…
----------------------------------------
Recon
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…
CLICK
…
CLICK
…
CLI–
“You know… when you said recon, this is not what I was expecting.” Natasha deadpanned.
“…?”
At present, they are inside a black car (provided by Luka), trailing after three SUVs with a gray one in the middle where the target was riding.
Sitting leisurely in the passenger seat was Hadrian, who was photographing the SUV’s plate number with the holo-phone that had a large camera lens attached to its back.
In the driver’s seat was Natasha, who had been taught the controls in how to maneuver the car properly earlier by Hadrian for an hour and a half.
Natasha may be a young teenager still, but since she can reach both the pedals and the wheel without issues (after adjusting the driver’s seat), Hadrian tasked her with driving the car.
Not wanting to let Natasha touch the holo-phone (even if there were security measures in place to prevent people from unlocking it), Hadrian delegated the honor of driving the car to the girl as he takes pictures and videos of the target’s actions, his locations of interest, the people he knew and have relations with, and where he was currently staying.
So far, they had gotten the former parts successfully… except for the last.
The target’s current abode had yet to be checked out since they were still following after him.
Hadrian blinked, pausing.
He looked up from the holo’s screen and turned his gaze to Natasha.
“Oh? And what were you expecting?” he asked casually, prompting a quick mild glare from her.
“Definitely not this.” Natasha scoffed, keeping her green eyes on the road.
“We’re just following after that inbred idiot, and I’m getting rather sick and tired of watching the dumbass make a fool of himself in almost every building he goes to. You sure we can’t just go and kill this imbecile now?”
Having heard of her complaints before, Hadrian sighed and shook his head lightly as he held the holo-phone in both hands.
As in control Natasha seemed with her emotions, her impatience was one of the flaws that kept appearing.
Granted, it was most likely influenced by her youth, and she was (perhaps) at that phase where it was common for those who were still in their teens.
To display impatience and rebelliousness, that is.
Even Hadrian had such sides of him before, but at least he learned not to let them influence his actions and decisions too much.
‘Hmm… perhaps it’s because she’s a redhead. I sometimes heard that people with natural red hair have a bit of a temper…’
Dismissing the thought away, the magician in disguise focused his attention on the girl.
“As sound as your idea is, Natasha, the answer is no. We cannot do that yet.” Hadrian stated calmly and firmly, much to the girl’s mild displeasure.
“Thing is, before we can go and take his head, there are steps that I have to follow. Procedures, I mean. This is no mere job where you get a contract, kill the target, and get paid. Deeming it as one would be a sore understatement.”
“Then what is this?” Natasha asked dryly, a skeptical expression on her face.
“An operation.” Hadrian answered without hesitation.
The firmness and calm assurance in his tone prompted a surprise glance from the redhead.
“Jobs are for mercenaries – people who are either after fame, wealth, or status. People like me in the organization, we’re not interested in those things.”
Hadrian paused, letting out a strained smile.
The image of a certain thug-like retainer, and a few people, came to mind.
“Well… some people like that do exist in our group, but they are within the minority.” He added later with a slightly meek expression.
“…”
It was quiet in the car for several moments, which Hadrian did not mind, as he merely continued his vigilance in taking photos of potential areas to use for his plans to corner the target.
The silence was eventually broken by Natasha, who (to her credit) had been dutifully following his instructions the entire time as they trailed after the SUVs behind a few cars.
“And what are you interested in, Rey? Why choose this life?” Natasha asked quietly, her face set into an expressionless mask to hide her curiosity about the subject.
Hadrian stopped, then centered himself as he set the holo-phone into its video recording mode so that he would not miss any of the target’s activities.
He deliberated on her inquiry.
There was something strange in her tone, as if his answer were important for her in some way, despite her impassive façade.
It was due to this line of thought that made Hadrian pause and consider his words.
For a moment, Natasha was a bit concerned that she stepped out of line and offended him.
But after taking a quick glance at the beautiful young man beside her, Natasha found that the reason he turned silent was because he was in deep thought.
