Chapter 53: Arrows and Ambition

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"The big secret to breaking the rules is to make it look as though you're following them."

– Johan Liebert, (Monster)

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<(Bruce Wayne POV)>

"You still haven't won over your fear brat. You are still holding on to something that is not letting you achieve your full potential, the same thing that is messing up your footwork. Find out what that is and you will be unstoppable once you bring it under control." Ubu remarked while stretching one of his hands towards me to help me up.

Currently, I was lying on the snow while breathing a little heavier than normal due to the bout I just had with the oversized League Henchman. Usually, he wasn't the one responsible for training me but Ra's Al Ghul was busy today for some reason, so I had to make do with his bodyguard as my training partner instead.

"I find your lack of faith in my capabilities disturbing. The only reason you could surprise me there at the end Mr. Loyal Minion was because of your vast experience and because I lost my focus for a split second there. It won't happen again." I declared, confident in my own skills.

There was, of course, a valid reason behind my confidence and that was because I wasn't even using half of my physical abilities. In fact, I had been dominating most of the recent practice fights against Ra's Al Ghul and Ubu for a while now but since I didn't want them to think that I was as good as them in terms of pure skill, I only performed as well as they expected me to.

"It shouldn't, otherwise that would be insulting Ras' teachings in a way. Now, let's return to town. The Demon's Head is probably waiting, he might have a task ready for you." Ubu revealed with a cruel smile on his face like he was privy to some sensitive information that I was not.

"... Sure man, just don't give me that creepy smile. You look like a middle-aged adult man trying to trap an innocent teen in his thirst trap." I shivered as I began to follow him to the primary dojo of Ra's Al Ghul.

Ubu however didn't react much. After that, we both went toward the Demon Head's private dojo where he either only taught the most gifted members of the league or practiced alone.

Today, the dojo seemed quite full with a lot of new faces undergoing training in the dojo, training that would have been considered harsh and inhumane in terms of normal human standards. Ra's Al Ghul himself seemed to be engrossed in training them as he didn't even notice when we entered the dojo or maybe he just didn't care. After all, no one was stupid enough to attack the undisputed leader of the League of Assassins in his own fortress.

All the new members training in the dojo looked quite promising but, the dozens of new members currently training did not catch my attention, instead, it was caught by only one person, a single extremely beautiful-looking young girl who was currently learning archery from Ra's Al Ghul

[Image]

"This is impossible and pointless. Shooting two arrows from the same bow sounds amazing but I don't believe for even a single second that it is practical in real life. I think we are wasting our time here. Rather I should try to increase my arrow-shooting speed, that would probably make me more useful as a member of the League." The girl calmly stated to Ra's Al Ghul who was overseeing her training.

"Hmm, impossible and useless you say. Maybe I overestimated your value too much 'girl'. I think that the fact that you are among the top archers in the League, or perhaps the fact that you beat your elder sister in long-range combat has gotten over to your head. But unfortunately, you are just proving your irrelevance by displaying your arrogance." The Al Ghul patriarch didn't even stutter while absolutely destroying the girl in front of everyone.

"Seems, someone is getting canceled soon," I smirked at the oversized lackey beside me who didn't even react to my statement at all and just continued to stare ahead blankly like he couldn't even hear me.

"Bruce, could you demonstrate your own brand of archery?" Ra's Al Ghul suddenly requested surprising both me and the girl who had been silenced by his heavy insults.

"... Sure." I didn't try to extend the conversation more than I needed to and just took the bow up in my hands feeling it as comfortable as any other piece of homemade bow you could get your hands on.

I however didn't take two arrows from the quiver in front of me, instead I took three. What can I say, I was feeling like showing off a little. Also not being a simp here, but when you show off in front of people especially a beautiful girl like this one, you tend to do your best to make an impression and that was exactly what I was doing, making a damn good impression.

"Bows and arrows aren't my favorite set of weapons, so forgive me for lacking the class that is required to use them," I said calmly as I fired all three arrows into the target before me. Each one of them, curtsey of my really good aim and mastery in the craft due to my cheat ended up striking the human-shaped target in its heart, navel, and head making the girl watching me almost gasp in surprise at my skills.

Wow, I feel like a secretly OP anime protagonist right now.

"How the hell did you make that shot? It should be impossible, no it is impossible, you almost curved the arrows in their paths while they were in mid-air..." The girl complained as I could detect a hint of anger and impatience from her voice making it clear that she was not at all happy at seeing someone perform better than her.

"Stop complaining and focus on polishing your skills and abilities. You are weak, utterly powerless, and possess much lower talent than him right now even in the very skill that you supposedly excel in. If you don't like that, then change it. Practice harder and work smarter, don't expect people to just move out of your way to let you go ahead." Ra's Al Ghul strictly said, shutting her up. "You are dismissed." He then ordered her in a no-nonsense tone, bringing an end to the conversation.

"So, do you like hate women or something? Because that was just excessively rude." I asked Ra's Al Ghul a couple of minutes after the girl left.

