Chapter 402 — Bad First Impression
**Abandoned Temple.**
The gigantic creature was still unconscious… tied up with what looked like a mix of shadow chains, organic threads, and a rope Brakk had found on the ground.
Brakk stepped back two paces.
— There… it's done.
He looked at the monster.
Then at the group.
— Can we go home now?
Bloodweaver raised a finger.
— Question.
Brakk sighed.
— What now…
— Did you check if it was really unconscious?
Brakk:
— Of course not.
Haya:
— Wrong answer.
The creature opened one eye.
Red.
Very red.
Brakk froze.
— …it just opened an eye.
Nightmare looked calmly.
— Yes.
— AND YOU'RE NOT REACTING?!
The creature pulled on the chains.
CRACK.
The runes shattered.
The thing rose slowly.
— MISERABLE INSECTS… YOU DARED—
BAM.
Mira kicked it in the knee.
The creature immediately folded its leg with a horrible sound.
— …okay, said Brakk. I'm starting to understand the group dynamic.
The creature roared.
A dark aura exploded around it.
The temple shook.
Statues shattered.
Brakk felt crushing pressure.
— Oh no… it's a final boss.
Haya tilted her head.
— No.
— What?
— Mini-boss.
Brakk:
— THAT'S WORSE.
The creature raised its arms.
A sphere of black energy appeared.
— I WILL REDUCE YOU TO ASHES!
Bloodweaver sighed.
— Always the same speeches.
Nightmare nodded.
— Lack of originality.
Brakk shouted:
— HE'S GOING TO KILL US!
Mister Mind raised a finger.
The energy sphere… vanished.
The creature looked at its hand.
Then at the air around it.
— …where's my attack?
Mister Mind answered calmly:
— I moved it.
Brakk:
— Where to?
A gigantic BOOM echoed behind the temple.
The whole mountain exploded.
Brakk stared at the crater in the distance.
— Ah.
The creature panicked.
— IMPOSSIBLE! WHO ARE YOU?!
Mira raised her hand.
— I'm Mira.
She pointed at Nightmare.
— He's the old guy.
Nightmare:
— I'm only a few hours older.
Mira:
— So old.
Brakk muttered:
— I joined a psychopathic daycare…
The creature tried another attack.
Shadow spears surged from the ground.
Haya simply raised a finger.
Time slowed.
The spears stopped a few centimeters from her face.
She looked at Brakk.
— Pedagogical observation number two.
— What?
She made a small gesture.
The spears reversed… and pierced the creature.
BOOM.
Silence.
Brakk stared at the collapsing body.
— You just killed a dimensional boss.
Haya shrugged.
— Yes.
— …easily.
— Yes.
— …
Brakk turned to Mister Mind.
— Why am I here?
Mister Mind answered calmly:
— To learn.
Mira looked at the dead creature.
— Can we eat it?
Everyone:
— NO.
Brakk sat on a stone.
— I think I understand.
Bloodweaver smiled.
— Oh?
— The monsters here aren't dangerous.
— Correct.
— The danger… is you.
Nightmare nodded.
— Accurate analysis.
Suddenly…
The monster's body trembled.
A black light burst from its chest.
An ancient voice echoed in the temple.
— YOU THINK YOU HAVE WON…
The group looked at the light.
It took the form of a gigantic specter.
— I AM THE AVATAR OF AN ANCIENT GOD—
SLAP.
Samael had just appeared behind it… and slapped it on the head.
The specter instantly dissipated.
Silence.
Brakk slowly opened his mouth.
— …you just slapped a god?
Samael adjusted his cloak.
— False.
He looked at the spectral dust.
— I slapped his voicemail.
The group stayed silent.
Then Haya sighed.
— Well.
— Mission complete.
Brakk looked around.
Temple destroyed.
Mountain exploded.
God humiliated.
— …
— This is… a simple mission?
Bloodweaver replied:
— Yes.
Brakk slowly stood up.
— I'm going to die in this job.
Nightmare placed a hand on his shoulder.
— Probable.
Far away…
in the desert…
Evans suddenly sneezed.
