There was a difference between a good assassin subordinate and someone Classed as 'Assassin' via awakening. It was the difference between existing for the job you’re given and existing before the Class itself. A distinct between ‘existence’ and ‘essence’.

Being a human (existence) first and a tool (essence) second. At least, one woman prided herself on being that. A particular ascender who wasn’t born an assassin, but had her own sob story of being one.

Purple Wasp was codenamed after her ability to poison others to death. Like her name suggests, she was a femme fatale. A beauty with sinister intent and innocent looks. So innocent you’d fall for her tricks. 

She was called the 'venomous killer' of Jianghu.

Under the reign of the Heavenly Demon, the Ming Cult… of the Pleasure Palace subsidiary division, she was practically born to kill. However, Wasp found herself being outshone by an upstart like herself.

And that person was the man next to her.

A resident of this world of beauties. He didn't even have a nickname. The less skilled man was simply called 'Assassin Jone' out of specificity. Like a title that was generated from profession and name.

And yet he dared get more attention than her!

It wasn't a title as grand as her own, but his skills seemed more perfected and fleshed out than her years of experience. It was an unfair role. Range, accuracy, strength, technical precision. All of her techniques came easy to this man of mundanity.

How could that be possible?!

The femme fatale, Purple Wasp, looked at the snivelling coward. He got scared in front of the body of their target. One www successfully captured, but a mistake had put their entire operation in jeopardy.

They killed the other target.

…It wasn't the scene their employer wanted.

Duke Bryan wanted an on-site life scan of their physicality and capabilities, then send the details to him. However, such a thing couldn't be done on the dead. All life force would fade from them quickly.

This would render their investigation useless...!

"Keep watch and don't mess anything up. If you screw this up l further, I'll kill you myself." Wasp mixed in her pettiness with her actions. Taking the opportunity to smack him over the head righteously.

"Sorry..." Jone held his neck.

A sinking feeling grasped her heart the more this man acted like he was some nobody. Did he not notice it? Killing without hesitation wasn't easy to do. You needed to be gifted, or emotionally unstable.

Since his head seemed to be working fine, it had to be a gift for killing. That's how the Ming Cult would see this. How anyone who knew even a little about killers would react. How the world would judge. 

If Jone had been born under the ‘Blood Art Demonic Palace’ subsidiary division's influence, she was sure he would have made a name for himself. But here he was, unable to properly cope with his instincts.

Ruining a simple job because of his bloodlust...

No, could it even be called that?

As an assassin herself, she had seen many kill without the need of showing true killing intent. They were top-class professionals in their field, and all who had iron hearts that defied common sense.

But Jone killed almost like he himself was a lifeless cog in the machine. It made her feel curious about the nature of a ‘Class’. Wanting to know more about them. However, she didn't have the time to ask.

“This is all I can do myself.” Purple Wasp had a thought. For the sake of her own livelihood, she needed to step up the playing field a little. Only a true 'Human' like her could possibly do this.

She took out a recording device to plant on her shoulder and smaller cameras for autopsy. The Duke couldn't call her in case the 'Investigators' found traces of magical waves, but this was fine.

She'd just blame it all on Jone upon their return.

“Fool... This is definitely overkill.” Wasp thought as she lifted the bloodied corpse off the bed and put it down. Since he was getting cold, she needed to be quick. The first thing to check… was his meridians.

Rather than opening Sebastian up, she shone a strange light from her hand that scanned his entire body. This was a Personal Skill she'd learnt years ago. A technique that probably would be impossible for her to learn or master if she hadn't ascended.

The strange skill was called 'Autopsy Scan'.

Rather than relying on a Dao, it took her seeping her energy in a specific way into her target. An ability that didn't fit her aesthetic at all. Regardless, she had a big advantage over those newbies. The ascenders like him who had only recently entered this realm.

Their weakness only made them easy prey to her.

Though fighting new ascenders also gave her a headache. After all different Mortal Realms had different systems of advancement. Purple Wasp sighed and cracked her neck before going straight into it. Her hand placed on the dead body's leg.

A voice recorder time-stamped her statements:

"Deceased died from a bullet wound through the forehead. Death must have came about almost instantaneously." Wasp spoke, shining a pen-like flashlight camera at the front and back of his neck. 

The room light turned on.

It took a brief moment for her to record the information being relayed through her Autopsy Scan. She took her time thoroughly describing every detail of his physiology, then continued her report:

"Small indications of burns around the inner layer of skin suggests a 'Magic' was misfired recently. High chance of trying to resist before death." Wasp didn't have to open him up to sense the lingering internal energies escaping his body. It was clear to her eyes.

There was something she noted:

"Slight traces of 'Lightning Magic' confirmed."

These two factors put together suggested the target was close to fighting back against them. If Jone hadn't took the shot immediately, it was highly likely that this would've turned into a drawn-out fight.

It was something assassins like them loathed. 

Her hand opened the stomach area of the white-haired figure's clothes before she groped at him. It wasn’t a sexual act. She was simply checking his dantian and other places life energy could be stored.

