First Mission Leading A Team

"Student Heian Ciemnosc, these are other Students who have been on the Wrath Nihility Academy's list of possible Leading Students," the citizen manager elaborated. "With your Master's orders, they have been selected to form part of your team. If the team is successfully formed, you may go out on a mission, especially now and in the future. Your team may grow, but only after some years would you lead any larger group of students. Understood?"

The manager said even after seeing the cherish the Academy's special guest had for this teenager, he didn't soften any word or expression. Heian Ciemnosc nodded, as did the other 7 in front of him. Then the manager nodded before looking at both sides and raising his hands before exiting the room. "Then, I'll leave you two to it. You must hurry to decide what will happen if you want to be sent on a mission today. Good luck, girls and boys."

Step, step. Thud. The door closed, and the manager disappeared, leaving Heian Ciemnosc in a room with 7 youngsters, 4 males and 3 females. They were looking at him without discrepancy, blatantly and with scrutiny. Heian Ciemnosc wasn’t doing so. Though they did feel his Spirit Sense wash over them just now, they still didn’t think much of it and said nothing about it.

“I assume you already know me. Otherwise, you might’ve not been here willingly.” Heian Ciemnosc spoke calmly this time, a light and serene smile forming on his lips, barely noticeable. Nobody responded still. Heian Ciemnosc gestured towards a tall, attractive guy with short jet-black hair, white skin, and brown eyes. “Just present yourselves to me, and let’s go out on a mission. I don’t know if you genuinely do, but I don’t want to lose any chance to go out there.”

“Esteban,” the guy said without hesitation, and his amply quick response compelled the rest as if by art of magic. A not-so-tall young woman with dark brown hair and clear brown eyes was next. If Esteban observed Heian Ciemnosc and reacted as if waiting to see his performance, then this other youngster attentively watching him as she responded was like a sharp needle. “Fengli.”

“Sakura,” a young woman with regular height, golden blonde medium-length hair, pale skin, and freckles ‘reported’ her name to Heian Ciemnosc. Following her was another young man, looking feminine with pale brown skin and blond with brown eyes, and gave Heian Ciemnosc a sensation of bloodlust. “Oleg.”

“Victor, “ a young man with a short afro, black skin, and dark brown eyes said after Sakura, looking calmly into Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes in thought. Right after was a young woman with fuscia pink colored hair and assertive sapphire blue colored eyes. It somewhat gave Heian Ciemnosc the sensation of her being a big sistah. “Violet.”

“Aleksander,” a young man with light brown skin and brown wavy hair reported last. But he at least appeared cordial and sensitive. The others responded cut and briefly, only saying their names and nothing more. But Heian Ciemnosc had read their cultivation base already.

Esteban was one of the strongest at the Crabstynian realm 8th stage, along with Fengli and Sakura. Though it looked like Sakura had recently entered the 8th stage. Oleg and Victor were at the same realm’s 6th stage, Violet at the 7th stage, and Aleksander at the 5th stage. And while Heian Ciemnosc couldn’t tell their specialty straight up, he got the hang of it by merely examining their bodies. Finally, he presented himself after he felt no Spirit Sense coming his way.

“I am Heian Ciemnosc, and while you must have seen my cultivation base before, I’ll show you the extent of my capabilities.” Saying so, Heian Ciemnosc lifted his left hand and conjured dark Power Energy to be showcased in the shape of flames. It wasn’t actual flames. His dark Power Energy simply assimilated the fluctuation of fire as he went all out to show it. The room immediately became somber, and a heavy atmosphere descended upon everything.

“!” - “!” The youngsters’ attention was instantly grabbed. Their Spirit Sense didn’t need to go out. They were all efficient in reading an enemy’s with just one’s eyes. There were tools, talismans, and equipment that could hide one’s cultivation base while suppressing it posed no difficulty or side effects, making it easy for anyone depending on their Spirit Sense alone to become vulnerable for fighting against someone they see as weaker than themselves.

“Good! Exactly! That’s what we worried the most about,” Esteban spoke again, relaxing his crossed arms up to his chest and looking into Heian Ciemnosc’s eyes as if trying to understand such an impossible feat. On the side, Fenlgi commented in a low voice that everyone could hear, “Those are the fluctuations and quality only a Crabstynian realm cultivator should have… how is this possible?? Your cultivation method has to be too powerful and unique.”