Either by her question or his answer, whichever it was, he looked calm and thoughtful, which was a good thing in her opinion.
After a minute of musing, Hadrian finally spoke.
And once more, he surprised Natasha with the quiet yet resolute conviction in his tone.
“I’m doing this because I have a reason.”
Natasha almost strained to hear him, but she did anyway.
Breathing through his nose, Hadrian continued, looking thoughtful even as he kept his gaze on the screen of the holo-pc.
“I’m not interested in gaining wealth, status, or fame through this career. I can achieve all of those even without choosing this kind of lifestyle. No, I’m here for a purpose.”
“Which is?” Natasha asked, wanting to know.
To her surprise, Hadrian slowly directed his gaze at her…
…and Natasha felt her breath caught in her throat.
Vivid cyan eyes turned half-lidded, as he stared at her from under long dark gray lashes.
The contours of his face, the way his ash silver hair was immaculately messy yet pleasing. And with their proximity, Natasha could see the smoothness and flawlessness of his alabaster skin.
Maybe it was her eyes doing tricks on her, but she swore it was glowing softly under the light.
His pinkish-red lips were alluring, tempting in their form, and set into a thin line.
‘…какого хуя...’
Inwardly, Natasha can only sigh and curse softly at the unusual situation she found herself in, at the unfairness of it all.
It seemed that, no matter the time, the place, what he does, or the kind of faces he makes, the young man was always breathtakingly gorgeous. (1)
Ignoring the wild beating of her traitorous heart, Natasha wondered if there were others who had been in her position before this. The kind where one would feel the full brunt of Rey’s unnatural beauty and become affected by the mere sight of him.
Natasha was usually composed, even under dangerous situations.
Being around Rey though, she can’t help but enter into a weird trance every once in a while.
Rey was simply that effortlessly alluring (even without meaning to), which was a highly unusual thing to admit for Natasha, who was thoroughly trained in the art of seduction in the past.
Distracted as she was, Natasha almost missed his next response.
Fortunately, she was good at multitasking and centered herself just in time.
Perks of being a Black Widow, she supposed.
“To make a change.” Hadrian stated in a pensive tone.
Natasha felt relieved that there was a red light as she found herself stunned by his admission.
The redhead glanced at him in surprise.
But he was already looking into the screen of the device in his hands, mindful of his task even as he continued.
“In the organization, we have something that is called covenants. It’s a certain number of pacts that all members must follow through.” Hadrian explained, sensing her curiosity via empathy.
“One of which is ‘to make a change’. What that change is, really depends on the global state of the world. Usually, we wouldn’t take requests such as these, but we felt that a change might do the world some good for now.”
“What do you mean?” Natasha asked, thoroughly interested in the current subject.
“There are too many people in this world who seem to be in love with causing chaos anywhere they go and sating their own selfish desires without caring about the consequences of what their actions would bring. Busy as we were with our responsibilities, many of us did not like that fact and we certainly do not like the mere idea of what kind of future this world is about to head into, should we just leave people like Komarov alone.”
Hadrian sighed, placing the holo-phone on his lap as he leaned back into his seat.
“So, the one at the top has decided to make a bit of change, which is to take on requests such as these from selective clients.”
Natasha frowned lightly, thoughtful as she dwelled on his explanation.
“How would killing one shithead make a difference in this world?” She asked, brows knitting.
Ignoring her crude language, Hadrian hummed, musing internally.
“Hmm… It’s not about killing that matters. It’s the intent behind it.” Hadrian began.
“When you enact violence upon others, you open the door for retaliation. But those retaliating must be careful of their own hearts. And if someone goes after people like Komarov and kills them all out of hatred for what they have done, it would be bad. Understandable, perhaps, but it would make that person a little better than them in the end.”
