A familiar enemy

Azrael awoke feeling rejuvenated as the warm rays of the sun streamed through the small window of his Inn room. Without delay, he hastily made his way down to the tavern, where he settled his account before scurrying towards the towns gate.

Upon arriving, a bustling scene of horses hauling laden boxes and numerous carriages greeted him. It appeared that the Desert Mercenaries were transporting an immense amount of goods. He spotted the old man, his granddaughter, and the two men from yesterday, and immediately approached them to extend his greetings.

"Good morning," Azrael greeted the old man, who turned around and cordially responded, patting him on the shoulder.

"I hope you slept well," the old man inquired.

"I did," Azrael replied.

The old man then took it upon himself to introduce Azrael to the two mid-level mercenary escorts who had accompanied him the previous day. "This is Marc," he pointed to one, "a mid-level mercenary escort for the Assassin and Mercenary League," he declared before gesturing towards the other man beside him. "And this is Dan. He is also a mid-level mercenary escort," he announced as both men extended their hands to welcome Azrael.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Azrael said as he shook their hands.

The old man then presented his lovely granddaughter. "And this here is my beautiful granddaughter, Iris," he said as he gestured to the girl who stood beside him.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," Azrael said as he stretched his hand towards her.

"Likewise," she replied, her voice gentle, and her hand soft and smooth.

"And my name is Sung, and I'm the owner of the Desert Mercenaries," the old man stated as he shook Azrael's hand.

"What's your name, boy?" Sung inquired.

"I'm Azrael, and I'm from a small town along the border. I'm heading to the Assassin and Mercenary League," Azrael replied.

"Great. I believe my workers are done loading things up, so let's set out," Sung announced.

"Azrael, you can ride in the carriage with us," he offered.

"No, thank you. I'll be okay on one of the boxes," Azrael declined, indicating one of the carriers being pulled by the horses.

Thus, Azrael settled himself on one of the carriers with Marc and Dan, and the Desert Mercenaries embarked on their journey towards the Assassin and Mercenary League.

As they journeyed, the sound of the desert mercenary workers' chatter was drowned out by the rhythmic cadence of the horses' hooves and the rolling of the carrier tires. Azrael remained silent, his mind consumed by a flurry of thoughts.

He had not left the Soulless Forest in nearly a year, and his mind drifted to thoughts of Ryzel Academy and Ryo. He wondered if Ryo had achieved his goal of making it into the top ten. He also thought about his adoptive parents, pondering whether they had come to terms with his disappearance or if they were still searching for him.

Suddenly, a voice interrupted his musings. "Why are you headed to the Assassin and Mercenaries League?" Dan, one of the mercenaries, asked Azrael.

Azrael hesitated for a moment before Marc replied, "That's none of your business." Marc nudged Dan's shoulder, sensing the tension that was building. "I'm sorry, that was rude," he interjected, attempting to defuse the situation.

Azrael waved his hand dismissively. "It's fine. I'm actually going there to become an assassin," he revealed.

Dan's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "That explains your attire," he remarked. The atmosphere became tense once again as he continued, "That means you have experience in killing."

Azrael maintained his composure and replied calmly, "You could say that."

Marc jumped in, changing the subject. "Have you been informed about how to join the Assassin's League?"

"No, I haven't received any information," Azrael responded.

Dan grinned. "You're in luck then. Marc and I are both members of the Assassin and Mercenaries League, though we're not assassins. We're mercenary escorts, tasked with protecting the mercenaries we accompany."

"Ah, I see," Azrael said, his eyes narrowing in contemplation as Dan continued to speak.

"But we still know all about the Assassins test," Dan said, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Test?" Azrael asked, his curiosity piqued.

Dan sighed. "Oh, you really don't know anything, do you?"

"To join the Assassins and Mercenaries League as an Assassin, you must take a test. There are three different levels one can join as: the low-level Assassin, the mid-level Assassin, and the high-level Assassin," Dan explained. "But there are also two levels above that which one can only be chosen to join. Namely: The Grand Order of Assassins. These are extremely strong individuals who oversee the Assassin and Mercenaries League. They rarely go on any mission unless it's an extremely special case. And there is a level of Assassins even greater known as: The Demon Extermination Squad. These are individuals who are at the peak of power and go on very dangerous missions. They are said to be unpar with the three squads that are chosen every fifteen years from Ryzel."

Azrael listened intently, his mind whirring with the possibilities.

"What are the tests?" Azrael asked, glossing over the mention of Ryzel.

"For low and mid-level, the tests are pretty straightforward. You'd have to defeat an assassin of the level which you wish to join. For these tests, they usually bring the weakest of that level so it's not too challenging," Dan explained.

"And what of the high-level test?" Azrael asked, his eyes gleaming with interest.

"This is a test not many attempt, and among the few who do, not many survive," Dan said gravely.

"Survive?" Azrael repeated, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes, like the other levels, the high-level test requires one to defeat a high-level assassin. Now, this is already an extremely difficult feat, but the next step of the test is way more dangerous," Dan said, taking a pause before continuing.

"For the next step of the test, the participant must infiltrate the residence of a member of the Grand Order of Assassins, steal the high-level Assassin badge, and escape the residence all without getting caught," Dan explained.

Azrael was speechless. "What happens if you get caught?"

"Well, you die," Dan said matter-of-factly. "Terribly," he added with a shudder.

Suddenly, the commotion at the front of the convoy interrupted their conversation. Azrael looked forward and saw people wearing armor. Armor that he knew all too well, the color and design engraved into his very memory.

"It seems we've been stopped by the Cyval soldiers," Marc said, his tone grim.