Forty years ago...
A young Sebas was sold off by his own parents to the underworld.
Deemed a child of potential, he was sent to the assassin guild where they discovered he had an innate talent for killing and a rare skill called Silent Step. It was perfect for silent and efficient assassinations.
So they trained him.
Day and night, he honed his craft. His hands grew steady and his heart colder. Before long, he had become a professional killer.
Eight years flew by in a blur of missions and blood.
Then, unexpectedly, he was tasked with something new... Training a new recruit.
He was stunned when he saw the newcomer. A boy no older than eight. Even younger than Sebas had been when he was first dragged into this world.
But this child... he was different.
He exuded confidence, almost as if he wanted to be here. There was no fear in his eyes, only ambition.
It didn't take long for them to grow close. Despite the age gap, they became true friends which is a rarity in their brutal world.
The boy's name was Luke. Though he was young, he was unnaturally sharp. Sebas often joked that Luke must be a middle-aged man in disguise. He knew things no child should know. Strange things. Things not of this world.
One day, Luke revealed a secret.
With a soft incantation, a glowing book materialized in the air. Its cover was etched with runes Sebas couldn't decipher.
"W-What kind of skill is that?!" Sebas asked, stunned.
"It's not a skill," Luke replied, eyes gleaming. "It's a cheat."
Sebas tried to look inside, but the book was filled with symbols he couldn't understand. And yet, Luke treated the artifact with reverence. He only read it when Sebas was near.
It was a strange kind of trust.
One day, Sebas appeared beside Luke, frustrated.
"Why the long face, Sebastian?" Luke teased.
"You! Stop calling me that. It annoys me."
"Relax buddy. Your name just sound like a butler, that's all. Why are you even an assassin haha?"
Sebas sighed and shared his troubles. He kept losing in mock battles, even against weaker opponents.
It didn't make sense.
Luke just chuckled. "Oh, Sebastian... it's because you show too much emotion. Even a flicker can give away your intent. Assassins have to be unreadable."
Sebas was taken aback. The boy was right. He spoke with wisdom far beyond his years.
"Alright," Luke continued. "I'll teach you a skill. It's only one-star so it's easy to learn.. It's called POKER FACE."
Sebas raised a brow, confused. That's when Luke summoned his book again and flipped it to a specific page.
"Just do what I say…"
That moment changed everything. Sebas finally understood how powerful the book truly was.
But more importantly, he realized something else. Luke trusted him enough to share it. In a world full of lies and blood, that trust meant everything.
From then on, Sebas treated Luke as a best friend.
After mastering Poker Face, Sebas stopped losing mock battles. His assassinations grew cleaner and colder.
Years passed...
The duo of Sebas and Luke became feared.
Luke was relentless. He combined different skills creatively. He even taught Sebas another skill called Blade in a Tray.
They meditated together, trained together and pushed each other to rise through the ranks.
On one mission, they were sent to eliminate a corrupt noble.
What they found in the mansion chilled even Sebas.
Young women lying like broken puppets... Dead children scattered around... And skulls used as decor.
The grotesque scene even cracked Sebas's Poker Face.
It was also the first time he saw Luke filled with pure rage. Luke wanted to torture the man and make him suffer.
But Sebas stopped him.
"Torture is different from killing. You don't need to force yourself," he said. "Let me do it."
Though he wasn't skilled in it, Sebas tortured the noble until death.
Afterward, he asked Luke formally for the first time... "Teach me the Torture skill."
Years passed...
Luke subjected himself to brutal training. Endless silence. Starvation. Grueling missions.
He was chasing something.
Power.
Skills.
Purpose.
They continued their crusade against corrupt nobles. Sebas would always handle the tortures. Their methods were unorthodox and in the outside world, they became legends.
Sebas earned the title Quiet Fang at 35.
Luke became known as Thousand Skill Luke.
But Sebas couldn't keep up anymore. Luke had surpassed him by far.
One day, Sebas told him, "You should take missions alone from now on."
Luke was sad but understood. They were brothers in arms and sometimes, brothers must walk separate paths.
As Luke's legend grew, Sebas noticed a change in him.
"You know, Sebastian… I'm growing tired of killing," Luke confessed one day.
"I know that feeling too well. And I'm Sebas!"
"I want to start a family."
"What? Are you out of your mind?! Assassins can't afford weaknesses like family. You'll be hunted down for breaking the code. Please, friend… stop this."
"Sebas, you're my only friend. You're like family to me. That's why I won't keep this from you. I've found someone I love."
Sebas didn't know what to say. He'd forgotten what family even felt like. But Luke's warmth reminded him.
"Are you prepared to fight the whole world?" Sebas asked.
Luke just grinned. "Who do you think I am? I'm Thousand Skill Luke!"
Luke then confided in Sebas about the girl he had fallen for.
Her name was Cienna, a top-ranking mage from the Magic Tower.
Luke had discovered that she possessed a "cheat" too. Out of curiosity or perhaps instinct, he began observing her from the shadows.
But Cienna wasn't someone to be taken lightly. She sensed his presence almost immediately.
