The Assassin’s Path

The scent of blood still lingered in the air. Kalen stood over the lifeless body of the Bloodhound, his dagger dripping with dark crimson. His chest rose and fell with exhaustion, but he felt something new inside him—power.

He had proven himself.

The assassins of the Black Talons had accepted him.

Varik, the skeletal man who had tested him, stepped forward. His thin lips curled into a smirk. "You're not dead. That's a good start."

Renna, who had watched the brutal fight in horror, finally rushed to Kalen's side. "That was insane! You could have died!"

Kalen wiped his blade clean, still catching his breath. "But I didn't."

Renna clenched her fists, frustration evident in her eyes. "This isn't who we are, Kalen. We don't belong here."

Kalen turned to her, his expression unreadable. "Then where do we belong, Renna? The Temple wanted us dead. The city won't protect us. If we don't fight, we die."

Renna hesitated. She knew he was right.

Varik chuckled. "She's got a point, boy. But it's too late now. You took the test, you killed, and you survived. That means you belong to the Talons now."

Kalen met his gaze. "Then teach me."

Varik's smirk widened. "Gladly."

The First Lesson

Kalen and Renna followed Varik through the labyrinthine corridors of the guild hall. It wasn't a grand fortress or a secret underground palace—it was a network of hidden chambers spread throughout the lower city, disguised as abandoned buildings.

Everywhere he looked, assassins trained in silence.

One group practiced throwing knives in the dark, hitting targets without a single sound.

Another group sparred with curved blades, their footwork precise and deadly.

Kalen felt a chill run down his spine.

These weren't just murderers.

They were artists of death.

Varik stopped in front of a wooden door. "This is where you'll train."

He pushed it open, revealing a small, dimly lit room with a single candle flickering in the corner.

Kalen stepped inside. "What's the first lesson?"

Varik grinned. "Survival."

Without warning, he threw a dagger at Kalen's face.

Kalen barely dodged, the blade slicing across his cheek.

"Too slow," Varik said. "Lesson one: hesitation gets you killed."

Kalen touched the cut on his face. So this was how it was going to be.

He nodded. "Again."

Varik's grin widened. "I like you, boy."

The Training Begins

For the next few weeks, Kalen trained relentlessly.

Varik taught him how to move unseen, how to blend into crowds, how to strike without hesitation.

Renna, despite her initial reluctance, joined the training. She wasn't as eager to kill, but she understood that if they didn't learn, they wouldn't survive.

Kalen's Shadow Cloak ability improved. He could now vanish into the darkness without thinking.

[Skill Upgrade: Shadow Cloak (Intermediate)]

- Now lasts twice as long.

- Increases evasion by 50%.

His dagger skills sharpened.

His reflexes became faster.

His instincts grew sharper.

And with each passing day, he felt himself changing.

The boy who had escaped the Temple was gone.

In his place stood a predator.

A Dangerous Mission

One night, Varik summoned Kalen and Renna to his chamber. He leaned against the wall, flipping a dagger between his fingers.

"You've trained well. But training isn't enough."

He tossed a parchment onto the table.

"Your first mission."

Kalen picked up the parchment. It contained a name.

Lord Edric Vastren.

A nobleman. One of the wealthiest men in the city.

Kalen frowned. "What's the job?"

Varik's smirk darkened. "Assassination."

Renna stiffened. "You want us to kill a noble?"

"Not just any noble," Varik said. "Vastren funds the Temple's experiments. The same experiments that created the Bloodhound you killed."

Kalen's grip tightened around the parchment. So the Temple's reach extended even into the noble class.

Varik continued. "Your mission is simple. Sneak into his estate. Find him. End him."

Kalen looked at Renna. He could see the conflict in her eyes.

But for him, there was no hesitation.

The Temple had stolen his past.

Now, he would steal their future.

Kalen folded the parchment and met Varik's gaze.

"When do we start?"

The Night of the Kill

Lord Vastren's estate was heavily guarded. Elite mercenaries patrolled the perimeter.

But Kalen and Renna weren't approaching through the front gates.

They were already inside.

The underground tunnels beneath the city had provided the perfect entry point.

Now, they crouched in the shadows, watching their target.

Lord Vastren sat in his study, sipping wine, completely unaware of the two assassins lurking in the darkness.

Renna whispered, "Are you sure about this?"

Kalen's expression was cold. "We do what we must."

He activated Shadow Cloak.

Silence.

Darkness.

And then—

The blade struck true.

Lord Vastren barely had time to gasp before the dagger pierced his throat.

Blood spilled onto the desk.

The noble collapsed.

Kalen exhaled. His first true assassination.

[Mission Complete: First Kill]

[+50 EXP]

[Level Up: 5 → 6]

[New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Kill]

The power surged within him.

Renna looked at him, her face pale. "It's done."

Kalen wiped his blade and nodded. "Let's go."

As they vanished into the night, one thought lingered in his mind.

This was only the beginning.

End of Chapter 6