“Mind if I come in?” Nova’s voice cut through the tension, leaving the group momentarily speechless. The leader, especially, seemed caught off guard.
One of the men broke the silence, laughing loudly. "I've never heard of such foolishness" he mocked, his voice dripping with derision.
Shrugging, the man next to him scoffed, "He's just playing with a spear, trying to look tough."
A wave of laughter rippled through the room as they all noticed Nova nonchalantly twirling his spear with his left hand.
"Enough!" the leader barked. His voice held authority, though a flicker of unease passed through his eyes. "Mason, Chloe. Get over here."
Both Mason and Chloe moved to stand before him, bowing deeply as they spoke in unison, "Yes, boss!"
The leader’s eyes never left Nova. "Tell me who this is" he commanded, his tone sharp. "He followed you in without a word. Don't even think about claiming ignorance."
Mason and Chloe froze. They hadn’t even noticed Nova at the entrance until now. When they did, their expressions shifted from confusion to recognition.
Wasn't this the guy they had met earlier at the restaurant?
Why was he here?
Had he followed them? And if so, why?
A flurry of questions raced through their minds, but they couldn’t settle on a coherent answer. Mason was the first to break the silence, his voice laced with tension. “You! What are you doing here?”
Nova met Mason’s gaze with a calm expression. “Me? I got a little lost and just happened to stumble in” he said innocently, but then a sly smile crept across his face. “Since you’re here, I take it these people are the ‘Blades of Freedom,’ am I right?”
At the mention of the name, the leader’s expression darkened, his anger flaring. He turned to Mason, his voice low and dangerous. “You traitor! Who did you sell us out to?”
The weight of the situation slammed into Mason. His heart raced as panic set in. He desperately tried to clear himself. “Boss, I didn’t betray you! We met this guy at a restaurant, and he must’ve followed us here! I swear, it’s not what it looks like! Me and Chloe are innocent!”
Chloe, still in shock, finally regained her composure when her name was called. She stepped forward, her voice trembling but sincere. “Mason’s right, boss! We would never betray you! Please, you have to trust us!”
The leader’s gaze hardened, his mind racing. He couldn’t sense any deception in Mason and Chloe’s words—no sign of betrayal. But the question remained: Who would they sell out to? The Federation? That would be a death sentence, even if they did trade the organization for their own freedom.
He turned his sharp gaze back to Nova. “Quit playing games and tell me why you’re here. Now.”
With a sigh, Nova dropped the act, his face returning to its usual, playful grin. “Well, it was fun while it lasted” he said casually. “I’ll ask you one question, and you have one chance only to answer it without causing a scene. Understood?”
The room fell into stunned silence.
Before anyone could react, one of the men sneered. “What—”
The sentence was cut off as his head vanished in an instant, blood spraying across the room in a crimson arc, drenching the startled bystanders.
The room went deathly quiet. No one saw the blow, no one heard it coming—only the result. The man’s body crumpled, a fountain of blood spilling from the neck, and in an instant, the room was frozen in fear. They could only guess it was Nova, but no one had the courage to speak.
Mason and Chloe were paralyzed, their hearts hammering in their chests as they stared at Nova with wide, horrified eyes. Was this the same person they had casually stolen a table from at the restaurant? Had they been courting death without realizing it?
The leader’s chest tightened as the gravity of the situation sunk in. The seriousness was unmistakable. He inhaled deeply, struggling to keep his composure, before he finally spoke. “Understood.”
Nova’s smile remained unwavering as he gave a nod. “Good. Now then, what’s your objective, and do you work for anyone?”
Sweat beaded on the leader’s forehead, his pulse quickening as he weighed his options. Still, he knew he had to be honest, especially if he wanted to stay alive. “Our main objective is to replace the Federation and train elites. We’re tired of being oppressed, and the new law... it doesn’t sit well with us. We can’t even—”
Nova’s voice cut through the leader’s words like a blade. “Stop yapping. Just answer the second question.”
