pulled out Skia, the two daggers, out of my soul.

The storage was spacious with almost nothing left besides that one box.

[That I can not allow!]

“Then bring it on!”