Basil wasn't merely running away to a random place. He was heading somewhere. The place he was heading was none other than Philosopher Alchemy Store.
He had used up all the hundred gold he had obtained that day on his journey. Therefore, he was planning on replenishing his money.
He was running swiftly, jumping from roof to roof. He didn't bother to take the normal way. He was no more a normal person, not in the wrong way. After some roof jumpings later, he finally reached his destination.
However, it wasn't the alchemy store. It was a secluded place near the slum of Woster Region. He was gazing in front of him calmly while tapping his foot rhythmically.
"[Fire Bullet]!"
He muttered lowly, while extending his hand behind. Bullet like fire was quickly shot out of his hand, the target was the direction behind him. The fire bullets spread themselves and hit the walls leaving a scorch on them.
[Fire Bullet] was the spell that Basil had been supposed to perform on his class advancement test. However, he didn't do it, because [Fire Bullet] posed no challenge to him.
Surely, he wasn't merely playing with Magic just then.
"That was a good reflex. As expected of Umbra Guild."
Clank!
Spark!
Two blades were clashing instantly. Sparks came out of the clash, showing how much power the attack had.
Basil looked at his assailant silently. The assailant was wearing a black robe with a hood that completely hid his presence. The power behind the attack wasn't too strong, however the speed was nothing to scoff at.
Surely, that was just Basil's objective opinion in his current level. He looked at the assailant and said calmly, "Not bad for a low-class assassin. Sadly, people like you are disposable..." He shook his head and continued, "What a shame."
The assailant kicked forward and Basil naturally dodged it. Because of that, the assailant managed to create a distance between them.
"How did you know of our guild?"
The assailant was guarded. He looked at Basil cautiously. He couldn't afford to lower his guard for even a second. His trained instinct as an assassin was screaming at him. The young man in front of him was dangerous!
Gulp.
He gulped unconsciously when Basil looked at him square in the eyes. Basil put his finger on his mouth in a shushing manner and said, "Mage should never tell his secret."
!!!
Clank! Clank! Clank!
Cold sweat was pouring down on his forehead ceaselessly. In the blink of an eye, Basil disappeared and reappeared in front of him. He was almost caught off guard as the first attack managed to graze his cheek.
Basil merely observed the assailant calmly. Middle Stage Orange Core. That was the stage of his assailant artificial Core. Basil was still in the Middle Stage Red Core, there was a realm of difference between their power.
However, Basil wasn't using the defective technique his assailant used. Furthermore, Basil nurtured his natural Core, unlike his assailant. Therefore, he had no problem to fight against his assailant.
Bang!
The assailant managed to land a kick on Basil. Of course, the only reason he managed to do that was because Basil decided to fend it, not to dodge it.
The assailant took a distance from Basil and observed him in extreme cautiousness. He couldn't match Basil's power, luckily he was slightly faster than Basil. Therefore he could stand toe to toe with Basil.
He was assaulted with nervousness which he hadn't felt for a long time.
'Darn! For all of times, why it has to be now that I picked a wrong mission!?'
He was silently cursing while tightening his grip on his daggers. Basil didn't pay any attention to him as he was looking at his short sword which had its edge chipped. He shook his head bitterly.
'38 gold for this low quality weapon? Rip off!'
It wasn't that the short sword was defective. It was his assailant's daggers that were amazing. He naturally knew it, however he felt the need to curse the one who sold the short sword.
He looked at the daggers in his assailant's hands intently yet sneakily.
'I need to get those daggers in my hands.'
As if understanding his gaze, his assailant tightened his grip on the blade even tighter. At this point, he might have bled his palms from grasping them too tightly.
Boom!
!!!
The assailant became alert instantly. It was because he saw the Magic Circle that was floating behind Basil's head. He didn't give a crap to any Mage related matters, however he could understand that the Circle wasn't normal.
It caused the air exploded after all!
Swish!
He ran away without thinking. The mission was a complete failure. His mission was only supposed to be tailing behind Basil's back and no more than that.
He wasn't very good at fighting. He had been counting on his agility and his ability to stay hidden for all these years.
He ran to the best he can. It was the fastest speed he could muster with his meager Body Forging level. However...
Bang!
"Gah!"
He finally let out a sound for the first time. Basil managed to catch up to him, and gave him his greetings by kicking him in the back. The assailant was thrown away and sent rolling on the ground due to his running speed.
His mouth was bleeding due to the fall, however his experiences weren't for naught. He quickly stopped his rolling, and righted himself. The robe was dirty due to the fall, however the hood remained on his head, hiding his face.
"You give me no choice. I will kill you here!"
"Sure."
