“Thanks for everything man. The first aid, the healing and the food.”

Corai and Albion began to talk to one another, ignoring the presence of a very tired and dreary elf woman and blathered on about the world they left behind.

It seemed both arrived in Data exactly 10 years ago on the exact same day and both had no idea why they found themselves with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

They chatted about just about everything from their world and this world until they could think of nothing more to say. It wasn’t a deep conversation in any way but it was certainly a fun one.

Like catching up with an old friend even though they had never met before.

When all was said and then though Albion had one last set of words to say.

“So, Corai. I hate to bring this up after all that pleasant chat but… I have a job for you. I need you to help a friend of mine carry out an assassination.”

“That’s not usually the type of thing you just ask a person you just met, even if you helped save my life. I’m guessing there are more details?” Corai rolled his eyes as he took a swing of soda. If someone asks for something huge like this, there was probably a lot going on. He wasn’t the type just to kill someone for money. Since he and Albion were from Earth, that sensibility should at least somewhat be shared.

“Well, to be perfectly honest, I can see your stats, spells, and skills. That’s just what my ability is. So, I know exactly how effective you are. You’re in dire need of… a little bit of permanent magical assistance. I can supply you with something that can help in that department.”

Corai flicked his tongue. That was certainly tempting. Still, it wasn’t something he’d go and kill another intelligent being over. It would be one thing if it was in self-defence but…

“Ah, and you won’t need to be doing any killing. There’s another guy who will do that. You just need to assist him. You won’t need to hurt anyone you don’t want to.”

Corai grit his teeth. He realised what was going on. You open with something unreasonable and then you make it more and more reasonable with every word out of your mouth. The deal becomes more appealing by the second and due to the previous expectation being overturned… well it becomes quite attractive.

“Also, it’s quite likely no one will need to die at all! It’s barely an assassination!”

Corai crossed his brows. “Okay, now you’ve lost me.” That sounded silly and way too good to be true. Albion has failed to sell his idea in a single second, yet the older gentleman just smiled as the look of anticipation faded from Corai’s face.

“It’s quite difficult to explain, but in essence, I need you to back up a friend of mine with his job. He’ll try to resolve his client’s desires without needing to kill anyone, if possible. If he can’t, then he will do the deed, though he would prefer not to. That’s where you come in. A master of magic and illusions will no doubt be able to resolve the situation peacefully… with a little fear.”

Corai closed his eyes and thought about it. It did sound fairly reasonable. It wasn’t without risk of course, but if it’s just not getting caught, he felt he was an expert in that. Though his recent track record for rushing in heroically countered that. Cause a little chaos, get paid in a way that lets him make more money down the line.

“Well, then, what is the target like? I don’t want to be say getting rid of or terrorizing an old man who doesn’t want to move from his home or a woman and child who are supposed to be secret.”

Corai asked the obvious question on his mind. He knew though. Albion without a doubt had already crafted the perfect offer. Something he’d bite at. Yet, there were still formalities to go through, and besides that, Corai always did have the option of just slamming the table and saying no, no matter how lucrative the offer was. Telling someone who thinks they’ve won to screw off is, well not quite a power play but certainly satisfying.

“He’s the noble who rules the city of Disk, the man is a B Rank Caster. He’s a cold-hearted bastard who extorts his people and is quick to lop off heads from the slightest provocation. He punishes and tortures those who dare to confront him. Turning their bodies into horrific messes to serve as warnings to others who would even think of the idea of defying him. He’s a man who deserves no sympathy. Honestly, if it was up to me? I’d just kill the fuck and be done with it. Sigh. Yet that guy, he just… well, I guess only someone in his position can afford to take it slow.”

Corai fell silent. The Lord of Disk. He had heard the name before. Nobles abusing their power and preying on the less fortunate wasn’t a surprise at all, but among the scum people would whisper about, this man was the worst of the worst. Mangled naked bloody bodies in the river. Swinging flayed corpses hanging from trees. Impaled and severed figures that were barely recognisable as being anything remotely human.

