“Templar King”?

As the group hesitated, exchanging bewildered glances and silently questioning, "What kind of maniac is this?" Klauss swiftly took action. In a burst of speed, he landed a powerful punch straight to the apparent leader's face, causing blood to gush from his nose as he crumpled to the ground in pain.

The rest of the assailants, angered by the sudden assault on their comrade, decided to retaliate collectively.

However, Klauss moved with an effortless grace, evading every strike with an almost dance-like finesse. His movements were precise and calculated as he deftly dodged and incapacitated each attacker.

With a cold stare, he pronounced them "Weak," looking down at the collapsed bodies on the ground. The remaining three assailants, undeterred, rushed him simultaneously.

In a display of masterful skill, Klauss effortlessly outmaneuvered them, his every movement a calculated step. Swiftly, he brought one assailant to his knees with a well-placed kick, then grabbed the girl with the bad attitude, tossing her against a nearby car.

Aisha stood in stunned silence, watching Klauss's fearlessness and unyielding resolve in the face of danger. It made her reflect on her own hesitations and the lack of courage to uphold justice, even in a less violent manner than Klauss.

In an instant, only one assailant remained, facing Klauss. Realizing the odds stacked against him, the smart move was clear—he chose to retreat, whimpering as he hastily left the scene.

Klauss smirked at the fleeing coward and then turned his attention to the leader, who lay on the ground nursing his broken nose. Standing over him, Klauss cast a menacing glare while Aisha, sensing the impending danger, rushed to intervene.

She grabbed Klauss's arm firmly and pleaded, "That's enough, Klauss." Bending down, Klauss leaned closer to the subdued assailant, delivering a cold and threatening message, "Next time, there'll be no one to protect you. I'll see you again."

The defeated group quickly gathered their fallen leader and retreated, leaving behind a scene of bloody disgrace.

As Aisha turned her attention to the young boy who had been beaten, Klauss followed suit. The boy, still shaken from the ordeal, had a few bruises and scars. Aisha insisted on taking him to the hospital for a thorough checkup.

Meanwhile, Klauss approached the boy who had witnessed the entire scene. To his surprise, it was a familiar face from his past life. The unexpected encounter left Klauss bewildered, especially given the circumstances.

Aisha nudged Klauss, signaling him to help get the injured boy into the car. Klauss, snapping out of his momentary daze, muttered, "For fucks sake, just do it."

Inside the car sat three individuals—Klauss, Aisha, and the boy who remained nameless. Klauss maintained a contemplative silence, occasionally glancing at the boy in the back seat to confirm his suspicions.

It was undeniable—this young passenger was a prominent figure from Klauss's past, a formidable and powerful hunter from his previous life, albeit in his younger days.

The figure in the back seat was none other than Cassius Aeger, the leader of the renowned Abyssal Guild, which was among the top 5 guilds during that time. Cassius had awakened approximately five years before Klauss's death and had swiftly made a name for himself.

In Klauss's memory, Cassius was a highly respected hunter, admired for his careful and trustworthy nature. He possessed excellent communication skills, a sharp mind, and, in most instances, prioritized his guild's interests over his own.

Cassius was, in many aspects, stronger, more popular, and wealthier than the Klauss of that era.

What fueled Klauss's initial doubt was the stark contrast in the boy's current behavior compared to the formidable figure he remembered. This young man seemed lackluster and pathetic, a far cry from someone who would later become arguably one of the ten strongest hunters in the country.

The drastic shift in demeanor led Klauss to speculate that some profound change might have occurred during his awakening.

As Klauss contemplated the possibility of forcing the boy to awaken and become his subordinate, the irony of the once-"Templar King" becoming a potential underling crossed his mind, triggering a bout of laughter that reverberated through the confines of the car.

Aisha, taken aback by Klauss's sudden outburst, boldly questioned, "What the hell is wrong with you?"

Clearing his throat, Klauss shot another glance at the boy behind him and abruptly asked, "Boy, can't you say thank you to your savior? What's your name?"

The young boy, intimidated by Klauss's dominance and aura, replied shyly and stuttering, "Umm..it's C-Cassius, Cassius Aeger. Um th-thank you for…um earlier. You were…co-cool."

The car fell into a heavy silence, the only sound being the hum of the engine. Aisha, after a moment, burst into laughter, quickly realizing the absurdity of the situation and offering an apology.

