Charlotte (2)

Scar slowly started to explain how he ended up meeting Zuhn. The woman's face stayed emotionless throughout the whole story until Scar got to the part where Zuhn was able to kill the Lieutenant.

"So, Charlotte, I'm sorry I wasn't able to get the remaining money, but Zuhn is very strong as I've told you. So, I think that if you give me that job you were talking about last time. The one where we have to kill some old guy in the capital."

Charlotte didn't do anything at first, slowly nodding her head. She stopped looking at Zuhn and walked to the back of her house before returning with a small piece of paper and a pen.

She set the piece of paper in front of the two and looked at Scar,

"Before you sign this, I'm quite confused about why you are still with this Zuhn kid."

Scar looked at Zuhn before replying,

"Charlotte, at first I was just trying to survive, but soon I found out he's not much different from the ones he killed. If anything he's better, at least he's strong and he hasn't killed me yet, right? Plus, weren't you the one that said I needed to find someone I could trust with my life? When we were fighting against the Lieutenant, with Zuhn's speed he could have easily escaped leaving me for dead, since he didn't I think he wants me around."

Charlotte sighed before speaking,

"Sign it."

Scar grabbed the pen and wrote down his name and rank before passing the pen and paper over to Zuhn. Zuhn grabbed the pen but just stared at the paper wondering what he was supposed to do.

Scar slapped his head and slightly laughed,

"Zuhn, I've completely forgotten you aren't from around here, you need to put your name and your rank on the contract before we proceed with the mission. Since you don't have a rank like me, you just have to put unranked."

Zuhn hesitantly looked at the paper before looking at Charlotte, "Who is it that we are killing? Also, how much are we going to be paid?"

Charlotte laughed a little, "Honey, Listen, You don't get paid until you kill the man your assigned."

At this point, Zuhn was a little annoyed, He has never killed someone for the sole purpose of money. Back on Earth, he killed people because he liked to see the fear in his victim's eyes, the absolute terror on their faces before they ultimately died at his hands.

Charlotte was telling him just to go out and kill someone and not even tell him information on the guy besides his name and wasn't even telling him how much he would be paid.

Annoyed, Zuhn brought out his cracked dagger and pointed it at Charlotte.

"Zuhn! Stop! Charlotte isn't a person you can mess with even with your strength!"

Charlotte smiled, "You better listen to the shrimp before you get yourself hurt."

Charlotte gracefully put down her tea and turned around, not wanting to entertain Zuhn. As she turned around Zuhn rushed forward at her attempting to stab the back of her neck.

Within inches of Charlotte's neck, the knife stopped, and an invisible force was pushing back at Zuhn. Charlotte turned back around and faced Zuhn, her once slight smile turned into a large devilish grin.

Zuhn's face was full of shock as he tried to push even harder against the invisible force, no matter how hard he tried he wasn't able to move his dagger farther.

"W-what the fu-"

*Crack*

Before Zuhn could finish speaking his already cracked dagger broke into pieces in front of him. Zuhn stepped back watching his dagger crumble out of his hands and hit the floor below.

Not only was Zuhn stunned by what just happened, but Scar also had his mouth wide open. Scar over the years of working for Charlotte has never seen her use this weird invisible force before. He's seen people attack her for not giving them money, but each time she used a couple of moves before they were either knocked out or killed.

The opponents she faced weren't cultivators, they were all unranked like himself.

"Now, Now little one, I told you not to attack me. Unlike the others, you have a little bit of strength. I think it's only fair you get taught a little lesson."

With his devilish grin on her face, she launched forward toward Zuhn throwing punches. Zuhn was fast, but even though he couldn't see her movements, he tried to dodge her but was unable to see her fists.

With a loud thud, Charlotte's right hand made contact with Zuhn's chin. Under the extreme power of the punch, Zuhn was sent flying across the room, crashing into a wall.

Dazed, Zuhn tried to get up to counter-attack but another fist landed on his chest. Zuhn couldn't help but cough up blood as his chest felt like it was on fire. After the two punches, Charlotte retreated back behind the bar where she was originally and just looked at Zuhn with a relieved expression on her face.

Scar was still shocked at what just unfolded him front of him, but quickly regain his composure and rushed over to Zuhn to see if he was okay. When he made it over to Zuhn he saw that he was in rough shape.

Zuhn had a giant cut on his chin, blood was pouring out his mouth and his chest was slightly indented inward. Unable to do anything, Scar just looked over to Charlotte with helplessness written on his face.

Charlotte lightly laughed, "Scar, He will be fine. If it was anyone else they would have died from the first punch. But your friend here has the body of a cultivator, I think he's probably Peak Bronze or Early Silver."

Scar stepped back from Zuhn and his once helpless face turned back into a shocked one.

'A cultivator? But Zuhn just opened the book, he didn't learn anything yet?'

Scar stammbered, "W-What do you mean he has a body of a cultivator?"

Charlotte laughed once again, but louder this time, "Scar, do you think just anyone can survive a strike from me?"

Scar had to admit, whenever he saw Charlotte fight it was quite a beat down. Even in the previous fights he saw, Charlotte just lightly punched and either knocked out or killed them. Though, this time she was super fast and the punches were quite strong.

