Chapter 45: Stealth and precise lethality!
The exercise continued, and the students switched between offensive and defensive roles, practising both their reflexes and control until the students gathered for lunch. They quietly ate, reflecting on the strengths and weaknesses they showed this morning, as they knew, the afternoon would not become any easier, with additional exercises on silent killing and concealment. The ultimate test of their current stealth and precise lethality.
As the afternoon session began, Professor Kageyama's tone switched and became even more serious, "Silent killing is the sign and show of real skill of a true assassin. You not only need to be very skilled but need to possess a certain finesse and style. Today, you are going to learn to attack without leaving a single trace."
He demonstrated a series of silent killing techniques; they had mostly already been learned or had been spoiled by previous lectures. He attacked using both spells and physical methods, while the students watched, their eyes fixed on him and the targets, as he 'killed' target dummy after dummy, with silent, precise spells, or knives, senbons, and the like, the dummies collapsing without a sound.
"Blend into the shadows," Professor Kageyama instructed, "Move unseen and unheard. Your presence should be unknown to even your companions."
Afterwards, the students practiced again, to move silently, and blend into the shadows produced by the weak light. Disillusionment Charms, Silencing Spells, and other spells were used en masse, each student practising to become invisible.
Sebastian and Aiden moved through the training hall; their footsteps dead silent as they approached their targets. Sebastian cast a Disillusionment Spell and his body started blending into the background, while Aiden followed right after.
They reached their first target, an enchanted dummy, and Aiden raised his wand, casting a sient, but lethal spell that cut several important tendons and arteries, making it collapse soundlessly. Although he could cast the spell windlessly, he had far better precision with his wand. They moved on; each following 'kill' with deadly precision.
Professor Kageyama observed the students, watching their every move and decision. "Excellent work!", he praised, "And always remember, the key to a successful silent kill is precision. One mistake and the entire mission could fail!"
The practical session grew even more intense as they had to practice even more challenging scenarios. As an example, they navigated through a lot of rooms, each filled with obstacles and traps, each capable of causing serious pain. Their goal was to eliminate all targets without being detected.
In one room, they had to face a particularly challenging scenario, a target dummy, which was surrounded by a web of magical tripwires, each one set to trigger an alarm. Sebastian analysed the connections and his mind worked quickly. "We need to disable this tripwire first.", he whispered, pointing towards a single wire.
Aiden nodded and began casting a chain of precise, silent spells to disable the traps connected to this particular wire. The tripwires shimmered and vanished, one by one, as Sebastian pointed towards the ones that needed to be disabled next. After every trap was cleared out of their way, Sebastian approached the target, his staff ready in his right hand.
He cast a silent cutting spell and cut through the target's brain with precision. The dummy fell, but the fall was silent, as Sebastian silently cast a spell on the ground to soundlessly absorb the fall. They continued to kill their targets with precision, but the day was far from over.
The real test began, and the students were divided into pairs and given a lot more complex task, and target: infiltrate a magically protected building, eliminate all dummies, and steal a magical artefact, all without being detected and reported to the dummies' allies.
Sebastian and Aiden became silent assassins once again, their Disillusionment Charms making them invisible to untrained eyes, and they approached the mansion, a tall building with enchanted walls that shimmered, being covered with protective enchantments and wards. Sebastian cast a revealing spell, which showed him the positions of the patrolling dummies inside, each one clustered with defensive enchantments.
Their first obstacle was a heavily guarded entrance gate, but Sebastian cast an advanced unlocking charm and the lock clicked open, without a sound escaping from a small area, protected by one of Aidens charms. Aiden followed up with a freezing spell that froze the nearby dummies during their patrol. Then, they swiftly dispatched of them, by decapitating them and using a difficult body vanishing spell.
The inside of the mansion was akin to a maze, consisting of long corridors and rooms, each one designed differently and representing a different challenge. They moved dead silently, using a sound-muffling charm to mask any noises they might create by accident. In one room, they encountered a series of enchanted tripwires designed to trigger an alarm, but Aiden cast precise counter-spells to disable the traps, one by one.
Their path led them to a large hall, where a group of dummies stood guard. Sebastian cast a silent confundos charm, that disoriented the guards and Aiden followed with a spell that levitated one of the dummies into the air and slammed it against two others, silently slamming them onto the ground, entangled with each other. The other dummies reacted quickly, casting spells back, but Sebastian and Aiden rolled and dodged while reflecting lethal spells and casting a few cutting curses and sometimes even lances of ice and fire.
