Alex had just now killed the first human in his life. In fact, he had killed more than five to six humans back to back tonight. His hands were trembling right now as he ran across the road towards Tom and others.
They were trembling not because he had taken human lives as he had killed them from a distance and it also helped him to think of them as animals and not real humans. His hands were trembling right now because of how difficult it was to pull the string of the Crescent Bow. His strength could easily rival cultivator at Grade 3 of Body Tempering realm but even then he got dead tired after firing dozen rounds of arrows. This low Rank Crescent Bow can only be effectively used by those cultivators above Grade 3.
"Good thing I killed that bastard at the start or else he would have high chance at evading arrows I fired later on"
If Alex was graded based on his assassination skills then he would only get a grade between C and B. That is because even though his mother was a legendary SSS Assassin, she could only teach and train him seven years (6-13) they were together. Also because Alex was still a kid at that time, he can't possibly be trained to become an assassin near the level of his mother. He had not fully grown up.
In simple terms, Alex could be called an intermediate Assassin. But this much was enough to kill the most problematic guy at the start. Normally if he had used a normal bow instead of graded bow, than that Pirate Leader had a slim chance of evading that attack as the senses and perception of high level cultivators could have easily manage to see or hear it coming.
Speed and power behind the arrows were also another matter to consider. Not to mention how difficult it is for Alex to fire in the blind spot of the pirate captain.
Just as he had reached home, Alex saw all three of them Tom, Hank and Anna standing outside in the front yard of Donald's house.
"Why are you all out?"
"We saw that the fight has ended from the window that's why" Hank said excitingly as he saw how those pirates ran away in fear. Though he didn't exactly knew what happened from this far.
"Alex, were you able to see what has happened when you got there, did you also participate in the fight" Tom asked more inclined to hear what had exactly happened.
"No, I didn't fight them. I only saw from afar and couldn't get the chance as the fight quickly ended as it started… Before the fight, the pirate leader had asked for more than 50 gold coins. Donald had accepted at first to avoid any bloodshed and also because the pirates were stronger than the villagers" Alex said as he immediately thought of an idea to rile up the lazy Hank and not so fight loving Anna. As both of them were not really concentrated when they exercised and cultivated.
Tom was different as he had his own mom situation to boost his will to cultivate harder than anyone else. He was already at the brink of becoming 2nd Grade body tempering cultivator and he was also able to absorb more fighting moves from Alex than the other two. Hank was like a lazy pig who was slowing down as his life was made easier with all the food and maybe also because his father had become the village head. Anna was not lazy but she was also not working hard with the entire princess treatment she gets from others.
"He agreed? Then why did they start to fight and also win?"
Alex looked at Anna and Hank as he said "They asked something else with the money, they asked for 5 beautiful women standing there including Aunt Julie and Meg. You should know why they would ask for them. As much as we know Uncle Jack and Donald, they would definitely not comply anymore. And you know the result because of that would be nothing else then to fight but you should know that the pirate leader was a peak 6th grade body tempering cultivator plus he had a low grade black ranked weapon. I think I don't need to elaborate how the fight would have ended if not for that hidden person who had killed that pirate leader at the beginning and also his later help."
Alex saw that Hank was sweating bullets while Anna was already shivering at the thought of losing her father and what disaster her mother might have suffered.
"Ah, if only I were stronger, I would have not just watched the fight from afar but hacked those pirates to death. All of us as we are right now, our cultivation would only slow down as we age. Hank, Tom and Anna we need to put in more effort to get stronger now so that we can protect our loved ones and not just watch."
'This kind of low level acting and motivation should be enough to rile them up.' Alex thought in his mind.
"Alright, let's go inside. They should be coming back now"
…
After burying the ashes of the dead bodies and locking up the captives, Jack, Meg, Donald and Julie came back.
Anna couldn't stop herself from crying in the arms of her mother. Julie had to take her daughter in her room while jack and Donald were discussing what to do next.
"Donald what should we do about that weapon. The mercenaries in the town should have come know about the Low grade Black Ranked Machete and might turn their greedy eyes towards us."
Donald knew the danger they were in now. The weapon was like a jade ring in the hands of the poor not to mention the retaliation they have to face from the pirates and the mastermind of this whole fiasco that was eyeing them in the dark.
He reluctantly said "This is not something we can have… Jack you go and take this weapon to the House of Yandell. Have an audience with Willy Yandell in the morning, tell him what has happened here and ask him for the protection of this village"
"But Uncle Donald, what about the City Lord. He won't take it good if you give this weapon to another Noble House in the city while asking their protection and not him." Alex who was listening from the side asked.
"Alex you may not know this but the Willy Yandell has a daughter with high cultivation talent. Her marriage has been arranged with the son of the City Lord. Because of this, the City Lord has given the jurisdiction of governing the villages on surrounding the city to them from month before this. So every case in the village has to be reported to the House of Yandell now." Donald answered the question.
"What we hear is unlike other Nobles in the city, he has a very good nature. The chances of him helping us are also more."
"Jack you go right now and be discreet when you exit the village. And be sure not to encounter Lindon on the road or in the city, I suspect he is the one who is the mastermind. Also try fishing some information about the relationship between Lindon and Jon the previous village head."
"Alright, I will go right now." Jack stood up and took the Machete wrapped in a cloth.
After Jack had gone, Alex and others also went to sleep.
Just as Alex had gone, Donald took out a broken arrow which had killed the Scar faced pirate. After looking on the shaft of the arrow a marking could be seen that Donald and Jack usually made to keep track of their arrows and kills made by them.
'Dear Alex, who could have known that you would have hidden your abilities so deeply. But I can't understand why would you keep it in dark even from us. Sigh! Younger generation will surpass the older ones. This will definitely bring a smile to Jack face if he comes to know of it.' Donald thought as he also made his way to his room to think other plans he could use to confront the pirates revenge and also about Lindon. This was going to be a sleepless night.