“However, if, instead of going after them with hatred, one goes with the desire to prevent them from repeating their actions against someone else, I believe the act is fundamentally good. The result may end up the same, with the person killing the same one that harmed them, but their reason for doing so is important in itself.” Hadrian stated with a solemn expression. (2)
Having been used to his smiles and somewhat carefree attitude for the past few days, Natasha thought that seeing him make such a face was both strange and befitting of him.
But…
Somehow, hearing of his reason and the calm yet undaunted conviction in his words made that invisible weight around her heart lighter, despite what awaits her at the end of the assignment.
Natasha wondered about that, seeing as even she felt relaxed in her seat, in spite of having been the one to cause the tension by posing a serious question in his way earlier.
“There’s nothing wrong with sating one’s desires. Being selfish is something that people cannot avoid. It’s simply a part of being human to be selfish. But pests like Komarov have no restraint and they do not care about the consequences of their actions… even if they hurt and step on people to get what they want. The organization does not approve of such things. I don’t like that too, and it’s why I accepted this assignment. It’s why I’m here.” Hadrian finished.
Natasha nodded slowly, green eyes on the road as she lightly stepped on the gas pedal to follow after the target.
“I see… so what? You’re one of the good guys then? Like a hero?” Natasha asked, inwardly amused by her own question.
Hadrian blinked.
It was on the second blink did he turned his gaze to the girl beside him.
“Pardon?” was Hadrian’s eloquent response, obviously taken aback.
“You’re a hero. I mean, you’re hunting down evil idiots like him over there, so you and your group must be heroes then.” Natasha explained with a hint of amusement, scoffing as she gestured to the target.
Hadrian chuckled softly, shaking his head at the absurdity of being labeled as a ‘hero’ by the redhead.
“Hn, I would never go as far as to see myself as that.” Hadrian denied it with a wry smile.
“Rather, it’s more like we’re a group of chaotic misfits who likes peace just as much as we often do our best to maintain it, with a great sense of instilled morality as a strawberry on top.” He described, chuckling dryly at the end.
“Huh…” Natasha snorted in amusement.
The image he drew in her mind was both entertaining and intriguing at the same time.
Deep down though, she imagined what it would feel like to be a part of such a unique group, and to work together for a greater cause.
It was an absurd thought for her to ponder on, almost sprung out of nowhere.
But… Natasha cannot deny that it made her somewhat envious of him to be a part of something more than just surviving and taking pays for killing or stealing.
“Hm…”
Natasha blinked out of her musings as she heard Rey make a soft noise beside her, prompting her to glance in his direction.
“What?” She asked, hands and feet ready to maneuver the car just in case.
“Seems like we found where he is currently staying.” Hadrian stated, gesturing to the front.
Swiveling her gaze to where he was pointing, Natasha saw the SUVs entering a shady-looking property guarded by a few men armed with semi-automatic rifles and wearing bulletproof vests.
Judging by its appearance, it seemed to be a warehouse of sorts.
Beyond the gate, there were a couple of men wearing green vests and orange helmets walking around. Some were holding clipboards under their arms.
Employees of the target, she observed.
Every now and then, there were some people using forklifts to move large boxes and crates around the area.
The whole place was busy, exuding loud noises of chatter and machinery being used.
Which reminds her…
“How would you know this is where he’s staying?” Natasha asked, turning her gaze back to the other occupant in the car.
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“First, HQ relayed the intel to me. Second, a simple-minded bastard like Komarov would rather be near to his riches than to be away with them. As of the moment, he stole quite a number of valuable materials and objects from the client. It is highly likely that he would be paranoid for a while, and they are probably in that warehouse right now.” Hadrian pointed out, fiddling with the device in his hands.
Natasha paused, thinking it over before she nodded slowly.
“Hmm… point.” The girl conceded. “And if they’re not here?”
“Then, it is likely that he wrote down where they would be located in some personal ledger or a dossier. The handler did a background check on him, and after a keen observation of his behavior and decisions in his past dealings, it was revealed that he was not that smart. Yes, he is a shrewd and backstabbing criminal, but higher intelligence is of a different matter altogether.” Hadrian deadpanned.
