Chapter 9: The First Job
So far, Venture wonders if Note just waiting for him to shoot her or not with the way she continues to moving forward, not once she has turned around to look behind nor look at the sides. Making this weird for Venture and more cautious than before.
Yet, this is good for Venture as the master assassin's knowledge includes [Weapon Proficiency] and [Weapon Improvisation]. Both of them go well together and something that will help Venture a lot now and later on. For one thing, the [Weapon Proficiency] makes it so the moment Venture picks up a weapon and will instantly become proficient in it. Like before, where Venture just knows how to eject the magazine, check how many bullets are inside and everything else. Even knowing the best way to hold the handgun and aiming while walking. Right now, Venture already leveled the handgun at Note, just below her neck, where his aim is her shoulders and will instantly fire the moment she turns around.
As for [Weapon Improvisation]; well, it makes it so Venture knows how to use the handgun even better in an effective offensive purpose. Including the knowledge on how to attack it in a melee method. This includes the best way to use a bullet if the handgun not working. Overall, Venture came up with multiple plans on how to deal with Note in a matter of seconds the moment she turns around.
Other than the [Weapon Proficiency & Improvisation]; Venture is also working on [Weakness Detection] to sense the weakness of Note, but so far, Venture can only tell that Note mostly use her legs to move more while her arms are less. But, not to the point where Venture knows what type of fighting style Note use. Just enough, that it mainly related to kicking. Therefore, Venture will have to keep his distance while checking for any hidden weapons on Note. Since if he has [Hidden Arsenal], then others can with either as a [Skill], [Title], or a [Modifier]. Of course, there is a lot more to the master assassin's knowledge, but for the time being. Venture is already overwhelmed with just these four alone, this includes stealth.
But, right now. None matter to Venture other than to be very cautious of Note as any moment now she will turn around to seek him out.
Note stop, causing Venture to stop as well.
"How long are you going to follow me without shooting?" Note asks Venture, not bother to turn around to face Venture.
Venture didn't answer, nor did he bother to think up a response as right now. As he is currently in a state of focus, where if he so much a slip up, then many things, bad things could happen to him the moment of being distracted for mere moments. This is something Venture experienced through gaming and he knew, that right now is much, much more important than his times when gaming. Therefore, Venture must keep his focus on Note's moment and ignore everything else. He can work on spatial awareness later, but not right now.
"Not talking?" Note notice how quiet the newcomer is compared to before, causing her to find this interesting, but that's just it. Interesting. "That's fine. Action speaks louder." That is all the warning she gave. As Note attack.
Venture fire off two shots; one at Note's left shoulder and back knee before rolling to his right, where he continues to on the ground while firing one shot at Note's right foot. Then, he got back on his feet and eject the magazine from the handgun, to be thrown above him. Where Venture can see the magazine been caught by something invisible.
Not losing his cool. Venture load a new magazine, then begin firing all 7 rounds at Note, who now facing him face to face. Yet, Venture's instinct screams at him to keep on moving even though Venture wants to see if his shots did anything to Note. But, Venture follows his instinct and back away five steps away from Note while throwing the empty magazine he ejected at the floating magazine near him, causing it to drop while the one he just threw was caught.
Venture drive for the falling magazine, insert it into his handgun and roll to his left while at the same time. Venture fire all five rounds at Note, where he followed his instinct to locate Note's position. Ejecting the empty magazine and reload with a new one.
Note has a hint of disappointment in her eyes before it widens briefly as she watches the newcomer throw the empty magazine right at her face, something she did not expect someone would do instead of just forgetting them or saving them for later use. If that wasn't enough to surprise her, Note heard the sound of the handgun fired and hitting the thrown empty magazine, blast it apart right at her face, causing her to lean back while having her arms in front of her face.
Venture took this chance to rush at Note while relying on his instinct to sense the invisible thing that last time captured him. By just relying on the feeling of something about to grab him, so he just has to avoid the area that gives off that feeling.
With six bullets left; Venture decides to use them in a much closer distance, where Venture is close enough, that he could touch Note with his hand while standing in front of her let alone shooting at such close range. However, Venture made sure to unload all bullets at Note's non-fatal areas.
Sadly, for Venture, by the time he fired off his last shot. He was blasted off his feet and roughly thrown into the ground, knocking the wind out of him. Making Venture has a brief hard time breathing and by the time he regain back the ability to breathe purposely. He found himself bound like before and floating in midair exactly like last night.