A lightning bolt struck a dune.
Valentine raised an eyebrow.
— You just electrocuted the sand.
Evans looked at his hand.
— Bad omen.
Lya smiled.
— Someone somewhere must be having a very bad day.
Far away…
Brakk shouted:
— WHY DID I SIGN THIS CONTRACT?!
**The narrator concluded:**
Brakk had just survived his first mission.
But in Samael's Guild…
surviving the first mission…
did not guarantee the second. 😌
Chapter 403 — Family Reunion (and Trauma for Brakk)
**Sanctuary of Whispers.**
The hall was silent again.
Samael walked ahead, his black cloak drifting behind him like a living shadow.
Behind him, Brakk dragged his feet.
— Samael said calmly:
— Brakk. Your first mission was a success.
Brakk blinked.
— …excuse me?
— Mission accomplished.
Brakk threw up his arms.
— BUT I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!
He pointed at the group.
— She stopped time!
— He moved the attacks!
— He does weird experiments!
— And the slime wanted to eat me!
Mira raised her hand.
— I'm still open to the idea.
Nightmare sighed.
— Mira…
Samael simply shrugged.
— Doesn't matter.
Brakk:
— What do you mean "doesn't matter"?!
— I don't want to hear it. Understood.
Haya frowned.
— Father… what exactly are you trying to do?
Samael turned his head toward her.
— You, be quiet.
Silence.
— I'm not talking to you, my daughter.
He pointed at Brakk.
— I'm talking to my new employee.
Brakk:
— …I don't like that word.
Bloodweaver crossed his arms.
— All this for an artifact… it's insane.
He glanced at the object in Brakk's hand.
— Whatever it is… it must be impressive.
Brakk sighed.
— Reminder: I'm the one holding it.
Haya answered immediately:
— Temporarily.
Brakk gripped the artifact tighter.
— That doesn't reassure me at all.
Mister Mind tapped his temple.
— I think we should return to the guild.
Samael smiled.
— Excellent idea, my son.
Haya made a mudra.
A dimensional portal opened.
Brakk muttered:
— I should've become a baker…
They stepped through the portal.
It closed behind them with a suction sound.
They were spat back into the solemn gloom of the Sanctuary of Whispers.
Brakk collapsed immediately to the floor.
— …I resign.
No one answered.
Samael was already walking toward a corridor.
— Brakk. The object.
Brakk sighed and pulled the artifact from his pocket.
The rune on his hand turned deep violet.
— You had your forty-two second mission.
He raised the artifact.
— Now someone explain why everyone wants this thing?
Samael stopped.
Silence.
They arrived before massive black wooden double doors.
An oppressive aura seeped from behind them.
Even Brakk, not very skilled in magical perception… felt something instantly.
— …there are monsters behind that door.
Mister Mind answered calmly.
— No.
— Worse.
Samael opened the doors.
The hinges groaned.
The hall was immense.
Three silhouettes stood within.
Brakk couldn't see their faces.
Only shadowy forms with glowing eyes.
Two were standing.
The third… seated.
Brakk opened his mouth.
— …I regret my life.
Mister Mind spoke quietly.
— These are my elder brothers.
He pointed to the seated figure.
— Seth.
Then one of the standing ones.
— Ariel.
Then the other.
— Azrael.
Brakk looked slowly.
— Wait…
— YOU'RE A FAMILY???
Samael:
— Yes.
Brakk:
— BUT YOU'RE ALL PSYCHOPATHS!
Silence.
Bloodweaver murmured:
— That's a rather harsh diagnosis.
The silhouettes stepped out of the shadows.
Brakk could finally see them.
Seth sat in a wheelchair.
He looked about thirty.
Calm.
Too calm.
Ariel looked like a perfect warrior.
Tall.
Calm.
Terrifying.
And Azrael…
Azrael looked at Brakk with a smile that clearly said:
"I could kill you for fun."
Brakk whispered:
— Great.
— A family reunion of demons.
Samael spoke.
— Seth is the eldest.
— Ariel is twenty-five.
