19 'S'

After the public notifications had stopped, I received a few private notifications as well.

[+100 Points! – Killed a Hero Candidate!]

[+100 Points! – Hidden Mission: First Blood Completed!]

I grinned in satisfaction.

Looks like even the Academy was commending me for taking the initiative.

[Transferring all contents from inventory of slain candidate to your inventory!]

Huh?

What was this…

I immediately pulled up the inventory on my system interface and gave the contents a scan.

"… How?"

At first, I felt incredibly confused.

But as the reality of the situation dawned on me, I couldn't help but laugh hysterically once again.

Inventories were only supposed to carry items that had been bought from the hero store.

And the only candidates that had any points to spend before the mission … were the masks.

However, there was no additional mask of enigma inside my inventory right now.

This meant one of two things.

Either it was one of the other masks that had been using their points to buy items for the non-masks…

Or… the non-masks had been collectively lying about not having received any points at all.

Whichever case it was, it meant that they had a capable leader.

One that… might just serve to be a worthy opponent.

Crushing them would surely be fun!

My lips curled slightly as I looked through the contents of my inventory.

Just amazing!

My gains tonight were much more than a few high-grade ether pills.

If the rest of the candidates were also moving around with similar wealth…

Looks like it won't just be the mission world with 2 mask wearing candidates that will see the deaths of masks.

Moreover… with these kinds of resources on hand… the rest of the candidates would be quickly rising through the ranks of the world as super-geniuses.

Which just made my plans for the future even more appropriate!

Glancing at my watch, I decided to wrap things up.

After a quick search of the room, I found the high-grade pills the target had tucked away.

Luckily for me, he had only consumed one of them, leaving 9 pills for me.

"More than enough..."

Stashing them away into my backpack, I went into phase two of the assassination.

Erasing my traces and setting up the scapegoat.

I first proceeded to drag the corpse all the way to the living room.

Then I spread the body into the shape of a cross.

Here came the interesting part.

I took out four large metal stakes and a hammer from my bag.

There was no better scapegoat in this world than an evil organization full of lunatics that worshipped the demon god.

Before getting started with the handiwork, I didn't forget to drape on a raincoat over my clothes.

I sighed in annoyance.

"Things are about to get real messy …"

I picked up my hammer and proceeded to drive the stakes through the victim's body.

*CLANK!*

The left wrist was pinned to the floor.

*CLANK!*

The right wrist suffered the same fate

*CLANK!* *CLANK!*

With another two hits, the ankles of the corpse were bound to the floor as well.

I stepped a back a little to admire my handiwork…

"How disgusting..."

As much as this was my own plan, I couldn't help but feel that the modus operandi of the 'Servants of God' was extremely inefficient and an absolute waste of energy.

The blood had spilled all over the place. If. If not for the raincoat, I would have been drenched in the victim's DNA.

That would just defeat the entire purpose of preparing an alibi and a scapegoat.

I adjusted the position of the dagger, which was still stuck inside the target's heart, letting the blood spill out even further.

Of course, I made sure to not let a single drop stain my actual clothes underneath the raincoat.

Then I removed the black mask with the red cross from my face and placed it over the victim's face.

Now this was perfection ...

Smiling to myself in content, I removed the cans of kerosene from my bag and poured trails of the liquid all over the house.

This will would not only help me get rid of all traces of my presence… it was a spectacle worthy of an evil organization.

I stepped back and observed the scene once final time.

"Hmm, there's nothing left to do."

My scent had been erased, so no need to worry about being tracked down by beasts.

My digital footprint was non-existent.

I had chosen the perfect scapegoat.

And my alibi couldn't be more unbreakable.

But… why did it feel like…

"Something is still missing..."

"... but what?"

"Wait a minute!"

I slammed my fist into my palm as realization dawned all over me!

What was missing was my personal touch!

This was my first assassination, after all!

First times were supposed to be special!

"I can't believe I forgot to leave behind my calling card!"