"I must say, I did not expect that last action of yours. Nonetheless, the task is over." Note said in a monotone, then with a snap of her fingers. Venture let out a gasp of pain as he landed on his back roughly compared to last time, where he was let down back on the ground gently. "Someone will tell you what your first job will be in three days from now. Make sure to stay in this apartment on the third day or you'll miss out who will be the one to inform you."
"Got it." Venture groan out, but dreading what his first job will be. While on the other hand, Venture feels in pain due to landing on the last mag he hasn't used yet.
-LIABG-
It has been three days since the test and Venture had put in some more training while rarely work on his [Illusions Magic] due to not having a hidden place to practice. The only place to practice is the local library when his instinct notifies him from being watched or not.
On another note; Venture got to keep the handgun and is provided with a box of fifty bullets for his free usage per day. Once used up, Venture will have to pay a fee to get more. This is fine for Venture as his main focus is to figure out the best way to use each bullet carefully. Since Venture has no idea if he being sent outside the city as his first job. Something he really hopes it isn't the case and the idea of using his [Unique Skill] to check never stays on his mind for more than a few seconds because the next thought after that would always make sure he never does. After all, there is always a chance of the gamble leaning to him 100% leaving the city for the first job for sure.
Right now, Venture is currently on the sixth floor, sitting on one of the single-seat with a coffee in hand. Waiting for whoever suppose to tell him his first job. Venture already has his handgun hidden on him as well as the three boxes of fifty bullets, where Venture didn't even use a single bullet and during the three days. Ventrue just stores them away for later usage. Something that should be impossible to carry without a bag or without being carried by hands. With [Hidden Arsenal], Venture doesn't have to worry about this problem and it doesn't put on extra weight, which should cause Venture to have a hard time moving around with the extra weights.
The sound of the door opening, causing Venture to look at the door and wonder if it's someone that searching for him, for his first job. If not, then Venture won't mind taking the time to relax a bit more while thinking about what other gambles he should make.
"Hey, Venture. There you are. I've been looking all over the place for you." Bout said to Venture, as he enters through the door and walks over to sit down the nearest seat to Venture. "So, I have heard from Note about the test. I must say, most of us saw the video and we're happy to see you weren't all talk. You have no idea how many times I have someone new joining my personal group of courier bragging about what they can do, then later end up being killed afterward from their mistakes or just outright running away when things get tough." Bout shook his head as he sighed in frustration of all the memories related to those rookies. "Anyway, you ready for your first job? It's very important and I'll be honest. This isn't a job supposed to be assigned to you to be your first one. However, we're short on numbers and you're the only that's available to take the job." Bout frowns a bit at having such an important job be done by a recruit that hasn't been in the faction for long and honestly from the video he has seen with the others. He is not too sure about taking the newcomer along at all, even if he has to put twice the effort into this job.
"Oh." Venture looks very unsure about this and wonder if this is another test for him. "Is there a chance for me to decline this job request?" Venture knew he needed more training because three days isn't enough for him in his opinion.
"Now, if only that was an option." Bout shook his head with a hint of pity in his eyes. "Sorry, Venture, but you have to take this job or you'll be kicked out of the faction. Of course, you won't have to pay back all the things you have been handed to you from the faction since those are free for a reason. We're not going to try to scam you and make you pay every single coin worth of stuff you took from the faction. But, just letting you know ahead of time. If you do end up being kicked out of the faction due to this. Then, most likely other factions wouldn't bother to meet you even if you have a powerful [Assassin-Type Skill]." Bout looks at Venture with a blank face. "So, do you still want to decline the job? I'm just telling you now, this isn't a solo job, so you don't have to worry about being burden with such a heavy job alone."
"Before I decide, would you mind explaining to me what the job is or at least the gist of it and what is it needed of me to do in this job?" Ventrue knew that it would be a hard time for him to find another faction to join and if what Bout said is true, then the chance is, he may as well find a job to feed himself and maybe end up taking the job as a courier, where Venture rather not do even with his new knowledge and instinct of a master assassin and a master illusionist. After all, to Venture, they are something many back in his world is something worth going over the moon for, but in this world, Venture is in right now. These two sets of knowledge are just common.
"Sure, our job is to protect the client's child and wait until the client comes here to pick the child up." Bout gives a gist as Venture asked.
