Thanatos System

After a couple of days of travelling towards the Grand Castle, the trio of Yin Sohaya, Zachary Lancaster, and Gavin Khalil all crashed at a local tavern.

Tomorrow would be the start of the rookies' mission with Kai.

Something was different about Yin.

Even Gavin and Zach could recognize it.

He seemed oddly 'distant' for lack of a better word.

"Are you not happy to be wearing the traditional Six Blades signature accessory?" Gavin asked the rookie while toying with his black round earrings.

"N-No, sir. I am, I really am happy to be a part of this."

"Then why the long face?"

Yin stared at the Serpent Summoner.

His pupils' intensity was something that Gavin could not look away from.

"What happened to you, Yin? Are you still hung up on that time when you almost turned Luken into dust? Although I am going to have to admit, doing that to him would have a couple of upsides…"

The S Rank Summoner attempted to joke around, but Yin was not buying them.

"If you were to go past your body's limitations and weaknesses and become a version of yourself that is a million times stronger, but your life would be hanging by a timed thread, would you do it?"

Gavin sat down next to the boy.

"That is an interesting thought experiment, Yin. Where did you get that?"

"It is basically what it is, a thought experiment, as you said. Nothing more, nothing less, do you mind answering the question for me?"

Yin said.

"No, I do not mind. Very well, I do not think I would do that myself. Our lives are already on the line every single time we get deployed like this, I myself would like to know that I had gone down fighting with my all. To be knowledgeable of when one might meet his or her end is a blessing and a curse, Yin." Gavin cleared his throat and placed his book in hand on the table. "I assume you are referring to the body's limitations and such with power, am I right?"

The white haired C Rank Slayer could not help but nod in agreement as an answer to Gavin's question.

"As interesting as that might seem, it mainly relies on how strong you can actually be without your limitations. If my strength is enough to end this god forsaken war that has torn our planet up, then I would gladly do it in a heartbeat."

Gavin's answer struck Yin's heart like a needle.

"H-How fool of me to even doubt my decision. Even if I will not be able to end this war myself, then I will do everything to push through with that goal in mind. Seriously, how selfish of me…"

Yin was beating himself up because of this. His frustrations were cut short rather quickly by what Gavin said next.

"Or at least that is what I would answer to someone asking that question if I were unselfish…"

Yin looked at the Serpent Summoner.

He was smiling, in fact. But he had this kind of melancholic and lonely way about it.

"Deep down, Yin. I know that I would not do it myself. I want to bet my life on the randomness and chances of survival that the battlefield out there offers me." Gavin opened the windows to let out the hot air steaming the room up.

With his back turned towards Yin, he continued his sermon.

"I know what I want and as fucked up as it might sound, I would not want to end my life soon for any other reason. I want to grow old and see you guys become bonafide Slayers in your own right as well. While me and Luken and my brother would just laze around waiting for you guys to get back from wherever you were assigned to. I want to see my family for as long as possible while I am here. So, in truth, no, I would not do that."

His answer had Yin break down in tears.

"W-Was it something I said?"

Gavin was definitely confused as well as concerned.

"I-It's nothing, Gavin, trust me."

Yin forced himself to say that while he was still sniveling.

Gavin was about to pry him to open up more about it.

The Serpent Summoner himself was curious as to how Yin got these powers and if it is coincidental with the fact that he had his Anima cells awakened at the 18 years of age.

Luckily, Zach burst through the door without warning.

"Oh. Did you miss me that much? Are you crying already from your realization that you do not have my capable array of skills beside you-"

He got cut off by Yin.

"Not a single chance, idiot!" Afterwards, he stared at the Serpent Summoner. "Another time, Gavin."

Gavin simply nodded.

"O-Okay then." Gavin took a seat next to the window which he had opened and asked Zach. "So, Zach, what did you buy from the food stalls below?"

The Fire Slayer brought out three pieces of potatoes, some bread, and some fish.

Except for the bread which did not require it, the potatoes and fish were all uncooked.

"Did you forget to tell the ones selling the food to cook it or something?"

Gavin was perplexed.

"No. I am going to cook it myself!"

Zachary announced proudly.

"As much as I admire your fascination and endearment for the culinary arts, young Zach, I believe you may have forgotten that we do not have a proper kitchen in this room. Taverns are not usually known for placing their rooms with kitchens."

Gavin answered sarcastically, doing his best not to show that he was lightly irked.

"I am going to cook them with my bare flames."

Zach grinned.

Gavin facepalmed himself.

"In a room made of wood?"

"I-I had not thought about that…"

Zachary scratched the back of his head nervously.

"Why didn't you just tell them to cook it?"

"Because I thought I would do a better job myself…"

Yin heard something from outside the walls of their room in the window area, but just decided it was probably cats or something.

"Heard you guys had some problem burning or cooking stuff-"

It was Kai. Kai Xin, the S Rank Fire Slayer also known as 'The Dragon.'

Gavin was startled and immediately thought he was an enemy, the Serpent Summoner threw his knives at Kai who just caught them mid-air.

"Hm. Impressive."

"Likewise, Gavin, impressive reflexes as well."

Kai got up to their room and made himself welcome.

He just got in through the window on his muddy shoes.

The sight of it had enraged Gavin.

"You couldn't have taken the time of the night to clean your boots off before setting foot in our room?"

Gavin's passive aggressive tone was always scary for Yin and Zach, because the Serpent Summoner was rarely like this.

Kai looked down on the ground and saw smudges of mud and dirt left behind by his own boots.

"T-Those are definitely not mine, Gav, it was probably Zach's."

"Wait what?! Why are you blaming me?"

Kai chuckled.

"Heh. Just kidding. Don't worry, I'll clean it off myself. Let me just grab or borrow a broom from the staff downstairs."

"Don't bother, man. They would probably keep you out as we only paid enough the amount for three people. Just use your hands or something."

Gavin said.

"But Gavin, it's mud and dirt, bro, it isn't exactly clean enough to wipe my hands with."

"Exactly. Shouldn't you have thought of that the first instance you planned to surprise us by peering out of the window like a lunatic?"

Kai Xin sighed.

His eyes darted around the room, scanning it.

"Hey Yin!"

"Good to see you, Kai."

Yin was still mentally exhausted and physically tired from the journey and the fact that he was not going to be here a year from now anymore.

"Uh-oh. Looks like someone is a bit of a downer, what's wrong? You scared for your mission tomorrow? Don't worry, Yin. You've got me! With me leading the squad, it is a guaranteed success!"

Kai said proudly before fixing his gaze on Zach.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my student!"

Zach did his best to stay out of the Dragon's field of view.

But the room was far too small to dodge him and pretend that he does not exist.

"H-Hello."

"Is this coldness really the proper way you treat your master?"

Kai made fun of him.

"Don't you have a floor to clean?"

Gavin crossed his arms and moved his fingers impatiently.

"Yeah, I did not forget, just calm down already!"

"Yin?"

Gavin called out to him.

Yin's hands were already on Kai Xin's feet, holding it to prevent his escape.

"You were totally planning on ditching after making this big of a mess, weren't you?"

"T-That was not my plan at all!"

Kai nervously responded.

At the end, he relented and just picked up some rags and cleaned the floor.

The S Rank Dragon was delegated as the floor wiper by the Six Blades.