"Lacking of a 'Qi Centre' or any obvious physical alterations to the body. The chance of being a fighter is slim. Muscle density is high, but circulation of internal power shows signs of being a magic user."

Although Wasp could tell from his calluses that he'd trained in hand-to-hand combat, it didn't seem like the man’s main profession. The only way to be more certain of this was to find his main weapon choice.

Unlike the so-called 'Gaia Humans' of Pandorica Nation, Earthlings had too many magic systems to count. Though weaker than Spirit Essences, they were significantly more variable hard to predict.

To figure out a resident of Gaia, all you had to do was check the nature of their base Attribute. If they had the Light Attribute, they were a TRUE Gaia Human. If not, they were an ‘Alaya Human’.

Their Class or Skills were meaningless to the duke. It was because beyond that… everyone on Gaia was the same. Their difference in Spirit Essences didn't change how they used Mana or manipulated Ether.

Nothing about them was surprising.

On the other hand, every 'Magic User' and 'Martial Artist' of Earth had different flavours to them. Even if they went by similar names to each other. One could not ignore the potential Earthlings possessed.

Purple Wasp checked the bed to find a long metal stave-like object that had a kind of blunt point. It was something that a particular kind of equipment that had rarely been seen. At least for others.

Wasp recognised it immediately.

"Energy conduit for Magic confirmed as a 'Wand'."

Things were gradually getting easier after she narrowed down the type of power Sebastian commanded. Information from those who had come from similar or the same world popped in her head.

She continued her report:

"The type of Wand seems to rely on magical conductivity than autonomous casting. Lacking of spell carving on the heart and brain denies the possibility of the target being of 'Mage' descent."

"Overall evaluation from physiology and belongings suggest that the target had a high chance of being a superior level 'Magician'." Wasp finally breathed a sigh of relief after finishing her verbal report. 

All except one recorder was turned off after that. The camera on her shoulder remained active. The femme fatale turned around to see her teammates quietly watching her figure in awe. The trio stared at her.

"You're always so smart...!" Jone expressed in admiration of how she remembered all that. Biology wasn't really a strength of his. The magic user and secretive 'Ninja' stood behind Jone agreed. The kunoichi-like woman was the first to step forward.

"What's next?" The ninja girl asked eagerly.

"You… come with me. Jone and our ticket out of here will stay here to watch over the second target right here. Do not approach the others unless given a direct order." Wasp seemed used to commanding.

"What?" Assassin Jone couldn't believe his ears.

"You almost made this mission a bust. Do you have any objections?" Wasp held her daggers in hand in case of insubordination. She would be all too happy to end this screw up’s existence right this moment.

Jone quickly shut his trap.

He wasn't willing to offend her further.

"Then we all agree. Someone needs to take care of our escape route anyway. Or am I wrong?" Wasp looked at the fourth person besides Jone. The girl holding a staff that seemed unused to assassinations.

"Why won't you call me by my name...?" Asked the girl covered head to toe. One couldn’t even see her appearance because of the hood. She was simply a female magic user with teleportation abilities.

"Get a proper title, then I'll call you that."

"But you call Jone by his name...!" The girl grieved.

Purple Wasp didn't even bother to address the mage girl's sorrows. To her, their only magic user was just a tool to help her go back and forth between different locations. Not someone worth talking to.

It took a Spell Slot out of the girl, but that much was fine as compensation to use 'Shadow Transfer'. The only thing her side of the group needed to do was grab the remaining targets and gather them.

Once done, they'd all be transferred out together.

Since killing wasn't their goal, Wasp wasn't willing to bring along a talented liability with her. She closed her eyes and heightened her senses before walking out. Sensitive to any ambushes that might happen.

"I can't sense our targets." The kunoichi whispered.

"Your perspective is wrong." Purple Wasp responded to her. The mansion was quite big, but not enough to escape her range. The 'Ninja' that accompanied her sensed using Mana Sense, and that was her mistake.

Because both targets lacked a magic signature.

When the ninja girl got closer and saw the duo with her own eyes, she couldn't believe they were Ascenders. Both of them seemed fragile... That landowner and drunkard were pitifully weak.

“Should we even hide ourselves?” Wasp thought while standing behind the kunoichi. A part of her had become lazy at this point, but her deep-rooted professionalism kicked in. This was a job.

She swiftly shook away those slothful thoughts.

Purple Wasp hands tightly gripped onto the poisoned daggers she excelled using in while she approached. After getting a clearer look, she found herself finding the old drunkard was being strange.

Although weak, her eyes could see that there were countless number of scars etched into the old man’s body. This didn't simply range from cuts or gunshot wounds. No, there was something deeply wrong with this seemingly ordinary man. Just who was he?

It hadn't hit her yet, but...

"Huh? W-what?" Confused words came out of the stumbling drunkard old man's mouth. She strained her ears. Her squinted eyes catching a glimpse of the breaking magical circles on the drunkard's back.

There was a similar fluctuation of magical energy that belonged to the deceased target from earlier. It was hard not to notice since she was the one who did the autopsy report. What was this magic circle?

