Thick white steam hissed from the locomotive's chimney, blending with the Imperial Kingdom's night fog. The train's long, shrill whistle signaled that departure would begin in five minutes.
Platform 9 of Imperial Central Station was crowded with people. There were vendors shouting out the evening newspapers, couples embracing in farewell, and magical steam glowing from the streetlights.
Amidst the crowd, I stood adjusting the collar of my unfamiliar clothes.
Usually, I wore a black combat robe or light tactical clothing. But tonight, disguise was key.
I wore a casual outfit like a young nobleman: a tight-fitting, dark black turtleneck paired with dark gray pants. Over it, I wore a cream-colored wool long coat. It looked neat and expensive, but what others didn't know was that hidden beneath the layers of this coat were six throwing knives and a pocket-sized Mag-Rail pistol. Of course, this Mag-Rail pistol was still a prototype.
"Brother! The train is about to leave!"
A small hand tugged at the edge of my coat.
I turned my head and looked at my partner for tonight's mission.
Seven.
The fifteen-year-old assassin now looked like a sweet porcelain doll. She wore a soft cotton navy blue dress. The cut of the dress deliberately exposed her smooth shoulders and collarbone, giving the impression of an innocent and fragile teenage girl. Her skirt flared to her knees with white lace accents at the hem.
In her purple hair, her signature sunflower clip still sat sweetly. Seeing her appearance now, I was sure Seven would be the most attractive girl at a party of nobles.
Who would have thought that a girl as sweet as this could break an adult's neck in five seconds?
"Come on in, Seven. Don't keep pulling me," I muttered softly, grabbing the suitcase that obviously contained smoke bombs and poison, then stepping into the train carriage.
We sat facing each other near the window. The interior of the train was luxurious, lined with red velvet and mahogany wood. Crystal chandeliers on the ceiling emitted a warm light.
As soon as the compartment door closed and the train began to move slowly away from the station, the sweet smile on Seven's face vanished instantly, replaced by the focused gaze of a professional.
"This time, the target is Duke Vesper of the Arkana Kingdom," Seven whispered, her voice barely audible over the roar of the train wheels.
I nodded, staring at the reflection of the city moving quickly outside the window. "The informant said he is stockpiling 'Explo Liquid'. It is said to be an illegal explosive concoction created by a dark wizard in his private mansion."
This mission came directly from the King of the Arkana Kingdom. A ridiculous irony. The Elf King was known as a pacifist, a lover of peace who forbade killing in his land. But when a rebellious noble like Duke Vesper began to disrupt the borders and cause panic among the people, the King could not dirty his own holy hands.
So, he paid ghosts like us to do the dirty work.
"This is strange, isn't it?" Seven asked suddenly, propping her chin up with both hands.
"What is?"
"Usually, brother Five always works alone. Why did your master pair us together?"
I paused for a moment. It was true. I had always refused partners. To me, teammates were a burden. If they got caught, it would ruin the mission I had been assigned. But this time, the master insisted on forcing Seven to come along, even arguing with the other executives of The Numbers.
"Duke Vesper is a paranoid wizard," I explained. "His mansion is covered in high-sensitivity magical protection. Plus, we don't know what will happen there. I think bringing Seven along is the right choice. Seven is an expert at infiltrating enemy territory."
Seven chuckled, this time with a sincere smile. "Praise from brother Five is rare! I'll take it as a gift."
The steam train sped up, cutting through the darkness of the night towards the east. Towards the Kingdom of Arkana, full of forests and ancient magic.
I leaned my head back against the seat, trying to close my eyes. But for some reason, the restless feeling I had felt at the base earlier hadn't gone away.
The feeling that this wasn't just an ordinary mission. That at the end of this train track, I felt like something was waiting to change my life forever.
***
The journey from the Imperial Kingdom to the Arkana Kingdom took three hours. The train cut through the darkness of the night, crossing the forest border that separated the technologically advanced region from the pristine natural region.
When the announcement that the train was about to stop came over the magic loudspeaker, I prepared to stand up. However, there was one small problem holding me back.
That problem was named Seven.
The girl was sound asleep in my lap, her head resting comfortably on my thigh as if it were the best pillow in the world. Her breathing was steady, and unfortunately—she looked so innocent. For a moment, there was no trace of the cold-blooded killer who could slip in like a ghost. There was only a tired younger sister.
"Hey, wake up," I whispered, gently shaking her shoulder.
Silence. She didn't even move.
"Seven," I called again, this time poking her slightly flushed cheeks with my finger.
"Five more minutes... Mama..." she muttered indistinctly, then hugged my waist even tighter and buried her face in my stomach.
I sighed deeply, staring at the ceiling of the carriage with resignation.
The train slowly slowed down. The hissing sound of steam became softer as the iron wheels screeched to a halt at the Arkana Kingdom station platform.
I glanced at my silver pocket watch. It was fifteen minutes past eleven at night.
"You must be exhausted from this morning's mission, huh?" I muttered softly, "What else can we do? Besides, a little kid like her should sleep early."
Waking her up forcefully would only make her cranky, and Seven, who was in a bad mood, could accidentally blow something up like she did four years ago. There was no other choice.
With careful movements so as not to wake her, I slipped one hand under her knee and the other on her back. I lifted her tiny body in a princess carry. She was light. Too light for someone carrying such a heavy burden of fate.
I stepped out of the carriage.
The night air of Arkana greeted me immediately. Unlike Imperial, which smelled of ozone and machinery, the air here was clean, cold, and smelled of tree sap.
The Arkana station was also unique. There were no rigid steel structures. The pillars were made of giant living trees, with branches intertwining to form a natural roof. The lighting was not electric bulbs, but fruits that glowed a warm yellow in rattan cages.
