The Man Must Act
"Wait, Qi Yan! You're new. You don't know what an S-Class mission is!" Elfman quickly yanked Qi Yan aside, lowering his voice so only they could hear. "You also don't know how dangerous they are! We aren't S-Class Mages, so we aren't qualified to accept it! An S-Class Mage should take this mission!"
He was desperate, his trauma from losing Lisanna on a failed S-Class quest resurfacing. He couldn't lose another friend.
"But we've already accepted the mission, and today is the third day," Qi Yan countered, his voice calm and persuasive. "Are we just going to watch the client get killed?"
Elfman stammered. "This..." Qi Yan was right. The deadline was now. Even if they called for an S-Class mage now, the assassin would likely strike and vanish before help arrived.
Qi Yan pressed his advantage, appealing to Elfman's core identity. "Elfman, this is an S-Class mission. Don't you want to challenge yourself and try it out?"
Elfman's thick neck flushed red; the words pierced his self-doubt.
"This is a rare opportunity. If we miss it, who knows when the next one will be." Qi Yan's voice dropped, becoming a shared secret. "Don't you want to see the scenery on the second floor? If we complete this mission, the Guild Master will recognize our strength, and maybe we can go to the second floor early."
Then, the final, perfect strike: "And, aren't you a Man, Elfman? Are you going to watch the client get killed by a bad guy?"
"MAN!!" Elfman roared, the word shaking the room. All trace of fear was replaced by fierce, protective resolve.
Qi Yan knew he had won.
He turned back to the Mayor. "Mr. Mayor, we accept this mission."
"Thank you! Thank you very much!" The Mayor, Kos, looked immensely relieved, regaining a measure of hope.
The Staking of the Stump
"Mr. Mayor," Qi Yan continued, his tone authoritative. "Since the other party plans to attack, we don't need to actively search for them. We'll just wait here, like 'waiting for a rabbit by a stump,' for them to come to us."
Elfman looked doubtful. "But will they really come? The area is surrounded by the Ancient Knight Order!"
"They should," Qi Yan dismissed. "They've already put out the word. If they don't come, their reputation will be a joke forever. A threat made in advance, instead of a quick strike, means they have ample confidence in their ability to penetrate your defenses."
He locked eyes with the client. "Mr. Mayor, you cannot leave our sight. If you do, I cannot guarantee your safety. I wouldn't want to eliminate all the enemies only to have no one pay the reward." The implied threat, both to the Mayor's life and his wallet, was clear.
"Alright... alright!" Kos agreed, intimidated by the young mage's intense focus.
"Very good! Elfman, you'll provide close protection for Mr. Mayor. Your Take Over makes you the best shield."
"What about you, Qi Yan?"
"Me? Of course, I'm responsible for eliminating all incoming enemies," Qi Yan said with a cool smile.
"Wait! Qi Yan, the opponent is the famous King of Assassins!" Elfman protested, unable to fathom challenging such a legend solo.
"So what," Qi Yan replied simply.
Elfman was rendered speechless. The newcomer was either the bravest man he'd ever met, or the most insane.
"Mr. Mayor, please prepare some food," Qi Yan requested. "There might be a big battle coming up, and we can't run out of energy at a crucial moment."
Kos, eager to please his protectors, scurried off.
The True Reward
Soon, fragrant food was laid out. Qi Yan ate heartily, savoring the richness after days of near-starvation. Elfman, however, picked at his plate.
"Hmm? Elfman, you're such a big guy, why are you eating so little?"
"Qi Yan, that's an S-Class..."
Qi Yan laughed. "I know, and that's why it's even more exciting, isn't it?"
Elfman sighed, finally understanding. Qi Yan wasn't just ambitious; he was a thrill-seeker, a lunatic hidden behind a calm face.
Once satisfied, Qi Yan leaned back on the sofa and pulled up the system panel, his eyes fixed on the new update:
[S-Class Mission: Eliminate the Phantom Bandit Gang. Mission Reward: One ten-pull gacha.]
A ten-pull for one job. This was the gold standard.
He lightly tapped the screen, selecting every minor character card he'd accumulated so far, including the Blue-Tier Chunin that had saved his life earlier.
[Are you sure you want to recycle all selected characters?]
"Confirm!"
[Ding! Recycling successful! Host's magic power increased ☆!]
"Half a star?" Qi Yan grumbled to the system. "You're too stingy! I recycled an elite character!"
[Everything is calculated. If the host wants to increase more magic power, he can recycle characters of higher quality.]
Recycle Ulquiorra? Ha! Not a chance. A gold character was guaranteed only every ten S-Class missions. They were too precious.
He checked his updated stats. The small boost made a big difference.
Host: Qi YanAge: 18 years old
Race: HumanMagic Power: ★ ☆
(One and a half stars)Magic: Take Over Magic - Anime Soul
Character Card: Ulquiorra Cifer
"One and a half stars of magic power," Qi Yan whispered to himself. "That should be enough to exert one-tenth of Ulquiorra's strength for about three minutes."
Three minutes. That was all the time he had to take down a veteran assassin who could teleport and kill without a trace. The stakes were terrifying, but the thought of the King of Assassins walking straight into his trap filled him with a cold, almost Ulquiorra-like confidence.
The hunt begins tonight. Will three minutes of Espada power be enough to overcome the deadly unpredictability of the Spatial Mage, Camille?