Seiya easily slaughtered nearly every goblin in the dungeon, each step taking him deeper into the dungeon. Bloodstained and weary, he trudged forward, dragging a spear he'd seized from one of the fallen goblins.
His body, drenched in the red spray of battle, carried the weight of his relentless pursuit.
As he moved, his mind flickered back to a time when such creatures could have ended his life with ease but things were different now. The fear that once gripped him—instilled by the ice elves of the previous dungeon—was absent or at least, it wasn't present in front of these goblins.
The memory of standing before those cold, merciless beings had left a terror etched into his bones. In contrast, the goblins hardly posed a challenge, their resistance barely worthy of his effort.
Two goals burned brightly in Seiya's mind. The first: to defeat the ice elves. The second: to move and shatter the massive boulder within the facility. Despite his rigorous training, his progress on the boulder was limited to a mere crack, but his resolve to break it into pieces remains unshaken. Achieving these feats meant more than just personal triumph; it would mean being strong enough to save the children from the grim fate.
Seiya cleared the dungeon with ruthless efficiency and was soon teleported back to the yard from where he entered. The crowd awaiting him stared in astonishment, their eyes wide with disbelief at his speed and ferocity.
Seiya's father stepped forward, his voice tinged with pride.
"Amazing. To think the boy who once couldn't harm a fly now slays with such ruthlessness. Truly amazing!" his father praised, his smile broad. "But, you should have brought back the goblin cores and drops. Even if they're only good for crafting low grade weapons, they have value. Nonetheless, you did well"
Seiya realized his oversight. Though it was his second time in a dungeon, it was his first time killing monsters. Collecting drops hadn't even crossed his mind—it was a rookie mistake born of inexperience and overshadowed by his focus on survival.
"You should clean up," his father suggested, gesturing for his assistant to escort Seiya away.
After a much needed bath, Seiya changed into clean clothes selected by his assistant.
"Why not my uniform?" he inquired.
"Because you have another mission" she replied curtly, her words setting his nerves on edge.
Seiya was taken aback—another mission so soon? Usually, his schedule alternated between brutal training and sessions with his father or others who used pain as a tool to harden him or test new methods on his resilience. Yet, here he was, facing the unexpected.
Despite his curiosity, Seiya refrained from pressing further, knowing the unpredictability of his circumstances.
"It's best to forgo the glasses this time" Miss Onoya remarked, reaching for them but Seiya quickly tilted his head away.
The skin between Seiya's brows tightened at the thought of wearing contacts. He loathed contacts, finding them painful and uncomfortable.
"I know you dislike this but I recommend you listen to me on this" Miss Onoya insisted.
Seiya sighed, not having it in him to even protest any further.
"Alright" He replied and Miss Onoya took off his glasses, getting ready to help him with the contacts.
Seiya's forehead wrinkled again at the thought of the process of putting in the contacts, causing him to shudder.
Miss Onoya helped him put the contacts before they both started heading to their destination.
As they walked through the hallways, Miss Onoya broke the silence.
"It's lunchtime. You should eat something. I can give you a moment if you want" she suggested, her expression as stern as ever.
Seiya sighed, his anxiety about the impending mission quelling his appetite. "I'd rather complete the mission first" he murmured, his heart heavy with the weight of the children's lives resting on his success.
Soon, they arrived at a private room where his father sat waiting, his smile broadening at the sight of Seiya.
"You've done well today," he said, clapping softly. "Clearing that dungeon was no small feat. I'm proud of you."
"Because of that success, I'm confident you'll handle this next mission just as well."
Seiya's heart raced, his face pale as he awaited his father's words to unfold.
"What's with that nervous look?" His father lashed. "You should be overjoyed that I'm handing over such a mission to you. It's me confiding in you just after two years of being here, so smile!" It wasn't a request but a direct command. One that weighed heavily.
Seiya's lips twisted wide in a grin at the command and his father smiled in return.
"Listen intently" His father started.
"Today's mission is about eliminating some people" his father declared bluntly, causing Seiya's breath to hitch. The word 'eliminate' hung heavily in the air, clawing at his mind. Could it be what he feared?
"Yes, you understood correctly" his father confirmed, his tone devoid of hesitation. "You will be killing them"
Panic gripped Seiya, his vision blurring and his body trembling. Killing monsters had already tested his limits—how could he bring himself to kill humans?
To take away a human's life, Seiya deemed it impossible.
