Chapter 9

"Hahaha hahahaha hahahaha hahahaha"

Arman could hear Ali, Dan and Jacob laughing loudly.

As for Jamal, he was studying as always.

"And the second protective layer is made up of peptidoglycans, which are further made up of N- Acetyl Muramic Acid and N- Acetyl Glucosamine. Mainly, using this layer, we differentiate Gram positive bacteria from Gram negative bacter.." Jamal stopped reading, he then gave Arman a glance.

The way he was looking at Arman matched the way people looked at a widow, who had lost her husband and all her sons in the battlefield.

Filled with pity.

Arman gradually growed angry, he punched the table hard, and it shattered to pieces.

"Why did you do that, you dumbass!"

Someone shouted from behind. And as expected, it was Ali.

Arman soon regained his senses.

"Did I do something?"

"Nothing" Ali said in an elegant tone.

And then he continued his words, very violently this time.

"You just broke a damned table!"

Ali was completely freaked out.

"It's not my fault, you guys were making fun of me. And why did the editor of this newspaper put my photos on the front page?"

Arman was completely annoyed by the situation.

On the newspaper, was the photograph of a naked man. His face was not visible, as he was hiding his face.

"Oy, it is not the first page, it is the third page."

Jacob intervened.

"Then where did the first page go?" Dan asked.

"While I was reading the newspaper, that girl, what was her name? Ah... Ah! Eveline! She snatched the front page and ran inside her room. And she hasn't come out of her room since then."

Ali became curious.

"By the way, what was on the front page?"

"I couldn't read it properly, it had only two articles. First one was that the Killer Association, from next week, will be taking in even those who are not 18 yet. As for the second one, go and ask her, as she has the paper now."

"Does that mean, even kids can apply for the Killer Association?"

"Yes."

*************

Killer Association, is an organisation which governs over an international unit of powerful soldiers called 'The Killers'

It only accepts people with special powers.

First established in Russia. And they administer the Killers in entire world from Russia.

*************

Arman couldn't understand.

"But why did she snatch the front page like that?"

And then, Jamal put aside his books, and came to Arman.

"Big brother, if I were you, I wouldn't be thinking about that. Maybe she wanted to become a Killer too.

You should celebrate that your face is not visible in the newspaper.

Had your face been visible even to the slightest, dad would come straight from U.S.A. to Japan just to make sure you get converted into a non- living being, as you would have smeared the family's reputation with a dark spot."

Arman's face turned purple.

**********************

Eveline, sitting on her bed, constantly staring at the newspaper.

What she was looking at, wasn't the first article. It was the second article.

It was as follows.

GANGSTERS HAUNT THE WORLD!

A new gang has become active recently.

And within a week of their activity, they got hold of the record of over six hundred murders and two hundred bank robberies.

They target big and developed cities worldwide.

Experts say that their next target might be Tokyo. Whoever brings the culprits to the police, will get rewarded five million U.S.D.

And next to the article, was the photograph the Killers got from Eveline's spaceship.

"They found my spaceship and found my family- photo in it. And now they want to find me. That is why they are spreading fake news about me. But I won't get in their hands this easy, I should start wearing a scarf, orelse they will find me."

******************

The milkman parked his bike in front of a book stall.

"Give me a newspaper." He said.

The shopkeeper handed him a newspaper.

As he went on reading the newspaper, his expression changed.

"Oh my my, such grave sins. Who might these three be? And a reward of five million Dollars!" The man exclaimed, and then asked a senior who was sitting next to him,

"Excuse me uncle, One dollar is equal to how many Yen?"

"One Dollar equals to a hundred and nine Yen."

The milkman was flabbergasted.

"If it is such a heavy reward, I am pretty sure that the task would be equally hard. The likes of us will never be able to do so."

Saying so, the milkman shook his head side to side.

"Ah there is a photo too."

He glanced at the photograph in the newspaper. The third figure in the photograph seemed familiar.

"I have seen her somewhere. But where?"

*****************

[ Welcome

Name: Undefined

Grade: Undefined

Phase : Pre-assimilation stage]

[As you are not completely assimilated with your powers, you can't access them completely. Once it has been confirmed that your ability to cope with the powers is increased, the assimilation will progress]

[Current progress: 25%]

"With this, can I pass the entrance tests?"

Arman asked.

"I don't think so." The Flame king replied.

"Then, I need to become powerful. And that within a week. Is there a way to boost my training speed?" Arman asked with hopeful eyes.

The Flame king thought for a while, and then he did remember something.

"Yes, there is a shrine not too far from here.

With your current strength, you cannot raid it. But you can for sure absorb it's energy from a distance. But..."

Arman expression turned bright.

He burst out. "Thank you very much."

"Let me finish my words."

Arman then turned quiet and sat down to listen to the Flame king's words.

"But, the guards in the shrine aren't the only ones to protect it, a beast that lives around the shrine also guards it. You have to deal with it."

The Flame king's words left Arman disappointed.

But the upcoming sentence made him relax.

