Master continued without pause, calling the next names as if this was nothing more than routine.
"Theo."
Theo straightened immediately, though the grin from earlier hadn't completely left his face. The glow returned, threads tightening, mana flowing into the book. I watched it carefully this time, forcing myself to stay calm, to not get pulled into whatever I saw earlier.
Master tore the page and handed it to him.
"Keep the paper. Don't lose it," Master said. "It reacts with your mana and updates your status in real time."
Theo blinked, then looked back at the paper, then at Master again. "…so this thing just… updates itself?"
"Yes."
"…forever?"
"As long as you supply it with mana," Master replied. "And as long as it isn't destroyed. Treat it as something precious."
Theo let out a low whistle. "That's… insane."
"Yes, Master," we answered almost at the same time.
This wasn't just information.
This was… a mirror.
Something that would show us exactly what we are.
And what we fail to become.
Theo looked down at his paper, and we leaned slightly to see.
Theodosys Assombrir
Job: Assassin
Strength: 27
Vitality: 26
Dexterity: 55
Intelligence: 82
Mana Density Level: 4
Skills:
Assombrir's Blessing [S] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
The blessing of Assombrir, the Tyrant of Darkness.
Assombrir Dagger Art [A] | Mastery Level: Apprentice-tier
The art is exclusive to the Assombrir clan, maximizing their bloodline power.
Critical Strike [A] | Mastery Level: Novice-tier
An advanced sensory technique that identifies and exploits a target's structural or biological vulnerabilities.
Mana Control [B] | Mastery Level: Apprentice-tier
The precise internal regulation of raw energy flowing from the core to the strike.
Swift Footstep [B] | Mastery Level: Apprentice-tier
A specialized movement art that allows for unnatural bursts of speed and weightless repositioning.
Basic Swordmanship [D] | Mastery Level: Apprentice-tier
The standard foundation of blade-work focuses on the fundamental cycles of offense and defense.
Special Trait:
Fate Defier [SSS]
Theo scratched his head.
"…I'm basically a weaker version of Spiro."
Spiro didn't respond.
But it was true.
Same structure.
Same foundation.
Just… not as refined.
"Still good," Agni said quietly.
Theo grinned. "Of course it is."
"Don't show it to others so easily," Master added suddenly. "Only to those you trust."
The room quieted again.
"The paper contains all your abilities. In the wrong hands, it becomes a map of your weaknesses."
I felt my grip tighten slightly.
Weakness.
Everything we were.
Written clearly and exposed.
"So… the reason you let us see each other's…" Spiro started, his voice calm but sharp.
Master smiled faintly.
"You catch on quickly."
A pause.
"That means you must trust each other."
The word lingered.
Trust.
It felt unfamiliar and uncomfortable.
I glanced at the others.
Theo, still joking even after being hit.
Robert, silent but always there when it mattered.
Margaretha, sharp and relentless.
Agni, steady.
Pritha, watching all of us like we were something important.
We had fought together.
Bled together.
Survived things we shouldn't have.
But trust…
Was that what this was?
Or just necessity?
My chest felt… empty.
Like something that should be there wasn't.
Maybe it was burned away.
Or maybe it never existed.
I couldn't tell anymore.
"Next. Agni."
The glow returned.
Agni sat straighter this time, more composed than before. Master handed him the paper, and we all looked.
Agni Lafeu
Job: Assassin
Strength: 25
Vitality: 22
Dexterity: 52
Intelligence: 73
Mana Density Level: 4
Skills:
Lafeu's Blessing [S] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
The blessing of Lafeu, the Sovereign of Origin Flame.
Mana Breathing [A] | Mastery Level: Novice-tier
A high-level meditative technique that synchronizes the respiratory system with the surrounding atmosphere to passively filter and replenish internal energy.
Basic Fire Magic [B] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
An elementary discipline of thermal manifestation, allowing the user to spark, shape, and project raw heat from their internal reserves.