"Oh... Wait, why is this job so important? Is the child of someone important?" Venture feels like something familiar about this, but he can't quite place his finger on it. "Also, why are we the ones protecting the child? Not saying that the [Dark Star Faction] is weak and all, but I mean, isn't the faction recently made though?"
"Nah, I can understand from your point of view, we're recently new. Like very new as we finally got finished with all the legal stuff." Bout's left eye twitch at the end. "As for why this job so important is due to the client being someone very important in the government area, making this child important as well. Also, because the other factions are busy on the front line of stopping the monsters from entering the city for the month. Leaving the smaller and new factions, but unlike the other small and new factions. The [Dark Star Faction]'s leader is a [Unique Skill] holder. Making it the big deal for the client to pick which factions to take on the job. So, it will be you, me, Miss Cope, and Miss Edify, and our leader taking on the job, making it a five-party job."
"Oh, so Firm was for real about this faction having a [Unique Skill] holder, and the leader at that?" Venture asks in disbelief because he honestly didn't believe Firm's words about this topic before and just joined due to the food and place to stay.
"Yeah, I guess not many would believe such a thing, but thanks to all the legal kinds of stuff are out of the way. Future clients would know we have a [Unique Skill] holder among us without having to waste the leader's time by showing others the proof of having a [Unique Skill]." Bout smiles and his eyes light up while praising the leader of the [Dark Star Faction]. "Anyway, the leader is bringing the client's child here as we speak and the only thing we need to do is just watch over the child for the time being until the client arrives, which we were notified to be at the minimum of a week to a month at max."
"Alright, I'll do the job." Venture pause for a moment, "By the way, since this is a protection job, is there anything we need to prepare or anything on the line of us having to defend this apartment from assassins?"
"Not much, other than we'll have to make sure to reinforce the apartment and making sure no one other than fellow members of the [Dark Star Faction] are renting out the second floor at the time. This means you're kind of lucky to join the faction, even on probation, a member is a member." Bout give Venture a thumb up, "Anyway, you should make a list of what you need and I'll get it for you. Protection jobs are dangerous, even with home field advantages on our side since anything related to the government area means serious business." Bout put on a serious look. "So, I need you to write down the list right about now if you don't mind and don't worry about paying for these since if we successfully complete this job. We will earn big to cover everything with ease and still have leftover cash."
"Wait, how come we don't just have the rest of the members in this faction joining us? Isn't this apartment our main base or something?" Venture pointing this out, as it has just occurred to him, that the job takes place in this apartment and he can guess that the other members will have to find another place to stay for the time being.
"Oh, that's because some of us don't have any combat ability; therefore, they will be doing something else during the job taking place. Also, if you're concerned about food, then no worry. We've backup on food beforehand for a time like this." Bout gives Venture a bright smile. "Any other questions? Because I really need that list from you."
"Nope."
Luckily, Venture didn't have to use his own paper as Bout hand over a piece of paper and a pen for him to use. Overall, it didn't even take Venture that long before he finished writing down all his needs, including materials he didn't know if it is available in this world or not, but may as well since with the two sets of knowledge of an assassin and illusionist. He has many ways to defend the place, but Venture has decided to go all out since who knows if he could handle whatever assassins from this world could do to him if he went half-hearted on this. Better to overestimate these assassins or whoever breaks into the apartment for the kid than being caught off guard.
Bout whistles as he read a few things on the list after Venture handed him it. "I'll be honest. Some of the things on here I have no idea, but I'm sure someone else in the faction will. Anyway, I should be able to get everything done by today if not, then we'll have to deal with it. Since we won't be able to leave the apartment on lockdown and no one will leave until the deadline." Bout got up from his seat and begin to head out. "I'll bring the stuff here, so come back here or just relax here, whatever. I'll bring everything here by afternoon."
"Alright." Venture said to Bout, then wait for a moment until the door shut behind Bout before bringing out his book to write down more gambles. Since it looks like he will be a lot busier than before and sadly, he won't be able to resume his research at the library. Therefore, Venture can include more training times while decreasing his [Illusions Magic] training other than detecting it. For all he knows, Venture may end up facing some supernatural assassins, with a [Skill] related teleportation! So, Venture made sure to write down gambles, that would go into his favors no matter what, depending on who he will face while protecting the kid and to make it worse for Venture.
Venture knew right now is the best time he could write down his gambles before maybe a month on the job before he could begin writing down new gambles without someone from the faction asking why he is writing in his journal while on the job.