The Assassin's Seven Principles of Manipulation

Chapter 60: Chapter 58 — Redmaw

”Enough! I can see the hesitation on your faces, but drop it. The real world doesn’t care how old you are, people die out there every day. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, so if you think you’re not ready, then fix your fucking heads.”

Garrick’s heavy gaze swept across them.

”Good.” He gave a short nod. ”Now... before we move on—what’s the true essence of being a warrior?”

A trainee raised his hand.

”Don’t raise your hand. This isn’t class. If you’ve got something to say, say it properly.”

”Y-yes, Instructor... I think it’s talent.”

”Talent? That’s it?”

”...yes, Instructor.”

”Trash. Next.”

”...battle sense?”

”No.”

”Strong rune arts?”

”No.”

”...looks?”

”...are you trying to embarrass your ancestors?”

”N-no, Instructor!”

”It’s will.”

A hush settled over the trainees, and all eyes turned toward Kaiden, who met Garrick’s gaze with a steady expression.

”The essence of a warrior is will.”

”Hmm... will, huh. Why?”

”Because before anything else... before you can lift a sword, before you can train, before you can fight... you need will.”

”...I see.”

Garrick stared at Kaiden for a moment, as though weighing his words. Then his gaze shifted to Zephyrion.

”Head trainee, what do you think?”

”It’s wrong.”

Kaiden’s brows drew together slightly.

”How can it be wrong? Without will, you can’t become a warrior.”

”I don’t accept it.”

”Then what is it?”

”Murder.”

Kaiden’s frown deepened.

”...murder? That makes no sense.”

But he wasn’t the only one reacting. Several trainees exchanged confused looks.

”Killing people is against the law. How is that the essence of a warrior?”

”Will makes more sense.”

”Yeah, it has to be will.”

”Hahaha...”

A loud laugh echoed through the space, drawing all attention to Garrick, whose grin had widened.

”Top trainee... murder, huh?”

”Yes.”

”...why?”

Zephyrion fell silent for a moment, his gaze steady.

”Because everything we use, our weapons, our fighting styles, our rune arts... they all exist for one reason...to kill.”

”We train to protect, we fight for honor, we raise our blades for others... but all of it ends the same way.”

”...murder.”

”If you’re going to be a warrior, you have to be ready to kill.”

The trainees stared at him, eyes wide. Now that he had laid it out, it was hard to refute.

Kaiden’s fists slowly tightened.

’He’s right.’

He had been so certain of his answer, but now, as he turned Zephyrion’s words over in his mind, doubt crept in.

Murder...

”It’s exactly what the top trainee said.” Garrick said.

”Murder... that’s the essence of a warrior. If you don’t have the intent to kill, it doesn’t matter how strong you get... your blade will never be absolute.”

Under Garrick’s gaze, the trainees swallowed instinctively.

”So that’s what you’ll be dealing with today. On this mission... every single one of you is going to kill someone.”

Loud gasps rippled through the group, and they stared at Garrick as though they had misheard him.

But Garrick’s eyes were cold.

”Now... move.”

He walked past them without another word and began descending the steps.

”Keep up!”

The trainees flinched and hurried after him. As Zephyrion began moving, Kaiden approached and bowed.

”Young lord.”

”...what?”

”You haven’t forgotten my promise, have you?”

Recalling the moment Kaiden had apologized, Zephyrion gave a slight nod.

”...the one where you defeat me?”

”Yes.” Kaiden nodded, his gaze unwavering.

”I lost again, but that doesn’t change anything. It might not be today... or tomorrow... but I’ll defeat you. No matter what.”

”....”

With another bow, he turned and left.

’He’s changed.’

The trick with the relic had worked exactly as intended. However, Zephyrion had expected something closer to obsession from Kaiden.

And while he still got that, he hadn’t expected that Kaiden would change so much.

...

Zephyrion and the iron trainees were led down the mountain and toward the south, away from Mount Caldrath, until they eventually came to a stop before the entrance of a sprawling forest.

’Other instructors.’

Zephyrion’s gaze went around the area. A few stood openly in the clearing, while others were hiding out of sight.

”Alright, listen up. Details of your mission.”

The trainees gathered around Garrick as he began.

”We received news that a group of bandits attacked a village and wiped out everyone there. These are images from the scene.”

Garrick gestured to the empty air before him, and an image flickered into existence.

”Argh! What is this!?”

”That’s... that’s messed up...”

”Who would do something like this?”

”...ugh...”

The trainees clenched their fists, their expressions twisting. Some turned away, unable to endure the sight, while others bent over and vomited.

Corpses of men, women, and children were scattered, each one killed in a brutal, merciless manner.

”....”

”Those bastards!” Kaiden glared at the image, killing intent surfacing in his eyes. ”Instructor... who did this?”

”Heh... that’s what I like to see.” Garrick nodded. ”It’s the Redmaw.”

The trainees fell silent at once, their eyes widening.

’The Redmaw.’

A powerful group, one of the Five Fangs, the shadow organization that opposed the Ten Thrones across the continent.

The Redmaw believed strength was absolute, and that the weak existed only to be exploited.

Most of their members were unhinged, acting more like raiders than anything else. They pillage villages, attacked caravans, and left destruction in their wake.

In any case, they were dangerous. Not opponents for barely experienced trainees.

Garrick’s brows furrowed as he took in their hesitation.

”You’re Calderalth warriors. Don’t lower your heads.”

The trainees stiffened, their backs straightening as they lifted their heads.

”They butchered an entire village. Men, women... all of them. This is the South. Every settlement is under Calderalth protection. Our protection. And they still dared... are you going to let that slide?”

”N-no.”

”I can’t hear you.”

”No!”

”Good.” Garrick gave a sharp nod. ”They’ve been chased for days and are now hiding somewhere in this forest. Our people have already surrounded the area. There’s no escape.

”Your job is simple. Go in there... and kill them.”

The trainees clenched their fists, their expressions filled with resolve as they nodded.

”You’ll be moving in teams.”

A few moments later, he paired everyone in twos. Zephyrion found himself standing beside Fiona.

”Instructors are spread throughout the forest. They won’t interfere unless it’s absolutely necessary. If you get stabbed, if you lose a limb... that’s on you. As long as you’re not about to die, no one’s stepping in.

”Is that clear?”

”Y-yes!”

”Good.” Garrick nodded. ”And one more thing, take this seriously. The whole house is watching. The one with the highest kill count gets a special reward.”

At the mention of a reward, Kaiden’s lips curved into a faint smile.

’Finally.’

Unlike the others, after everything he had been through, he was no stranger to killing.

His gaze shifted to Zephyrion, the smile on his lips deepening slightly.

’I’ll finally be able to beat him.’

No matter what Zephyrion had experienced, Kaiden was certain it couldn’t compare to his.

Strength alone wasn’t enough, killing wasn’t something that came easily. While Zephyrion hesitated, he would already be piling up kills.

’Heh...’

”Alright, that’s it. Take off your weights and move!”