Deceived

"I wanted to close with a shot... but this unexpected event turned out to be problematic." Zero speaks as he walks away from Asteri and the two women.

" What do you mean by problematic?! Hurry Zero, get rid of them, NOW!" Gustav was furious because it was taking longer than expected.

" It's almost impossible for me to do that, so I'll have to give up that extra..." Zero looks at Gustav.

"Extra?! What are you talking about Zero?" Gustav was obviously troubled by all this, he had a bad feeling.

'This is where the unknown begins... who knows what will happen now' Asteri had imagined that Gustav was here and that he was a collaborator of 'The Shadow of Kalos', but it all seemed too simple.

Zero walks with a step neither slow nor fast, towards Gustav. Always keeping an eye on Asteri and his companions.

Allatu prepares to attack Zero, but Asteri holds out his hand as if to say no... he was too curious to know what was about to happen. Allatu stops what he was about to do and at the same time looks at Betty with a doubtful look, which she reciprocates with the same expression as hers.

"W-what are you doing Zero ?! your enemies are on the other side!" Gustav looked very pale and there were droplets of sweat running down his face.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Gustav, but it was ordered by the customer ... it's the customer's word is absolute for a mercenary, or at least I think so." Zero makes a magical dagger appear from his hand.

"What ?! but he assured me that he would be on my side along with the 'Shadows of Kalos' ... and they ensured my safety too!" Gustav was trying to get further and further away from Zero.

"It pains me to tell you that he's been tricked, he's just bait for the real plan. I'm sorry I can only tell you before I slit her throat." Zero was getting closer and closer to Gustav.

"True plan ?! that bastard gnome, it's not just him who will pay for it, but those traitorous thieves as well." Gustav clenched his fists hard in regret he felt for being deceived.

"Oh come on Mr. Gustav, did he really trust a faction of assassins? It's also because of your stupidity that you ended up in this situation, isn't it?" Zero was right in front of Gustav, the latter with his back to the wall.

"W-wait, wait!" Gustav looks around, ending with his gaze towards Asteri: "boy help me, you're an adventurer right? You should protect people, right? I'll also give you a big reward, whatever you want, just save me." he desperately sought Asteri's help.

"Not only because I am an adventurer, I have a duty to save you, Mr. Gustav. Especially corrupt and abominable people like you. Unfortunately, I am not a hero." Asteri shrugged, not wanting to help the noble merchant.

"Ok, this was your last chance, Mr. Gustav, I wish you a good trip to the other world." Zero was about to stab Gustav's skull with the magic dagger.

"NOOO-" Gustav's scream is interrupted by the knife stuck in the skull, not a single drop of blood came out and his head had no holes from where you could see the wound of the dagger.

'He died from too much pain in his psyche of him.' thought Asteri.

The body of the noble merchant collapses to the ground now lifeless. There was an enormous anguish in his face for the pain he had received.

"What a convenient power for a killer, I can't imagine the effort to find the traces of the crime" Asteri was addressing Zero, the latter turning his head a bit as he looked at the boy.

"You can't imagine how comfortable it is. I'm just sorry I didn't get the job done 100%, but it's not always a good day. I have to go now." Zero takes a black ball from his pocket and slams it to the ground creating a flash of white light that blinds the group for a few seconds.

"What a cute item for a ninja getaway." Asteri says, no longer seeing the mercenary but only Gustav's corpse.

"Asteri was talking about a 'real plan', do you know what it was?" Allatu stands next to Asteri.

"No, I have no idea, but it's definitely not a good thing." Asteri wanted to go back to the city immediately.

"I don't feel his presence ... he's already moving beyond my detection range." Betty says sorry.

"It's not a problem, we're not in danger. Let's take Gustav's body and go back to town." Asteri takes Gustav's body.

. . .

In the middle of a forest, a figure completely covered in assassin's clothes moved nimbly among the tree branches. But suddenly a dagger flies straight in his direction. But it wasn't a problem for him as he silently dodged him.

"Look, look who's here. How are you?" Zero turns in the direction from which he felt the dagger and his eyes see a figure completely dressed in black with very tight clothes that highlight its curves. If Asteri had seen this figure he would have recognized her as the woman who saved him from the purple spider.

"Okay ... when I get your master's head." the woman seemed to have a fire in her eyes, a fire of revenge.

"I understand ... I can arrange a meeting with him if you want, but I don't think it will be good for you as he is under the protective wing of the 'shadows of Kalos' right now." Zero held his dagger by the sheath.

"Don't worry, I'm not here to play, but I only have a message to give to your master. Tell him 'she's coming to collect her debts'." after saying this the woman disappeared into the shadows.

"Thank goodness I didn't really want to kill for free." Zero turns and continues his journey to his destination.

In the distance you could see a part of Marinburg with columns of smoke rising into the sky.