Eddie's brow was furrowed in thought as the elder in the simple hemp attire continued his probing questions with a calm and penetrating gaze.
"Suppose your target is a mercenary, how would you approach this?" he inquired softly, his voice echoing a serene wisdom.
With a confident chuckle, Eddie replied, "I'd opt for the blank piece of paper!" His answer reflected not merely a choice of weapon but a deeper strategy, a testament to the wit he valued over brute force.
"And how, pray tell, would you utilize a mere piece of paper as an instrument of death?" the elder pressed, his eyebrows knitting slightly in curiosity.
"It's quite simple," Eddie boasted with a casual shrug. "I'd craft it into a beguiling treasure map, allow rumors to flourish, and then simply watch as greedy souls do the dirty work for me.
The mercenary, enticed by dreams of riches, would soon find himself overwhelmed by avaricious treasure hunters!"
The elder, visibly impressed but not yet fully convinced, shifted the scenario. "And if your target were a merchant instead?"
"Still the paper," Eddie maintained, his smirk widening. "This time, I'd concoct a labyrinth of false debts and credits. As the merchant pores over this perplexing puzzle, he'd be vulnerable, perfectly primed for a stealthy strike." His response demonstrated an acute understanding of different human vulnerabilities.
Yet, the probing didn't cease there. "What if, however, your target is a government official?"
Eddie responded with an air of nonchalance, "The answer remains unchanged. I'd create an imperial decree, a harbinger of doom disguised as honor. As the official kneels in obedient servitude, a cup of poisoned wine would seal his fate."
His answers were tinged with a cynical yet realistic understanding of power and its potent effects on men.
The elder's gaze momentarily flickered with an unusual spark of intrigue but soon resettled into its usual depth of impassivity. He nodded slowly, a gesture of respect towards Eddie's blend of ingenuity and resourcefulness.
But then, a new twist was introduced. "And if your intended victim is a woman, how does your strategy adapt?"
A mischievous sparkle danced in Eddie's eyes.
"Well, that hinges on her allure and youth. Should she be both young and fetching, I'd still choose the paper, but rather than a death sentence, it would become a sonnet of affection." His tone carried a mix of jest and sincerity.
"And if she were to reciprocate your affections?" the elder inquired, his voice laced with a hint of amusement.
A broad grin spread across Eddie's face. "Then why, I'd joyously welcome her as my beloved consort! No need for grim endings when love can be the prize." His reply was audacious, tinged with a unique charm that seemed almost out of place in the shadowy world of assassins.
The elder, for a brief moment, was lost for words, his usual unflappable demeanor slightly shaken by the unorthodox yet captivating prospect Eddie presented.
With an acknowledging nod, it was clear Eddie had surpassed the test, not only with his lethal ingenuity but with an unconventional charm that might just redefine the dark, blood-soaked path of an assassin as an adventurous and whimsical journey.
The seasoned elder had encountered many a soul in his long life, but none quite as unabashed as Eddie. The young man's unabashed demeanor sparked a nearly irresistible urge in others to put him in his place.
Yet, amid the elder's contemplative silence, Eddie's confident smile never wavered, even as he fielded the final, more personal inquiry.
Upon being asked what he would do if a target turned out to be a family member, Eddie's smile remained, but a fleeting glint of coldness crossed his eyes.
"In my world, there are only two types of people: the living and the dead. My kin are among the living, and anyone threatening them will swiftly be categorized under the latter," he declared, his tone chillingly calm.
The elder's gaze lingered on Eddie, a mysterious smile flickering in his eyes as he pointed out the folly of a killer having attachments.
Unfazed, Eddie merely lifted an eyebrow and countered, asserting his priority was to remain among the living. He spoke of love and hatred as sources of incredible strength and vulnerabilities as a double-edged sword that can either doom or empower an individual.
Leaving the assassins' guild, Eddie not only secured his status as a sanctioned killer but also acquired a 'Vengeance Pursuit' blood map at no cost.
This unique map, seamlessly integrated into his summoning tome, became a critical tool in his arsenal, offering up-to-date intelligence on targets marked for revenge.
Each night, the map would come alive, its surface dotted with red marks representing those condemned by revenge. Eddie could focus on any mark to reveal the precise location of the target, pinpointed by a bloody dagger icon.
Typically, those marked for vengeance were heinous murderers, often nominated by the dying breath of their victims or the grieving families seeking justice.
These bounties were time-sensitive, lasting half a year, after which the red mark would vanish should the target be avenged or the pursuit called off.
And so, with his new title and a map leading him to the darkest corners of vengeance, Eddie walked into the night, his path illuminated by the crimson glow of retribution.
Eddie, with his newfound blood map in hand, embarked on his first venture into the world of vengeance pursuit.
His target was a man known as "Rock," a notorious figure with a hefty bounty on his head, courtesy of eight grieving families seeking justice. While the reward of five gold coins wasn't the most lucrative, it was a start for Eddie, a novice in the lethal arts of assassination.
He was pragmatic about his approach; after all, every master started as a novice, and every journey began with a single step. In the violent and vengeful world of Daxia, Rock continued to swagger through the streets, unfazed by the threat looming over him.
His bravado, bolstered by connections and a fair share of personal prowess, made him a risky target for the average assassin. After all, to him, betrayal and murder were merely trivial matters when weighed against the lure of wealth and power.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky with hues of crimson and gold, the quiet streets of the city witnessed the confrontation between predator and prey.
Rock, slightly intoxicated but ever smug, was caught off guard by the sight of a cloaked figure standing in the middle of the road. The mysterious figure, with eyes that sparkled like stars, addressed him in a voice as clear and piercing as a mountain stream: "Are you Rock, the one marked for vengeance?"
The query hung in the air, a challenge to Rock's perceived invincibility. For Eddie, this was more than just a mission; it was his rite of passage into the dark and treacherous realm of assassination, a test of his cunning, skill, and resolve.
And as the two men faced each other in the dimming light, the streets held their breath, anticipating the dance of death about to unfold.