Lester
Brennus chewed the burger, thinking of some way to find Hydra. He knew nothing about them except they performed shitty experiments on humans. He'd easily get traced if he tried contacting his connections with his current phone.
'Fuck it.'
He called one of his coworkers his brain managed to remember. "Who's this?"
Brennus's eyes lit up from the male's voice.
"Lester, you clown cunt."
"Shut the fu—hold on. Is that you, Shadow?"
"Yeah, it's me, idiot."
"Oi, I grew out of that old costume years ago. Wait a moment, let me go to a place with better reception."
"Alright."
Lester hummed and put the phone on hold.
"Who's Lester?" Emma asked. "They must be amazing to put a smile on your stone face."
The world's most lethal assassin, the man with impeccable knowledge of martial arts and pressure points and terrifying accuracy. Brennus became the top assassin, because of Lester's greed and less high-profile cases on his shoulders.
Previously, Brennus wasn't confident of fighting the guy who could slice someone's throat by throwing a card. However, it was different now.
Emma kept pestering him with telepathy, but he ignored her.
['Telepathy' skill leveled up. The maximum range is increased by 10m.]
It resulted in something. Telepathy was more than just sending and receiving thoughts. His level was too low to open new abilities.
"Sorry for that," Lester said after ending the hold. "It's been five years, dude. Where were you?"
"Just chilling in my backyard."
"Then why now?"
"I need information."
"Sure, tell me. I'll see what I can do."
"Hydra."
Lester gasped in shock. "You gotta be kidding me. Why are you after those demons?"
'Lester knows.'
"They killed my Pikachu," he told the truth.
"You are insane."
"I know. Tell me what you know of them."
"I got some little bits about Hydra in a drive. Let's meet at my place in four hours."
Brennus raised a brow at his good-hearted offer. The Lester he knew was a greedy cunt, even betraying his clients for money. This man seemed like a saint in comparison.
"Where?"
"I'll message it."
"Okay."
Brennus hung up and tapped the table with one finger.
'So people can change, or Lester was bullshitting.'
Beep! The address arrived. Brennus read the message. Lester wanted to meet in a bar in the range of five to six kilometers.
Coincidence?
Brennus had a strange feeling.
"Classes are over. Lunch is eaten. What now?" Emma asked with telepathy.
"I don't know. Maybe try training your telepathy."
"And how do I train?"
"That's a question I can't answer."
The only high-level telepath Brennus could answer.
Charles Xavier.
Brennus shook off that idea. He couldn't trust that guy. Xavier will undoubtedly try to take Emma for his X-Men gang, or brainwash the blonde for his goals of peacefully uniting mutants and humans.
The simple notion triggered something in his head. He stared at Emma tilting her head curiously and a sudden impulse filled his head. He felt like he was back in childhood, craving that shiny game his caretaker never bought for him. This time that game was Emma, the woman he only knew for a day. He wanted her all to himself, whether as an ally or as a woman.
'Envious demon isn't a fluke.'
"It never was, dear."
He removed the trickster ring from his fingers and slipped it on Emma's index finger. This will protect her from the strongest telepath freak in Manhattan.
"I'll try to find a way to improve your telepathy."
The lively cafeteria fell silent, then whispers spread like a wildfire. Brennus daringly proposed one of the popular women of the ESU out in the open. A buzz-worthy news Brennus gave no fuck about.
Emma looked at the ring in a stupor, her fingers shaking. "W-What does this mean?"
"It's not what you think."
Brennus shrugged, explaining the ring's uses with telepathy.
"That scared me. I'm not ready… yet." Emma sucked in a deep breath. "This is… too valuable, you know? People will kill to get their hands on it. The government can potentially kill Charles Xavier with this."
"It's just the start. Emma Frost, listen. I want you... to work with me."
"Work?" she asked, looking between him and her ring. "Work on what?"
"Building an organization. The strongest this world has ever seen."
Emma rubbed the ring, hesitation clouding her eyes. She put the ring on the table and bit her lips.
"This is all too sudden. Give me time to think about it."
"Time never waited for anyone," Brennus said with a faint smile. "We'll talk about that later. Up for a task right now?"
