CHAPTER 8 - Waste

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“The Demon Lord of Gluttony will be spawning in Maltha in a few years, we’re setting up a branch there.”


With that single, vague, and ridiculous order that seemed to be made in the spur of a second, he set foot within Maltha, with an assignment that he wasn’t even all-too sure of.


Who was he?


Sebastian Anthony Beckett, or simply ‘Sebastian’, was a Traveller from the Earth nation of England, and frankly, or to put it mildly …


An outstanding Assassin.


A combat class focusing on outstanding speed, stealth, and brutality, it was quite a basic class, yet a fearsome one.


And through that ability, and whilst being guided by someone, he managed to get into the King’s inner circle, and even become one of his most trusted confidants outside of work.


… all for the order of some schmuck mistress who only seemed to be more concerned with what crap she could do in order to not get bored.

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Walking in one of the palace’s overly large halls, adorned with decorations unexpected from a Kingdom of its size, was a man who wore your typical butler outfit.

A butler that looked like the average butler, maybe save for the sword that was hanging on his waist.

‘The heroes have arrived, and I was stuck supervising the cleaning staff!’ Sebastian complained in his head as he adjusted his bowtie, walking hurriedly as none of the people passing by had noticed him.

Adjusting his appearance even whilst being stealthy, it surely wasn’t something that was necessary, since again, people couldn’t really see him.

‘In a way though, I’ve quite grown used to it …’ Sebastian sighed, smiling at the thought of his attachment to the palace.

However, despite his attachments to the palace in his years working for someone else, there was something that he could not forget.

His original purpose. His orders.

‘Yes, I must not forget …’ He resolved himself, and as he neared the King’s throne room, the chamber where the heroes had been summoned to, that’s when he saw it.

Right next to a cheerful lad that he knew from his time at the palace as Zaren, Lionel’s squire, was the girl that they called the Third Hero.

She stood there, seemingly deep in thought as she conversed with Zaren, quite eager to learn about the new world she had been placed into.

‘Why is she not using her translation magic …? Is it a skill?’ He thought, as it was all too unnatural to hear Rei talk in the Malthan language, albeit a bit off with her accent.

Sebastian closely observed  not only her body language, but her physical features as well, and as expected, it seemed that she hadn't noticed his presence.

Though could anyone really pierce through his covert operation? No one, obviously, at least nobody present as of now, with the only people being librarians, a squire with barely any experience in fighting, and a greenhorn Hero. So he stood there, closely watching her …

There were many things that were off about her, such as how she seemed to be injured from the way she moved, but was quite good in hiding them as she conversed and walked alongside Zaren.

However, unlike what Sebastian had suspected, her skin was pleasing to look at, smooth and uniform, absolutely no deformations were present on any portion of her body that was visible to Sebastian; beautiful and pale.

‘It seems she has hidden them quite well …’ He thought, not being quite able to make out any injuries of hers aside from the one on her  forehead.

Though could anyone really pierce through his covert operation? No one, obviously. So he stood there, closely watching the Third Hero … Her height wasn't exactly anything to speak of, which just seemed to be around the Malthan average for females.

Her hair was far more noteworthy, having a similar visual resemblance to the extremely luxurious cloth of silk, possessing an elegant jet black colour that could rival the deep slumber of the night sky, it was quite obvious that the girl had been using not only modern shampoo, but also other forms of healthcare and hygiene to keep up her appearance.

‘How I miss those days …’ Sebastian tried to think about his days just before he was transported to Gaiya, without much success as he couldn’t quite exactly picture the face of anybody from his past life on Earth.

Lastly, her movements were sophisticated and graceful, the last thing he expected to see from a Hero, though it looks like she's used to acting like this.

‘Is that really her? She seems … delicate, frail even. Well...’ He contemplated and pondered about it, but it was the information he was given, so it was definitely her, and only her.

Red eyes as his Mistress had instructed, being the most attractive one, and the glaring tattoo right below her left eye.

‘Though, it seems like the time for the Gods to recklessly make a decision has not come yet to pass …’ He thought, not sensing anything of value from Rei, not even a sliver of mana that could notify anyone of her being a valuable asset.

There was something odd, however ... it was a slim feeling, but it was there for sure. An air of mystery and uncertainty surrounded this feeble girl, having an enigmatic stare as she occasionally moved her head to stare at some part of the wall for a few seconds.

It was then that Rei did something fully out of his calculations however …

‘!?’