Mana Control [B] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
The precise internal regulation of raw energy flowing from the core to the strike.
Swift Footstep [B] | Mastery Level: Apprentice-tier
A specialized movement art that allows for unnatural bursts of speed and weightless repositioning.
Basic Swordmanship [D] | Mastery Level: novice-tier
The standard foundation of blade-work focuses on the fundamental cycles of offense and defense.
Special Trait:
Fate Defier [SSS]
Agni studied it quietly.
His eyes paused at "Fire Magic."
"…so this is why," he murmured.
Theo leaned over. "You're basically a walking torch."
Agni ignored him.
But his fingers tightened slightly on the paper.
Fire.
That wasn't just a skill.
It was identity.
"Pritha."
The final glow.
Softer.
But steady.
Master handed her the paper.
She held it carefully, as it might break.
Pritha Lafeu
Job: Assassin
Strength: 18
Vitality: 19
Dexterity: 49
Intelligence: 70
Mana Density Level: 4
Skills:
Lafeu's Blessing [S] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
The blessing of Lafeu, the Sovereign of Origin Flame.
Mana Breathing [A] | Mastery Level: Novice-tier
A high-level meditative technique that synchronizes the respiratory system with the surrounding atmosphere to passively filter and replenish internal energy.
Basic Fire Magic [B] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
An elementary discipline of thermal manifestation, allowing the user to spark, shape, and project raw heat from their internal reserves.
Mana Control [B] | Mastery Level: Journeyman-tier
The precise internal regulation of raw energy flowing from the core to the strike.
Swift Footstep [B] | Mastery Level: novice-tier
A specialized movement art that allows for unnatural bursts of speed and weightless repositioning.
Basic Swordmanship [D] | Mastery Level: novice-tier
The standard foundation of blade-work focuses on the fundamental cycles of offense and defense.
Special Trait:
Fate Defier [SSS]
We compared the two silently.
Agni and Pritha.
Same bloodline.
Same structure.
Just slight differences.
Numbers. Levels. Potential.
Pritha looked at hers for a long time.
"…I'm weaker," she said quietly.
Agni immediately shook his head. "No. Just… earlier."
She looked at him.
"…earlier?"
"You'll catch up."
Simple but certain.
Pritha nodded slowly.
She held the paper a little tighter.
Master stood up.
"That's all."
No ceremony.
No conclusion.
Just an end.
He turned and walked toward the exit.
We didn't stop him.
Didn't ask questions.
Didn't move.
Until he was gone.
The room felt quieter after that.
Heavier.
We stayed in the basement.
The cold from outside never reached here. It was warm, stable… safe.
If something like that even existed anymore.
We trained.
Not because we were told to.
But because we had seen it.
Numbers.
Gaps.
Journeyman.
Apprentice.
Novice.
We knew where we stood now.
And it wasn't enough.
Hours passed between training and exhaustion. At some point, we slept on the floor without realizing it.
No dreams.
When I opened my eyes again, it was still dark.
Dawn.
Someone had already prepared everything.
Our bags were gone from the room upstairs.
It was already moved and packed it neatly downstair.
We didn't ask who did it.
We already knew.
We moved quietly.
No talking.
No hesitation.
By the time the first light touched the sky, we were already outside the city.
Three wagons waited.
One for Master, Seyren, Eremes, Spiro and senior member of Assombrir clan.
One for the rest of Assombrir clan.
And one for us.
We climbed in without a word.
The journey back began.
The air was cold.
Colder than before.
But calmer.
No ambush.
No monsters.
No bandits.
Just silence.
And the sound of wheels grinding against frozen ground.
It should have felt peaceful.
But it didn't.
Because now…
We knew.
What we were.
What we lacked.
What we had to become.
The road stretched endlessly ahead.
And for once…
No one spoke.
Five days later, we arrived.
The hideout stood the same as before.
Unchanged.
Waiting.
Like nothing had happened.
But we weren't the same.
Not anymore.