"What task though?"
He ignored the 'Quest complete' notification and dragged Emma away from a bunch of adult-wannabe chatting.
Back in his dorm room, Brennus collected his stuff. Under Emma's questioning look, he stored the stuff one by one in his Mystical Dimension.
"By gods… is that your other power?"
"One of the few."
"The rest of your abilities must be as amazing as this one. I still don't understand," Emma whispered, wrapping an arm around her waist. "Why pick me? There are stronger telepaths out there."
Brennus pushed his bag in the Mystic Dimension and turned around. "But I don't want them. I 'want' you. It's that simple."
Emma crossed her arms on her chest with a frown. Still, there was no denying the smile on her face gave away her happiness.
"Where are we headed?" Emma changed the topic.
"To buy a new home."
Brennus had no intentions of staying with the strongest person he ever met, even if that someone was good-natured.
"He looks kind though," Lady Death added.
'Kindness, what a joke. Good or bad, everyone is ruled by survival instinct. Johnny might have some friend capable of analyzing my powers. I don't want to put myself in a lose-lose scenario.'
"Then, why trust Emma?"
'I don't know. My guts tell me she won't betray me. Plus, getting betrayed by a level 21 will be more forgiving.'
"Your guts could be wrong."
'We'll see.'
Brennus drank the XP Potion he got from the daily quest and opened the Mystery Box.
[1 X Club Gaming Console, 1 X Random Skillbook added to the Mystic Dimension.]
He checked the gaming console description and nodded. Plenty useful in playing games later. He withdrew the Skillbook, and it dispersed in a magical glow.
"Stop making me envious of your powers," Emma grumbled.
[Acquired Skill: Mortal Contract]
[Mortal Contract Lvl. 1 (Active): As a being birthed by a Cosmic Entity, you stand above all the other creations. As such, you can grace the lesser beings with a gift to increase their potential. The effect increases with the level.]
The information of skill entered his mind.
"Wow…"
He couldn't keep calm. This skill tried so hard to lick his ass.
"What are you mumbling about?" Emma looked frustrated. "Have you gone nuts?"
Brennus turned some attention to the blonde. Should he grace the young lady with his kindness?
He shook his head. It could make her a brainless idiot and might start to worship him like a god. He didn't want her like that. He put the stats into dexterity and vitality.
***
Name: Brennus
Level: 11 (26.38% to next level)
HP: 740/740
SP: 500/500
Current Race: Low-rank Angel
Class: Blood Reaper
Title: Limb Butcher
Traits: Barbarian, Scholar, Cosmic Dweller, Aphrodite's Child, Super Sense, Master Swordsman, Master Smith.
Strength: 55 (+5 from Unholy Vengeance, +10 from Bloodbane Sword)
Vitality: 74
Dexterity: 70 (+10 From Reaper's Shroud)
Intelligence: 50 (+5 From Unholy Vengeance)
Wisdom: 50 (+5 From Reaper's Shroud)
Luck: 35
Stat Points: 0
Skills:
[Death's Blessing Lvl. Max (Passive)]
[Beyond Death Lvl. Max (Passive)]
[Mystic Wings (Active) Lvl. 1]
[Divine Essence Manipulation Lvl. 3 (Active)]
[Ignore Lvl. 2 (Passive)]
[Telepathy Lvl. 3 (Active)]
[Sword Mastery Lvl. 4 (Passive)]
[Levitation Lvl. 1 (Active)]
[Create Dungeon Lvl. 1 (Active)]
[Poker Face Lvl. 1 (Passive)]
[Battle Instincts Lvl. 1 (Passive)]
[Shadow Blood Lvl. 1 (Passive)]
[Kill Counter Lvl. 1 (Passive)]
[Burning Sword Lvl. 1 (Active)]
[Mortal Contract Lvl. 1 (Active)]
Current Quests:
[An Eye for an Eye, a Soul for a Soul]
[The Real Angel of Death]
[The Forgotten Past]
Current Equipment:
[Unholy Vengeance (E)]
[Reaper's Shroud (D)]
[Blessed pendant (D)]
[Fire extinguisher (F)]
[Club Gaming Console (D)]