Chapter 13: Chapter 12 : The S Rank Mission
Two beautiful days had passed since Zankoku was registered inside of the hospital, and he had woken up to be discharged. The medical treatment that he was given proved to be useful alongside the regenerative capabilities and properties of the beast that exists inside him.
He got up from the hospital bed and went out of the room. Going to the main nurse, he signed the form and was officially released, leaving the hospital and finally being allowed out.
The sun was shinning brightly with the sounds of villagers talking to one another.
First thing's first, Zankoku left to go train to his usual spot outside of the village. There he'd recollect his knowledge of the abilities he holds and performed them multiple times, refining them more and training for his speed.
It wasn't any special process worth of mentioning and it only lasted about half 35 minutes, before he headed back inside of the village.
However, he saw abilities being flung into the blue sky from the other outer side of the village, so he rushed there and saw Nova fighting Twist. It didn't seem to be a real battle, but only a training fight, which resulted in Nova's victory.
But even so, without any words, they took another fighting stance and were preparing for round 2 it seems.
"Zankoku, where's Satoru?" yelled out Karoi from a fair distance behind him to which the boy simply responded by shrugging.
Karoi rolled his eyes and then simply left.
Beside Karoi, he noticed that his brother's squad walked by after returning back to the village from a mission. The sensei wasn't there with them as he went to report the mission stats but Aza, Jinn and Kazumi were.
Ditching to watch the fight, he went and greeted the squad.
"Yo Jinn!" he slightly yelled out to him and his brother waved and replied with : "Yo Zan what's up."
They dapped each other up and he greeted the other members from his squad, as their eyes faltered, wondering where the other two were.
Aza spoke up and looked at Zankoku, asking him the whereabouts of Satoru, but he told her that he had no idea.
"Aw... I was hoping we could train together." she said in a tone of slight disappointment.
"You like him or something?" asked Zankoku boldly, with Kazumi and Jinn looking at her wondering the same thing now.
A hint of blush graced her cheeks as her eyes widened slightly more before yelling out at him : "W-what?! No I don't!" and storming off down the streets.
"Never seen that before. Now I'm really curious.... Anyway, see ya later Zan!" said Jinn as he waved to him and left alongside Kazumi.
Returning back to spectate the fight, Zankoku saw Twist giving the hand to Nova and helping him back up, symbolizing that Twist has won that round.
Twist had left some random direction while Nova got to Zankoku and they fist bumped each other, walking alongside one another with Nova asking him about if he's fine and all.
A random warrior, one who works under the Ember leader, approached the two of them and spoke of a mission that the Ember leader has for them that they had been assigned. Being offered to him to take it, their decisions were...interesting...
"I accept!" said Zankoku
But... "I decline." said Nova in a cold tone.
The warrior didn't bother much as the assignment wasn't very difficult so he told him to follow him and he did. Despite declining, however, Nova lingered around behind and followed out of curiosity, remaining hidden to their sight.
He was taken outside of the village's gates and followed the same route for Karoi's house. There the warrior explained to him that his assignment was to clean the charcoal in the house otherwise it might cause a fire.
Not thinking much of it, he grabbed a pair of gloves and took the charcoal out, throwing it onto the grass. It didn't take long, but he was nearly done, going inside of the house one last time.
Checking the safe, he attempted to open it and to his surprise it was unlocked, so he grabbed the hidden book inside of it and headed outside.
The guy was able to see this due to his eyes of purity and he took it away from Zankoku as he's basically stealing it. With them both going back to the village now, they went to the leader's house where he paid the boy and branded the mission to 'complete'.
As he was on his way out, Zankoku intentionally but inconspicuously bumped into him and was able to grab it from his pocket without getting noticed at all, then teleporting away.
Meeting up with Nova near the training field inside of the village, he went to tell him but Nova told him : "I know. I followed you."
Upon so, he showed Nova a sheet of paper which had the words of 'S Rank Mission'.
"You for real swiped that? If we're gonna do it at our current rank and state, we should at least have 2 more to have a 'full squad'" Nova said as he saw Jinn and Kazumi walking on the village bridge which was over the water, pointing at them and signaling that they should recruit them.
Zankoku sighed and approached them, asking them and they were more than eager to. Kazumi asked him to see the mission and so Zankoku gave it to him and the boy reviewed the mission.
"It says here that the assignment is to protect someone..." he said as he lowered the sheet of paper and looked at Zankoku, giving him back the paper "Are you sure you grabbed the right ranked mission and not a missranked one?"
"I assure you I did." he said confidently. "If you haven't seen what says here, it says that or to defeat a 80ft basilisk for which I don't believe we single handedly can do." with a hint of no confidence.
"It's just an oversized snake, what's the worst there can be bro?" asked Jinn while shrugging.
Nova stepped in to speak : "The basilisk itself is not the issue here exactly. It's the fact that it could be a mutated one and most likely is because the mission is graded at S."
Kazumi gave it a thought and had an idea : "What if we invite Aza? I know that you said it could be a mutated one, but if there's a chance for learning and getting stronger, why not do it? At least with the 5 of us, our chances are higher, no?"
Zankoku thought Kazumi had a point and agreed with him, as did Nova and Jinn. Kazumi left to go get Aza and she accepted.
With the bright sun and the clear skies, the 5 of them departed from the Ember village towards the coordinates of the basilisk.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone