"Who said there's no penalty?" Tilting her head slightly, she asked with a small smile.
".."
Zyrus didn't say anything much, because he easily understood what she meant. Just because there was no penalty from the system doesn't mean that it was the same in real life.
After all, he was hundred percent sure, that atleast he would die. There was a reason for it, of course. It was quite a simple one actually.
Value.
Anaerah or rather Elizabeth Von GoldShade has value.
As the esteemed daughter of the GoldShade dukedom. She has an astronomical value to her after all.
So...he was sure that she ain't gonna die anytime soon atleast unless she did something truly drastic. For a moment he tilted his head, as a detail surface in his mind.
In the original novel, Elizabeth Von GoldShade hadn't been able to escape these guys and had almost died in one scene.
But what now?
Breaking him from his thoughts, Anaerah spoke.
"So Mr. Successor have you decided on what to do?" She asked.
"Hmm, well what choice do I have? Though why it's specifically me who had to kill him?" He asked almost to himself but Anaerah gave him the answer.
"Of course, it's because you are the Successor. This little guy here had told me to not kill." She said pointing towards the quest status screen.
"Why?, how do I even fight these guy's when i am not even a awakened." Zyrus scowled
This time, the answer to his question was given by the system.
[It specifically because you aren't awakened, this quest has been solely assigned to you. Even if you are chosen for your geart potential that doesn't mean a thing, if you aren't even capable of dealing with some lousy kidnapper's. They haven't designed me to spoonfed you.
The Zero'th Legacy is your first step towards power, and the first step is always the hardest. That's why it's in your hands to choose.
Become someone new or die here together with your Soul Bound.]
Zyrus quietly listened to the system, and sighed. It was right. Every word it spoke had made utmost sense... except the last one, he didn't understand that one part.
Just then, as if the system had predetermined it. The carriage also stopped. Both Zyrus and Anaerah tensed.
For a moment, he could only listen to his heart beating. However then low footsteps rang from outside.
Someone was coming.
"Well it's in your hands now, i will help you however we have to be quick." Anaerah whispered.
'Fine, i guess.' He thought. Closing his eyes he gathered himself. Then, quietly he stood up.
'Gotta find a weapon or something.' He looked around in search of anything, however there wasn't anything much beside the unconscious children beside them.
However, just then he found out a rusty iron knife, on the side of the carriage.
He ran towards it, picking it up lightly. The footsteps were now extremely close, so much that he could understand them clearly.
Nodding to Anaerah, he quickly moved towards the gate of the carriage, and stood beside it while Anaerah also laid, closing her eyes and feigning to be unconscious.
Moments passed in tensed silence, then finally the door knob moved and the carriage door opened.
From it, a man entered. His face was covered by black cloth. Though, Zyrus was not really paying any attention to it.
Zyrus moved before his fear could freeze him.
The rusty knife trembled in his grip, but his legs did not stop. He lunged forward, aiming for the man's side, putting all his weight into that single strike.
But reality was cruel.
The masked man reacted on instinct. He jumped back just in time, the blade grazing past his clothes instead of sinking into flesh.
A sharp clang echoed as the knife scraped against the carriage wall.
"Tch—!" the man clicked his tongue, finally understanding what had happened.
"You little bastard—!"
He kicked forward without hesitation.
Zyrus barely had time to react. The kick slammed into his stomach, knocking the air out of his lungs.
His body flew backward, crashing into the wooden wall. Pain exploded through his ribs as he collapsed to the floor.
"Guh—!"
He gasped, mouth opening and closing uselessly as he struggled to breathe.
'So this is the difference..' A thought came into his mind.
The masked man stepped inside fully now, shutting the carriage door behind him. His eyes scanned the interior coldly, stopping briefly on the unconscious children… then landing on Anaerah.
"…So one of you woke up," he muttered.
Zyrus forced himself up on one knee, clutching his stomach. His vision blurred, but he tightened his grip on the knife.
'Stand up.' He thought.
"You should've stayed down," the man said, drawing his own short blade. "Would've made this painless."
Anaerah remained still, her breathing shallow and steady. She didn't move. She didn't open her eyes.
She was waiting.
The man took a step toward Zyrus. That was when Anaerah moved.
Her eyes snapped open.
In a single smooth motion, she rolled off the bench, grabbed a loose wooden plank hidden beneath the cloth, and swung it with terrifying precision.
Crack—!
The sound was sickening.
The plank slammed into the side of the man's head. His body staggered, balance breaking as he crashed against the carriage wall.
"Wha—?!" he groaned, vision spinning.
Zyrus didn't hesitate this time.
Ignoring the pain screaming through his body, he pushed himself forward and stabbed.
The knife sank into the man's neck.
"AAAAARGH—!"
A scream filled the carriage as blood splashed onto the floor. The masked man collapsed, clutching his neck, blade slipping from his hand.
Zyrus fell back, panting heavily, hands shaking violently as he released the knife.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Only heavy breathing filled the cramped space.
Then
[You have made your choice.]
The system's voice echoed calmly in his mind.
[You have killed an enemy.
Quest Completed....
Teleporting both The Successor's and his bond to the Legacy Chamber.]
Then, both of them vanished. Some moments later, more men in black mask also came.