As I couldn't help but salivate at the thought of how bright my future looked, Peyton saw fit to wake me up from my daydreaming.
"You sure you don't wanna be an astronaut?"
"Uhm...no? Why do you ask?"
"You've been spacing out for a while."
"...."
"...."
"Should've added a 'zingo' while you were at it."
"Was is that bad-"
"Yes, yes it was."
"Or maybe you're just a hater. If you wanna talk 'bad jokes', I'd say the award goes to intentionally letting a sword pierce your chest just to catch me."
"Crap, she figured it out."
"I haven't the foggiest clue of what you're talking ab-"
"Don't even try to deny it. I don't care how depleted your Mana was, heck, I don't even buy it was to begin with, but A-Rank level sensory perception should be more than enough to deal with that small fry Goblin."
"'Small fry' she says"
"Excuse me? I'm an F-Rank."
"An F-Rank with A-Rank level sensory perception."
"That's..." I paused as I looked at her face. She bore an extremely serious expression. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't scary. I had fully resolved myself to lie my teeth off but the moment I saw that face, still retaining its beauty yet being devoid of a smile, I chickened out.
"That's...th-that's...that's fair." I said in a stutter.
"Old man-Gam, in the end, your teachings were for not." A single tear ran down my left cheek as I thought that.
"Oh? That's unexpected. I was sure you'd keep denying it. Of course, even if you had, I would've been able to tell with my lie detection Skill anyway."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but you looked incredibly scary there for a se-I'm sorry, did you just say, 'lie detection Skill'?" I couldn't help but stop to ask.
"Huh? Oh yeah, it's called Truth-Seeking Eyes. Among other things, I can tell when someone's lying."
"And you'd just share valuable information like that with a stranger?" I asked.
"Well, you told me about your B-Rank detection Skill, and even showed me your regeneration Skill. So, aren't we even this way? Besides, I don't actually think of us as strangers."
"Oh? Is that why you were crying your eyes out when you thought I had died." I couldn't resist jabbing at her after she said that.
"W-what? Who said I was crying!? I wasn't crying, you were!" She defended herself, very poorly if I may add.
"Why in God's name would I be crying." I asked.
"From...th...the pain?"
"The pain I'm feeling right now is from watching you try so hard to defend yourself."
"Please stop." I said.
"What did they say about payback? Ah, right, it's a bitch."
"Shut up! I was just worried that I had failed my mission is all!"
"Who would cry just because they failed a damn mission?"
"I have a question. Can you tell when you're lying as well?"
"Oh you're very funny."
"I know, you should take some notes."
"...."
"...."
"I hate you."
"That's fair. Anyway, you gonna help me clear this Dungeon or-"
Silent.
~Whoosh~
Invisible.
~Ting!~
Fast.
....
"You could've dodged that." She said.
"Why fret when I have such a strong and dependable protector at my side?" I said rhetorically.
"Forcing a beautiful woman such as I to do the handy work. Aren't you pretty shameless." She said as she chuckled.
"Call it apart of my charm."
"You're awful."
Her hand was but a few centimetres the side of my neck. Her fingers held a small needle that dripped a transparent viscous fluid. She had moved faster than anything I'd ever seen before, faster than even me at top speed, to catch the needle, preventing it from sticking into my neck. She was right in saying that I could've dodged it but I wanted to see the skills of an A-Rank firsthand so I took a gamble. It was either; I'd get hit by the needle and regret it like shit afterward, or, I'd get to witness the spectacle of a high-Ranking Warrior's capabilities and I must say, it payed off wondrously.
After seeing her in action, I had but a single thought cross my mind.
"She's stronger than me." It was modifying to say the least. She had me outclassed in all Stats. I doubted I'd be able to defeat her the same way I did the Zeke Party. I knew that, yet still, I couldn't help but be excited.
"I really wanna fight her." But if I did that, I'd need to use all my Skills outside of Mine, Craft, Repair and Improve.
"So this is what an A-Rank Warrior is capable of. I was a fool to think I was a match for these monsters just 'cause I had one A-Rank Skill. But, with my current strength, I'm still sure I won't lag behind. Now then, just who in the hell threw that needle?..."
Both Peyton and I looked to the direction where the needle came flying from, as she threw it away.
Her guard was up 110%, and so was mine.
"Show yourself." She uttered.
A hooded figure with a mask then emerged from behind a tree, dressed in all black.
"How intriguing. I didn't expect the target to have an acquaintance." They said. It was obvious to the both of us who they were.
Peyton stepped forward.
"You must the assassin the Reinhardt Family sent after Raid."
"That I am."
"You agreed to that pretty easily."
"Considering you're going to die here, I figured that much information wouldn't hurt."
I then joined in on the conversation.
"You're gonna kill us both? I would've thought the Head of the Reinhardt Family would wanna see his son's murderer face to face before killing him."
"Oh, please don't misunderstand. I'll kill the girl, but you are definitely coming back with me. Alive."
"Well he seems pretty confident."
"That's because he's got the strength to back it up." Praised Peyton.
"Can you beat him?" I asked.
"Of course I can." She answered matter-of-factly.
"I'll be counting on you then."
"Wouldn't have it any other way." She said as she started approaching the hooded figure.
"Judging by your clothes and manner of fighting, you must be one of the Twelve Guardian Shadows of the Reinhardt Family." She added.
The hooded figure looked taken aback.
"You, how do you know about the Twelve Guardian Shadows? That's top secret information, only direct members of the Reinhardt Family should-"
"Oh c'mon now. You can't really tell me that you're that surprised. I work for the Warrior's Association, our information gathering is second to none. No other organisation, be it a Guild, Family, or both, can rival us. You should know that much, shouldn't you?" She poked, smirking ever so sinister-like. It did the job. The guy looked really pissed when she said that.
"I must say." He said trying to keep his composure. "This is....unexpected. I have no choice but to kill you now. After that I'll have to report this to the Great Lord. It seems the Warrior's Association is hellbent on protecting the target. And here on I thought you guys were neutral."
"We side with what we believe is right. How can we be neutral when the other side is the clear villain?"
"Oh? She's good." I thought. Honestly speaking, part of me wanted to fight the assassin myself, but a bigger part of me, the childish little boy in me that is, really wanted to see what a fight between two high-Ranked Warriors looked like.
"What are the Twelve Guardian Shadows?" I asked Peyton in curiosity.
"Just as the name suggests. They're twelve secret protectors of the Reinhardt Family. All of them are A-Rank Assassin Class Warriors and only the Reinhardt Family's direct members are aware of their existence, well excluding us of course." For some reason, she seemed really happy to just share top secret information like that with little ole' me. See now this is why I like this girl.
She then readied herself afterwards. I took that as a signal and moved back. I doubted I needed to help. I doubted she'd want me to. The Assassin got ready too.
It was on.
"Damn, I wish I had popcorn right now."