Terra Nova Online : Rise Of The Strongest Player - Chapter 65

A forgotten legend
” I guess this Assassin world ain’t meant for me-” Leo said as the old man beside him could not help but feel frustrated at the words of this youngster.

” I have honestly not seen a bigger idiot than you in all 64 years of my life.

Your talent for becoming an assassin is the highest that I’ve ever seen since that brat Dem Paltrow, yet you say that this world isn’t meant for you.

Well, you’re not wrong, your temperament doesn’t suit this line of work. However, your talent? Someone will definitely give an eye and an ear to have your talent” The old man said as he could not help but feel like Leo was wasting his potential.

” Really?” Leo asked innocently as the old man nodded his head and went back to taking a drag from his pipe.

This outburst of emotion was rare from the old man, a rare slippage due to old age, something that would be unthinkable should he be in his prime.

” If you want my free advice on which guild to join, I’d say don’t join the night guild.

Join a smaller guild, you will thrive more in a smaller organization” the old man said as Leo slapped his cheeks and shook his head in dismay.

” I can’t….. I promised someone I wouldn’t join a guild.

I’m here to look for a master to tutor me, but I won’t ever sign myself up to a guild” Leo said, making up an elaborate lie at the spur of the moment, never anticipating what this small lie would do for his life.

The old man’s eyes, which were cold and lifeless, suddenly shone back to life when he heard Leo’s words.

His heart that had not been nervous since he learnt how to control his emotions as a youngster suddenly felt tumultuous as he wondered if there was hope in Leo accepting him as his master?

His real identity was Ben Faulkner, he was a mythical figure in the Assassin world who had achieved the distinction of being the only assassin ever to kill someone belonging to the imperial bloodline from within the castle walls.

He was the founding father of the Night Guild, however, because of a sinister plot by the current guildmaster Dem, he was reduced to the state of a useless old man about two decades ago.

Since his physical state was no longer good enough to carry the legacy of the great assassin hero Ben, he changed his identity and began living as a humble gatekeeper waiting for death, however, as the years passed he still held onto one single wish of passing his skills down to a worthy disciple before he died.

If he revealed himself to be the legendary assassin, then he could perhaps gather many talented disciples, however, without his name his current state was not anything worth mentioning.

He did not have a guild, he did not have the resources or training facility needed to nurture a proper talent and the two people whom he approached before today, offering them a chance to become his students, seemed to mock and detest him which was why Ben had chosen not to try again and humiliate himself by lowering his pride.

He had almost made peace with the fact that he was going to die an anonymous death, a death with which his legacy would vanish forever, however, then he met Leo.

A fool who did not even understand the basics of being an assassin picked up his movement technique that was impossible to learn without years of practice within seconds.

A sensational talent unlike anyone he had ever seen, with a temperament which was unlike anyone he knew as well, he became an object of interest for the retired legend.

Since he was not allowed to spectate the first two rounds, he waited patiently for the results and was surprised to see that Leo made it to the third round whereby he lost any hope of recruiting him as his disciple as he knew that the big guilds were probably going to lap him up.

Dejected, he watched Leo being swarmed by scouts, however, to his surprise Leo rejected them all.

‘ Don’t be too excited Ben, he is probably doing it to inflate his own self worth’ he thought, however, when he spotted Leo walking out of the arena and sitting by himself on a bench, he could not resist starting a conversation.

A conversation which led to the revelation that Leo was not looking to join a guild but was rather looking for a master…..

” Young boy, I’ll train you if you want. Do you wish to accept me as your master?” Ben asked as Leo felt surprised by the offer.

[ System Notification:- NPC Ben Faulkner, Level (????) has proposed to take you in as his disciple.

Do you wish to accept?

Yes

No ]

A system notification popped up in front of Leo as he felt genuine joy staring down this heaven sent opportunity.

” Okay-” Leo said, tapping yes on the system screen as Ben Faulkner burst out laughing listening to his answer.

His loud laughter echoed through the halls of the underground Assassin Alliance headquarters as passing assassins threw the duo nasty glares for public indecency.

Ben, whose old heart had given up the hope of passing down his legacy, felt about 20 years younger that very instant as he finally found a purpose in life after simply existing aimlessly for so long.

” Are you okay, old man?” Leo asked as he doubted if the old man had lost his marbles, but Ben only grinned widely showing his nasty brown and rotten teeth as he said ” Inform the committee that you won’t be participating in the next round.

We depart for Mt.Faulkner today”