"... heh."
Impassive as her face was, even Natasha could not hold back a snort of amusement at that remark.
“Theorizing on the safe’s location can be postponed for later. Now, we need to see the layout of this area.”
Hadrian turned to Natasha.
“Drive around and only stop when I tell you to.”
And so, she did.
Natasha drove the car to wherever she was told to go.
There were a few instances where Hadrian would instruct her to drive far away.
He would leave the car, prompting her to rush after him since Natasha did not want to be left behind. Then, he would go inside a building, run up the stairs, and up to the rooftop.
When she asked him why, the answer she would get was to get a better view before playing with his toy and ignoring her for a while.
Doing an actual reconnaissance was a bit of a boring experience since he did most of the heavy lifting, but not too much.
Natasha had learned a lot from their little excursion.
Not just from how reconnaissance actually works, but also about the extremely handsome young man nearby.
Upside, she had also learned how to drive a car at the age of fourteen years old, and it was an exotic vehicle, equally as unique as the owner himself.
The pair returned to the penthouse after a successful and thorough reconnaissance.
After a pleasant and comforting dinner, Natasha went to bed that night dreaming about the what-ifs and maybes of the future.
…
----------------------------------------
…
The next day…
…
Brrr
Brrrr
The holo-phone vibrated, and Hadrian woke up at his usual time.
It was nearing midnight when he went to bed last night.
He spent a few hours into the evening choosing a plan from his drafts, refining it into one before retiring for the night, barring the times when he cooked dinner for Natasha, Maya, and himself.
Hadrian informed the girl a portion of his plan, but after an hour, he advised her to rest for the evening when he saw a bit of tiredness in her eyes.
Other than a light glare from her (which lacked any real heat), Natasha made no protest and simply went to the guest room.
For the rest of the night, Hadrian was left to brainstorm in the study with Maya as his company.
Due to his diligence, the plan for the operation was complete after he made some calls to Luka and the HQ before he went to his room.
He only needed to debrief Natasha about the entirety of his plan later.
Since the operation was set to occur later in the evening, Hadrian only intended to do some light training for today.
The rest of the remaining hours before the operation were spent re-checking on the equipment he brought with him.
Then, he made a last call to Luka to check on the preparations at his end.
After washing his face, changing into his training attire, and drinking a glass of water, Hadrian went to the glass pavilion with Maya following after him.
Curiously enough, the lights inside the glass pavilion were already on and the silhouette of a person can be quickly recognized even from a distance.
Upon his entrance, Hadrian's brows rose in bemusement as he noticed Natasha standing on the glass-covered pool.
She was currently in a combat stance; a sharp and wicked-looking knife was gripped in her right hand.
Like him, she was dressed for training.
Her attire consisted of a loose black T-shirt and dark gray sweatpants. Her feet were bared, and her slippers were set to the side next to one of the sunbeds.
Swish
Swish
Natasha had been practicing before he entered, slashing, and stabbing at an invisible enemy in front of her.
Creeaak
THUD
"…!"
She paused, turning her gaze to the only entrance/exit when she heard the unmistakable click of the door's mechanics.
The sides of her face were glistening with a bit of sweat, and her shirt clung to her slim frame, hinting that she had been at it for quite a while.
"Well, good morning." Hadrian greeted her softly, walking up to her at a leisurely pace with one hand in his pocket. "Best not to train while on that surface. It's dangerous."
"…?"
Natasha blinked at his words, looking momentarily confused and probably unsure of whether she should return his greeting or not.
Not that Hadrian would mind if she didn't.
Having lived with the girl for a few days, he had gotten kind of used to her willful and somewhat rebellious personality.
Natasha's gaze followed to where he was pointing, which was the glass surface beneath her feet, before returning to him.
"It's not that bad. I've been here for almost thirty minutes now." Natasha defended.
Her cheeks tinted with a bit of red as she steadied her breathing.
Whether that was from exertion, annoyance, or embarrassment, he was not sure.
