Afraid of the Dark

"Kyros! How did you do this?" Aron asked again.

"I erm... I am skilled with... Earth Magic? I was trying and experimenting with it. The temple can restore my magic points, so I was able to fix something. This is the secret technique of my clan. My father was the one who made the sword." The more Kyros lied, the more he became confident and spoke without stopping.

"I see! Amazing! You are a Magic Forger! Amazing! This is awesome news!"

"I'm sorry I hid it. You know the value of what it means to be a Magic Forger. So I didn't say anything."

"We understand! Magic forgers can only be recruited or killed! You made the right call! This is incredible!"

"Uncle. Let us assign someone to run back towards the entrance to meet my father and prevent more people from moving inside."

"I was thinking the same thing! But we have to also hunt for more creatures to show your father of the magic of this temple."

"We can hunt for another group first and be on our way back. I also found a water source nearby! I believe it would be proper if I prepared myself before I meet my father!" Kyros called out.

"Oh? I guess it's only proper. How near is it?"

"Just a little bit ahead of the area we fought yesterday. I also found a this bag among the spoils yesterday. It contains soap." Kyros brought out the bag of the noble that Kyros targeted yesterday. Since he had the most sophisticated looks, Kyros knew that only expensive things could be acquired if he stole this bag.

"Oh? That's a rather expensive soap. That marking... It's from a viscount family! It seems that while we were inside here, some have ventured in." Aron deduced.

"But when I checked earlier, there were no signs of people." Kyros frowned.

"They must have retreated. This cave is something that an ordinary mercenary group couldn't handle. But men, for now, you go with Kyros and fight. I won't join you. This is also training. I have to wait for my brother to go back and to stop people from moving inside." Aron explained.

"Uncle. Do you have a Signal Compass?" Kyros asked.

Signal Compass were magical objects that would point towards a Signal. Small groups of travelers used these so they wouldn't lose each other during quests. As long as the signal is within fifty kilometers, the Signal Compass would point at it. Not only do these devices estimate the direction of the Signal, they can even tell the distance.

"We have four Signal Compasses. This is a rather expensive Signal Compass. Three mercenaries are equipped with it. It is bound to their life. Unless they aren't dead, the compass can point at them. The Last Signal Compass is bound to me." Aron revealed a Signal Compass. It was pointing directly at one of the mercenary and had a bright red glow.

Three mercenaries also revealed the same thing.

"These Signal Compasses detects the other three. So my men can find me with that." Aron pointed at the three Compasses that the three held.

"Of course, only they can equip it. If you give the Signal Compass to another person, it won't work." Aron explained.

Kyros nodded. He was very familiar with this and had often used this in his previous life.

"Good! Then here's what we do... If people do come, ask them to go with you! Make it look like you need help as a strange dark monster attacked you! You then lead them back to us. Suppose the mercenaries can see that you are moving towards. I'll make preparations to make it look like the mercenaries have died using makeup. Once you are close, I'll have the three pass the compass to someone else to make it look like they died."

"That would work. Then I guess we have to spare some corpses or leave one golem or lizard alive?"

"No. That would be too much work. What we can do, is make it look like a strange black creature is attacking everyone."

"Your Shadow Scout?"

"Not the Shadow Scout." Kyros smiled as he held the Sword of a Thousand Grudges.

"I noticed this when I was absorbing more of the darkness from the core of the Golems. I can now do this." Kyros willed it, and Dark Cloak was activated.

Kyros was covered in darkness.

Kyros suddenly began to move.

"Uncle, be careful! I'll be attacking!" Kyros laughed.

All of a sudden, Kyros began to attack his Uncle. Aron could only see Kyros at the last moment and was able to block it.

But Kyros was lost in the darkness once more.

"How is it?" Kyros's voice echoed out.

"Powerful! With your speed, you can defeat a Baron's Escort!" Aron knew how strong Kyros was. With this power, he could easily defeat the vassal knights of Barons!

"Then this is the plan. If someone rushes here and we don't have the corpses of Golems and Lizards, we use this. Of course, if there are golems and lizards, we can show them the corpses first and make my appearance. The Signal Compass will be used in this manner. If we notice Uncle is going nearer to us at a certain speed, we make preparations!" Kyros explained.