What did it seal?

A sense of foreboding started to grasp Purple Wasp’s throat, but she didn’t call off the mission. Both her and the kunoichi remained in the shadows. Seeing the fluctuations of that magic circle and observing.

“Was it because that other target died?” Wasp started to think. She realised how important a role Sebastian played. However, a simple release of one unknown magic circle didn’t mean anything.

It wasn’t enough to call off the mission.

The strange occurrence was seen by the landowner.

"What's wrong with you?!" Adam spoke hurriedly when his new teacher abruptly fall on his knees all of a sudden. Simon had just been laying around on the sofa before rolling around. Falling to the ground. 

Purple Wasp heard something interesting:

"I think... Sebastian's dead." Simon felt it deeply.

"WHAT?!" Adam could not believe such a statement.

"It’s been some time… He carved some life support Spell Circles into my back. It hurts... My organs are falling out of place." His voice was disjointed. There were clear groans of pain from the old drunkard.

"Then-" Adam tried lifting him.

"Don't! You need to run!!" Simon had already gasped the dangers they faced.  Of course, it was already too late to notice their presence at this point. The ninja girl lunged towards Adam before he could escape.

Purple Wasp herself chose to take down the old drunkard while ignoring his smell. Her steps were leisurely towards where he knelt. Simon looked like he was in no condition to even move at this point.

"If you come with me, I can help you." She spoke.

"Did you touch them?" Simon’s voice was rather harsh, but she wasn’t troubled. Rather than sounding scared, the geezer’s intoxicated eyes looked at her. His emotions and anger were easy to read.

Pathetic… but there was uneasiness.

The feeling those cold eyes gave her was unnerving.

"The younger looking one isn't dead. If you want it to stay that way, then you better not make a dumb move." Her eyes shifted to her subordinate. The ninja girl had already caught and bound the owner of this mansion. Ready to transport him out of here.

Wasp’s hand gesture silenced the young man.

This ended in checkmate.

There was no way for the weakened old drunkard to do anything. In fact, he was the weakest individual here. Wasp could tell from looking at him that there was no part of him that hadn't been damaged.

Her experience in autopsy and analysing opponents gave her a kind of 'clear sight' on him. Secrets were hard to keep in front of her eyes. However, Purple Wasp only seemed to become more cautious as her ignorance started to wane… and she started to ‘see’.

“How is he still alive?” Wasp had this absurd thought while looking at the man more of a corpse than the ACTUAL lifeless corpse of Sebastian Pegasus. There was no question in her heart that the life support magic was used only for comfort.

To survive, Simon didn't really need Sebastian's help. Even without the assistance, the drunkard was still carrying himself despite how impossible it seemed. His organs were out of place; not damaged.

Despite having fallen earlier, his creaky bones and degraded flesh was able to hold up his body. This was so shocking that she didn’t even dare touch him carelessly. Worried too much strength would kill.

Was this drunkard a zombie...?

"I think you need immediate medical treatment. I can give it to you so long as you don't resist." Wasp tried to get a better understanding of his condition through his reaction. Would he rebel or fold?

"Don't act high and mighty, dipshit. If I was in my prime, I would've smacked you away with my pinkie finger." It seemed like all the drunkard could do was bluff. Speaking about a past that now didn’t matter.

"But you're old now. Stop resisting. Just die like the insect you are, you fossil." Wasp didn’t take kindly to his words. She became more confident. Grabbing him and starting to bind him before transportation.

"Rude bitch..." Simon seemed all bark and no bite at this point. His attitude calmed her, so she got closer to him while observing. A tranquilliser with enough potency to knock out an elephant appeared in her hand. It was too late for him to react to this.

The dart stabbed his abdomen.

"Urgh... Hey, you call this poison?" Simon still spoke empty words as if it’d change the inevitable. Even though the geezer acted tough, the tranquilliser dart did its job in forcing his mind to lose all tension.

His eyelids became heavier...

...and his drunk eyes truly started to get murky.

 "Hmmm! Mmmph!!" Fear started to overcome the pitiful landlord after he was caught. Adam struggled with all his might. Of course, nothing could change his destiny. Power could not be fought with fear.

Simon had fallen asleep on his two feet. Kang Hyuk was likely knocked out. On top of all that: Sebastian died. Adam’s fate now was to become a household’s experimental subject. His life no longer his own.

Sensing that the duke had already switched off his observation tool, Purple Wasp finally switched off the camera from her side. She took it off and put the camera in her pocket. Ready to review this later.

Her shoulder felt tired...

Little did Purple Wasp expect that at that moment, a sudden eruption of lightning would destroy a certain room. The explosion came from the room Assassin Jone and that mage girl should’ve captured Hyuk.

The life support magic on Simon's body started functioning again with vibrant life force, but this escaped her notice. The loud and attention grabbing explosion of lightning had caught her attention.

A smokescreen covered the hallways...

...and walking out were two shadowy silhouettes.

Wasp’s mind stopped working for a moment when she saw their faces. She couldn't believe her eyes.

Sebastian Pegasus lifted his wand at her silently.