The flush on her cheeks did make her somewhat adorable though.
"For now." Hadrian corrected gently, a calm smile on his face as he stopped once he was a few feet away from her.
"But exude enough sweat, the surface under you will moisten and you might slip. It's better if you have proper footwear to train under this kind of platform." he added, gesturing to his own black and white training shoes for emphasis.
Sending his shoes an amused glance, the redhead took a deep breath as she straightened her posture, her body exiting from its earlier combat stance.
"I'll keep that in mind." Natasha replied flatly, her face set in its usual monotone state.
"Please do so." Hadrian encouraged with a small yet dazzling smile, unperturbed by the annoyed glance Natasha sent his way.
Tilting his head slightly, Hadrian then adopted a curious expression as he met her gaze.
"Not to sound rude, but how long have you been here?" Hadrian asked, changing the subject.
"Half an hour." Natasha answered after several moments.
"I see…" Hadrian paused, thinking for a second.
Then, a thought came to mind, and he asked.
"But why do I get the feeling that you're up earlier than I've seen you before?"
"…"
Now, it was Natasha's turn to pause as she stared blankly into his eyes, looking like a deer in headlights.
Sensing that he was onto something, Hadrian pushed his glasses up, causing them to glint under the light, and his smile widened with a touch of mischief.
"Hmm, you… you woke up earlier than I am to catch me do my morning training, didn't you?" Hadrian guessed in bemusement.
"…"
Natasha didn't respond.
But the clear rush of heat that blooms steadily in her pale cheeks was telling enough.
It took a few seconds for her to regain her composure.
When she did, the redhead scoffed loudly and folded her arms below her chest.
"I don't know what you're talking about." Natasha denied, face set into an annoyed expression.
The adorable blush in her cheeks that had yet to fade ruined the effect though.
Huffing in amusement, Hadrian shook his head as he turned and walked away from her.
Noticing his movements, Natasha looked on in curiosity as the ash haired young man walked to the couch surrounded by two chairs on the right side of the pavilion.
Pat
Pat
Maya wasted no time in following after him, receiving a smile from her owner, who gently picked her up and set her on a chair before leaning down and reaching for something that was behind the couch.
He pulled it into view.
The redhead raised an eyebrow as her green eyes zoned in on the object.
"A baton?" Natasha mused aloud, then her brows furrowed as she looked closer. "It's too long to be one though."
Hadrian chuckled softly, standing upright as he held the item in question in his left hand.
"No, it's not a baton." Hadrian denied it with a mild shake of his head.
"What is it then?" Natasha asked, glancing at the object with a small thoughtful frown.
"It's a shirasaya." Hadrian stated with a faint smile on his lips.
"A what?" Natasha said, confused.
Rather than answering right away, Hadrian walked passed her and made his way to the pool with the weapon in hand instead.
Curious and a bit annoyed that he was not responding, Natasha followed closely till he slowed to a halt once he was at one end of the pool, stopping once she was within several feet.
It was only when he sat on the perfect center of the glass in a seiza-style position, took off his glasses, and placed them to a far safe side did he speak.
"A shirasaya is a plain wooden Japanese sword. The handle and the sheath that you see are made of light lacquered wood, but inside, there is a sharp blade." Hadrian explained calmly.
Slowly, he placed his hands separately on top of his lap, well aware but ignoring the stare of bemusement from Natasha.
"And you use that to train?" Natasha asked, uncrossing her arms with the knife (a karambit) still in her right grip.
"Because it fits my style best." Hadrian answered with a casual smile. "Using a wooden sword is alright, safer even, but a real blade is better at my level."
"Hm…" Natasha nodded slowly in understanding.
It was an opinion she can respect, seeing as she too prefers to practice with a real knife in her hand.
With her inquiries finished, Hadrian focused on the start of his morning exercise.
Natasha, on the other hand, merely watched him in silence, eventually taking a seat on one of the sunbeds nearby.
