19: The Assassins' Agency

Nolis picked up the phone and looked at the number on the card for a moment. There was no name or any other details, just a string of digits. He pressed the buttons and brought the phone to his ear.

It rang only once before—

He disappeared.

There was no gradual transition, no sensation of movement. One moment, he was standing in his room, and the next, he had become part of something much larger. He felt his body dissolve into sparks of light, merging with the world's energy streams. Everything around him seemed to pause, as if time itself had obeyed a different law. He saw the world from a perspective he could not fully comprehend—neon lights pulsing as raw energy, solid objects merely shadows of the electricity flowing through them.

Then, in the middle of this current, someone appeared—a man who hadn't been there a moment before.

A dark-skinned man with thick, wild hair, as if lightning had struck him a thousand times. His eyes glowed with an electric blue hue, and his smile carried a mix of curiosity and amusement.

In a deep but playful voice, he asked,

"Do you wish to hire the Assassins' Agency to kill someone, or are you applying for the job?"

Nolis stared at him for a moment, then answered without hesitation, his eyes gleaming with unwavering resolve,

"Both. I want to kill the one who took my only love… with my own hands. And I want your help."

The man's smile froze for a second before turning into a soft chuckle. He tilted his head slightly, as if he had just heard something utterly insane.

Then, with a wide grin, he said,

"So, an employee."

And he disappeared.

There was no time to process what had happened, because Nolis found himself moving again, flowing with the energy as if he had returned to being part of the world's electrical grid. Then, in a blink, everything changed.

When he opened his eyes, he found himself in an elegant office, dimly lit, carrying the faint scent of old paper and tobacco. In front of him was a large wooden desk, behind which sat a man dressed in a black suit, watching him silently.

The man said nothing at first, simply studying him for a few moments before leaning back in his chair and clasping his hands together on the table.

Finally, in a calm voice that carried an undeniable weight, he said,

"Welcome, Nolis."

The man's voice was quiet, but it carried an air of absolute authority, as if merely saying the name meant Nolis' fate had already been decided. There was no direct threat in his words, but it lingered between the lines.

Nolis tilted his head slightly, folding his arms. He didn't like the idea that this man already knew his name, but he didn't react outwardly. Instead, he asked in a steady voice,

"And you? Who are you?"

The man didn't smile, but there was a glimmer of amusement in his eyes at Nolis' challenging tone. Slowly, he raised his hand and adjusted the buttons on his black suit before answering simply,

"I am Azrael."

He waited for a moment, as if allowing the name to settle in Nolis' mind before continuing,

"I am the one who decides who is worthy of joining our agency. And those who are not… well, there's no need to discuss them."

Nolis didn't respond, but he could feel the atmosphere growing heavier, as if the air itself recognized the gravity of what he was facing. There was no room for games here.

Azrael leaned back and began speaking in a slow, deliberate tone, as if each word was part of an unspoken test.

"The Assassins' Agency is not just an organization. We are a law unto ourselves, operating outside the boundaries of the ordinary world. Kings, governments, criminals, even ordinary people… they all turn to us when they need someone eliminated. But not just anyone can find us. We leave no traces, no witnesses, nothing behind but death."

He gestured around the room.

"This is not just a room. You are now in 'The Crossroads,' the dimension that separates us from the rest of the world. You cannot reach it unless we allow it. Here, place, time, and physics do not work as you know them."

Then he leaned forward, his dark eyes locking onto Nolis' as if they could see straight through him.

"Now, before we proceed… there are rules. If you wish to stay here, you will follow them without question. Do you understand?"

Nolis didn't respond immediately. He wasn't foolish enough to agree without knowing the details. But he also wasn't in a position to refuse. After a moment, he said,

"I'm listening."

Azrael finally smiled, a cold, emotionless smile.

"Good. Rule number one: There is no turning back. From the moment you become part of our agency, your old life is over. No family, no friends, no past."

He paused for a moment, watching Nolis' reaction, then continued,

"Rule number two: You are not allowed to refuse a contract once you accept it. If you agree to kill someone, you kill them. No excuses, no hesitation. If you fail… you become the target."

"Rule number three: No questions. We do not ask our clients why they want someone dead, and we do not ask about each other. Curiosity can be fatal."

"Rule number four: Absolute loyalty. Betraying the agency means death. And not just any death… erasure. There will be no trace that you ever existed."

He stopped, then looked directly into Nolis' eyes.

"Do you have any objections?"

Nolis slowly shook his head. He had no illusions about this organization. He knew he was playing with fire, but he had come here for one reason: revenge. He didn't care what it would cost him.

---

Azrael sat behind his lavish desk, silently observing Nolis. His dark eyes studied him with cold precision, weighing his worth, deciding if he was just another wanderer… or something more.

After a long moment of heavy silence, he finally spoke,

"Before we begin… I have one question for you, Nolis."

He rested his elbows on the table, fingers interlocked, tilting his head slightly.

"What brought you here? Why do you want to become one of us?"

Nolis opened his mouth to answer, but before he could say a word, Azrael raised his hand, cutting him off, as if he had already received the answer through some unseen force.

"I already have the answer."

Nolis' eyebrow rose slightly, but he didn't speak.

Azrael gave a small, knowing smile, devoid of mockery yet lacking warmth. It was the smile of someone who saw things with absolute clarity.

"You want to use us." "You want to exploit the agency to find someone… a friend? A lover? I don't know exactly, but what's certain is that it's someone important to you."

Nolis stared at him, realizing there was no point in denying it. This man already knew.

"Yes."

Azrael's expression didn't change. There was no surprise, no disapproval. He simply nodded, as if he had expected this answer.

"Your goal will be achieved… in due time."

Nolis didn't like that answer. He wanted to ask when, how, what "due time" even meant. But something in Azrael's tone told him this wasn't a question he should ask right now.

Instead, he remained silent, his gaze locked onto the man before him.

After a moment, Azrael stood from his chair, slowly walking around the desk until he stood directly in front of Nolis.

"But before we get to that… you need to prove you're worthy."

The air in the room seemed to grow heavier, the walls drawing closer, as if the space itself was preparing for what was to come.

Azrael pulled an old pocket watch from his coat, flipping it open gently, his eyes never leaving Nolis.

"In five minutes, you will either be an assassin in our agency… or a memory erased from existence."

He snapped the watch shut.

And smiled.

---

Before continuing, Azrael tilted his head slightly, studying Nolis.

"One last question before we begin… Are you just an ordinary human, or is there something… different about you?"

Nolis hesitated for a moment before answering, "Superhuman… I think."

Azrael smirked slightly, as if he had already known the answer and simply wanted confirmation.

"Then, you'll be placed in the Superhuman Assassins Division."

Azrael placed his hands in his coat pockets, his smirk lingering.

"This division isn't for ordinary jobs. You will be sent to eliminate individuals with… strange abilities, those beyond normal control. Superpowered criminals that the police can't handle. When no one else can stop a target, you and your kind are sent in."

He fell silent for a moment, then slowly pulled out his pocket watch again, glancing at it with a casual air before looking back at Nolis.

"Well… it's time for your test. Your opponent is already waiting in the trial chamber."

Nolis opened his mouth to speak—

Azrael snapped his fingers.

And Nolis vanished.

There was no sensation of movement, no transition. One moment, he was standing before Azrael—

And the next, he was somewhere else.

He opened his eyes to find himself in a vast, endless white space. There were no walls, no ceiling, no visible floor—just an infinite void of pure whiteness, as if he had been dropped into nothingness itself.

Yet, he was not alone.

Someone stood before him.

A figure, silent and motionless, staring directly at him.

His opponent.