[Jake's POV]
I got my chance, I was waiting for it for what seemed like forever now, I had hit my bottleneck and wasn't getting stronger anymore. It was frustrating to be trapped, to be abused almost every day. It was frustrating to have my life at the fingertips of others.
I thought today was any usual day, the usual torture and humiliation for me. But I was wrong, the man who was currently standing in front of me defies the common sense I have. The mighty wall that I thought Lillian to be crumbled with just one attack of his. There were thousands of questions running into my mind right now, 'Who is he', 'Is he going to kill me?', 'Why is he staring at me?'
The tension between us broke as he asked his first question, "What is your name?", as he asked this question, my mind started to feel heavy as if someone was forcefully compressing it from both sides.
"Jake" I replied in pain, but I was not going to bow down to anyone, not anymore. He could easily kill me, yet he asks my name, I am sure he needs something that only I can give him. The pressure that the ashen-haired man was releasing intensified, but I kept my composure, not giving into the pain that was assaulting my mind.
"Come with me, I'll make you a monster." He said after inspecting me with his gray eyes that seem to shine in the darkness, the question he asked gave me goosebumps, 'Will he really?' that was all going on inside my mind right now. But after thinking for a while I asked him...
"Will I be the strongest monster?" this question threw him off, I can guarantee that over the years I have learned how to read one's emotion, and the clearest form of that was to look at a person's eyes, the eyes are the organs that reflect one's heart. His gaze flickered for a moment, which tells me he was surprised.
"That will depend on you" Replied the person, whose face I cannot yet see because of the darkness, yet I feel he can see through my very being. His reply confirmed my idea that this person will train me for a purpose. Seeing this the best chance for me to get stronger, I nodded at the man.
In the blink of an eye, that I can neither notice nor feel, I was picked up by the man and we went outside the mansion's roof. The busy city of Ethos was visible, I was being carried as a sack of potatoes by the man, but my gaze stood fixed on the sight of the city.
The city was lit up with many Magic Lights and Lamps, and the fresh air of night hit me, as if congratulating me for my freedom, I don't know what kind of life I will live from now on, but the first wish of mine, freedom from that torture, I have achieved that.
A feeling welled up in my chest, which I never thought I will feel again. Tear starts flowing down from my eyes. 'I can finally leave this place.
"You did your job?" Asked the man who was carrying me, I took a look towards who was he talking to, my eyes widened as a seemingly invisible figure came into existence in front of me. She was a flat-chested girl with dark brown hair, her height was on the smaller side of the scale. I'd think that she's some innocent girl if her face and half of the body weren't covered in blood.
"Oye old man, who did you pick up? I didn't know you had a thing for kids. Look at him, he is crying. You kidnapped him huh?" the girl said to the man who was carrying me, then turn towards me and said, "Don't worry kid, this onee-chan will take care of you and bleed you in a way that you don't feel pain".
I felt a shiver down my spine as I saw her smile while talking about bleeding me out, the happiness that was built up from my freedom washed away like a sand castle. I was now a bit skeptical about the place I am about to go.
"Don't scare him, Mare, I have picked up this boy to make my disciple, and let's move before they discover the body, don't just ramble here"
"Haaa? For real? What's so special about him?"
"You won't understand, now let's go, we can chat later." said the man to Mare, and then started running at an incredible speed that I can only hope to achieve someday. I was at ease now, when he said he picked me up as a disciple.
-- -
After a few continuous hours of running at incredible speeds, we arrived at our destination. I only asked the man, who is named Bill, about basic things like where we are going and what will I do from now on.
After we entered, what looked like an underground facility. He put me down from his shoulders, none of the both looked tired. 'I want to be stronger than them' I resolved in my mind.
Bill turned to a grunt and said "Take this boy and give him a room in sector G3, also prepare food for him" the grunt nodded, and then Bill turned towards me and said "Go, rest for today, we will talk when you wake up"
I was really tired today, both physically and mentally, Bills attempts to mind attacks back at Lillian's castle left me tired. I didn't protest, just agreed with the old man. The grunt said "follow me" and started walking. I closely followed him while looking around to see the place Ill have to live from now on.
This was an underground facility, bigger than the mansion I lived in I think, but there were not many people there, there were grunts that were patrolling and some dangerous-looking men and women. One look around and it was quite easy to tell that everyone in this place has quite a story to tell. Each one of the people was hardened by time and circumstances.
As I was thinking about such things, we reached our destination, my room, I entered it and saw a decent-sized room that I had in my previous life, about 3 meters in length and 4 meters in breadth. There was a bathroom attached towards the right side of the entrance, with the bed towards the left corner. The room had a cupboard just to my left and a desk with a chair in the right corner.
I sat on the bed and took a sigh of relief. Tiredness crept over me and I was struggling to keep myself awake, I was thinking about things that happened today, and the things that will happen in my future.
A few moments later a worker knocked on the door "Your food is here", I let them in and they deliver one of the best diets that I have eaten since I left home. I can suppress my emotions that doesn't mean I can suppress my bodily needs, I practically swallowed all the food in under a minute, and after returning the utensils I lay on my bed and slept like a rock.
-- -
I woke up pretty refreshed, for a second I panicked seeing an unfamiliar ceiling over my head, but all of yesterday's memory flowed inside and I relaxed, partly because what happened yesterday was not a dream. I someone told me that I was dreaming because I fell unconscious by Lillian's punch, I'd have believed them. But not now, I am sure that this is real.
I got up from bed and bathed myself, bathing felt never as relaxing as today. After some moment I ordered my breakfast from a nearby worker, which told me that I'll have to see Bill.
I ate my breakfast and went to the location that the grunt told me. After reaching Bill's door, I took a deep breath in and knocked. "Come in" came the voice from inside. As I entered the ashen-haired man was sitting in a lotus position, maybe meditating. I stood a meter away from him silently, he looked at me, his gaze peering at every part of my body, making me flinch a little, it's uncomfortable to be stared at by a forty-year-looking man, and god knows his real age.
After a few moments Bill started taking "You look good and refreshed today"
"Yes, I had sufficient rest" I gave a straightforward answer to his question, my voice had no emotions in them, cold as Ice, and I did it unconsciously, which got a little reaction out of him.
"I'll give you today's rest too, make yourself familiar here, you'll live here from now on until I say otherwise, is that clear?" said the old man with a serious tone.
"yes."
"Also, you will join this organization, we call ourselves Silent Rouges"
I practically had no choice in this decision, and seeing the work yesterday I think this is a contract-killing organization that is related to the underworld somehow. I don't care, I'll do anything to become powerful, killing others is a small price to pay, even if I had a choice it'd be the same.
"Ok"
"Ok now, you can go, just remember that you will be training like hell from now on"
"Ok" I said and got out of the room, his last words still ringing in my ears, this was the thing I truly was waiting for, to become strong enough to look down on others, strong enough to put others in the position I was in, to control and dominate others.
This was a new road in my life, never did I imagine my second chance to turn out like this.