— Azrael twenty-two.
Brakk raised his hand.
— Question.
No one answered.
— Why am I here?
Azrael replied:
— Good question.
He studied Brakk.
— Why is he here?
Brakk:
— THANK YOU!
Seth, in his chair, finally spoke.
His voice was calm.
— Because he holds the artifact.
All eyes turned to Brakk.
Brakk stepped back.
— No no no.
— Look… I can put it on the ground.
— You take it.
— And I forget you exist.
Azrael burst out laughing.
— I like him.
Haya sighed.
— He's funny.
Seth extended his hand.
— The artifact.
Brakk hesitated.
Then handed it over.
The room fell silent.
Seth studied the object.
His eyes glowed faintly.
Ariel frowned.
— Just as I thought.
Azrael murmured:
— Seriously?
Brakk:
— WHAT?
— WHAT "SERIOUSLY"??
Seth looked up at Samael.
— Where did you find this?
Samael answered simply:
— In the desert.
Haya burst out laughing.
— Technically true.
Brakk:
— BUT THAT EXPLAINS NOTHING!!
Seth placed the artifact on the table.
— This object…
He paused.
The whole hall waited.
— Can rewrite certain laws of the world.
Total silence.
Brakk turned pale.
— …
— …EXCUSE ME?
Azrael smiled.
— Congratulations.
— You carried an object capable of breaking reality.
Brakk:
— …
— …I WANT A PAY RAISE.
Bloodweaver burst out laughing.
Mira raised her hand.
— Question.
Everyone looked at her.
— Can we eat the artifact?
Everyone:
— NO.
Mira shrugged.
— Shame.
Brakk looked at the family.
The assassins.
The slime.
The curse psychopath.
The shadow manipulator.
The god of death.
Then the artifact.
Then Seth.
He sighed deeply.
— Fine.
— I accept my fate.
Haya smiled.
— Which one?
Brakk replied:
— Dying young.
**The narrator concluded:**
Brakk had just discovered three important things.
The artifact was dangerous.
Samael's family was even more dangerous.
And now he worked for both.
And somewhere in the desert…
Evans sneezed again.
Lya looked at the sky.
— Someone is having a very bad day.
Far away…
Brakk shouted:
— I WANT VACATION! 😭
Chapter 404 — The Most Dangerous Job Interview in the World
Silence reigned in the great hall of the Sanctuary of Whispers.
At the center of the black table rested the artifact.
No one spoke.
No one… except Brakk.
— Well.
He timidly raised his hand.
— Can someone explain why I was hired into the most dangerous assassin guild in the world… when I'm probably the least qualified person here?
Azrael answered immediately.
— Because you survived.
Brakk blinked.
— …that's the criterion?
Haya crossed her arms.
— In this guild? Yes.
Nightmare added calmly:
— Most candidates die before the interview.
Mira raised her hand.
— Or during.
Brakk:
— THAT'S NOT REASSURING!
Seth was still observing the artifact.
Silent.
His eyes seemed to analyze something no one else could see.
Ariel finally spoke.
— This object isn't just powerful.
He placed a hand on the table.
— It's unstable.
Bloodweaver tilted his head.
— Unstable how?
Ariel replied calmly.
— It reacts to the will of whoever possesses it.
Brakk turned pale.
— …oh no.
Everyone looked at him.
— What?
Brakk swallowed.
— I think very stupid things sometimes.
Azrael burst out laughing.
— Perfect.
— We're going to die because of an idiotic thought.
Samael watched the scene with an amused smile.
— That's why I brought it back.
Haya rolled her eyes.
— You mean you have no idea how to control the artifact.
Samael:
— Exactly.
Haya sighed.
— Great.
— Our leader improvises with an object capable of rewriting the laws of reality.
Bloodweaver murmured:
— Very much his style.
Brakk looked at Seth.
— So…
He pointed at the artifact.
— What exactly can it do?
Seth answered calmly.
— That depends.
— On what?
— On what you imagine.
Silence.
Brakk:
— …
— That's the worst possible answer.
Mister Mind approached the table.