Scar looked at Zuhn again before speaking, "So… Zuhn you are a cultivator? Is that why you were able to open the book?"

"Book?"

Charlotte was slightly intrigued by Scar's words.

"Yeah, I found a book recently that I wasn't able to open, I even tried using machines but it wouldn't budge. Zuhn was able to open it with no problem"

Charlotte left from behind the bar and walked over to Scar, "Show me that book!"

Scar looked back and forth between Zuhn and Charlotte before pointing at Zuhn, "Uhm, Zuhn has the book on him."

Charlotte gazed moved at the bloodied body of Zuhn before crouching down and taking the book from Zuhn.

"Hmm, Cultivation & Skills, What an interesting title."

Charlotte effortlessly opened the book and what was inside shocked her.

"Scar, What is this?"

Scar slightly stunned was confused about Charlotte's question.

"Uhm, what do you mean?"

Charlotte showed the book to Scar, but like last time, Scar just saw blank pages.

"Scar, do you see anything written on these pages?"

"No, unlike Zuhn, I don't think I have the talent to read what's in the book."

Charlotte closed the book before tossing it in front of Zuhn and angrily walked back behind the bar.

"Scar, Zuhn was chosen by that book, even I am unable to see what's written on the pages. Thus, if it can evade even my vision it must be quite powerful."

'Even Charlotte can't see what's written? What does that mean?'

"Your friend is quite lucky actually, if it hadn't taken Zuhn as its owner I would have killed you both and taken it for myself. But, it's whatever Zuhn can keep it, It is completely useless to me now."

Scar let out an audible breath before returning to Zuhn's side.

"Zuhn are you alright?"

Zuhn was still badly beaten, but he was conscious and slowly trying to recover his strength. Zuhn couldn't help but curse in his mind as this was the first time he was beaten so badly in his entire life. The only time that could compare was when he died before coming to this new world.

Zuhn looked over to where Charlotte was standing and swore in his heart that he will kill her one day, it was his first goal since coming to this new world. He wanted so badly to kill the woman in front of him.

Charlotte noticed Zuhn's killing intent, "Haha, No matter how much you grow you won't ever be able to kill me, just give up on that thought. I know you have enough strength to come over here and sign the contract."

Zuhn reluctantly got up and slowly limbed over to the bar. He was in severe pain since his once stitched up wound on his chest was now reopen and bleeding.

When Zuhn got to the stool, he looked down at the contract in front of him, with blood dripping onto the table.

"I hope you understand that not everyone in this world is weaker than you. From the way you attacked me, I could see that you've never tasted defeat before, if anything I helped you understand the real world."

Zuhn still had killing intent leaking from his body but didn't reply the Charlotte.

"Now, Zuhn, I still need you to sign the contract with Scar. Even though I think you are a martial artist, you aren't officially ranked. Thus, you are going to have to put that you are unranked. Also, since you are still so unwilling to sign the contract I will throw in two items if you sign it."

Charlotte went back to the room behind the bar and shortly came back with a weapon in one hand, and a pill in the other. She put the two items on the table before looking at Zuhn,

"On the left is a brand new dagger, It's only an Iron-ranked weapon, but at least it's better than your normal-grade weapon. Also, the pill on my right will heal your injuries."

Zuhn stared at the items in front of him before replying,

"W-Why… Why are you giving me these things? Didn't you just s-say that I wasn't going to be able to kill you. It's obvious that I want to kill you, why are you helping me?"

"Haha, Yes, you will never be able to truly kill me even if you grow, but you are the first person that is remotely strong enough to kill the man in the contract, thus I think it's good to heal you and even give you a weapon to complete the job that no one before you has been able to complete. Now, will you please sign the contract and start the mission already?"

Zuhn sighed before picking up the pen and signing his name and also putting his rank. Once he finished signing the contract glowed before disappearing.

"Great! The contract is now complete, your target is The Young Master of Hencewood."

Scar stepped back from the table before crying out, "W-What! The Young Master! How are we meant to kill him? Isn't he super strong? Even if Zuhn is powerful is it enough to kill the Young Master?"

Charlotte shook her head before pushing the two items to Zuhn,

"Here take the pill, once you take it, you will feel a thousand times better."

Zuhn quickly grabbed the pill and tossed it into his mouth, he didn't want to feel this pain any longer. After he swallowed the pill, a faint green light enveloped his body. Soon all the injuries he once had healed and energy filled his body. He felt like a new man after taking the pill.

With his new found strength, Zuhn grabbed the dagger and inspected it. It was indeed like Charlotte said, it's way better than the previous dagger he had, though, he wasn't sure what she meant by it's Iron Grade.

While Zuhn was inspecting the dagger, Charlotte spoke,

"Now that has been taken care of, I need you guys to go kill the Young Master, the time limit is one month, if you are unable to kill the Young Master in one month there will be dire consequences. Also, Zuhn, if you are able to kill the Young Master before the timelimit I will personally gift you a breathing technique, because, from the looks of it, you currently lack one."

Zuhn stopped looking at the blade and only nodded to Charlotte before taking his leave with Scar and returning to the slums outside.