“Yeah, after all… nobody wants to fight for someone who is only looked favorably by some higher-ups and just took matters of others’ into their hands for merit. Let alone die for someone like that.” Oleg said as the rest nodded in unison. They didn’t seem to know each other, not before, at last, but Heian Ciemnosc already saw all the slight, mutual respect they had for each other.

“Then, we take this team, bring it out and do a mission. We would surely do well. Most of these are in the Ashes Soul realm. Although the criminals’ ‘limited’ cultivation base has been rising lately, it won’t give us much trouble. How are we going to proceed… team leader?” Victor elaborated as he looked at everyone, excited, then at Heian Ciemnosc, expectant.

“It would be too easy to simply go out there and do what most others do,” Heian Ciemnosc said, and his words garnered their attention directly. “I will pick one where man Crabstynian realm criminal cultivators in the early stages have been spotted. Then, I’ll give everyone a talisman to keep your cultivation base hidden. You will place your cultivation base where your authentic realm is hidden. You will fight against genuinely weaker opponents, give it your all, and kill them like this. Even if you’re outnumbered or in danger.”

“Only then can we use our real strength… like a test?” The youngster seemed to take Heian Ciemnosc’s words and suggestions well, but Victor had to ask again with a frown at his face. Heian Ciemnosc shook his head lightly before saying, “No, you will signal me, and I’ll come to your rescue. When in this mission, unless a hidden enemy of a higher realm shows up, you’ll remain as low cultivation base as them.”

“Pardon me, but… does the brand new team leader want more merit points and fame than he already has?” Aleksander suddenly asked as he glared at Heian Ciemnosc. His tone was somewhat gentle, but they were clearly demanding an answer and a good one.

Step, step, step. Heian Ciemnosc quickly stepped towards Aleksander, and though Heian Ciemnosc’s speed was just okay in their eyes, the fact he managed this at the Spirit Birth realm surprised a huge fucking lot. He was face to face with Aleksander, who stood his ground and whose eyes became stiff with determination.

Heian Ciemnosc looked at the young man’s eyes for some moments, tilting his a little to the left and right before opening his mouth to calmly speak in a hush. “No merit needed. Though they would be the best for some ingredients and try some things. I still need some more time before I can use them. No, I need to know what my team is capable of by not only reading you and examining with my Spirit Sense but in battle and in unjust situations. I’m not gaining ‘a’ team. I’m forming my team…”

“And because it’s my team we are talking about, it cannot be like the others. I will utilize each of your capabilities to the utmost. I will proportionate you with Mortal weapons, and even higher in the future, besides tools, equipment, and alchemy’s utilities, with a discount. But you will have to earn every single one. I need to watch you fight, then I will have a better understanding of each of you. By then, I might even help you in your cultivation path.”

“...” There was silence in the room. Heian Ciemnosc felt 6 different pairs of eyes on him as he exchanged a lock of gazes with Aleksander. The latter didn’t seem bothered and instead seemed pleased enough with Heian Ciemnosc’s answer.

“Then, what are we waiting for?” Violet said, stepping towards both of them with her arms open and her face slightly impatient. Heian Ciemnosc looked at her, and she looked at him. There was only one thing in common in their eyes as there was in the rest of the team’s eyes, thirst for battle and eliminating criminal scum.

“Oh, one last thing before we go,” Heian Ciemnosc halted everyone’s steps. His following words left his team members baffled and feeling a creepy feeling dwell upon and within them. “If there ever comes a time I’m serious and silent or give a signal to hush, better obey me, or I’ll kill whoever disobeys for everyone’s safety.”

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. . .

The same day, many hours later. In the outskirts of a City, much farther away from the Wrath Nihility Academy than in any other mission Heian Ciemnosc has been in.

Their mission this time was a slightly old but still incapable First Step organization. It had about 2 million members, with only about 14,000 controlling the rest. Most of those 2 million were in the Spiritual Ligament, Spiritual Condensation, and Link Consolidation realm. There were dozens and dozens of Crabstynian realm cultivators. But all of them were limited to the 1st and 2nd stages, while the strongest were at the 3rd stage.

Only the leader of this organization was at the peak of the 3rd stage. Heian Ciemnosc had Estebn, Fengli, and Sakura at that stage. Even as they would be the strongest in the incoming attack, they would likely be surrounded by several 3rd stage and the peak 3rd stage cultivators at the Crabstynian realm.

