955: Grandmaster

Grandmaster

The three robed assassins stood tall with their hands clasped behind their backs, faces shrouded by the hood, in which darkness seemed to dominate. It was a much higher quality robe than John had been given, and would most likely stop even the most powerful of divine senses from breaking into easily and seeing the face of the one wearing it.2

Based on their figures, it was clear that there were two men and a woman. The woman had a very alluring and curvy figure that even the somewhat loose robe couldn't hide her prominent features. She had a middle World Expansion cultivation, as did one of the other men.

In the middle stood a rather short man, a full head shorter than John. However, his aura at the Late World Expansion realm made it so none dared to underestimate him, and there was a natural dangerous aura about him, one that made John's instincts flare with warning.

'This man is dangerous.'

The hundreds of people within the tunnel were escorted out of it by other members of the Guild who arrived, some of which John recognized as members from the hideout he had visited. They quickly filed out, leaving John and Zuri alone with the three mysterious cultivators.

"Report," the man in the middle said firmly yet calmly, his voice sounding on the older side of life. He was most likely an ancient monster who had lived for thousands or tens of thousands of years.

Zuri bowed her head lightly to the three mysterious figures.

"Grandmaster," she said, bowing specifically to the one in the middle. She then took out a jade piece and handed it to the man in the middle.

"The report is contained within," she said, "I have made sure to leave nothing out."

She glanced at John when saying that, smiling ever so slightly, her gaze as if assuring him that she did in fact leave something out; his Asura transformation. 

The man in the middle, the Grandmaster as Zuri had addressed him, took the jade piece and sent his divine sense into it, inspecting the report Zuri had carved into it before they had arrived. He remained silent for a long while, digesting the contents within.

"This report is troubling," the Grandmaster said. 

"Grandmaster?" Zuri asked respectfully.

"Your report of the enemy force far exceeds your combat prowess," the Grandmaster said. "You even indicated that the youth besides you had a greater part in the battle than you did. I find that both impossible to believe, and disappointing from one of your rank and potential."

John remained silent, listening to the two speak.

'Seems like she downplayed my role a bit, as to hide the nature of my Asura transformation. That's good. I don't know if I can trust the rest of the Guild with that information just yet.'

"It may be hard to believe, Grandmaster," Zuri said respectfully, "but everything in there is the truth."

The Grandmaster handed the jade piece to the woman next to him, who read its contents, scoffed lightly, and then handed it to the man on the other side of the Grandmaster. He read it, reacting in a similar fashion. 

"This is a joke, right?" the woman said, her voice alluring and sensual, like her voice alone could seduce any man. John felt his soul pulled towards her by her words, as if they were a soul art of their own. He raised his soul defenses slightly, resisting the temptation of her words.

'Frightening.'

"I have the same opinion," the man on the right said. "Either you are leaving details out, or the enemy force was not as strong as you detailed in this report."

"Everything in there is true," Zuri said respectfully, gesturing to John. "The youth besides me has a frightening combat prowess, one far higher than I have ever seen. His assistance in battle was invaluable."

The three glanced at John, who felt the combined weight of their ancient gazes and aura's fall upon him. A normal youth his age, even a genius his age, would succumb to the pressure, showing signs of nervousness, fear, or even completely fall apart mentally.

John withstood their pressure with ease, raising an eyebrow at the three of them as if he was amused they were trying to play such a game with him. It would take far more than this to make him show signs of cracking.

"Impressive," the Grandmaster muttered softly, then turned back to Zuri.

"Who is this youth? I have not seen a report of him from you, nor have I seen his trial results. Explain," he said.

"This is John," Zuri said. "I met him just this night, and after a long conversation with him, decided to admit him into the Guild. His trial was to take place tomorrow, but tonight's events happened to interrupt the official admittance process."

"Tonight?" the man on the right said, voice aghast. "You took an uninitiated trainee on a mission? One of great importance? That is unacceptable."

"I had already shown him the base of operations, and as such, did not want him to leave my sight until the trials were officially completed," Zuri said respectfully.

"You showed him the base of operations before he was initiated? Another breach of protocol!" the Middle World Expansion man said, growing irate. 

"It was…unavoidable," Zuri said, giving John a sideways glance.

"Unavoidable? How?" the Grandmaster asked calmly.

"He…discovered the location on his own, by following the aura of the Mark" Zuri said, a slight grimace on her face as if she expected her answer to receive stern berating for how ludicrous it was. As expected, those beratements came swiftly.

"Impossible," the man on the right said sternly. "Only one who has passed the trial and has attuned with the Mark of Shadows can feel its presence. It is far too weak to be felt otherwise, especially by one as low of cultivation as this child."

"I agree," the woman said, voice still alluring. "It is impossible to believe such an obvious fabrication. First the report, and now this. We had high hopes for you, Shadow of Pain, but tonight has made me question if we should reassess your future in this Guild."

"Indeed," the man on the right said, nodding.

John felt his mood go from intrigue to irritation as he listened to the two Guild members berate Zuri for truths.

"If the Guild finds out about my…abilities, what will they do?" John sent a sound transmission to Zuri.

"I cannot be one hundred percent certain, but I think that would be fine as long as you proved your worth to the Guild," Zuri send a sound transmission back. "The Guild values powerful and loyal members more than anything else, so as long as you prove yourself to be both, they will not hold your…abilities against you."

Hearing this, John could no longer hold his tongue.

"Hey, you two" he said firmly, pointing to the two Middle World Expansion cultivators. His words caused the three to shift their gazes to him, while Zuri's eyes went wide as she heard him speak to them in such a brash and callous way.

"Zuri has done nothing but tell the truth, and yet you two refuse to even consider if she is telling the truth," John said, arms crossed over his chest. "I just joined the Guild and had high opinions of it, but if this is what the Guild has to offer from its seniors, maybe my assessment was wrong after all."

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