"But it is a beast of lowest grade, so if you attain 30% assimilation, all problems will be solved. So pay heed to my advice and continue your training."

Arman thought for a while.

"But it's my first day in the college 3 days later..."

"Don't worry, we will return within 3 days. Missing the college for a day isn't a big deal"

Arman thought for a while, and then he raised his thumb.

It meant that he was okay with the Flame king's idea.

**********************

In the evening.

[ Welcome

Name: Undefined

Grade: Undefined

Phase : Pre-assimilation stage]

[As you are not completely assimilated with your powers, you can't access them completely. Once it has been confirmed that your ability to cope with the powers is increased, the assimilation will progress]

[Current progress: 28.79%]

"Don't worry, we can complete it on the way."

The Flame king tried to make the sad Arman relax. But it was no use.

"Arman, go and pack your goods. We will depart early tomorrow."

Arman nodded in disappointment and left.

After Arman entered his room, the Flame king saw him from the window.

"I shouldn't have lied to him, but had I not lied to him, he wouldn't have taken the risk. And without taking any risk, it is impossible to become strong."

*******************

The next day, 4 A.M.

Arman was leaving, and his brothers, with puffed eyes, came to see him off.

Arman embraced Ali.

Ali then detected a Foul smell from Arman, "Yuck! What is this? How many days has it been since your previous bath?" He pushed Arman away.

Arman slightly hesitated before telling Ali that Arman hadn't bathed since 16 June.

"Hey, but that day when you brought that girl home, you did take a bath"

"Uh... Erm... How do I tell this to you? Back then...."

******************

"This is what happened."

Ali and Jamal lowered their head in embarrassment. This goofy gullible dude was their elder brother?

"Now go!"

Morning 6:10 a.m.

"Yawn." Eveline woke up, and donned a burka placed on her table.

You might say that this was too much, but this was necessary for the success of the mission she came here for. As entire Japan now knew about her.

"I should first place a tracking system on Arman. Orelse I might lose him."

She had planned everything. She hid a slingshot in the pockets.

She would first make a tea for Arman, and knock his door. And then she would stand behind the door. Once Arman would open the door, she would become hidden, and then she would fire the slingshot containing the transmitter. And then she would suddenly appear infront of Arman. Arman would then think that she was hiding behind the door to scare him and she was here to give him the tea and he would never realise Eveline's true intention.

He would say "Oh you scared me!"

Eveline ended her daydreaming and got to work.

Knock knock.

Eveline stood behind the door.

But the door didn't open.

Eveline waited for a little longer.

"Why isn't he opening the door?"

She barged into Arman's room.

A silence followed.

Eveline then roamed around the house looking for Arman.

But the world couldn't completely explore this palace over past 80 years. It would be a great deal if she did that in half the time, which would add up to many years. And the size of this palace was what made Arman have goosebumps.

What if he got lost in this palace?

That is why he demanded his father that another house was to be built in Japan for his stay.

But it is a different story now, as Arman is the Flame king. He could break through the walls if he or his brothers would get lost.

And if he did so, there was no one to question him. As his father would not care because the number of such palaces his father owns exceeds the number of fingers in both the hands. As for the government, Arman's father clearly expressed that the government does not have any rights over his property.

Ali, who saw Eveline roaming around approached her.

"What are you searching for?" He asked.

"Where is Arman?" She asked.

"He will be out for three days."

Eveline took a deep breath as she saw Ali returning to his work.

"Kuwaaaaaaaaah!"

*******************

Arman was very tired, but still he had to keep going on if he wanted to reach in time.

While walking, he stopped all of a sudden.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Said the Flame king.

"Absolutely" Arman said in a silent tone, his voice clearly revealed how happy he was.

As before him, stood a beautiful tall snowy mountain, blowing winds blew through his body, giving him a relief that made Arman think that he was in heaven.

And the air here was very clean and clear.

It brought a beautiful scent to Arman's nose.

"Welcome to the Himalayas." The Flame pointed towards the mighty mountain range.

The scenery that stood before Arman made all of his fatigue fade away.

"We are in the Himalayas?" Arman asked.

"Yes."

"But we hardly have walked a hundred kilometres. Besides we are walking only since past four hours."

The Flame king grabbed Arman by his head and turned him around and placed him on the ground.

"Look at your footprints." He said.

Arman was Flabbergasted to see footprints the size of a Grizzly bear's footprints.

"Don't be surprised, you are my successor!

The successor of the one who stands on the peak of this world!"

Arman now understood that each step of his had propelled him many metres. And because of his powers, he didn't feel dizzy despite moving with a high speed.

"Let's find a cave nearby to rest."

Arman nodded at the Flame king's words.

While he was walking, he realised something.

"Wait, you made me commit an international crime!"

"You shouldn't think about such things if you want to become strong."

Arman was both frightened and angry.

Frightened, because Interpol might come looking for him in no time.

And angry because the reason behind this would be the Flame king.

He pounced on him.

***************************

<Chapter 9> Fin.