Meanwhile, Violet, Oleg, and Victor were limited at the 2nd stage, while Aleksander’s cultivation base was set at the 1st stage. This wasn’t because of questioning Heian Ciemnosc or because his cultivation base was the lowest among everyone else’s. From what he told Heian Ciemnosc, the team leader gave Aleksander this opportunity to know even more about his capabilities. And there was nothing better than literally backtracking one’s steps to look at a past self that could have done better.

Trckrr~... At this moment, they were in a vehicle for 8, perfect for Heian Ciemnosc and his team. Which, in any case, had quickly registered after Heian Ciemnosc read their information from their Universal Conveyance with a small fee of 1 silver coin. Once he looked into everyone’s info and asked them a little, they went to the manager waiting in another room of the Missions & Operations building to form their ‘Concealed Ornament Team’ once and for all.

Since the war, the Academy had become preferably easygoing regarding their military and armies. Anyone can name their team however they want by following the pronounced ‘not-to-do list’ for naming their group. In times of need, they would be assigned a serial identification with either in numbers or simply letters. But they would also be giving a code with their team’s name’s initials. In any case, they were called OC#.

Heian Ciemnosc was CO1, Esteban CO2, Fengli CO3, Sakura CO4, Oleg CO5, Victor CO6, Violet CO7 and Aleksander CO8. Heian Ciemnosc did this out of nostalgia and nothing else. It wasn’t unheard of among teams and clubs, but not many did so. Not even his Saerbone Diabolical Club did unless it came to Elena’s crazy, devoted, and worshiping team that treats her as a goddess.

They drove a dull green vehicle, and the surrounding nature was a few woods to their south and northeast. While their team’s target, organization, was in between. At this moment, Heian Ciemnosc looked back at Aleksander, who wanted to speak with him.

“Will Esteban become our second in command, or so?” He asked politely. Heian Ciemnosc turned to look at OC2 and spoke to him with a clear tone but somewhat ambiguous. “Ordinary butterflies, have you ever seen them stop flapping their wings and die as they fall from the air, a tree or bush?”

“...” Esteban’s eyebrows complicatedly furrowed. He had no damn clue about what those words were about… yet.

“It’s of no importance. The ordinary ones only get to live a few weeks at most. Some a little more,” Heian Ciemnosc shrugged his shoulders and looked at the 1st row of seats of 3 in the vehicle, where the driving Violet and serious Sakura sat. “Violet will be my voice and will, wherever I am not or whenever I can’t dictate, she will have them both.”

“...” The team looked slightly unsatisfied with this assignment of roles. Esteban was also surprised, but his eyes twinkled, and he looked at the back of the driver’s seat before returning to face Heian Ciemnosc’s darkest eyes. Nodding, he sat and faced the front and kept quiet. It would soon be time for action, and everyone needed to prepare. They had their talismans ready, and Violet would be given time to meditate.

“Wohoo, congratulations.” Not wanting to let the quiet atmosphere perdure, Sakura smiled and showered Violet with some words. To which the latter looked at her and smiled lightly in return.

“We’ll count on you, I guess,” Oleg said while sharpening a saber with a crooked edge, tattered and even somewhat rusty. He was honing it with his fingertips as only such were needed for his Mortal slaughtering weapon to grant him many kills in the battle. His tone was light but not shaky. He was sincere to Violet. Sakura’s and Oleg’s words were just the beginning.

“Yeah, counting on you.” - “Good luck, Violet, you’ll have it harder than us.” - “If the team leader bullies you, we’ll support you to dethrone him.” - “Aye, and if he’s too good to you, we’ll be dethroning you both.”

The group talked and teased. Heian Ciemnosc sometimes rolled his eyes, sometimes grinned. Violet at least had. Esteban talked a few times, too, while the girls were the most humorous and Aleksander the most proper between everyone. Finally, when only a minute remained before arriving at their destination, Violet spoke her first command directly under Heian Ciemnosc.

“Okay, enough, we are close to the target. Beware of any possible ambush, and follow the team leader’s words. Or we’ll be beaten too badly by these weakling criminals.” Violet’s words had the team slowly silence and become stern. Esteban carried a calm aura, but Fengli and Sakura became serious as the rest sat, meditating through their Power Energy flow.

