Ultimate Level 1

Terrance rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger, feeling his eyebrows touching the top of his fingers. He needed to get them trimmed again before his wife complained.

“You’re certain that his family isn’t hiding them?” he asked once more.

Trina grunted and tapped her foot as she crossed her arms.

“You know my skill. None of them were lying. His parents were wrecks in their home, and their daughter and that boy's friend were almost naked, consoling each other in the barn.”

Trina smirked, remembering the sight when they ripped open the barn doors. Those two were all sweat-covered, in just their underclothes, rolling around in the hay.

For… Caleb. That was the boy's name. He had received the [Warrior - Sword] skill and should have been excited at the life he would have.

That boy had either taken advantage of the situation or been planning this moment for a long time. As she held his arm, listening to him talk as the boy kept his eyes on the ground, she knew he was embarrassed, standing there in just his underwear with her parents gawking at the site before them.

He professed his love for Max’s sister. She blushed…

Stupid young love…

He had told her how they had run back here, Max’s sister distraught, and he put that blanket down on the hay, and after holding her for a few minutes, one thing led to the next, and… well, the proof was in the state they found them.

“Trina!”

Terrance’s voice snapped her from her thoughts.

“He wasn’t there. Someone helped him escape; we just don’t know who.”

The old man's wrinkles on his forehead and face seemed to be disappearing and multiplying at the same time as he scrunched his face over and over.

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“This is bad… real bad, and you know it,” he stated as he pointed a bony finger at her. “You will keep two of the others and watch the town for a week. Check the woods, bribe people, put up flyers, everything. Make it known anyone hiding him will suffer.”

The long groan that came from her lips made her senior advisor stare at her. Those eyes of his burned with a rage that she knew could consume her in a moment.

“Did you see what his skill was?” she asked, trying to get him to stop focusing on her with his gaze.

He snorted and shook his head.

“Someone dragged him off sooner than I expected and knocked him unconscious. All I know is he got [Baker],” the old man paused a moment, chuckling to himself, “and another skill. A black skill.”

Trina shuddered.

“I assume you will let the temple and the nobles know?”

He nodded, his forehead becoming a mountainous range of wrinkles as he did.

“It will be a goblin shite storm… no, a dragon shite storm. They are going to want to hunt this kid down and make sure he is dead.”

She nodded. The story of the last time a black-skill person had survived is what had created their segment of the adventurers guild. Tasked with preventing that threat again. The risk was too great. The gods were specific about not wanting any more threats to their power and the gifts they gave.

“How did this happen?”

Trina’s voice was so silent it surprised her. This was the first time she had encountered a black skill. The reds and oranges were dangerous in their own way, but she couldn’t recall the last time a black skill had been reported.

“How the hell should I know,” he groaned as he leaned back in his chair. “All I can tell you is this place is about to get overrun with seekers. If this kid is alive, they will find him, and he better hope they kill him.”

She couldn’t help but feel the cold chill that ran down her spine, fighting not to shake or shiver. Over the decades, she had lost count of how many she had killed.

“Enough. I need to get ready to leave. The mayor should be ready for me after having to change his pants once he found out the boy escaped.”

Trina saw the toothy grin he gave right now as Terrance recalled how the mayor had almost fainted when he found out. Of course, she knew it was because Terrance had let his power loose for a moment.

Unable to hold it back, she shuddered. It was bad enough when she had to watch him use it on others.

She nodded as he rose from his chair, his body disguising the power he held. Some fool had once tried to rob him only to be left a pile of quivering flesh, their mind gone.

“I’ll expect a report soon. Make sure it is what I want to hear,” he said, his voice cold and his eyes burning once more.

Snapping to attention, she saluted.

It was the only way to keep from shaking again.