The leader paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself. “We don’t work for anyone, but we do have dealings with other organizations” he said quickly, cutting it short. He was careful not to risk making Nova repeat himself.
Nova’s eyes gleamed with a flicker of impatience, but he pressed on without missing a beat. “Next. How many of you are there, and do you have anyone who picked ‘None’ as their class?”
The leader hesitated only a moment before replying, “We’re around 200-300 strong. And yes, we do have some who chose ‘None.’”
Nova nodded, his smile never faltering. “I’ll give you a choice” he said, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight. He let the words linger in the air before delivering the final blow. “Become my subordinates… or die.”
The room fell into absolute silence. Where there had been a soft rustle of breaths before, now even that was gone. The tension was thick, suffocating. Every pair of eyes in the room was locked on their leader’s back, waiting for his decision.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
If he resisted, if he refused, they all knew what would come next—death. But if he knew when to retreat, when to bend, they might survive. Their fates were now in his hands.
He could feel the weight of his subordinates' gazes on him, the palpable pressure of their unspoken thoughts. Truth be told, he had no desire to die either. Taking the deepest breath of his life, he finally spoke, his voice steady but tinged with reluctant submission, “We will become your subordinates.” He bowed to Nova, his head low, acknowledging the gravity of his decision.
The others followed suit, their movements quick and coordinated, each man bowing in turn. The only ones left standing in stunned silence were Mason and Chloe, their minds still reeling from the sudden turn of events.
One of the men barked, “Bow!”
Mason and Chloe snapped out of their daze, their expressions a blend of confusion and conflict. After a moment's hesitation, they reluctantly bowed as well, their heads sinking in compliance. Their thoughts, however, remained a swirling storm of doubt and uncertainty.
Nova surveyed the room, his expression unreadable. “Now that this is settled, gather those who chose ‘None.’ I want them here within the day.”
With that, he turned to leave. Just as his hand touched the doorframe, he called out over his shoulder, “I’ll be training nearby. Just shout my name, and I’ll come.”
Before going too far, the leader caught up with him, breathless. “Sir, what’s your name? You never told us.”
Nova’s lips curved into a faint, almost imperceptible smile as he kept walking, not bothering to turn. “Nova” he replied simply.
As he walked away, he could hear the leader’s hurried orders echoing through the corridors, the sounds of subordinates rushing to fulfill their tasks. The leader’s commands were efficient—he was clearly respected among his men.
‘At least they listen to him’ Nova thought with a smirk. ‘I suppose I can count this as a business acquisition.’ A sudden burst of laughter escaped him, the sound echoing in the halls, sending a shiver down the spines of those who heard it. Fear rippled through the air like a sudden gust of wind as the others scurried away.
Nova wandered through the complex, finding numerous empty rooms. After a brief moment of consideration, he selected one that seemed adequate for his needs and entered, locking the door behind him.
‘I should finish increasing my Thrust mastery to 15. Once that's done, I can move on to the jabs. Hopefully, they won’t make me wait too long; I still have things to take care of outside.’
Nova took his stance, grounding himself in the rhythm of his training. As the spear became an extension of his body, he slipped into a trance-like state, each thrust flowing seamlessly into the next. His movements were fluid, almost inhuman, the spear a blur of sharp precision. With each strike, it felt as though the spear pierced something deeper than the mere air around him, something intangible and elusive—but Nova couldn’t quite place what it was.
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased]
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased]
[Spear Thrust proficiency increased]
Time lost its meaning as his body moved through the motions on instinct, his concentration sharpening with every thrust. His mind and body seemed to merge, becoming one with the weapon. It was a dance of pure focus, where the world outside faded into nothingness, leaving only the sharp whistle of his spear cutting through the air.
Minutes stretched into hours, the passage of time unimportant in the face of his relentless training. But suddenly, a shout pierced through his concentration, breaking the silence.
“NOVA!”