Before Seiya could process further, his father snapped his fingers and the wall beside Seiya slid open, revealing a large glass enclosure where five children stood. Another snap, and a bullet was shot into the skull of one of the kids, freezing Seiya in horror.
"What was that reaction after hearing what the mission is about? You've just cleared a dungeon of monsters, haven't you? Surely the feeling of taking away their lives still lingers within you, does it not?" His father asked with angry eyes.
"Yet another innocent child has died as a result of your foolishness!" His father cussed, glaring at him.
Seiya remained still, pale with no color.
"Now, are you ready to listen properly to what the mission is about?" His father asked with a brow raised.
"Eh? Mn….y-yes…yes!" Seiya stammered about, his gaze darting here and there.
"Good. One of our funding members recently found out a secret about us. One that I've kept hidden even from the government. He's threatening and blackmailing me with it and I cannot stand for such a thing, someone else pulling my strings!" His father seethed at the last words.
"What I want is total termination of him! and his family!" Seiya's father gestured up to the projected screen on the wall displaying a fat man in black suit, a woman by his side and a male child in their midst.
"Make sure you commit their faces to memory" His father advised.
"Along with you, I'll be sending two elites to carry out this mission. You must be wondering who the elites are so I'll tell you"
"First, this isn't the only facility we have here in Japan. There are three in total, this being the one with the least success over the years. Each facility has what they call the elites except this facility, a failure through and through" Seiya's father sighed.
"The elites are seven groups of children tested and known to be the strongest, even more than most high ranking Awakeners. In other words, they're successful experimental products!" He let out in a relishing tone.
"They're the fruit of our research, our experiments, our sweat and sleepless nights! They're very much one of the most powerful weapons history has ever made! Some even revere them as gods after seeing how powerful they are! They're the result of my hard works—"
"Hm-hm!" Miss Onoya let out a soft cough to get Seiya's father back on track as he seemed drawn away by his own explanations.
"Ah, forgive me. I'm just so proud whenever I talk about them that I get so engrossed" He smiled softly.
"Anyways, the elites are groups of weapons crafted from my hard work and intelligence. They're my successful achievements and are responsible for taking care of all matters relating to stuff like this" He explained.
"The other two facilities have succeeded in making their elites except this one. Though they can't compare to the kids in the other facilities, there are pretty formidable ones here as well and I plan on choosing some qualified ones as the elites. So Seiya, if you work hard, you might qualify to be among the elites" His father told him with a big smile full of expectation.
Seiya's eyes rolled down in quiet sadness. His heart aching softly for the kids they call elites who are known as mere weapons.
"For today, you'll be going with two elites. They already know about the mission and how to handle things. Just rest back and follow every command given to you. Bear in mind that every action of yours is being recorded and monitored by me"
"Excuse me" Miss Onoya said and blindfolded Seiya before being taken away.
****
After what felt like an eternity, Seiya's blindfold was abruptly removed. Throughout the journey, he had been blindfolded, sensing only the movement of a car and at times, being carried in someone's arms as they ran and leapt intermittently.
As his eyes adjusted, Seiya found himself face to face with two boys, both appearing older and taller than him, around fourteen years old. They were muscular, clad in sleek black bodysuits, their physiques exuding strength.
Both had black hair, but there were distinct differences: one had his hair falling loosely over his face, while the other had shorter hair, slicked back, with a few white strands at the front—like a mark of vitiligo. The boy with the hair in his face had dark, piercing eyes, whereas the one with the vitiligo bore a pair of grey, foggy eyes.
Once unblinded, Seiya was handed a small ear plug and a gun. He hesitated, his hand hovering over the weapon until the boy with the chilling grey eyes casted a cold, commanding gaze upon him.
Recalling his training, Seiya knew he could handle the firearm, even if his apprehension lingered.
The two boys, the elites, communicated only through silent gestures and nods, their coordination seamless and unspoken.
As Seiya's vision cleared, he realized they were atop a rooftop, part of a grand mansion. Below, several men dressed in black suits patrolled the grounds—the mansion's guards. Seiya marveled at how the elites had managed to infiltrate so deeply, reaching the rooftop undetected amidst such tight security.
The elites exchanged nods, and the one with the streaks of white hair raised his gun, the silencer already in place and aimed it at Seiya.
Before Seiya's eyes could fully widen in realization, a bullet pierced his right thigh.