Karl no Tensei: Transmigrated as an Assassin with a Mana Meter-Chapter 45: Ch : Assassin Guild [1]

The clock struck 7 pm.

I stood leaning against my window, watching as most of the staffs started leaving the premises. Few of them were still indoors, preparing food for the students in the dormitories and for faculties like me.

A few soldiers patrolled the perimeter of the academy buildings, their swords slung casually over their armed attire. The lustrous metal of these armors caught the last glimmers of the twilight, the reflections of which were visible even from this far.

Sighing, I propped myself up on my elbows.

"It’s time I guess. The evening has settled down and the staffs no longer shall be a hinder in my path. The only ones I should be careful are these patrolling soldiers."

I glanced at them, walking in pairs of two. Strangely they were all silent and almost seemed bored from this monotonous work.

They can’t be blamed. It was seldom that the academy ever came under any risks. The presence of an army within the walls of the Sparhaven City was a big source of that.

But that wasn’t the main reason. It was because of the several dangerous people in the academy, the principal for one. I wasn’t much aware of the others since they mainly served the military.

Though I wonder how strong the principal was that nobody dared risk their way into the main building.

As the first wave of a cool night breeze caressed my cheeks, I pulled away from the window.

Approaching my bed, I picked up the charcoal colored cloak from where I had previously laid it down.

Then wrapping it around my cotton tunic and trousers, I looked at myself in the mirror.

’Its perfect...’ I thought, looking at my reflection.

Then with a last glance at my exposed face, I covered it with the hood attached to the cloak.

My figure blended into the shadows, almost invisible in the darkened room. Only the muted moonlight filtering into my room outlined my cloak in few areas, making it near impossible to see me in the mirror.

Looking outside, I waited for the perfect time.

And soon it arrived.

The two pairs of guards went past each other, both on their way to opposite edges.

Taking the opportunity, I used Mana Threads as thin, faint and dark strings of mana protruded from the tips of my fingernails.

I touched the window sill as I whispered softly, "Lotus Ice."

Instantly the temperature around me dropped by few degrees. With a crackling sound, a miniature lotus grew on the window sill. It was pale blue in colour, almost camouflaging itself under the faint moonlight. It’s petals were unmoving and it’s form quite hard to the touch.

Satisfied, I let the mana threads fall around the lotus ice. Maneuvering their movements, I inserted the threads inside the hardened surface of the bluish lotus.

’Now I got a support point to allow me to climb down.’

Without wasting another second, I injected more mana into the threads as I slid down the high wall. The mana threads elongated the more I went down and the soles of my boots grated along the wall, finding friction to allow my smooth climbing down.

*Thud*

Jumping down, I dismissed my threads as a water droplet fell on my chin. Raising my head upwards I thought, ’It seems the ice has already started melting.’

My ice element allowed me to create something that was made of ice as hard and durable as solid metal. However this durability would last only for a small period of time before it would turn back into normal ice, and melt in the process.

As one’s quality of mana and their Order increased, so would the time period of this durability.

For me, the time duration required for the solid to turn into normal ice was around a minute only.

Atleast it was better than the few seconds which I could manage back when I was of Zero Order.

’The patrols would be back any second. Cannot waste any time here.’

My feet walked on the padded grass, trying to silence any noise that might alert somewhere near me.

This might be something that might make someone question: Why am I even hiding like a robber?

A valid question as well. I mean afterall I am a major part of the academy faculty right now. So why should I walk away stealthily?

The reason and the answer to this was actually quite simple. Though dangerous.

Ever since I have arrived in this world, something or the other have always been predicting me, watching my movements and uncovering secrets I never whispered.

It was as if multiple people with multiple agendas pushed forward towards their goals and I was the only one who got stuck in this crossfire.

I am sure the investors see me as an obstacle to whatever their intentions in this academy are. Principal Cormac is a strange one. He cares for his establishment and probably is just watching me for now.

Trying to analyse if I could be of any use to this academy.

There were others as well, ones I cannot even see. But I could feel their malicious intents always following me, waiting for an opportunity to snub me out.

"As if I shall let them..."

∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆∆

I walked among graffiti filled roads and crumbling walls. A stale, damp stench covered the air and I had to resist the urge to puke out everything inside my stomach.

This area was present right on the other side of the border of Sparhaven City.

Yes, I was out of the only place which could have offered me a chalice of safety.

But that wasn’t half bad.

A cluster of small, old one storeyed houses appeared before me. The bricks of the walls continued with each other, making it quite difficult to understand where one house started from and where another ended.

And just as the other area I had passed through, this place was completely silent as well.

However...

I strangely found myself at home.

That was what I thought as I pushed open the door and a thin screening of mana passed through my body, checking for any weapon on my body.

I was finally at the Assassin Guild.