Some would call it hell. Me and Amina would call it torture. Veronica calls it training. During the past couple of months, we were constantly training for at least 8 hours a day with Veronica.

This training was demonic pushing our little 10-year-old bodies to the limits. If this was done back in our world, child protection services would have already separated us from her.

I also think Veronica got some sadistic pleasure from tormenting us. But, I didn't mention it because I'm now afraid of her.

I would have given up if it wasn't for Amina. In every training session, we would constantly get stronger and we would spar every week. We didn't want for one of us to surpass the other so we constantly gave it our 110% in every session.

Umbra Moria had finally finished up his work with the government and was coming back. I don't know what work took him so long but I won't ask. We were going to meet him.

"Grandpa, this mean lady beat me up when you were gone."

Amina immediately hugged Umbra and complained to him about the acts of violence Veronica committed against us. I was in the background nodding to all she had said.

"That's all she did?"

Amina's face immediately morphed into disgust and she ran away from Umbra. She looked at him as if he was a demon.

"Ok ok, jokes aside, Nica you are being too rough on them. They are only 10. I didn't train you this hard until you were 13."

"Fine, I'll go a little easier on your guys."

"YES FINALLY!"

Both of us exclaimed at the same time.

"Training aside, today we are going to help choose the main weapon you will use and your combat style."

"How are we going to that sir?"

"It is all up to guys. This is probably the most important decision you'll make and it affects your entire career as a mage. Don't worry Nica has collected data on how you fight and help you guys decide."

We were then shown to a room full of weapons- swords, axes, maces, spears, and more. I didn't know what weapon to choose. I knew that fighting purely with my hands and using daggers weren't for me.

Although I was good at fighting, it didn't click for me.

"You can test these different weapons and see how it feels. Nica and I will be here to make sure it suits you."

It was comforting to know that Umbra would be here to ensure we weren't making the wrong choice.

"What weapons do you guys use?"

I had only seen them fight hand to hand.

"Teacher uses daggers while I use mana strings."

"Mana strings?"

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

"I construct strings with mana and use them as weapons."

(AN: Similar to Doflamingo from One Piece)

"Ah ok."

I went to the wall of weapons. I was examining and occasionally swinging different blades. My first choice was the katana. It was every man's fantasy to use one.

However, after swinging it around, I realised it wasn't suited to me. I don't know how I could tell, but something felt off. It was sharp, but it was too light for me.

I wanted something with a lot of power behind it so grabbed a greatsword. It was a bit heavy but had a lot of power behind it. It wasn't a good fit for assassinations, but I could still use a knife.

I then tested different-shaped greatswords until picked up one that was shaped like a scimitar. It was a single-edge, curved blade and I felt it click.

'This weapon, I like it.'

"Nica, I'll pick this."

"Hmm, that works. It suits your fighting style. I think it works. What do you think teach?"

"I concur. I'm not particularly well versed with longer and heavier weapons so I'll get a teacher. That weapon is a bit too big to be used in your missions, but are still adept at using a knife."

"About that sir, can I use a shortsword instead of a knife?"

I felt the knife had too little reach and a longer shortsword would work for assassination and a backup or second weapon to use alongside my greatsword.

"Ok. It won't be too difficult for you to adjust anyway."

Amina also chose her weapons as well. She couldn't decide between a naginata and a bow so she selected both. Umbra also agreed because it wasn't difficult to incorporate both in a single weapon.

From then on, we fought exclusively with the weapons we chose. Because of the weight, it was a bit hard at first to get used to using the greatsword, but eventually, I could use it comfortably.

Amina started taking archery lessons, using physical arrows. She says that using mana to construct arrows drains her too fast. Her prowess in using a naginata was exceptional as well, keeping up with my attacks.

***

Three years passed by a in flash. During that time, me and Amina were practically inseparable, either training or spending time with each other.

During those years I had constantly gotten stronger and managed to reach C rank with a mana capacity of 2.5kR. After you turn 10, the only way to increase your mana capacity is to use mana continuously, similar to training a muscle.

Other than training and learning, I also killed someone for the first time in both of my lives.

***

1 year ago - A prison cell

Currently in front of me was a death row prisoner. My task was to kill him. I didn't know their crime nor did I care.

But it didn't mean I was calm. I was extremely nervous, and I was shaking.

I had seen people being killed in front of me but this was the first time I would be taking a life. A SUITE agent was watching the prisoner making sure he wasn't going to do anything stupid.

"Heh, a brat is going to kill me. Come on, do have the balls? Do you think you can kill me? This is a whole different world you are entering."

The prisoner was taunting me. He didn't fear death.

I prepped myself. I took a deep breath and stared into the prisoner's eyes. I felt strangely calm. The knife in my hand became steady. Once I resolved myself, I felt a change in my mentality.

His eyes which were taunting me before changed. He felt fear. But that didn't matter to me. I only had one job. To execute the prisoner in front of me.

My arm moved and with one clean cut, I slit his throat. I think I didn't go deep enough as he started choking on his blood.

He soon perished afterwards. I didn't know what I felt. I thought I would be scared or start throwing up. But I felt nothing, no joy, no sadness. It was like I was walking to school, just doing a simple action.

I then soon felt fear. Not at the action I committed, but at myself. I just murdered someone yet I felt nothing. I started questioning myself.

'I am alright?'

I think I would react like this. Murder was a crime, yet I felt nothing. I took I human life, yet I was fine with it.

I spent 16 years in an environment where I was taught that homicide was a crime.

"Don't worry Julius. Everyone has a different reaction to killing someone. You have already seen death and become desensitized to it."

The SUITE agent quelled my worries as we soon exited the cell. Though inwardly I suspected he was probably surprised.

***

That event didn't change me and I occasionally had to execute people. I stopped questioning my feelings and accepted that I felt complete indifference to murder.

However, today was my first mission. I was given a target I had to find a kill discreetly. I was being supervised by an Agent name Benjamin. My target was a high D rank human trafficker.

She was located in Bluering City which was nearby to New Blackwell.