She turned around, and was looking straight into Sebastian’s eyes, her clear, yet mysterious red eyes which hid all sorts of emotions to them seemingly tearing through his stealth as if it was nothing.

“Hero? Where might you be looking a–” Zaren looked behind just like Rei did as well, and sure enough, from the fluctuation in his emotions, the prodigy Zared saw Sebastian as well.

‘... she saw through me?’ Sebastian asked himself, his usual emotionless and tact self faltering under the unexpected sight of Rei looking straight at him.

“Good day Master Zaren, and Miss Hero.” He bowed respectfully to both Zaren and Rei, hiding his expression of hurt pride.

“Ah! Mister Sebastian! Good day to you!” Zaren said, waving to Sebastian as Rei had unintentionally pointed out his presence.

It was the first and last time that his presence was sensed so easily when he stood behind someone.

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‘Just as I thought, you don’t possess the same spunk as you do when you’re tired!’ Sebastian thought, before pulling his sword out, and then quickly taking a few steps backwards.

Rei moved to grab the blade that was already inside her, but found herself outclassed in pure stats once more as it was pulled out of her before she could even touch it.

‘So, it's already happened then.’

The unnatural redness in her eyes that seemed to express hunger for everything organic, and that single moment when it felt like his mana was screaming in fear when he felt Rei’s raw killing intent, as well as the unnatural thickness of her blood.

‘Just like the Mistress predicted, out of the Gods’ recklessness, she was made to be the vessel of Gluttony …’

Soon after, the blood on her wound stopped flowing as it was mildly hardened.

Sebastian looked at Hiro’s corpse on the floor, only giving a mere glance out of curiosity, and then at Lionel’s, harbouring a much more affectionate gaze, though not amounting to anything much in the end.

‘... she’s already become skilled at wielding Aether to such an extent?’ Sebastian thought, though he was quick to become immediately suspicious.

‘No, fluent manipulation of Aether alone could never hope to beat Lionel …’

No matter how much Lionel’s luck seemed to have dropped, there was no way a greenhorn Hero who had only just been transported to Gaiya for less than a day could ever hope to best a Knight with only a Demon Lord’s power, much less one that’s clearly overwhelmingly underdeveloped.

He scratched his chin, thinking about what else Rei was hiding.

Though that didn’t matter, as he would eventually find the answer to that question.

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Kneeling to the floor, holding the chest wound out of fear, she breathed deeply, assessing her situation.

‘No … no it's fine, he didn’t stab through any of my vitals …’ Rei said, the minor hole through her body healed easily, as the hole was made with surgical precision.

It was like a nurse had inserted a syringe inside, a minor wound by all accounts … if one ignored the fact that it made a hole on the opposite side of her body as well.

‘What … is this man really that unlucky? Or was his aim just put off from the scene around him?’ Rei thought, laughing a bit inside her head, however as she saw Sebastian’s expression …

‘He’s smiling …?’

Sebastian simply missed his target, and found himself unlucky enough to stab the stupidly narrow spot in Rei’s chest, a gap between the heart and lungs.

Or was it … on purpose?

‘He’s playing with me …?’ Rei thought, a vein on her forehead visible as she grit her teeth, her fingers holding deeply into her new property, which was formerly Lionel’s rapier.

“I’ll make you regret not ending it with that opportunity, old man.” Rei said, annoyance and ferocity, anger clear in her eyes, blood flowing from her hand once more, her blood acting like it had a mind of its own, once again creeping up and then coating the entirety of Lionel’s white rapier.

‘I don’t have time for this …

‘... I’ll end it in an instant.’ Rei thought as she resolved herself to take care of the man in one move, unable to spare anymore time, lest she risk real reinforcements finally arriving to put a sure end to her killing spree.

“Those are some big words, girl.” Sebastian replied, not thinking much about it.

‘Fleeting Rush!’ Rei closed the distance, replicating the foot movements that Lionel had shown when he closed the distance between him and Hiro earlier.

*Krang!* Thrusting her rapier as fast as she humanely could, but found herself easily parried, her blade making rough contact with Sebastian’s own as it slid across, and then made to manoeuvre to deviate from its original trajectory, going off harmlessly.

The old man’s amused smile clearly visible with the dazzling moonlight surrounding their fight, Rei quickly went to kick at him, aiming to render his legs inoperable as she saw his sword too far to intervene.

Sebastian simply dodged this, seeing it from a mile away, and delivered his own counterattack, aiming to kick Rei’s stomach.

‘!?’ Rei saw this coming however, even if just barely, and moved her elbow to block.