Pat
Pat
Fwump
Moments later, Maya joined her.
The two exchanged a glance before turning back to the front as Hadrian began to move.
First, Hadrian began the katas for the iaido sword style.
He started with the basics, a must-routine exercise even if one was already experienced in the art of the blade.
Then, after completing the basics, he soon switched to the advanced techniques of martial arts.
His movements simply flowed from there at a steady pace, having performed such actions for the past few years in successful repetition.
After quite some time practicing the sword style, Hadrian was already sheathing the blade before she knew it.
His usual routine with the iaido style done, Hadrian began the drills on another style of combat, which was the Arnis (also known as Kali or Escrima), a Filipino national martial art.
He became fond of the Indigenous martial art as he soon realized a year ago that the style was compliments the iaido sword style and jiu-jitsu so well.
When he was done with the Kali drills, Hadrian started to become deeply integrated with his practice, mixing both iaido sword techniques and Escrima moveset as he continued.
It was too bad that he did not have a sparring partner present to assess his jiu-jitsu moves with, but Hadrian was confident that his proficiency in the Brazilian martial art would be enough to cover him during the operation later on.
Focused as he was on the exercise, Hadrian did not notice the look of interest that appeared on his audience's face once he started to practice Escrima.
Eventually, he slowed to a stop after an hour into training.
Since he was not aiming to do a two-hour course of exercise today, no parts of his body were aching and the light exhaustion that usually comes from his training session was absent.
Hadrian could feel a bit of sweat from around his body though, and his clothes cling a bit on him as a result.
Normally, his session would last up to two or three hours.
But since today was operation day, it was cut short to an hour.
The exercise also had another purpose, which was to assess his body for abnormalities.
While he has faith in his grandfather's aging potion, the old magician was not remiss in advising him to maintain a watchful eye on his body.
Every day Hadrian completes his training, he takes mental notes on the stability of every part of his body, such as the muscles in his upper and lower body, evaluating the magic circuits in his body and brain, among other things.
Fortunately, nothing was amiss.
Other than being warned of one peculiar side effect, the aging potion was working perfectly as his grandfather had intended.
Even the usual migraine caused by the evolution of his mystic eyes was not acting up.
But…
Hadrian knew it would only be a matter of time before it made its re-appearance once again in the future.
Not that he was being complacent, but he would rather enjoy the time that he could get without worrying about those horrendous headaches, that made him feel like his head was spinning and prodded by sharp needles at the same time.
His body was now warmed up and prepared for the operation.
The exact condition for which he was aiming.
With a slight nod of satisfaction, Hadrian took a deep breath and exhaled, absentmindedly twirling the katana into position, and slowly returning it to its sheath.
"Mrow…"
"Hm?"
The inheritor of the moon blinked in surprise when he felt a familiar sensation rubbing against his left leg, causing him to glance down.
Seeing that it was Maya, who looked adoringly at him with her big blue cat eyes, a gentle smile settled on his lips as he slowly got onto one knee to give her a few scratches behind her ears.
Just the way she liked it.
Watching Maya close her eyes and her purring, he could tell that she was pleased by his attention.
"Good girl." Hadrian cooed, much to his familiar's quiet delight.
After several moments, Hadrian stopped and stood upright.
The furry familiar was not happy with this.
If the way her blue cat eyes suddenly narrowed, and her ears flattened against her head was of any indication.
Her displeasure did not go unnoticed by him, to which Hadrian merely chuckled in amusement.
"Now, don't look at me like that, Maya. You may not care, but I'm not exactly in a proper state to cuddle with you right now." Hadrian reprimand gently.
"Mwror…"
… only to sigh in exasperation when the feline purred and rubbed the side of her body against his leg again, pointedly ignoring his words.
Thinking that he might ruin her fur (he cleaned her before going to bed last night), Hadrian was about to scold Maya when a young female voice interrupted him.
".. what was that?" Natasha asked, green eyes alight with clear interest.
"…?"
Turning his surprised gaze to her, Hadrian raised an eyebrow.