"A good plan indeed!" Aron laughed.

"I can pretend to kill Uncle when I see that the humans are retreating. They would be scared if they see all the dead mercenaries and even more scared if there are mutilated lizard and golems corpses. After all, those golem bodies squirm from time to time. And if a dark creature like me starts attacking and cutting their bags and cut off their torches..." Kyros smiled.

"Perfect! They'll be afraid of the dark and escape! This is a good plan! I'll scout ahead and check out the area beyond the entrance and backtrack. I have to find a way to change the markers we set for those leading to dead ends but leave a special marker that only my brother can notice." Aron decided.

"For now, Kyros. Practice leading the Mercenaries... No! They are no longer mercenaries. I forgot. Practice leading the Steele Knights!" Aron laughed.

The 'knights' felt a swell of pride at this title.

"Once your father arrives, we will put on to play your money-making scheme. With enough money, we should be able to afford to grant all these mercenaries a formal Knight job!" Aron smiled.

The knights cheered. Some of them could only dream of becoming a Knight.

"I will, Uncle. Knights! Let's see if yesterday's training was of any use! If you disappoint me, I'll scare you to death during training!" Kyros declared.

Despite the threat, the knights roared happily. Even their young Lord called them knights.

And so, both groups departed.

Kyros had already explored the further regions of the place and knew where to go. He sent his shadow scout to go over and search the areas that he intentionally avoided the other day due to the tracks that he saw.

"These tracks mean that there was a fight here. I avoided them yesterday but now, we may have to move closer. Follow me, and let's do the same ambush we did the other day." Kyros instructed.

They moved towards the path, and Kyros had already sent his shadow to search for the area ahead.

As they were moving, Kyros gave several observations about the Golems and the Lizards.

"The golems are slow at turning. So if you fight them, continue to fight by encircling them as you attack. You can also make an abrupt counter-turn to confuse them. As for the Lizards, the best way to deal with them is to feint charges first to draw out the lizard's tail. With your sharp swords, you should be able to damage their tails now. Aim for that first so that the lizard will be hesitant in using the attacks that have the longest range." Kyros talked.

The knights were absorbed in Kyros's teaching as he continued to explain tactics.

[Heretic Teacher job acquired.]

[Oration skill acquired.]

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Heretic Teacher Level 1

Harnessing the wisdom of the gods and the beguiling powers of the fallen, Kyros is able to teach and instruct others with great charisma and allow the listeners to hear and understand things easier. The effect of the Heretic Teacher is two times stronger than other Teacher jobs.

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Kyros immediately willed the details as he was curious. Calaminus had already explained the job levels of various groups that were even unknown to Kyros. But this title was something he didn't teach.

"Amazing. You practically have the most powerful Teaching job known in this universe! You have a skill that is two times stronger than teaching jobs! That's crazy! Do you feel the power coursing in you? Do you feel the wisdom?" Calaminus asked.

"I feel that I need inspirational quotes with scenic backgrounds that can help my teaching career. Also, I should trick people by taking math test using 'only people with high IQ can solve this test.'" Kyros sensed it.

"...What?"

"I don't understand it either. Anyway... Now that this appeared... I wonder. I mysteriously acquired a job two times already. I thought the first one was because I was in the temple. But it's clearly me! Normally, people have to go through the process of receiving a Job Assignment or a Class Change to have an official title from guilds and groups. But I managed to manifest one on my own. This further proves your theory. The class that I can earn must come from one of my powers that is slowly being unsealed. But if I can unseal jobs at will, can the temple help me bestow Jobs and Classes to my others?" Kyros wondered.

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Job Bestowal (Locked)

Requires: Temple Level 5

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Class Bestowal (Locked)

Requires: Temple Level 6

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Kyros and Calaminus blinked at the sudden appearing stats.

"... I really can... Wow."

"Jobs and Classes are but simple imputing of magic and force that allows the common man to have a more solid foundation. But with you and this temple forged by gods and fallen, the jobs and class changes you can give ought to be more amazing..."

"I just need to outfit them! We would become a powerful force! After that... I gather my old team and build an elite force with powerful jobs!" Kyros smiled.