As I walked along the platform carrying Seven, I could feel people's stares.
Several Elf girls waiting for the horse-drawn carriage seemed to be whispering. They looked at me with sparkling eyes and restrained smiles.
"Look at that... Isn't he adorable," whispered one of them. "An older brother who loves his little sister very much."
I just bowed my head slightly, hiding my face behind the collar of my coat.
We exited the station. The streets of the Arkana Kingdom were quiet and peaceful at night. The buildings here were made of carved wood and natural stone, blending harmoniously with the forest trees.
"We won't attack tonight," I decided in my heart.
Seven's physical condition didn't allow it, and I myself felt my eyes growing heavy. Attacking a paranoid person like Duke Vesper while half-asleep would be suicide.
I decided to look for lodging.
About two blocks from the station, I found a wooden inn. The place looked clean and inconspicuous. It was perfect for hiding from the royal security guards.
After paying for a room with two beds using a fake ID, I carried Seven up to the second floor.
I laid her gently on the soft mattress. She squirmed a little, then went back to snoring softly. I took off her boots, then covered her up to her neck.
"Rest, Seven," I whispered.
I walked to the window, opened the curtains slightly to peek outside.
In the distance, on a hill overlooking the city, stood a magnificent mansion surrounded by high walls. Its towers rose majestically, and faintly, I could see flashes of purple from the magical barrier that covered it.
Duke Vesper's mansion.
That bad feeling came again. My heart beat a little faster than usual. I closed the curtains, trying to ignore the sudden chill creeping up my spine.
I needed sleep. Tomorrow was going to be a long day.
***
That night felt colder than usual. The moon hid behind thick clouds, creating perfect darkness for our work.
I looked at Seven. The girl was clutching the hem of her dress, her face slightly pale. Even though she was a talented killer, facing the headquarters of paranoid people still made her nervous.
"Your hands are shaking," I whispered softly.
"I'm just a little cold," she replied.
I smiled slightly behind my coat collar, then gently stroked the top of her head. "Relax. Everything will go according to plan."
Seven looked at me, then nodded firmly. "Um." She exhaled deeply.
I let her go, while I walked straight towards the main gate. I rubbed my hands over my face, using illusion magic to disguise myself.
Two gate guards immediately approached me. "Stop! Who are you?"
I raised my hands casually. "Just a merchant bringing an attractive offer for the Duke. He'll definitely like it."
One of the guards ran off to report, while the other checked me out. When he let his guard down, I tapped his shoulder and unleashed my second secret ability besides Jumper. This ability was called Hypnotic.
"Tell me everything about this mansion."
The guard's eyes went blank. He spilled everything: the rebellion plan, the number of mercenaries, the disguised servants, even the location of the underground storage.
The gate opened. I walked in.
In the Duke's office, everything went smoothly. The Duke was interested in my fake offer about the "Rebellion." When he let his guard down, I opened the suitcase containing smoke bombs.
Smoke filled the room. I locked the door with magic, leaving the Duke coughing inside, then I jumped out the window using the Jumper.
I landed on the highest roof.
An explosion occurred in the backyard. Purple smoke billowed. It was a sign that Seven had successfully destroyed the "Explo Liquid."
I smiled. The mission was complete. I turned to flee.
However, suddenly...
WUSH!
A giant gust of wind hit me. I was thrown off the roof and fell freely.
I used the Jumper in midair, landing on a branch of a tree in the forest behind me. The attacker was chasing me. He flew without a spell, firing thousands of wind blades that tore through the trees around me.
I ran, firing back with my Mag-Rail pistol. Two bullets pierced his chest, but he didn't stop. He also felt no pain and there was no blood.
"What kind of creature is that? According to intelligence reports, there's nothing like this."
I was pushed to the edge of the cliff. Below was a pitch-black lake.
With no other choice, I used my trump card. A combination of four elements.
The figure's head was destroyed. Its cloak was completely burned.
And that's when I saw it. Behind the charred cloak, there was no flesh. Only wooden gears, ancient metal hinges, and a spinning mana core.
It was a Wooden Military Robot.
My shock was fatal. Even though its head was destroyed, the robot was still moving. A giant green magic circle appeared from its chest.
A solid gust of wind hit me squarely. My ribs felt crushed.
I was thrown backwards. I fell into the lake.
Splash!
The ice-cold lake water pierced my skin. My body sank quickly, not allowing me to return to the surface.
The last bubble of air escaped from my mouth. My consciousness began to fade as the oxygen depleted. My vision blurred, and I could only see the faint glow of the moonlight reflecting off the water's surface above.
And that was when ... the memory came.
It wasn't a memory from my childhood when I first met my master, Hilda. It wasn't a memory of the hellish training with that woman.
But a much stranger memory.
Suddenly, the darkness of the lake changed. I no longer saw water.
I saw a messy room. Scattered coffee cans. A monitor screen glowing brightly in the middle of the night. And the loud sound of keyboard typing.
I saw myself ... but not as "Five" or "Leon." I was a grown man with thick glasses and dark circles under my eyes.
On the monitor screen, I was typing something. It was the script for a game being developed by the company.
My eyes in the water widened. The pain in my chest seemed to disappear, replaced by an overwhelming sense of dread.
The robot that had attacked me. I knew its attack pattern. I knew its weaknesses. Of course I did.
Because I was the one who wrote that character.
I stared at my own hands floating in the water.
This world..... None of it is real.
This is the game story I wrote years ago in my cramped room before I died from overwork.
For the first time in my life, I remembered who I truly was.
I wasn't the killer named Five.
I was the creator of this world.
*****
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