One dummy cast a stunning spell, that narrowly missed Sebastian, who retaliated with an overpowered reductor curse, obliterating the dummies skull, while Aiden conjured hot sparks to breeze through the room and burn several dummies before they could cast another spell. They worked with a certain understanding, anticipating their weak opponents' reactions, which made their movements synchronic, as they took down each target with precision.
They reached the centre of the building, where the magical artefact was held in a glass case. This room was filled with several layers of protective enchantments, but Sebastian analysed the defences, casting a revealing spell to identify wards hidden in the room. After seeing two hiding wards, he used counter-spells to disable the wards and reveal hidden traps, they both disposed of quickly.
With the path clear, Aiden approached the case and cast an unlocking spell. He carefully took the artefact, a shimmering crystal orb, that pulsed with magical energy, while glowing in a distinct red colour. They had completed their first mission, but now they had to escape while killing the remaining dummies.
As they made their way back, the building's defences activated, alarms blared, and the dummies reacted and ran towards them, casting a series of deadly spells. Sebastian and Aiden moved quickly while casting shield charms to protect themselves from incoming spells. They retaliated with powerful spells that created controlled explosions, disorienting their attackers, while obliterating the dummies close to the centre of the explosion.
Aiden cast a repelling charm, sending a group of advancing dummies crashing into the walls, which Sebastian followed up with a slowing spell, slowing the dummies' movements, so that Aiden could cast a controlled large-scale cutter, bisecting the bodies.
At the final gate, they faced their strongest opposition yet, as the gate was guarded by a series of enchanted statues that attacked relentlessly. Sebastian cast a reductor, breaking one of the statues into pieces. Meanwhile, Aiden followed with a spell that reduced the speed of the others, to guard against sudden and fast attacks.
As they pushed through, their spells created an area. Sebastian cast a powerful explosion spell, disabling the remaining defences, and they slipped through the gate, while Aiden checked to see if any dummies were left. None. None behind them.
Just as they thought they were safe, a pair of advanced wizard dummies appeared on the lawn, equipped with a large reserve of various offensive and defensive spells.
Sebastian and Aiden immediately took a defensive stance as the dummies began attacking and the air crackled with magical discharge, as spells flew in all directions. Sebastian cast a shield, deflecting a barrage of stunners, the dummies deeded the artefact whole! Aiden countered with a flaming whip, but it was quickly blocked by a shield.
Aiden rapidly switched tactics, casting a few slashing curses that sliced through the air, towards one of the dummies. The spell hit a transfigured shield, cracking it a bit, but the third slash hit the dummy, leaving a deep cut on its body. The dummy stumbled, but quickly cast a healing spell. Sebastian took this opportunity to cast another series of cutters while sending several reductors their way. He couldn't afford large attacks, as it could attract more enemies. The dummy blocked and retaliated with a blasting curse as if it had heard his thoughts.
The explosion sent both Sebastian and Aiden to the ground, but they jumped back to their feet in a trained manner, while casting a few defensive spells to protect against the assault. Sebastian conjured a wall of fire, forcing the dummies to retreat. Aiden followed with a torrent of water, dousing the flames but also creating a slick surface that caused the dummies to slip. They had quickly outwitted them.
Seizing the moment, Sebastian cast a stunning spell while Aiden used an immobilizing charm, as they were some of the fastest spells they knew, freezing the dummies in place. The dummies struggled against the spells' effects, but the two students continued their attack. Sebastian cast a small-scale blasting curse, shattering one dummy into pieces, while Aiden used a powerful spell to make the other crumble under high-frequency vibrations, that would have destroyed the brain and shattered a few bones. He was more experienced.
As the smoke from Sebastian's dummy cleared, they quickly recast their Disillusionment Charms, and ran past the dead dummies, towards the hopeful exit. Professor Kageyama awaited them, his expression one of approval.
"You have exceeded expectations!", he said, "Your ability to adapt and act under a lot of pressure is growing and both of you get better by the day. Remember, the key to a successful mission is not just skill, but the ability to remain calm and precise in the face of danger."
"As a treat, let me show you, how we would have handled this scenario during wartime if there weren't any dangers or civilians around.", the professor said and turned towards the mansion, while raising his hand.
An object shot out of the mansion, and right after, a thump went through the earth, while the house was obliterated, and everything crushed under a high pressure coming from every direction.
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