Basil merely gestured his assailant to come. He didn't underestimate his assailant though. He knew the moment he utilized his Circle, his assailant stood no chance. It was the advantage of training in both principals.
Although he could win even if he fought his assailant with his Knight Techniques only, he wouldn't come out of it unscathed. Given the way to win the fight unscathed, he would obviously choose the latter.
There was no need to test his skill on an assassin whose death didn't even impact anyone.
The assailant dashed toward Basil while channeling every Qi he had to the daggers. The daggers shone in orange light and they were quickly slashed at Basil. Every slash was powerful and swift. It was incomparable to their first clash.
However, Basil was still calm. He parried all of the attacks meticulously while searching for any gaps in the attack. When he saw one —
[Gale]!
— he uttered a single spell.
Small whirlwind was shot out of his left hand's pointer finger. It was a showcase of extreme control over one's spell. This was what happened if Basil utilized his Circle fully. He could manipulate a Spell on a whim!
The assailant was too busy attacking him to pay any attention, and that became his demise.
"Huhp!"
His side was strucked by the small whirlwind, and he felt like his soul was thrown out of his body. His rib was broken, while he was thrown like a rag to the side.
"Gah!"
He was rolling like a wheel on the ground, however this time, he couldn't stop himself. His body felt powerless. By the time his body stopped rolling, he was coughing blood out of his mouth.
He couldn't even lift his hands, they were broken in the middle of his rolling on the ground. The hood was finally off his head, revealing an ordinary face of someone in his late twenties.
No one could imagine that someone like him was an assassin. His face was too ordinary that it looked like the kind guy from next door. Who would expect he was an assassin?
Basil walked toward his assailant and crouched beside him. He looked squarely at his assailant's eyes, and said calmly, "Nicholas?"
The assailant widened his eyes. Although he didn't open his mouth, his reaction was enough for Basil. The assailant laughed soundlessly. His face was full of defeat.
"Who is your name?"
"..."
The assailant was taken aback by Basil's sudden question. He stayed silent for a while, before shaking his head and said faintly, "I don't have a name."
Basil looked at him calmly and said, "If you were to have a name, what would you want it be?" The assailant stayed silent for a while before answering, "Ja-Jaden..." He chose that name, because he loved jade.
Basil nodded his head and said, "Good choice." Then, he swung the dagger that was previously wielded by his assailant, Jaden, at his neck. "Here lies Jaden, a human. May you rest in peace."
The head was separated from the body. Fresh blood was gushing out of the place where the head previously belonged to. Jaden's face was still in a longing expression. He was simply happy that someone had cared to ask for his name.
His eyes slowly losing their light, however his mouth was curled upward a little. He died while smiling faintly.
Basil looked at the face of the one he had beheaded calmly. He might have spent a quite peaceful life in the three weeks after his return. However, he had never forgot the cold reality of the world he was living in.
People died due to their ambition, while the other people died due to someone's ambition. The scene in front of him was the reality.
Be ignorant, and you will do what people want. Be aware, and you will be aimed by everyone. Basil had never liked to be ignorant, therefore he had been faced with many ordeals in his past life. And, he was sure it wouldn't be any different in this life.
"So, you have chosen death, Nicholas?"
In this second chance, he would go against the world fiercer than he had ever been.
...
Clara, the female assistant of Philosopher Alchemy Store's Chief in Woster Region was bored out of her mind. She had seen a couple of male customers for the entire week, however none had managed to catch her eyes.
Some of them were pleasant to the eyes, however no one had been comparable to the equally pretty and handsome young man she had met a week ago. She wanted to meet him again badly. Sadly, he didn't come to the store anymore.
Clink.
The bell rang, signifying the entrance of a customer. She sighed lightly and proceeded to put on her professional look.
"Good day, esteemed Customer! What can I help you for..."
She couldn't finish her words. She was gazing at the customer in a daze.
"Ah.. ah... You..."
She was muttering unintelligibly. She wanted to say a word, however she couldn't form it easily. It was because the customer in front of her was none other than Basil whom she wanted to meet so bad.
"I want to sell some Catalysts."
Just like his first day of coming here, he said his words calmly. He didn't give a crap to the woman acting cute in front of him.
'Do you think I, Basil Pacifer, will fall for your trick? Dream on!'
He remained unaware of the situation. Luckily, Clara was professional enough to regain her composure. She cleared her throat once and bowed politely.
"Please wait for a moment. I will call the Chief first."
"Hm."
Clara was assaulted with a sense of deja vu. The situation was similar to that fateful day where she met her fated person, Basil. She once again gazed at him furtively.
This time, it was Basil who felt a sense of deja vu.
'This woman.. how tenacious! She keeps sending me seductive gaze just like the first day!'
And thus, he received another ordeal that he had unintentionally made.