*crack!* Her own elbow was put out of submission, becoming broken with a single kick.

"Tch!"

‘Animate Flesh!’

‘Spring Thrust!’ The rapier uncoiled at a speed which surpassed that of Lionel’s own.

*CLANK!*

Sebastian was pushed forward by the sheer force, his body moving even past and crashing through the walls behind him, way beyond the rapier stopped extending.

‘Shit! I didn’t get him!’ Rei thought, frustration clearly visible on her face, her hands still shaking from the contact.

‘That damn monster!’ Rei grit her teeth, and clenched her fists as well, stopping the shaking all whilst annoyed as she felt herself optionless.

It was supposed to be a major victory, but the old man, with sheer speed alone, managed to counter it at the last moment, bringing his sword back and managing to block the Spring Thrust with the flat side of his blade.

‘What else can I use …?’ Rei thought deeply, swallowing her saliva as her sweat ran coldly throughout her body, feeling like a cornered rat.

‘Should I keep using the Spring Thrust …?’ Rei thought, before shaking her head.

The man had already seen it once, as well as the technique Fleeting Rush as she used it earlier.

All of the techniques she had just learned upon coming to Gaiya had already been used, her entire hand shown.

She had no more tricks, and she was slowly pushed into despair as she tried to keep on thinking.

Though it wasn’t until she received a shock of genius that she thought of something.

‘Right … can’t I use that?’ Rei thought, immediately recollecting a very recent memory.

Or to be more specific, the memory of the parasite that’s currently making her body home, Reina.

‘Her way of fighting …’ one of the eeriest styles of fighting, purely for the fact that it was not constrained to only but 4 limbs, but also several extensions of the body.

Several limbs, suited for easier massacre, as well as preoccupation.

‘Was it like … this?’ Rei smiled, as she concentrated on the manipulation of her blood.

Two tails made of pure Aether slowly manifested, sprouting from her lower back, Rei trying to mimic the image she saw.

Waving them around, she couldn’t make as much as what she saw while she was out cold, and she certainly felt anaemic as well just trying to maintain them, despite how thin they were.

‘Yes … this will do.’ She thought, as she faced towards the direction where she had flung Sebastian into.

‘!?’

However, seeing Sebastian’s unexpectedly muscular form, his mana now enveloping his body as if it were some sort of aura simply made for intimidation, Rei couldn’t help but rethink, despite her almost drooling at the sight of so much mana …

‘... will it really work?’

Doubt started slowly creeping upon her body.

“Hmpggh!” Rei bit her tongue to snap herself out of her own doubt.

‘No–’

Her teeth, seeming to be unnaturally more suited to be chewing on flesh, easily tore through her soft lips, knocking some confidence into her as she pulled them back, her lips regenerating momentarily as her tongue slid across them.

‘--it will work!’ Rei thought, and then gritting her teeth thereafter gripping her rapier tightly, tails flaying in all sorts of different aways around her, seemingly protecting her backside as she thought of the way that she could use them to exert as much combat efficiency as possible.

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‘So that’s how it is huh …’ Sebastian smiled as he was deep in thought, almost making himself comfortable as he walked forward slowly,  the dust and debris on his skin and clothes merely insignificant inconveniences to his line of thought.

He had been thinking, and after a short exchange from Rei, he now knew all he needed to in order to satisfy his childish desire for information.

‘She possesses a Gift.’ He simply deduced.

‘The power to near-perfectly execute whatever the user experiences …’ From how she used Fleeting Rush and Animate Flesh.

‘... as well as improve on any faults it might have that the user deems inefficient …’ He judged from how Rei’s own Spring Thrust seemed to have more destructive force than what Lionel had, despite not using mana, and instead whatever Aether she has garnered from just a few bodies.

‘Though, there are a few restrictions …’ Sebastian could tell.

‘Her use of the techniques she learns from the people of Gaiya requires her to improvise, as not all aspects of mana, an important factor for many of the deeds done in this world, could be replicated with pure skill alone.’

However, even with Aether, there are some tricks that Sebastian knew that Rei wouldn’t be able to replicate and improvise upon.

For example, how would Rei replicate a fireball, or an illusion spell with Aether? It was simply impossible to do.

However, even with the few shortcomings that it had, Sebastian himself could only think of one thing to describe the ability all in all.

‘Marvellous.’

It would also make sense as to how she had not only resisted, but even beat Lionel, as ordinary humans from Earth could not hope to even match up to him with the average strength and speed for nonhumans.