"Haha sorry, wasn't my intention to laugh. Forgive me. But Klauss, you're scaring the kid, loosen up." Despite her attempt to diffuse the tension, Klauss remained mostly silent, his suspicions now confirmed.

A twisted thought crept into his devious mind: "I will turn this boy into my slave. He will be mine."

As they drove to a THA-owned hospital, an uncomfortable silence permeated the car. Cassius sat quietly in the backseat, while Aisha drove and Klauss brooded in the passenger seat.

Upon arriving, Aisha escorted the young boy into the pristine medical facility, its gleaming floors and sterile scent belying the turmoil of emotions within Cassius.

As he was checked over by the staff, Aisha waited nearby, occasionally glancing out the window towards the parked car where Klauss sat motionless.

After Cassius was patched up, the two returned to the vehicle with Cassius clutching a white rubber bag containing medications.

As they buckled themselves in, Aisha turned towards the boy and gently offered, "Cassius, would you like us to drop you off at your home first before we head to our destination?"

Klauss nodded silently in agreement while Cassius responded with heartfelt gratitude. "Yes please, if it's not too much trouble. Thank you both so much for all your help today."

As they drove, the young teenager began opening up, his voice trembling slightly. "You didn't ask but I'll tell you why I'm here. I'm fifteen years old and I live with my aunt and her three kids. My parents died in a car crash when I was little." His words were tinged with sadness.

"Ever since I moved in with them, my aunt and cousins have bullied me a lot. I think it's why I'm so shy and scared all the time, haha." Cassius looked down, fidgeting with a loose thread on his shirt sleeve.

"Those guys who attacked me went to the school I attend right now, although I'm still in middle school and they already graduated from high school a few months ago. I didn't even see them coming today." His slender shoulders tensed.

"I had gone into the shopping mall to buy some groceries for my aunt. When I was walking back, they jumped me from behind, shoving me to the ground." Cassius' voice quivered at the memory.

"They...they took all the money I had on me. Said they needed it more than me." His fingers curled into fists. "Then they just started hitting me. Over and over. I tried begging them to stop but they wouldn't listen. I'm sure now that they have awakened and belong to a big guild, they can do whatever they want…"

Tears brimmed in the boy's eyes before he hurriedly brushed them away, sniffling quietly.

Aisha's heart ached for the bullied and abused boy. Her hands clenched around the steering wheel at the injustice he continued to suffer.

Klauss, on the other hand, listened silently. His expression remained impassive though his mind spun feverishly. Manipulative machinations whirred as he contemplated how to subjugate and claim the teenager.

Turning onto a smaller side street lined with older houses in various states of disrepair, Cassius hesitated before pointing to a run-down bungalow with peeling paint and overgrown bushes.

"My aunt's house is the green one with the broken side gate." He eyed it with undisguised dread, shrinking back into his seat.

As Aisha pulled up outside, Cassius gathered the plastic bag holding his new ointments and bandages. Hand trembling, he reached hesitantly for the door handle but paused, turning back towards them.

"Th..thank you again for helping me get away from those bullies. And for taking care of my injuries." Sincerity and gratitude rang clearly in the boy's soft tone despite his stutter.

Aisha gave him a gentle smile. "You're most welcome, Cassius. Please take care of yourself, okay?" Her voice held a note of concern.

The boy managed a small smile in return before pushing open the car door and slowly climbing out, wary of aggravating his lingering pains.

Before he could close it however, Klauss suddenly leaned over and held the door open. His piercing eyes locked onto Cassius' nervous face as he stated firmly, "I'll come check on you tomorrow afternoon. Will you be here at this time?"

The young teenager paled but gave a quick nod, mumbling his acquiescence before pulling the door shut and hurrying towards the house.

As Aisha pulled away, she shot her boss a look of surprise. "That was kind of you to offer to visit him, Klauss. I wouldn't have expected it."

When he didn't respond, she prodded gently. "So...do you know that boy from somewhere or something? You acted quite strangely when you heard his name back at the mall."

Klauss remained silent, turning to look out his window into the growing darkness as rain began sprinkling down. His mind churned with thoughts of how to entrap and enslave someone who, in another life at another time, was leaps and bounds better and stronger than him.

"The future Templar King shall be my slave".