"Where is Callum?"
"He went back."
"Hmm?"
At the Manhattan port in the dead of night, the wind had picked up quite a bit.
Locke looked at Rosa, who had arrived alone. Hearing her words, he looked up at the golden eagle circling overhead and then back at her. "He was at the Continental Hotel an hour ago. I just agreed to join, and he's already bolted? That's a bit sudden."
Good grief.
He had just agreed to join the gang, and the leader had already run off.
Locke began to wonder if his decision to start this long-term mission was right or wrong.
Rosa said: "Callum has business to attend to."
Locke withdrew his gaze from the eagle circling above and looked at Rosa. "We are brothers and sisters now, Rosa!"
Rosa smiled slightly. "Is that so? Then can I know your name?"
"No."
"..."
They had just started collaborating; trust wasn't there yet. As for the identity of the Peerless Assassin, Locke planned to keep it hidden for as long as possible. "Let's speak plainly. You probably didn't come to New York just for me, did you?"
This was something Locke had thought about on the way over.
If Callum and the others hadn't planned to move against him, there was no need to make a trip to New York. They could have watched him from the shadows to see if he used the Golden Apple for evil. It wasn't as if they couldn't just pop out when he actually did something wrong.
Though the result would be death either way.
But...
There is a distinct difference between dying early and dying late.
Furthermore.
Locke thought about a piece of intelligence he had obtained from the black market after agreeing to join. "You were forced out of Rome by that mysterious organization using some kind of scheme, weren't you?"
Yes.
Rosa: "..."
It wasn't impossible.
Locke had previously been a lone wolf. He knew far less about the world of assassins than he did about S.H.I.E.L.D.—especially regarding the Brotherhood. At the very least, before he wiped out the New York Fraternity, he hadn't known there were so many branches.
Most importantly.
The New York Fraternity had turned into a mercenary assassin organization that killed for money. It wasn't impossible for other Brotherhoods to discard their original ideals and embrace the new era's ideas.
Rosa opened her mouth.
Locke said: "Since I've chosen to join, at least let me know what kind of situation our Brotherhood is in right now. Even though I said joining is one thing and I won't do your work or need your help, who knows what the future holds, right?"
Rosa looked at Locke. After a moment of silence, she sighed. "Alright, you're right. The five people you saw yesterday, along with our colleagues in Europe—in reality, our total numbers only add up to about twenty or so."
Locke: "..."
Good grief.
Rosa spoke in a heavy tone: "The Roman Brotherhood has actually always existed, but even the name was lost. It became a pure assassin organization. It was only after Lynch and I went back that we managed to scrape the framework of the Roman Brotherhood back together. However, when we tried to restore the Creed of the Brotherhood, we faced unprecedented opposition."
"Probably more than that."
"What?"
"You have a Golden Apple too, don't you?"
"...Yes."
"That mysterious organization wants your Golden Apple as well?"
Rosa looked at Locke and nodded. "Yes."
That mysterious organization had arrived in fighter jets. From the moment they met, they had an arrogant, nose-in-the-air attitude—a complete carbon copy of the Knights Templar.
Locke smiled.
That was S.H.I.E.L.D.'s style; they had no concept of the sanctity of private property.
Locke rubbed his chin. "And then, you happened to hear the news that I wiped out the New York Fraternity, so you planned to come here and rebuild the true Brotherhood?"
"Yes!"
Rosa nodded, hiding nothing. Hiding it now would only lead to exposure later anyway. "Also, the supernatural secret techniques once held by the Brotherhood have been scattered. You are currently the only Brotherhood assassin who has mastered the Curve Bullet."
Locke nodded.
He had just exchanged the Curve Bullet for Eagle Training with Rosa.
In the true Brotherhood, Eagle Training and Stealth were the real secret techniques. Training an eagle to act as your eyes and possessing unrivaled vanishing skills—that was a true assassin.
Locke was very satisfied with this skill exchange.
However.
To light up Eagle Training and Stealth, his Potential Points had been completely drained.
As for buying an eagle, that would wait until tomorrow.
"One last question."
Locke looked at the sky, preparing to head back and sleep early. He asked Rosa his final question: "What exactly did Callum go to do? You should know that if I want to investigate, I can find out."
Rosa turned and looked at Locke, who had stopped ten paces away. Her face was expressionless. "Since we plan to settle in New York, naturally, he has to go pick up his daughter and son."
Locke: "..."
Callum has a son and a daughter?
Who are they?
Wanda and Pietro?
Bah, bah, bah!
Not scientific.
Wanda and Pietro's father is clearly Magneto. Even though Callum looks like Magneto and acts like an idealistic radical similar to him, aside from looks and personality, they are clearly two different people.
Locke raised an eyebrow. "Callum has a son and a daughter. How old?"
Rosa shrugged. "The same as that little friend of yours, sixteen."
Locke: "..."
It couldn't be helped.
Previously, when they were in Rome, Callum had planned to bring his daughter and son to his side. But he had been a death row inmate. Although he had awakened ancestral assassin skills and gained the ability to protect himself, at that time, that mysterious organization and the remnants of the Knights Templar were still moving against them.
But now?
They were about to rebuild the Brotherhood in New York. Callum wanted to bring his daughter and son to the Federation. After all, Callum was originally a citizen of the Federation; what sense did it make to leave his children outside?
...
Star Tower.
Locke returned home, took a shower, and changed into pajamas, intending to go to sleep.
Anyway, Callum isn't Magneto. His daughter definitely isn't Wanda. Since she's not Wanda, why think so much about it?
[Ding!]
[Name: Locke Broughton (Unique Player)]
[Achievement Points: 1,000 (Can be used to purchase items in the Achievement Store)]
[Potential Points: 200 (Can be used to upgrade owned skills)]
[Supreme Talent: Extraordinary (Gold Quality, Level 1): My energy is boundless; your energy is beyond your imagination!]
[Transcendental Talent: Fortitude (Level 2): Your body will be able to withstand greater damage. Additionally, you will gain faster recovery after escaping harm (Upgrading to Level 3 requires 40,000 Potential Points)]
[Transcendental Skill: Curve Bullet (Advanced): Your marksmanship becomes even more profound and unbelievable! (Upgrading Blue Quality to Red Quality requires 20,000 Potential Points)]
[Transcendental Skill: Eagle Training (Beginner): You can now be called an Assassin, rather than the kind of killer who only knows how to rely on firearms to kill.]
[Transcendental Skill: Stealth (Beginner): Although it's not invisibility, if the level is high enough, you can stage a real-life version of an empty house whenever you wish.]
...
Although his Potential Points were low once again, it didn't matter. Exchanging them for two transcendental skills was a profit no matter how you looked at it.
The matter was settled. He could now focus on grinding missions and accumulating Achievement and Potential Points in peace.
***
Read 30 Chapters early on P-atreon.com/Redestro666