"What is?"
"Those moves that you did when you used both the sheath and the sword. What was that? It did not look like something you thought up by random." Natasha clarified.
Slowly, she stood up from the sunbed and walked towards him at a leisured pace, only stopping once she was close enough to see his face.
For a moment, Hadrian's brows furrowed in confusion before he perked up as he realized what she was speaking of.
"Ah, you mean when I did this?" Hadrian asked.
He did a brief demonstration of sinawali, which was a signature double-weaving movement deeply associated with Arnis.
When she nodded in confirmation, Hadrian smiled as his hands lay back to his sides.
"That was called Sinawali, a double-weaving technique of Arnis."
"What's Arnis?" Natasha asked, blinking in curiosity.
She had never heard of a name before.
With a calm smile, Hadrian explained, finding the girl's sudden interest in the art amusing.
"Arnis is the national martial art of the Philippines. It's the kind of combat arts style that emphasizes on weapon-based fighting with sticks, knives, bladed weapons, and various improvised weapons, as well as open-hand techniques without weapons."
The interest in Natasha's emerald eyes grew as she absorbed the details, although she paused for a second when a part of his explanation caught her interest.
Bemusedly, Natasha blinked.
"Wait, sticks?"
While well aware that even wooden sticks can be used as deadly weapons, especially in the right hands, Natasha sensed that there seemed to be a story behind it.
Hadrian merely chuckled at her curiosity.
"Back in the day, a few countries had colonized the natives of the Philippines. Their weapons were confiscated and banned by the colonial forces, so the Indigenous peoples creatively concealed their own makeshift weapons in different ways. For example, if the blade gets taken away, they will replace it with the stick. So, in essence, the stick represents the blade." Hadrian explained away.
Natasha nodded with interest, conceding to the analogy.
"Hmm… I see."
For a few seconds, Hadrian stared at the girl with a small smile, who was quick to notice the attention suddenly heaped upon her.
"What?" Natasha questioned.
Green eyes narrowed into a sharp glare, as she pondered over the meaning behind his smile.
"Nothing offensive, mind you." Hadrian assured with a lighthearted grin.
Seeing his face, Natasha huffed and crossed her arms under her chest.
"Just thinking how Arnis would be suitable for you."
"…?"
Catching the questioning glint in her eyes, Hadrian elaborated.
"For one, you use a knife as a main weapon of choice."
Hadrian gestured to the karambit in her grip, which Natasha also briefly looked at before returning her gaze to him.
"And from what I've seen you fight those men a few days ago, you prefer to initiate your battles in close quarters, which suggests of your experience in hand-to-hand combat."
"…!"
Natasha blinked in astonishment, trying her best not to be obvious but failing anyway.
Just as he described, she does like to engage her enemies in close quarters during combat.
It was not her preference at first, but Natasha has seen the effectiveness of said strategy.
It had often saved her from precarious situations against those who were larger and more able-bodied than her.
Also, it prevents her from wasting ammo and makes her use of her knives more efficiently.
It was simply how she was trained extensively in the past, much as she hated recalling those times.
However, Natasha certainly had not expected him to have paid that much attention to her.
Not when she noticed that he had been quite occupied in giving the low life scums, a one-sided thrashing of their miserable lives, who were unlucky enough to face him that time.
Therefore, the accuracy of his words to her actions during that event was a bit of a surprise to her.
In hindsight though, Natasha concluded that he had been observing her closely as much as she was doing the same to him.
Young and delicate, his appearance might suggest, he was not only skilled, self-assured, and resourceful, but also highly intelligent and had a sharp eye for trivial details as well.
After what she had seen of him so far, Natasha did not find it difficult to believe that he had been observing her as much as she was doing it to him.
But he was far more subtle in his approach, which irritated her a little.
It was these notions that, once again, caused her to re-evaluate her opinion of him to a new level.
"… Yes, that's right." Natasha admitted, slightly reluctant.
