Warlock of Oceans: My Poseidon System
Chapter 51 Negotiations and Deal

"We are considering creating a special forces team, and their code names are Daggers. You could essentially call them Shadow Blades since they're going to be made up of some of the most talented students at our academy, but… their objective is much different,"

"We are going to become the academy's dogs, huh? Then what's in it for us? Money, I would assume,"

"Of course, you'll be handsomely paid but also provided with some resources that you'll have to earn by yourselves. You must prove your worth to earn new skills, weapons, or gear… but the training you'll receive will be entirely free,"

"So I'm assuming… we're the assassins of the academy, right?"

"You could call yourselves that… so, are you interested?"

I didn't think about it for long since having the absolute backing of the academy was something I could really get behind for my future.

But…

"I don't need your shitty equipment. Improve the education of my siblings and make sure they are spoiled by the academy,"

"If that happens and outrage will occur amongst the staff who aren't and shouldn't be aware of such a team… but I could pull a few strings if we make another deal,"

"And what is that?" I asked though I could already anticipate what she was going to say from just the way that slimy smile of hers stretched across her face.

"In exchange for you joining the special forces and forfeting all rewards besides money, we'll increase the education and support for your siblings, but…." Her smile widened even further as if she had just caught a fly in her web of schemes. "... those siblings of yours will go through an assassination course. One of the most privileged ones in the city, and they'll, of course, be well equipped with the necessary skills…."

"And then you want them to join the special forces, right?" I asked, and now the woman's smile was that of pure evil.

"Isn't it a good deal? Once they join the special forces, they'll have tons of juicy backing, and those peasants won't believe the amount of dough flowing into their bank accounts… so, what'll it be? Want more time to think?"

"Tch… give me some time to think,"

"Don't think too long… you're a prime candidate but don't provide any financial support for us… we could bring in a few talented, rich kids and bring them up to the skill of your unpolished talent…."

"Is that a taunt?"

The woman just continued to smile, the shadows around me practically bubbling with excitement as the woman stared deep into ocean-blue eyes.

"Give me a week,"

"That'll do… also, in case you wanted to know, your sister is fighting in the in-house tournament soon. It's free to watch due to all of our loaded sponsors. I think you'll be entertained as there are kids who I think you might want to beat up,"

I silently left the woman in that alleyway, her devilish smile permeating through the atmosphere and seemingly reaping the souls around it.

Anybody who passed by that alleyway felt an instinctual fear that ran down straight through their spine.

Each and every individual muscle fiber of theirs froze up, only twitching upon the woman leaving the vicinity…

She was powerful. That woman was too powerful for this city's good.

…

A few days later, I found myself sitting at the very top of the bleachers circling around the massive arena towards the center of the palace-like colosseum.

It was massive, and even though it wasn't incorporated into our campus, needless to say, it was impressive as hell.

At the very top was a massive screen going in all four cardinal directions, allowing everybody to see the action whether you were in the nosebleeds or even watching from the windows shining straight into the massive marble arena.

"It's almost impressively stupid…. Anyways, I think it's time we settle our deal," I muttered, turning to the shadow created by an arching pillar serving as a textural design for the massive place.

I backed up into the very top ring of the colosseum, where the air was even starting to get a bit thin.

"It seems you have something to say?" The woman asked with her partner, cloaked in shadows and had the same dark hair as before rising up beside her.

Their presences were still absolute zero. There was nobody there, yet clearly, I was staring at flesh, and when that flesh reached out a hand towards me, I couldn't help but stare.

"I'll accept your deal… as long as you double my income… and provide free body augmentation,"

The two siblings looked at each other and then glanced back at me, their pupils almost shaking with interest.

"You little shit… you think we can afford free augmentation if we double your income?" The woman asked with her brother, the one who had brought me here in the first place, carefully mulling over the suggestion.

Clearly, they not only wanted me but the talent of my siblings, who were good at other things in their own right.

Asger clearly had a talent with bladed weapons, especially with ones that have long handles such as lances or spears… even possibly scythes once he gets to touch one.

Mari was not only an academic genius but also somebody who could adapt to any situation, and her relative skill, which seems to skyrocket every time she has a breakthrough in knowledge… is almost scary.

And then, finally, the genius with magic and girl engraved with the mark of a toxic branding was something they, of course, wanted to cultivate and keep their leash around.

If she was to be trained or possibly used by another academy for mass destruction… she could possibly become a city-level threat… maybe even more.

"First of all, the augmentation won't be the best at first due to your stats. You need to level up more to acquire better augmentations…."

"That's fine with me," I instantly replied, and the woman squinted at me before reaching that non-existent hand of hers even further.

"You keep the same pay but get free augmentation… no more than that,"

"Deal," I smiled and grabbed her gloved hand, but even from the thick material, I could feel the piles of calluses built upon her palm.