That was what people had to wake up to in the morning in that city. He had once done a show in a neighbouring city. After the show was done, he heard it all, drunken screams and wails of hoping that the Lord of Disk would meet a grisly end. How he had ruined the lives of others constantly and continues to this day. He could remember it clearly if he tried. Roars of pure hatred. Wailing anguish of the scars on heart and body. Tears of relief at having escaped.

There was something truly haunting in the faces he saw and the voices he heard. It had never left him. In dark nights, he would recall them. If the target was this man? Then the risk would be worth it. Despite being a self-proclaimed coward, he had been quick to try and save others since a few days ago. It seemed this bad habit wouldn’t be stopping anytime soon.

“I’ll do it.” Those words were all he had to say. Albion chuckled just a little bit. “You’re exactly the type of man I thought you were.” Olivia had been silent this whole time. Not a single word. Just staring and listening. Her glare digging daggers in Corai’s back but at the exact moment he said yes to this proposal, he could swear it softened.

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“Excellent. Alright. Then, I’ll send you over to my contact now. He’s a bit of a… eccentric but he’s a good man, really. He will be expecting you.” Albion snapped his fingers. Corai and Olivia were ejected out of the room as if they had simply been deleted from the world.

The pair found themselves in a new environment. A wonderful wood-floored building with windows that shone out wondrous light. A bittersweet smell lingered in the air. “Coffee..?” Corai recognised it instantly. In front of them was a large mahogany table with a fancy green armchair. A young man was sitting within it and he flashed a smile.

He had dark orange hair that covered his right eye; the colour reminiscent of fallen autumn leaves. His visible left eye was a shimmering and piercing green. His chain had a small amount of dark brown stubble, the look of someone who shaved every other day but had very little facial hair in the first place. His height and the frame of his body were rather average. His clothes were dark brown rags that seemed to function as a cloak and yet resembled a poncho. A used and battered steel sword was strapped to the left side of his waist. The man seemed to be strikingly normal, yet his gaze was piercing.

He leapt out of the chair and quickly approached Olivia with a smile, bowing his body while keeping his right arm below his stomach. “Bonjour mademoiselle, you are a sight for sore eyes. Elves are true beauties but you, my lady, are a jewel among jewels. May I have the honour of your voice gracing my wretched ears with the divinity of your name?”

“Oh, great. He’s one of those guys.” Corai groaned to himself internally.

“Don’t you know it’s customary to give your own name first before asking of another’s?”

Corai sighed. Of course, she’d reply that way, not that it was wrong, just… predictable. Well, he had the feeling he was in for some long-winded speeches now. He wishes he had finished eating before being whisked away to a whole other city. At least he had patience.

“Ah, do try and forgive me for that milady! I was too awestruck by your presence! I had forgotten my manners, if you hold a grudge, I will not hold it against you. No matter the reason, I have wronged you. I can only apologise and even that may not be enough. If it is my name you desire than your wish shall be granted. I am Vis Toledo Igoth. Senorita, I am delighted to make your acquaintance. Should you ever need anything, know that I live to serve, and please, just call me Vis. No need for formalities with one such as I.”

He shot a wide shimmering smile. Olivia was more confused than anything else. Corai wanted to scoff, but the man seemed so earnest in his ridiculous flirtations that it was almost impressive. Vis would be an excellent leading man back in the troupe. His charm wasn’t simply slimy and forward, it was sincere and direct. A well-aimed strike to sensibilities that made you want to be caught up in the wave of his emotions despite logic telling you otherwise.

“...I forgive you. Now, please stop coming so close. Keep your distance.” Olivia took a single pace back and Vis returned the gesture. “It is good to hold up boundaries milady. My father always told me to respect the wishes of women. Ah, as for the gentleman over here, I must also ask forgiveness from you, but please understand, I was educated to not leave a woman waiting. Surely you can allow my transgression just this once? You are here for business and it is in bad form to keep a partner waiting.”