Hadrian nodded absentmindedly, looking thoughtful.
"I say this because you seem to like gathering information in regards to survival. Those books that you read in the library were not hard to miss." Hadrian pointed out with a wry smile.
He laughed softly at the hint of red that appeared on her pale cheeks not long after he finished his statement.
Merely amused by the mild glare she directed at him; Hadrian continued.
"Arnis is a useful martial art that is based on survival. It is why I think this style is best suited for you, given your preferred interest that would allow you to adapt and improve your skillset."
After a few moments of silence, Natasha asked.
"What are you saying then?"
"Hm…"
Rather than answering right away, Hadrian hummed and gave her another one of his mysterious smiles.
"Want to learn Arnis?" Hadrian offered, then the smile dimmed as he added absentmindedly. "– is what I'm trying to say, I suppose."
Then, he sighed and closed his eyes briefly.
"It is not much, but I think learning this kind of martial art will improve not just your skillset in survival, but also your chances in combat. And –"
"Alright." Natasha said with a slight nod, facial expression monotone but her emerald eyes were alight with determination.
"Besides, I also –"
Hadrian stopped, blinking as her words soon registered in his mind.
Then, he turned to look at her in surprise.
"Uh, you want to learn?"
"I do." Natasha affirmed, a resolute small frown on her lips as she took a step towards him.
"Even if it's just for a few hours?" Hadrian asked, subtly referring to the specific deadline of their agreement.
Natasha's frown deepened.
But the determination in her emerald eyes simply intensified, as she understood the meaning behind his words.
"Even then, and don't underestimate me, Rey. I can adapt and learn the things I set my mind to. I'll probably learn this Arnis a lot quicker than you." Natasha announced confidently.
A small smirk played on her lips as she gazed up at him.
Knowing her by now, he has no doubt that she would succeed.
Amused by her challenging statement, Hadrian chuckled in response.
"Very well then. Why don't we start now?"
…
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1) - She's not in love. No, here, Natasha is simply forming an opinion of what she sees. Also, the MC is a damn ikemen, ok? He's that handsome.
2) - Here, the MC is subconsciously displaying his opinion in the mindset of a former king of Lucis. Actually, he still has that mindset of a ruler who had been at war for years with another kingdom (Nifleheim). To him, ensuring the safety of those under his rule is a high priority, and staining his hands with the blood of his enemies is simply a price that he has to pay, and accepts it solemnly.
FYI, the MC was a former King of Lucis, so if ya'll know what the story of FF15 is, then you know it ain't pretty. If not, then I recommend playing the game. It's fun, but bittersweet.
3) - Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima/Escrima, is the national martial art of the Philippines. It is actually a well-regarded martial art among those enlisted in the military. Hell, John Wick movies introduced me to it, so blame Keanu for that.
Watched a few videos about Arnis, and I found that it has a good chemistry with Iado, so I thought 'why not combine the two?'
…
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[… Author's Note …]
This chapter has somewhat of a heavy feel to it.
Not sure if I did okay or not, but I did my best to write the MC in a more serious light.
Feel free to leave a comment on how I did.
Also, the MC's heritage is mix.
He's part British, part German, part American, part Spanish, and part Filipino (surprise, surprise).
He's what you call a Eurasian, someone of a mixed European and Asian origin.
Also, hope you guys got your Lady Avalon and (or) Ibuki-chans! :3
It's been kinda hell for me though.
I didn't get both of them in my alt account, just some damn spooks T_T
Almost got sucked dry of my SQ's in my main account too, no thanks to a wicked woman!
But at least I got enough to get Ibuki-chan! And my god, she really gave me a fright.
Almost thought I wouldn't be able to get her, but she took pity on me when I was down to my last multi.
Thank the Lord for that.
Now, I just have to worry bout Skadi.
And I just know that ain't gonna be fun, given my past experience with her alt versions.
Anyways, hope you guys have a good day.
Thanks for reading, for the reviews, follows and faves.
Until next time! Take care! :D