Grumbling to myself, I fished out the bottle of green, flame-resistant spray paint that I had brought along for this very occasion.

I drew a giant letter 'S' starting from the floor, passing over the victim's body before reaching the floor once again.

Even after the whole house burned down, the investigators should still be able to find traces of it on the marble floor around the skeleton.

It would let them know that the snake was here.

Finished with my preparations, I took out the matchstick box from my pocket.

*TSSK* *TSSK*

I admired the fragile flame for a moment before tossing the matchstick onto the kerosene trail I had left.

Confirming that the liquid had indeed caught on flames, I turned around and left the house.

Right through the front gate.

I didn't bother looking behind once as violent flames erupted behind me.

I wore my viper mask, hopped onto the motorcycle and drove off into the distance.

.

.

.

"You brats do realize that someone could have died!"

"…"

"You are extremely lucky that the entrance exams are coming up and we have a policy of not imprisoning minors, or else the lot of you would be stuck in Juvie for at least 3 years!"

"…"

I just scoffed in impatience.

Uncle Mark would have bailed me out either way.

Couldn't let their reputation get soiled after all...

Currently, I was being held up in the police station, getting reprimanded by the officers for taking part in the 'gang war'.

One of their junior officers had both the vipers and the wolves lined up in a corner with our heads down.

It's not like the delinquents were ashamed of their actions.

It was the hellfire hound that belonged to the officer sending threatening glares in our direction that shut everyone up.

This was what I had expected though.

No matter how violent 'the war' got, all we would get was a little scolding before being sent back home.

Speaking of the war, the vipers won.

Yaay~

Not that it really mattered.

What was interesting was the way these fellows were actually concerned about our well.

Fucking hysterical.

Since when were the police so nice?

I guess this really was a different world.

With the constant threat of beast tides, they couldn't even afford to discord a single potential beast tamer.

Even if they were potential criminals.

How foolish.

Didn't they understand that delinquents like these kids were more likely to join one of the three evil organizations than become a lawful part of society?

Just kidding…

In a world, where might was right and people with supernatural abilities held important positions...

… only a complete idiot would believe that lawful beast tamers were good people.

With absolute power on their sides, wasn't this just another jungle?

Survival of the fittest at its finest!

Muscle-brained idiots like this lot would fit just right in this cruel social order.

Perhaps the only difference between the lawful rulers and the evil organizations were the ones actually in power.

The winners were the rightful rulers of the major continents… while the losers had to huddle up and share the cold, dark and dreary Antarctica.

Just like the motto of our academy.

Heros Victor Evadet!

Sighing with emotion, I decided to shift my attention to the situation inside the station.

The officers had been scurrying up and down, panic written all over their faces.

Men in black suits with grave expressions on their faces had entered and left the station over 5 times by now.

It was clear that something major had happened.

I wonder~ just what could it possibly be?

"Why do you guys seem to be so on edge tonight?"

I smiled innocently.

"Perhaps… did something else... something much more significant happen?"

I paused for a second before putting on a fearful look on my face.

"Did one of the three evil organizations act again?"

Everyone stopped in their tracks.

Silence.

Absolute Silence.

For the briefest of seconds, the entire station fell absolutely silent as all eyes, man or beast, bore into me.

The terror brought about by the three organizations to ordinary people wasn't something one could even begin to imagine.

The horrors that they had unleashed upon the world time after time again had engraved their names into the hearts of every living being.

"Keep quiet! Such matters are none of your concern! Even if the organization did act, it is something for the higher ups to handle!"

I just nodded my head in a subdued manner before shutting up once again.

I had to give it my all to stop myself from smiling.

Who knew that mission worlds could be so much fun?

This feeling of having the entire world dancing along at my fingertips…

Wonderful!

Amazing!

MInd Blowing!

I was in love with it!

But this was just the start…

What would their faces be by the time I was done with this mission?

Either way, I was sure that my infamy would rise to a level that even the three organizations couldn't hope to match.

Such was the true capability of the conspiracy weaver class…

… and I would make it shine to its brightest!