However, a Gifted, even if they did not have a gift that directly increased their physical capabilities, could certainly display the bare minimum of physique needed to at least resist Lionel head-on.

‘... I see, everything makes sense now.’ Sebastian couldn’t help but smile at the thought of everything coming together.

Learning the language simply after listening to a few words of the King, learning about

To other people, it might seem like quite a plain gift to the flashy ones, such as ones dabbling in Spatial Manipulation, Teleportation, Mind Control, among other things …

However, to Sebastian himself …

‘It’s one of the most impressive abilities out there …’ The ability to not only learn in an instant, but also to make out missing parts to make it better …

‘An overwhelming well of talent!’ In such a world where the skills of a person were much more valued than anything else, Rei could have been said to be a breadwinner no matter where she went.

Had he met Rei in a different life, he would have been sure to make her his own student, passing down everything he knew to a student whom he knew who would be able to perfectly preserve his legacy.

‘That’s why it’s a shame …’ Sebastian thought, as he sighed, standing up and walking out of the hole in the wall he was pushed into, looking upon Rei.

“I will end you!” Rei said, her eyes glowing in deep hunger.

From the way that her attitude was stoked, it seemed as if Rei was unnaturally hell-bent on ending him.

“Yeah yeah.” Sebastian said in a nonchalant way, responding quite disrespectfully for his overly-eager opponent, then stretching his muscles.

‘A new trick? What are those tails even for?’ Sebastian thought, somewhat put-off by the fact that a human had just grown two tails, and not to mention two very ominous looking ones at that which warped the air, and especially the mana around them.

‘...’ Sebastian saw that, and immediately smiled.

‘Very well, I’ll indulge you!’ He thought, pumping his arms and releasing a shockwave of his mana, making dust and debris fall even further, shaking the ground.

Within an immediate moment, almost seeming like teleportation to Rei due to how much speed had been used, Sebastian closed the distance between them once more, and swung his sword down onto Rei, bisection seemingly imminent from the sheer weight of the mana around it.

Stone breaking with the sheer pressure from the mana emanating, almost firing out of Sebastian’s body, flooding the air, death imminent from above in the form of a blue-clad blade of magical aura.

‘!?’

It was the moment Rei had been waiting for.

‘There!’ Rei immediately seized her opportunity, not letting it slip away from her hands.

*Bang!*

Rei’s Aether Tail crashed onto Sebastian’s sword, embedding itself deep into the ground and even covering a part of Sebastian’s wrist.

Not even giving off any visible expression, she immediately moved her rapier towards Sebastian’s head, aiming for a swift decapitation to finally put him out of her own misery.

On the other hand …

‘!?’ Rei became shocked at what became of Sebastian’s expression, during what she thought would be his last moments.

Sebastian simply gave a look of disapproval, something that Rei had noticed in the mere fraction of a second that it was visible.

Rei thought that she had cornered him, however there was one fact that she had not counted on in her equation …

‘Fool.’ Those seemed to be the words Sebastian’s mouth were forming, as he brought his other free arm forward.

‘So this is all you’re capable of.’

It was the fact that assassins always had another weapon hidden.

*stab!* The hidden knife, which revealed itself to be hidden under Sebastian’s sleeve embedded itself deep into Rei’s neck, obviously drawing blood as it ripped through her flesh.

Shock visible in Rei’s eyes, she tried to move to get the blade out of her neck, however as with what was proven so far …

Sebastian was faster.

“Haaah!” Sebastian grunted as he slashed downwards through Rei’s neck, cutting more of it and making her bleed even more whilst he freed his sword from her tails of Aether, and thereafter …

*stab*

*stab*

*stab*

*stab*

… stabbed multiple times into her stomach, enough so it could be seen that her organs were on the verge of falling out.

However, as if like a paranoid man, even as she started falling over, Sebastian still decided that it wasn’t enough, and that he needed to tap this bitch for one last time, bringing his hidden blade, and in quick motions …

*crack* Stabbed deep inside of Rei’s forehead, clearly piercing accurately through the skull and into her brain, an effective triple-tap to make sure that the target was dead.

Falling over pathetically, Rei’s corpse bled out on the floor, unmoving and her eyes unfocused, her uniform drenched in the blood of herself and multiple others.

“And to think that you were someone who fancied themselves to be so perfect …”

‘I was mistaken.’

“... that Gift is wasted on someone like you.” Sebastian mocked one last time, pulling out cigarettes from Rei’s bloodied pockets, and then walked away.

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