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Learning to kill
🕑 Added 2022-09-06 10:51:05 +0000 UTCSmiling to himself, Seth disappeared from the tree and appeared behind a group of three shadowy figures. Before the shadow corps could react, their bodies got covered in tendrils of destruction energy.
They were but simple humans, only receiving special training to become assassins. Even a second shell ascended would fear them and their assassination techniques, but before the all-seeing eye of the system, they were just kids playing dress-up.
With the element of surprise not being in their favor, they were captured in an instant. Teleporting in front of them, Seth unmasked them one by one and smiled. “I wonder, what do the shadow corps of the kingdom want with a lowly teacher like myself?”
One assassin, the one in the middle, wanted to speak, but the tendril of destruction touching his jaw didn’t even allow him to open his mouth.
Noticing they started making eye signals with one another, Seth opened his palm, which contained a few pills, and said: “Oh, don’t die so quickly. You still haven’t responded to my question.”
The assassins realized their suicide pills were gone and were about to force their way through the destruction tendrils to kill themselves before Seth clicked his fingers and they all froze.
“Damn, I hoped at least one of them to show some hesitation so I can use him to keep the royals in check… guess I can only feed them to that hungry girl.” Muttered Seth before knocking them all out completely using time energy and undoing the binds on their bodies.
Grabbing all three of them by their hair, he dragged them through the snow toward his camp. Once he was close, he dropped them and went to get Caitlin.
Caitlin was looking at the three unconscious men lying on the ground in front of her with a terrified look.
“Teacher, why did you bring me here?” there was a small stutter in her voice as she asked her question.
“You know why if you read your book. I’ll let you take your time, but you must do it.” Replied Seth before laying down on the snow with his back resting against a tree.
Caitlin’s usual happy-go-lucky expression was gone and there was a trace of panic on her face as she looked at the men and asked: “Who are they?”
“Assassins sent by the royal family to spy on us.”
As a child that grew up on the slum streets, she has seen her fair share of death and even killed a few bandits herself, but that was all in combat and self-defense. Looking at the passed-out man in front of her, she hesitated. She knew they were probably bad people and have done their fair share of killing, but killing defenseless men like this just didn’t sit right with her.
It took over two hours of constant struggle until Caitlin fell to the ground while crying.
“I-I’m sorry, teacher. I can’t do it.” She was crying like a small child, but was too afraid to even look back at Seth.
“Then I will be the one killing you. It’s either these assassins die here by your hands, or I will kill all of you.” Replied Seth matter-of-factly.
Caitlin’s body shook and her wails subsided, but the tears never stopped rolling down her cheeks. “Why?”, muttered Caitlin after a long time.
“Because I have no use for a life and death ascended who can’t bear to kill someone. I also can’t let you live to spread everything you’ve learned until now. Do you remember our deal? You already agreed to do everything I ask of you.”
Caitlin remained silent for an even longer time before lifting her hands and placing them on two of the unconscious assassins.
With tears streaming down her cheeks, tendrils of green and black energy left the two assassins’ bodies and entered hers before they dried up until only their bones were left. Being done with the two, she moved to the other one and did the same.
“Are you happy now?” said Caitlin through tears before rushing towards the camp.
Seth watched her walking away before muttering: “Sorry, kiddo, but you are going to see a lot of death in your path going forward…”
He could see her emotional instability and the tendrils of dark energy coming towards him from her, but he ignored them as he stood up and walked slowly after her.
He saw the girls walking in their tent after the crying Caitlin, so he just perched himself on a tree not that far and closed his eyes.
In the next morning, they continued their journey in the same way as before. Half a month later, they encountered a small merchant carriage heading toward the capital and a notification appeared in Seth’s vision.
<They are planning on robbing you. >
Seth chuckled and disappeared from his seat in the carriage. Appearing in one of the nearby trees without even the girls noticing, he asked the system to show him the show.
As the two convoys came close to each other, one mercenary guarding the merchant approached Seth’s students.
“May I ask where you are heading, fellow travelers?” There was a perverted look in the mercenary’s eyes as he looked at the girls, but he didn’t spend any effort in hiding it.
