Stealing, the physical act of taking another person's belongings. An action considered evil, and those who stole from others were despised, hated, and even killed. But a deeper perspective in the act of stealing or theft was much more complex between human desires, social norms, and moral dilemmas. Some define stealing as an action of evil, envy, and arrogance, but some describe it as desperation for survival where there were no other ways to live except stealing."Today, you are going to steal something from someone. Not out of hunger, envy, or anger, but because you need to learn how to take something precious or valuable possession of other people. Valuable things are valuable because they are rare; things are rare because they are in such low quantity. Most known things are already owned by someone else; the only way to possess them is to steal it from others," the man spoke as he stood at the edge of the hill. Behind the man, there were more than a dozen children standing still.
Jobba was flabbergasted. His whole body unable to move for a couple of seconds. Even though Malachi said that he had massacred an entire village before, he did not believe him at first since some children liked to brag and exaggerate their stories. But the scene in front of him proved that everything he said before was real. What Malachi showed him earlier wasn't a trick. It was pure strength and power. The other children didn't even have time to realize that they were being massacred. It happened so quickly. So quick, in fact, the children didn't even scream or shout in pain.Jobba's thoughts raced. Malachi knew that he was much more powerful than the other children and waited for them all to come before killing them. He didn't do anything until the last second and became the sole winner of this test. He didn't even let a single one survive despite knowing that the academy was accepting 5 students.Ruthless, intelligent, talented. His legs shivered at the thought of how a child wit
The trees blurred away from view as the carriage sped through the forest. Malachi sat by the window, his elbow resting on the wooden frame while he looked at the ever-changing scenery outside the carriage. The sky was clear today, bright blue, almost reaching afternoon. Tall grasses swayed in the gentle breeze, their golden tips shimmering in the sunlight. In the distance, a river meandered lazily, reflecting the vibrant blue of the sky. Malachi looked ahead, his gaze fixed upon the mesmerizing scene unfolding before him. The rhythmic sound of hooves thumping against the earth filled the air, creating a soothing and almost hypnotic melody. Two majestic Crystalhooves, their antlers shimmering with iridescent colors, were harnessed to the carriage, their powerful forms pulling it forward effortlessly. Their steps left behind fleeting trails of magical light, casting an enchanting glow on the forest path. Malachi could feel the tranquil aura of the Crystalhooves as they moved with gra
The carriage moved further into the academy grounds, and Malachi noticed that the architecture within was as mesmerizing as the exterior. The corridors and chambers were grand and luxurious. The structure as a whole exuded an aura of mystique and grandeur, making those who visited it feel a sense of anticipation.The carriage came to a stop at an empty square. A man with sharp blue eyes and a scar across his left cheek was waiting at the center. Feeling the carriage stopping, Jobba stepped out, and Malachi followed him.“What is this? Where are the other children?”“I will bring them here at another time. For now, take care of this one.”“Jobba, you should know that my time is precious. How can you waste my time for only taking care of one child? Bring the others here.”“They haven't done the test yet. It will take some time, so take this one first, Mascarino.”Mascarino frowned and glanced at the boy who looked young and innocent. He even noticed the smooth hands without any calluse
Bantania and the other seniors stood there, panting heavily, their disbelief evident in their wide-eyed stares. Malachi had managed to evade every single one of their attacks effortlessly, leaving them feeling frustrated.Malachi lazily dodged another punch as he was deep in thoughts. The young students here were quite talented and skilled in physical fighting. They weren’t dumb either as they used many dirty tricks when attacking him. It was clear that they reached this academy by defeating many other children before. The academy basically filtered out the weak and picked the best to train in this academy. ‘I do not want to waste time here. I need to do something so I can be free from attending class.’Malachi stepped forward, his hand formed the shape of a blade, and he struck towards one of the boy’s chests.With a loud thud and cracking sound, the boy got the wind knocked out of him as he fell to the ground and vigorously gasped for air.“Help! I can’t breathe! Help me!”The othe
Mascarino, one of the Professors of Assassination within the Shadowcraft Academy. Naturally, since he was able to become a professor in this academy, his skill must be way above the average. And it was a fact that he was a seasoned assassin. One could sense his confidence from the way he carried himself; unwavering faith in his skill.His background was no joke either. Unlike most members in the syndicate who came from slums and sewage, Mascarino was born into a family of skilled assassins. From a young age, he was trained in the deadly arts. He honed his skills through years of practice and missions, becoming one of the most renowned assassins in the underworld.Malachi could understand Mascarino’s power at a glance. In his current body, it was impossible to defeat him unless he had time to prepare.“Do I get time to prepare?” Malachi asked.“No. You and me. Right now.” Mascarino rolled up his sleeves and massaged his arms.Without further warning, Mascarino suddenly blinked out of e
Malachi was allowed to return to his room, and so he did. He wouldn't be able to learn anything new from the class anyway. The professor's skills and abilities were basic for him. Mascarino was far stronger than Malachi; if it wasn't for that, Malachi wouldn't have struggled so much. But, if he really wanted to defeat the professor, he could. He just did not want to reveal all of his abilities yet.In the bout earlier, he didn't even use all of his skills yet. His intention from the start was to impress the professor to grant him special privileges and to prevent the other students from shouting out complaints.The only way to do that was to show his capabilities to them all. His fight against the professor was merely a show for them to approve of this privileged access. No one would complain about it; in fact, they would nod and admit that Malachi deserved this privilege.In a day, he managed to earn the respect of his peers, impressed the professor, and earned a privilege within the
The sun came into view, illuminating the trees and plants that had waited for it all through the night. Malachi was meditating while perched on a rock when the grass swung in the wind and ruffled his hair.His lungs threatened to drag the adjacent grass into his nose as he inhaled deeply. The grass in front of him was flattened as he let it out through his mouth, creating a tremendous wind."My strength has increased," Malachi spoke. The reason he wasn't fond of physical activity was that it was more efficient to increase his physical prowess through meditation. Sure, there were times when he needed physical activity to break through his limits, but it wasn't necessary to do it every day. Using his mind, soul, and dark magic, he was able to break every organ in his body and repair them simultaneously, making his body more resilient.Dark magic was a potent source of energy capable of offensive or defensive purposes, but it could also be used for healing and much more, such as trapping