Heian Ciemnosc looked as everyone began to turn into their battle mode, and their wills became harder than steel. After a minute, Violet stopped the car, and everyone went out silently. After Heian Ciemnosc stored it in his Covert Space bags, he, Esteban, and Fengli advanced a little, with the rest remaining behind to protect Violet’s meditation.

“We did talk of many things, but… If you or Violet aren’t anywhere near us… How are we going to communicate?” Esteban asked Heian Ciemnosc as the three observed the School of Dancing Flowers’ territory.

Heian Ciemnosc looked a bit more at the enemy territory before facing Esteban. Fengli looked at them silently to his right. “Using our medallions, what else?”

“The medallions? But we’ll be distracted. These are deathly enemies now with these Grayfaced talismans. How are we supposed to deal with communicating like this?” Esteban asked again, but Heian Ciemnosc only nodded at him. Of course, Heian Ciemnosc knew the team was barely getting to know each other, and there was little to no synergy between each other. Esteban remembered Heian Ciemnosc’s words from when they met him and looked at the sky while slowly cocking his head backwards to the left. “Aah… right, it’s about that.”

“I’m ready,” at this time, when they faced the enemy territory again, Violet spoke behind them with Sakura, Oleg, Victor, and Aleksander behind her. Esteban looked at her but then kept quiet. After noticing that, Heian Ciemnosc turned around smoothly, semi-faced Violet, who was standing while he was on the ground, and said, “Communicate with the medallions from now on. And no words spoken to the enemy.”

“You heard him. Have your medallions ready.” Violet’s eyebrows jolted before she turned around and spoke to the four behind her. After this little initiation, Violet lay prone beside Esteban’s left and the rest beside her and on Fengli’s side.

“I will take care of the center,” Heian Ciemnosc said before pointing at Esteban with his index finger and without looking at him. “You, Fengli, and Sakura are to move to the east and draw attention, kill anything you see. Even slaves, Fauna, and flora. Everything here doesn’t smell good.”

“...” The three nodded and began observing the enemy territory’s east more carefully. But they didn’t just stop examining the other places. It wasn’t as if they would never move from the east, and they were very aware of battles like this and attacks of the same kind. Sakura immediately asked once he was done, and a few seconds had passed. “Will you be going alone?”

“Yes, is that a problem?” Heian Ciemnosc asked her with his darkest eyes practically teasing. Sakura didn’t realize he would react like this, but she still shook her head and said with a worried tone and a pair of sapphire eyes. “Just be careful.”

“Mn,” Heian Ciemnosc nodded lightly and faced the front. Once a few more minutes passed, he relayed more orders. “Sakura, you bring Oleg and Victor with you to the west. Aleksander will go to the south. There won’t be many enemies there, most forced to the east or west while the center has a whirlpool that will take any life coming towards him.”

“Is that safe for Aleksander?” Sakura asked again, worried but carrying more curiosity and a slight frown on her fuscia pink eyebrows. Heian Ciemnosc tilted his head towards her, slightly nodding, “They will eventually avoid the center, bordering it to move east or west. Their low cultivation members will only fight for the first few minutes. As I said, kill anything you see. Unless your medallion warns you of a student nearby, of course.”

“Once there is no more Ashes Soul realm in the center, I will help the east and west.” Heian Ciemnosc didn’t need to say anymore. Everyone knew there wasn’t a worry for their enemies to escape and rise again. They had to keep the ceremony safe, and if they didn’t and fled… Well, hundreds of times, many mangled and eaten bodies were found from ‘missing’ enemies after every month.

It was either win or die for them. If they left their organization’s specifc organizational territory, a worse death than at most hands of the students awaited them. Thus, the students were glad these missions didn’t require an advanced array formation Craftspeople or costly pre-inscribed array formation tool device to complete it perfectly.

“Aleksander, you go first. Sow some imminent disruption among the low cultivation members. The east attacks in 15 minutes, 5 minutes of interval between each other, the central, the west, and finally the south will attack subsequently.”

Heian Ciemnosc then faced Aleksander, “Aleksander, you can kill a dozen Ashes Soul realm and a hundred low cultivation base members every minute until it is your turn to go all out. You are to harvest those seeds of disruption wherever you go.”

Heian Ciemnosc nodded to himself without looking at anyone. Looking at the School of Dancing Flowers’ territory, his darkest eyes were terrifyingly fixated on the buildings and the few lit lights within. “Let’s go, move.”

…