— To be precise…
He placed a finger on the artifact.
— This object amplifies an intention.
— It transforms a will into alteration of the laws.
Mira's eyes widened.
— So if I think really hard about cake…
Haya answered immediately.
— You'll probably destroy a galaxy.
Mira stayed silent.
— …
— I'll stop thinking.
Azrael looked at Brakk.
— Do a test.
Brakk stepped back.
— NO.
— Why?
— Because I've known you for forty minutes and you're all insane.
Haya raised her hand.
— False.
— I'm perfectly sane.
Bloodweaver:
— You tried to turn a dragon into a chair yesterday.
Haya:
— That was scientific.
Seth looked at Brakk.
— Calm down.
His voice was surprisingly gentle.
— The artifact doesn't activate easily.
Brakk exhaled.
— Ah.
— It requires an extremely strong will.
Brakk breathed.
— Perfect.
— I'm very indecisive.
Azrael replied:
— Shame.
— We were hoping for fireworks.
Samael crossed his arms.
— Anyway…
He looked at Brakk.
— You're now part of the guild.
Brakk raised his hand.
— Question.
— No.
— But I haven't asked—
— No.
Brakk sighed.
— I'll try anyway.
— Can I resign?
The whole room burst out laughing.
Samael:
— No.
Mira approached Brakk.
— Don't worry.
— We're nice.
Brakk:
— You literally offered to eat me.
Mira thought.
— Yes.
— But politely.
Brakk:
— That's worse.
Ariel was still watching the artifact.
— One thing is certain.
Everyone turned to him.
— Many people will try to take this object.
Azrael smiled.
— Good.
— I needed some exercise.
Haya sighed.
— He only thinks about fighting.
Azrael replied:
— And you only think about blowing things up.
Haya:
— That's false.
— Sometimes I dissolve them.
Seth looked at Brakk.
— One last thing.
Brakk tensed.
— Yes?
— As long as you carry this artifact…
— You're a target.
Brakk looked around the room.
Then at the artifact.
Then at Samael.
Then at Mira.
Then at Azrael.
Then at Haya.
Then at Nightmare.
Then at Bloodweaver.
He stayed silent for a few seconds.
Then sighed deeply.
— Well.
Everyone waited.
Brakk declared:
— I'm going to die.
Mira answered immediately.
— Maybe.
Azrael added:
— Probably.
Haya:
— Statistically yes.
Bloodweaver:
— But it'll be interesting.
Samael placed a hand on his shoulder.
— Courage, Brakk.
Brakk looked at the ceiling.
— I should've become a baker.
Far away in the desert…
Evans sneezed again.
Nova checked the instruments.
— Strange.
Lya tilted her head.
— What?
Nova replied:
— Someone somewhere just made a very stupid decision.
**The narrator concluded:**
And for Brakk…
This was only the beginning of his new job.
Chapter 405 — Catastrophic Public Relations
The great hall of the Sanctuary of Whispers had become strangely lively.
Well… lively for an assassin guild, which mostly meant several people calmly discussing extremely disturbing things.
Azrael stepped forward with an amused smile.
He placed his hand on Mister Mind's shoulder.
— So, little brother… how are you?
Mister Mind adjusted his glasses.
— Pretty well.
Azrael tilted his head.
— And your day?
Mister Mind thought for a few seconds.
— I must admit it wasn't too bad.
Azrael smiled even more.
— Interesting.
He leaned closer.
— How about… massacring a few innocents?
Brakk, who was drinking water nearby…
immediately choked.
— EXCUSE ME?!
Mister Mind answered calmly, a small smile hidden behind his mask.
— Sorry brother.
— But I don't feel like it right now.
He shrugged.
— Besides… I've already eliminated enough innocents for today.
Brakk slowly set down his glass.
— …
— I'm definitely working with war criminals.
Azrael sighed.
— What a shame.
He looked at the ceiling.
— I felt like blowing off steam.
Ariel, arms crossed against a pillar, sighed deeply.
— This is exactly why our reputation is deteriorating.
He looked at his brothers.
