The air was heavy with a strange stillness as I stared at my trembling hands. The words of the Headmaster echoed in my ears: "You are Kai Agust now."
I clenched my fists, feeling the sharpness of my new reality seep into every corner of my mind. I had awakened. I could feel it—not in the way a switch flips on, but in a slow, creeping sensation that crawled beneath my skin. My vision was sharper, my hearing keener. It was as though I had suddenly tuned into a frequency I hadn't known existed.
The Headmaster's violet eyes bore into me, a silent reminder of the path that lay ahead.
"Your awakening is unique, Kai," he said, his voice steady. "Assassin talents are rare. Precision, stealth, speed—these will be your greatest weapons. But mastery requires discipline."
I nodded, though a storm of questions swirled in my mind. Why me? Why this world? And why these powers?
"Why am I here?" I asked, my voice quiet but resolute.
The Headmaster regarded me carefully, as if weighing how much truth to reveal. "You were brought here for a purpose. This world is no accident, and neither is your presence within it. But answers will come in time. For now, survival must be your focus."
"Survival?" I repeated, my gaze narrowing.
He gestured to the crystal I had touched moments ago. "This awakening marks you as someone valuable—and dangerous. There are those who will stop at nothing to exploit or destroy you. If you are to stand a chance, you must train."
My stomach twisted at his words. Exploited? Destroyed? I had barely begun to process the fact that I was no longer in my own world. Now I had to deal with the idea of being hunted?
"How do I train?" I asked, my voice stronger this time.
The Headmaster gave a faint smile, a glimmer of approval in his expression. "Follow me."
---
The training hall was unlike anything I had ever seen. It was an expansive, open space, its walls lined with weapons of every kind—swords, daggers, bows, and tools I couldn't even name. The air was thick with the scent of steel and the faint hum of magic.
A group of students trained in one corner, their movements sharp and calculated. Each one radiated power, their skills evident in the way they wielded their weapons. I couldn't help but feel a pang of inadequacy.
"You will start with the basics," the Headmaster said, leading me to a smaller, quieter section of the hall. He handed me a dagger—a sleek, obsidian blade that felt surprisingly light in my hand.
"This will be your weapon," he continued. "An assassin must rely on precision and efficiency. Your blade is not for wild swings or brute force—it is for striking where it matters most."
I turned the dagger over in my hands, its edge catching the dim light of the hall. It felt... right, as though it belonged to me.
"Now," the Headmaster said, stepping back, "show me what you can do."
---
At first, it was a disaster.
The training dummy stood motionless before me, yet my attempts to strike it were clumsy and awkward. My movements were too slow, too uncoordinated. The Headmaster watched in silence, offering no guidance, his expression unreadable.
Frustration bubbled inside me. I was supposed to have awakened, wasn't I? Where were these so-called assassin talents? Where was the precision, the stealth?
I swung the dagger again, but it caught the edge of the dummy's wooden arm and bounced off.
"Pathetic," a voice sneered from behind me.
I turned to see a group of students watching, their faces twisted in amusement. One of them, a tall boy with sharp features and a smug grin, stepped forward.
"An assassin who can't even hit a stationary target?" he said, shaking his head. "This is a waste of time."
"Leave him," the Headmaster said sharply, his tone brooking no argument.
The boy scoffed but backed away, his eyes lingering on me with disdain.
I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening on the dagger. I'll show them.
---
The Headmaster approached me, his voice low. "Your frustration is clouding your focus. Anger has its place, but it must be controlled. An assassin strikes with clarity, not rage."
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to calm down. He was right. I couldn't afford to let my emotions get the better of me.
"Try again," he said.
This time, I focused. I visualized the target, the motion of my arm, the point of impact. I moved slowly at first, adjusting my stance, finding the rhythm. And then, with a swift motion, I struck.
The blade sank into the dummy's chest, dead center.
I exhaled, a surge of satisfaction coursing through me.
The Headmaster nodded, a faint smile on his lips. "Better."
---
Days turned into weeks as my training continued. The Headmaster was relentless, pushing me to my limits and beyond. He drilled me in the art of stealth, teaching me how to move silently, how to blend into the shadows. He trained me in combat, showing me how to strike with speed and precision, how to anticipate my opponent's movements.
It wasn't easy. My body ached constantly, and there were times when I felt like giving up. But every time I faltered, the memory of that wolf—the one that had nearly killed me—spurred me on. I couldn't afford to be weak. Not in this world.
And slowly but surely, I improved.
---
One night, as I lay in my small quarters, staring at the ceiling, a thought struck me.
Why assassin skills?
Out of all the talents and abilities this world had to offer, why had I been given these? The other students I had seen possessed incredible powers—elemental magic, brute strength, telekinesis. But I was relegated to the shadows, to the art of silence and subtlety.
It felt... fitting, in a way. My old life had been simple, quiet. I had spent hours playing games, slipping into the roles of characters who were stronger, braver, and more important than I could ever be.
Now, I was living it.
But this wasn't a game. This was real. And the stakes were higher than I had ever imagined.
---
The Headmaster's words echoed in my mind: "You were brought here for a purpose."
I still didn't know what that purpose was, but I was beginning to understand that my role in this world was far from ordinary.
As I drifted off to sleep, the faintest whisper of a memory surfaced—a voice, low and distant, speaking words I couldn't quite grasp.
And then, darkness.
---
The following day, the Headmaster summoned me to his chamber.
"You've progressed well, Kai," he said, his tone approving. "But your journey is only beginning."
He handed me a folded piece of parchment.
"This is your first assignment," he said.
I unfolded the parchment, my eyes scanning the words.
A name. A location. A target.
My blood ran cold.
"This is..."
"An assassin's duty," the Headmaster said, his voice calm but firm. "The world you now inhabit is not kind. If you wish to survive, you must learn to face its harsh realities. This will be your test."
I stared at the parchment, my mind racing. I had trained for this. I had prepared for this. But now, faced with the reality of it, I wasn't sure I could go through with it.
The Headmaster placed a hand on my shoulder. "Remember, Kai. You are not who you were. You are Kai Agust now. And in this world, you must embrace the shadows to survive."
---
As I left the chamber, the parchment clutched tightly in my hand, a sense of determination settled over me.
This was my life now.
And I would do whatever it took to survive.