Vis walked over to Corai and bowed his head just as he did to Olivia earlier, with less passion but more deference. Never losing a beat, not letting his lips fall from the face of pleasant joy. “So, assuming you’ve been informed, let me give you the details of this job. Please, take a seat.” Vis pointed towards a couple of large green couches by a fireplace. Corai sat down on one, and Olivia sat down by his side.

“...Please, don’t be like this.” Corai groaned at the woman before him. She tilted her head slightly. “Whatever do you mean?” Corai rolled his eyes as Vis sat parallel to the pair and began to brief the details of the assassination. “The original client, the man who contacted me about it in the first place is the owner of the building we are in. It’s an orphanage that has quite a bit of money in it. Anyway, one of the residents here got to be pretty big, she was a Hero.”

Corai had to gulp at that. Olivia seemed completely clueless. Adventurers were ranked from E to A for their ability, not only strength, but flexibility, decision making, and essential skills to survive and triumph over various situations. Still, it was a job. Very few would risk their lives against near-impossible odds. Those who did became A-Rank. They took a small fortune to hire for a task. An E Ranker was similar to an elite athlete on earth, or at least a person of many talents. The gap from each rank to rank was actually quite steep. A D-Rank could take on 7 E-Ranks without breaking a sweat. A C-Rank was superhuman. A B-Rank would not fear anything below them, no matter how many they faced. An A-Rank? A one-man army would not be an overstatement of their ability, at the very least in the field they specialised in.

Yet, above even them were Heroes. Those who committed feats considered impossible. The slaying of living and walking calamities. Those who take victory from the jaws of defeat and then murder the beast with it. Overwhelming and absolute power. Heroes started from C-Rank. One such hero was the minimum equivalent of 12 A-Rank adventurers. So this unknown girl was one of the strongest in the world.

“She died a couple of years ago, obvious foul play involved, the old man found her naked and scarred body in the backyard the morning after she went to the castle of the local lord. She could slay a dragon by her lonesome but she lost to the underhanded tactics of a noble with too much ego. Taking hostages and deadman switching himself with a magical bomb. A good and honourable woman who perished unfairly…” Vis’ head lowered and his expression darkened.

“I’ve seen such things play out one too many times. So her father figure grieved. Things only got worse once she was gone. The lord no longer having anyone else of influence to challenge him began to rampage with his power and do as he pleased. For the last five years, the people suffered tenfold. They slowly held their grudge and saved money to hire an assassin to do him in. They sent the client to a major city to hire one. It wasn’t even enough money to hire a B-Rank. He was at wit’s end. So, I was the answer to his prayers. I’m technically a C-Rank Assassin for the Mercenary Market, but I have a 100% success rate for assassinations and for customer satisfaction. If people really want a job done no matter what, I ask to be sent such clients.”

Vis then smiled again, but this time it was much more sombre.

“I test my clients. I need to know if they truly believe killing the target is the only answer, and if it is, what are they willing to do to achieve their goals. The money isn’t that important to me. I need proof of their dedication and resolve before I act. If they clear the first stage, then I go to the location of the target. I stake it out and learn as much as I can about them.”

He took a second to find the next set of words and chuckled.

“I don’t want to kill unless absolutely necessary. Weird for this profession, I know. Yet, those are my principles. I try to see if there is no other way to remove the threat. If I can reform them. If that fails, use logic to stop their wrongdoings. If that too does not work, I threaten them in whatever ways I can. If even that does not resolve the issue… then I will draw my blade and take their life. We’re at the threaten phase now. It’s been 6 months. If he doesn’t fold to what I have planned next, he forces my hand. I will need to kill the bastard. I don’t want it to come to that, even if he deserves it. So, please. Help me. Haunt him with the ghosts of his past. Save this city with me.”