Alexa, who was in the lead, turned towards their carriage to look for Seth, only to notice him gone. As she frowned, Pearl approached her from the back and whispered in her ear: “He disappeared as soon as the merchants approached. I think it’s a test. Keep them busy while I kill the ones in the back.”
Alexa nodded indifferently before fixing her eyes on the mercenary in front of her. “And how is that any of your business? Step aside and let us pass.”
The mercenary didn’t get angry and just smiled as he said: “We’re just worried about your safety. I don’t know how you girls reached this place, but you all look in pretty poor condition. How about you head back with us? We can protect you from the bandits.”
“We don’t need your protection. Step aside and let us pass if you know what’s good for you.” Replied Alexa as the other girls also started getting closer to her.
The mercenary finally wiped the smile from his face and moved his hand toward the hilt of his sword: “Girl, I would suggest you listen to what I’m telling you. I don’t want to ruin a pretty face.”
“And what I don’t?”
“I and my brothers will slowly fuck and torture every single one of you all the way to the capital. Those country whores are nothing compared to you, so we’ll surely take our time. If you listen to me, you might get to live in the end.”
Alexa chuckled and looked behind the mercenary before grabbing her sword and saying: “Oh, really? Pearl, leave this one to me.”
“Okay.” A girl’s voice came from behind the mercenary and made all the hair stand on the back of his neck. When he turned around, he saw that all the other mercenaries protecting the carriage were dead on the ground and Pearl was wiping her knife on one of their clothes while staring at him with a smirk.
When Seth appeared again, the man was bleeding in a pool of his own blood with Caitlin sucking the life energy out of his body.
“He really pissed you off, didn’t he?” asked Seth with a smile as he took his place again in his carriage.
“He got what he deserved. Did we pass the test?” asked Alexa proudly. All the other girls turned towards him as well.
“Test? I only went to relieve myself. Alexa, clear everything up, and let’s continue. I didn’t say you could stop running.”
The girl deflated like balloons and Alexa used destruction energy to clear the place out before they resumed running. Over the last month and a half, they have already gotten relatively used to killing humans. Even Caitlin, while she would be reluctant to do it, she still listened to his words.
Since most of the people killed were criminals and rapists, they could also cope better with everything. The ones who got used to it the quickest were still Alexa and Pearl, mostly because of their knight training. The coming-of-age ceremony for any future knight comprised them having to execute a prisoner, so they have already killed long before this journey.
Half a month later in their journey, they were finally out of the wild zone and in relatively safe territory. One more month and they arrived at the town close to Seth’s natal village. Winter was also over and the snow has already started melting.
It was already year 673 in the Age of the Ascended.
Seth stopped the carriages on a hill right before the town and had the girls gather inside a tent.
“We’re already here, so from now on, your training is on pause.” Said Seth, before taking out different clothes for the girls to wear along with around 50 gold coins. “Get changed and you are free to do as you please for the next week. Alexa and Pearl, you two handle the others while I’m away. Make sure you don’t stir any trouble inside the city, or at least keep it to the minimum.”
“Teacher, why can’t we go with you to see your parents?” asked Lisa, all of them aware of the goal of this journey.
“You’ll see them when I return. Leora, you’re coming with me.”
After a few more words of caution, Seth also handed each of them, besides Caitlin, two vials of energy, and told them to continue cultivating. For Caitlin, they would serve no purpose and she would have to kill people to increase her cultivation. She would have to wait until they returned to the wild zone.
Once he was done with everything, he took Leora with him and rushed towards his village. It was still a three days journey, but because they traveled during the night as well, they reached the entrance in half that time.
It was evening, and everyone was slowly returning to their homes. Looking at the small village, with only around 300 people living inside, Seth sighed and stopped before entering it.
“Why aren’t we going in?” asked Leora, not understanding why they stopped.
“Do you see how we look compared to the villagers inside? It will create a big commotion if we show up now. We’ll wait until dark.” Replied Seth with a pensive look.
“Aren’t you worried about them?” asked Leora next.
“No. They are fine.” Of course, the system would inform him if anything were to happen to his parents. He also knew Cain kept his promise and three thieves guild members built a small house near his parents’ to keep them safe.
Leora nodded and asked nothing else. When it was completely dark, Seth finally started moving towards his house again.
