The Mysteries of Agent Scythe

Kabanata 20: First Users

[Zin's POV]

I was looking for her for more than an hour but I couldn't find her. Maybe she was sent into a mission. Pabalik na ako ng room nung magkasalubong kami ni Theoden.

"Where have you been?"

"I was out looking for Agent Scythe. I obviously need some answers for what happened earlier. Are you going somewhere?"

"I just need a few laps. Wait, have you tried looking for her in the tower?"

"You mean, in their headquarters? I don't think we are allowed to enter without permission from the higher officials."

"Come on, it's allowed. A Cadet is not a threat to them. I'll walk you there."

Nung makalabas kami ng building ay agad na napatuon ang atensyon ko sa mga nagsidatingang mga Cadets. They're covered in dirt and wounds, and their AL-X were slightly worn out.

Nung dumaan sila sa aming harapan ay lumingon sila sa amin bago itinuon muli ang mata sa harap.

"What mission were they in?" Tanong ni Theoden nang hindi tinatanggal ang tingin sa mga papalayong Cadets.

"Code Red."

There's a different codes in wars. Green is for guarding, red is for hunting and orange... is for big-time wars.

"Did they succeed?"

"I guess not." I answered while looking at their Corporal at the end of the line... looking devastated.

"H-how was it?" May isang Corporal na taga-ibang squad ang lumapit sa kanya.

"T-there's a Sorcerer and a Crocitieus, a single squad couldn't handle it. So, we called for back-ups but due to the numbers of Code Green, we decided to retreat."

I clenched my fists and exhaled a huge sigh. "Let's go, Theo." Theoden nodded and followed me.

"If it was us who was sent, do you think we would have survived?" He asked. Theoden doesn't talk too much, but he once admit back in the camp that i'm the only person he finds comfortable to talk with.

"I-i don't know. No matter how hard the trainings we went through in the last two years, it's still not enough. Even now that Agent Scythe is handling the training for us, I feel like we are back to square one." Nakayuko kong sagot at napaangat ang tingin nung magsimulang umulan.

"Don't you find her weird?" It was my turn to ask.

"Agent Scythe? Of course, she is. Too weird that she can be called dangerous. I could still remember how she beheaded the Sorcerer earlier for merely five seconds, and what makes it even more weird is that she killed an assassin, her own kind... and it's even allowed."

Napatingin ako sa kanya sa huling sinabi niya. "Allowed? What do you mean?"

"I saw some enforcers earlier and they cleaned Agent's mess. You think if it's not allowed, Agent Scythe would still be free as a bird? I don't think so."

"What else do you know about assassins?" I asked him.

"They're great warriors yet they are orphans, that's all I know. It's surprising that you, the smartest of us all, doesn't have any idea."

"I was too preoccupied in learning about techniques and the AEA. What about you? How did you learn about them? They were never taught in school."

"My sister-in-law was saved by one, so she invited him in and learned about them."

Mas lumakas pa lalo ang ulan habang papalapit kami sa tower. There were few assassins who became alert after seeing us.

"I'll leave you here."

"It's raining. Do you still wanna take some laps?"

"Of course, it's more dramatic," he winked at me before jogging away from me.

I took a deep sigh before entering the tower. "What brought you here... Cadet?" One of the assassins asked and scanned me from head-to-toe.

"I'm here for Agent Scythe. Is she here? I need to talk to her."

"I apologize, but the First Class Assassin is not here–"

"Actually, she is." Naputol ang sasabihin nung assassin nung may nagsalita sa may hagdan. It was Katana Render, the D-Class Assassin. "Come, follow me."

I looked at the assassin earlier before walking pass at her. Katana smiled at me before started walking up the stairs.

"I knew you were coming." Nagulat ako sa sinabi niya.

"Y-you knew?"

"Heard from the Agent herself that a Sorcerer identified you?" I got confused by what she said.

"So what if the Sorcerer identified me? A mask is not necessary in fighting a Sorcerer, so why did I have to put on one?"

Tumigil siya sa pag-akyat at hinarap ako. "Summon your AL-X."

"Why?" I asked in confusion. Does she want to fight me?

"I want to see it."

Nagdalawang-isip pa ako pero nung makita ko ang kuryusidad sa kanyang mga mata ay tinaas ko na lamang ang kamay ko at agad kong naramdaman ang mga AL-X ko.

"You really are the sickle user," she said to herself while nodding, looking convinced.

"Why? Am I the only first weapon user you ever met? Don't worry, maybe the next batch will have the first scythe user or it'll be the Grim Reaper you'll see." I jokingly said as she stared at my sickles with pure amusement.

"What makes you think that you're the first sickle user?" Agad na nawala ang ngiti ko sa tanong niya.

"E-everyone keeps saying that and there were no such thing in the books as sickle users which makes me the first one."

Inangat niya ang kanyang tingin at tumitig sa mga mata ko. She grinned mockingly as she caressed the end of my sickle.

"Then, you must haven't read a lot of books." Dumistansya siya sa akin at pinagpatuloy muli ang pag-akyat. Naiwan akong nakatulala dahil sa kanyang sinabi. Marahan akong napailing bago mabilis na umakyat para mahabol siya.

"In what year was the first sickle user existed?"

"Around 600 years ago. The first batch of AL-X users."

"Then why it wasn't written in any of the books?"

"It was written and published, you still haven't found that book." Si Katana.

"So there are first users of every weapon? Don't tell me there is actually a scythe user." Huminto siya sa pag-akyat at doon ko lang napagtanto na nasa pinakarurok na kami ng tower.

"Actually there is," she said before stepping aside and there I saw Agent Scythe, behind her.