"No, I don't hate girls. I hate weakness and right now all she has is weakness. A weak body, a weak mind, and most of all a weak heart. And I intend to change that by forcing her to get rid of her weaknesses." He explained.

"I see, I guess that makes sense... sort of" I mumbled while nodding at his not-so believable explanation.

"Nevertheless, I called you here because I have a task for you, a mission I need you to do. Something that can give you the experience that you so very much lack while testing the abilities and skills that you have developed till now. If you succeed in this, then we will advance to the next phase of your training, the final phase that is. If you do not succeed, well, then you won't be returning here. So take this as seriously as you can because even the tiniest misstep can lead you down the path of failure, a path that has no return in the League of Assassins." Ra's Al Ghul warned, not mincing his words at all. 

"I am ready... sensei. Tell me what to do and it will be done." I slightly bent my head in acceptance. 

"As you know the League of Assassins is a very old organization that has been contributing to the progress of the world for hundreds of years. But it is not the only one out there. There have been many such organizations throughout history, some of them protecting the forces of good, some of them wanting nothing but to follow their own twisted and selfish desires. One such nefarious organization is The Untitled. A clan of immortal siblings whose only desire is achieving true immortality and the death and destruction of everything and everyone around them with their dark arts.

Until now, the League of Assassins and another group called the All-Caste have been repelling the Untitled, resisting their evil actions, and protecting the world against their threats but recently the Untitled have grown a lot stronger. They have almost destroyed the entirety of All-Caste and now seek to destroy the League as well to make sure that no one powerful enough remains to stop them. That is why we must act now to eradicate them once and for all while we still have time and you Bruce are chosen for for this mission." 

"Wait, this Untitled, you said they are immortal and know dark magic? Doesn't that mean they are out of my... league? Because I don't see how I can fight against immortal sorcerers without knowing any magic myself. Even the chi lessons you have taught me are just basic fundamental lessons, only useful enough to resist possessions and spirit attacks. How do you possibly expect me to fight much less win against them?" I asked with a straight face, wondering if the old man had already realized my plans and was just trying to get rid of me in the most efficient way possible.

However, that would be really hard for him to do since I still have a couple of tricks in my bag to make sure that I don't die a useless death.

"I don't. Not like how you are now. But you will have everything you need for the job. The Untitled despite how strong they are, is composed of only nine people. They might seem immortal but always remember everyone can be killed, even immortals. As for how you will do it, you will have help. I will not only give you command of a small group of my own assassins but you will also be aided by the All-caste as well.

They will help you destroy the Untitled and make sure that they remain dead forever. After all, the Untitled are their biggest enemy and they can do anything to get rid of them even if that means teaching their secret techniques to others. That will be your true mission, to make sure that the All-Caste teaches you everything they know before the organization perishes."

"So, I will be taking advantage of a dying faction to get all their knowledge and maybe even their resources to kill a common enemy while still getting to keep all the best things they have to offer, for myself... and the league of course. Cunning. I like it." I answered, truly impressed with his strategy.

"Yes, now go and prepare. Ubu will get you anything that you might need for this quest. You will leave tomorrow. Just remember that there is no room for failure or weakness here. I will start selecting the ones who will accompany you on this mission." He commented offhandedly, turning his back on me, making his intention of not continuing this conversation clear.

I also didn't want to indulge in a needless chat with him any longer to avoid giving him any excessive information about me that could potentially incriminate me in front of him, so I too silently left.

"You new here?" A husky female voice suddenly stopped me in my tracks outside the dojo as I was leaving.

"I thought he told you to go and train your skills. It seems you are quite a rebellious daughter, aren't you." I smirked.

"What? How did you know...?" 

"Observation and deduction. Something I picked up from reading Sherlock Holmes." I answered with a straight face, not giving her a chance to express her doubts further.

"... Whatever. I just wanted to know how you did it. The three-arrow shot. It shouldn't be physically possible. I don't think even my father can do it with that precision. So it makes no sense for you, a new student of his to do it without a single error." She protested, sounding like it was really my fault that she wasn't as good.

'Deep-rooted inferiority complex and daddy issues, huh? Interesting, I wonder if I'll be able to use Ra's Al Ghul's uncaring attitude toward his daughter against him' I thought without letting my thoughts leak onto my face.

"Well, I don't personally prefer archery, so how about this? I will train you and teach you everything I know about shooting arrows and in return, you give me a tour of this place and show me around. It's a good deal and we will both profit from it. You will teach me the inner workings of the League and I'll teach you what I know about shooting multiple arrows all at once." I threw the bait, knowing that she was already caught in it from how greedy she looked at the sound of free training.

I guess, she is as much a training-junkee as me.

"So, do we have a deal, Miss...?" I asked as I stretched forward my hand for a shake.

"Nyssa, Nyssa Al Ghul. And yes, it's a deal. But don't think we are friends or anything now." She huffed before lightly touching my hand in what seemed like a really awkward handshake.

"I think we would have to first work on your social cues a little because that was by far the worst handshake I have ever experienced in my life." I chuckled, which also prompted a small smile to appear on her lips as well, a smile that she very much tried to hide but failed spectacularly.

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