— Do you realize you're the main reason half the world hates us?
Azrael answered immediately.
— Only half?
— We're making progress.
Seth, still seated in his wheelchair, eyes closed, spoke calmly.
— I can already imagine the panic in that city.
Brakk murmured:
— Yeah… probably people running everywhere…
Mister Mind replied quietly.
— No.
Everyone looked at him.
— They were all dead before they could panic.
Silence.
Brakk buried his face in his hands.
— I'm definitely not paid enough for this.
Azrael crossed his arms.
— Too bad.
— I would've liked to see it.
Haya shrugged.
— Too bad for you.
Brakk raised his hand.
— No but seriously…
He looked at Azrael.
— Trust me.
— You missed absolutely nothing.
Bloodweaver leaned toward Mira.
He whispered:
— Look at them.
Mira watched Samael's family calmly discussing massacres.
Bloodweaver sighed.
— You see?
— That's exactly what I was telling you.
Mira tilted her head.
— What?
— They're not sane.
— We should avoid them.
Mira thought.
— But we work with them.
Bloodweaver stayed silent for a few seconds.
— …
— Yes.
— That's a problem.
Samael observed the scene with an amused smile.
— It's true this isn't very good for our image.
Ariel immediately nodded.
— Finally someone reasonable.
Samael continued:
— People will speak badly of us.
He paused.
Then smiled.
— But what can they do besides talk?
Brakk slowly raised his hand.
— Uh…
— Try to kill you?
Azrael burst out laughing.
— Good luck.
At that moment, the great doors of the hall suddenly opened.
A man entered, sighing.
It was Cyrus, 27 years old.
An assassin known for being the only vaguely responsible member of the guild.
He looked around the room.
Then the family.
Then the artifact on the table.
Then Brakk.
— …I'm going to regret this conversation.
Samael smiled.
— Good evening, Cyrus.
Cyrus rubbed his face.
— Congratulations.
He pointed at the whole room.
— Because of you…
He pulled out a holographic tablet.
— The TV channels are talking non-stop about the assassin guild.
He scrolled through the news.
— "Mysterious massacre."
— "In City of Innocents slaughtered."
— "New catastrophe linked to the guild."
Brakk murmured:
— Oops.
Cyrus continued.
— And now the hunters are officially demanding…
He looked up.
— That our guild be permanently dissolved.
Silence.
Then Azrael asked:
— They're serious?
Cyrus replied:
— Very.
Samael smiled calmly.
— They'll do nothing.
Cyrus crossed his arms.
— And why?
Samael answered calmly:
— Because we have the same status as a world guild.
Ariel nodded.
— Exactly.
Samael continued:
— If the hunters attack us…
— The other world guilds will have to intervene.
Cyrus sighed.
— So no one wants to trigger a world war.
Samael:
— Exactly.
Azrael smiled.
— I like this system.
Mister Mind adjusted his glasses.
— In summary…
He projected an image.
— The world hates us.
— The hunters want to destroy us.
— The media accuse us of genocide.
He looked at Samael.
— What do you propose?
Samael thought for a few seconds.
Everyone waited.
Then he declared calmly:
— Ignore them.
Brakk shouted:
— THAT'S NOT A STRATEGY!
Cyrus sighed.
— Incredible.
He looked at Brakk.
— You.
Brakk:
— Yes?
— How long have you been working here?
Brakk answered in a tired voice:
— Three hours.
Cyrus placed a hand on his shoulder.
— Courage.
Brakk murmured:
— Thanks…
Cyrus added:
— The first three weeks are the most traumatic.
Brakk:
— …THE WHAT?!
**The narrator concluded:**
Around the world…
The news channels talked about one thing.
The Assassin Guild.
Inside the guild…
They talked about something else.
Azrael suddenly asked:
— By the way.
He looked at Brakk.
— Do you know how to cook?
Brakk blinked.
— …yes?
Azrael smiled.
— Perfect.
— You're making dinner tonight.
Brakk looked at the hall full of psychopaths.
He sighed deeply.
— I've officially become the assassins' cook.