His body tensed, and he blinked, momentarily disoriented, as he snapped out of his daze. The sudden shift back to reality left him momentarily disoriented.
“Hm? Already done?” he muttered to himself, a touch of surprise in his voice.
Without missing a beat, he called out in his mind ‘Status.’
[Status]
Rank: 0
Name: Nova Grey
Species: Human
Affiliation: None
Level: 3 (100/500)
Class: None
Titles: Goblin Exterminator, Kings Slayer, Survivor, Spear Novice, Troll Exterminator
Stat Points: 126
Attributes:
Strength: 112 (+129)
Vigor: 85 (+98)
Dexterity: 135 (+158)
Speed: 95 (+117)
Intelligence: 51 (+54)
Wisdom: 95 (+100)
Will: 9
Luck: 10
Skills
Active: Spear Thrust (14) (1011241/8192000), Spear Jab (10) (16015/512000), Spear Sweep (10) (4423/512000), Spear Lunge (10) (789/512000), Spear Overhead Strike (10) (757/512000)
Passive: Regeneration (8) (48359/64000), Keen Reflexes (2) (1874/2000), Momentum Streak (5) (8752/16000), One with the Spear (MAX)
Nova did a quick mental calculation as he stepped out of the room, his spear still in hand. ‘Around six hours have passed, not bad. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of accomplishment.’
With a relaxed but determined stride, he made his way back to the room where the others were waiting. As soon as the leader spotted him, he straightened up, trying to project an air of professionalism, though his voice betrayed the tension within him.
“Welcome back! Everyone with the ‘None’ class is here” the leader said, his tone slightly wavering but attempting to sound confident despite the underlying fear.
Behind him, the seven individuals—standing in perfect formation as if drilled—bowed in unison as soon as they saw Nova. Their movements were sharp, disciplined.
Nova took a moment to scan them with a sharp, calculating gaze. Five men and two women, ranging from 18 to 30 years old. His eyes flicked from one to the next, noting their posture, their energy, their faces.
‘Not bad’. He thought to himself, a slight surprise in his voice. “I doubted you'd have even two, but you actually gathered seven” Nova said, nodding towards the old leader, who immediately beamed with excitement and pride.
Turning his gaze back to the seven, Nova's expression turned more serious. “Do you hate me?” he asked, his voice level but his eyes piercing, as though he could see right through them.
For a moment, the room was still, but then, as if rehearsed, they all spoke in unison.
“No.”
Nova paused, studying their faces. He could detect no trace of falsehood in their words, and for a brief moment, a flicker of surprise crossed his features. It was rare to see such immediate, unwavering honesty.
He nodded, impressed, but kept his expression neutral. “Tell me your names” he commanded, his voice steady as he took another step forward, the weight of his gaze locking them all in place.
The first to speak was a young man, around 19, standing at 1.81 meters with black hair and brown eyes. He was calm and composed, giving off a quiet confidence. "Alaric" he said.
Next was a man around 25 or 26, standing at 1.87 meters with blonde hair and blue eyes. His posture was firm, exuding authority. "Darius" he said.
A man in his mid-20s, standing at 1.96 meters with brown hair and green eyes, spoke next. His intense gaze seemed to analyze everything. "Hector" he said.
The first woman, around 28, stood at 1.78 meters with red hair and green eyes. Her fierce expression radiated determination. "Adira" she said.
The second woman, about 20, was 1.64 meters tall with black hair and dark eyes. Her quiet demeanor hid a sharp mind. "Shira" she said.
A young man, about 21, standing at 1.86 meters with black hair and dark eyes, spoke next. His relaxed stance masked a calculating nature. "Nox" he said.
Finally, a man around 26, standing at 1.89 meters with blonde hair and black eyes, spoke. His gaze was sharp and ambitious. "Malachi" he said.
Nova flashed a sly smile, his gaze sharp as he casually dropped the question.
“Do you want to be my seven generals?”
The room went silent. The seven stood frozen, their minds racing, unable to process the unexpected proposition.
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