At first, they kept their distance, cautious and guarded. But over time, curiosity gave way to conversation… and conversation to connection.
Like Luke, Cienna could summon a mysterious book. But unlike his, hers wasn't filled with skills but with magic.
Their mutual intrigue soon blossomed into something more.
"You're really something, friend," Sebas said quietly, almost in awe. "Now you'll have both the Assassin's Guild and the Magic Tower after you."
Luke just laughed. "Turns out we have a lot in common… and... We're even from the same 'place.' Besides—" he grinned, "isn't forbidden love romantic?"
A few more years passed, and Sebas had reached the age of forty.
One day, he received a letter from Luke.
In it, Luke shared joyful news. Cienna will give birth soon and he invited Sebas to come visit.
The letter also detailed Luke's recent exploits, tales of fending off assassins and mages from the Magic Tower who had tried to destroy the fragile peace he and Cienna had built.
Though they lived in a remote place, the threats never stopped. Yet every time, Luke stood as an unshakable shield.
But then... disaster struck.
Just as Cienna gave birth, joy turned instantly into horror.
Luke had helped deliver their child… but when the baby entered the world, it was silent.
No cries.
No breath.
Lifeless.
A crushing wave of despair fell over Luke and Cienna.
Then, something shifted in Luke's expression. As if a sudden inspiration had taken hold of him. He sat down, closed his eyes and began calculating… not with numbers but with purpose.
A strange calm washed over him, as if he were peering into something beyond this world.
When his eyes opened again, a bitter and helpless smile curled at his lips. But within it burned unshakable resolve.
Without hesitation, he summoned his book.
What he did next was unlike anything Cienna had ever seen.
It was as if… he tore a piece of himself away.
The book was now detached from his control and it hovered in the air. Luke guided it toward their lifeless child.
Then, it entered the baby's body.
A pause.
Then...a heartbeat.
But... it was faint. So faint.
Cienna who still weak from childbirth, watched through tears. Luke then gently explained what he had done... that he had given up a part of himself to try and save their child.
But the baby was still slipping away.
Without hesitation, Cienna made her choice. Determination flared in her eyes as she reached for her own book and did the same.
A powerful wave of exhaustion swept over them both. Their breaths grew shallow, and the toll of their sacrifice became clear.
Their bodies weakened.
Their faces paled.
Strands of white crept into their hair.
Luke had calculated every step... every possible way to keep their child alive. And in the end, the answer was cruel but clear.
They had to give up a part of their very souls. The part that held their "cheats"
and pass it on to their child.
The cost was immense.
But finally… the baby took a breath.
And then... a cry.
Weak but alive.
But… even in their exhaustion, Luke and Cienna felt it. An ominous presence is closing in from all directions.
Cienna who was barely able to stand, gritted her teeth and dragged her trembling body toward Luke. Without a word, she lifted their newborn into her arms and guided him down into the cellar.
Then she cast a protective spell.
And just in time.
Assassins swarmed from all sides.
That's when Luke and Cienna understood. This was no coincidence. Their child's birth… the sudden attack… it was all connected.
Their final struggle began.
Exhausted, wounded and with their powers greatly diminished, the two still fought like demons. Together, they brought down every last assassin and mage that dared to enter their home.
Blade and spell, blood and fire... They gave everything.
But... it wasn't enough to survive.
Bloodied and spent, they collapsed into each other's arms, cuddled in the ruins of their home. Their hearts beat as one for the last time.
Cienna turned to Luke with tears in her eyes. She smiled faintly and lifted her lips to his then whispered...
"I don't regret loving you."
Then… she closed her eyes.
Luke didn't. He held her close, his tears falling silently.
He was waiting. For someone...
Someone he could trust with everything that remained.
...
Sebas had just returned from a mission when the thought crossed his mind. It had been too long since he last visited Luke.
So he made the trip.
But the moment he arrived and saw the ruined home, his heart clenched.
The structure was barely standing. The air still carried the scent of blood and magic.
His chest grew tight. His steps quickened.
And then… he saw him.
Luke...
Slumped.
Bloodied.
Barely breathing.
It felt like a lightning bolt struck Sebas where he stood. He ran to his friend, stumbling over debris.
Luke looked up at him and even in the face of death, he smiled.
Without a word, he reached out and touched Sebas's hand. A soft glow pulsed from the contact… and suddenly...
Sebas saw everything.
A rush of memories... visions of everything that had happened...
The birth.
The child.
The sacrifice.
The battle.
All of it crashed into him like a tidal wave.
With fading strength, Luke made one final request of Sebas.
"My child… hidden in the cellar. Please… give him a life without blood."
And with that… Luke's hand fell limp.
He was gone.
Sebas stood frozen. Then the dam inside him broke.
For the first time in his life, Sebas cried.
He hadn't even wept when his parents sold him away but now, he sobbed like a lost child.
Because this time… he had lost something truly precious.
Then.
He ran.
With the infant clutched tightly in his arms, Sebas fled the smoldering ruins of the only family he had ever known.
The assassin guild immediately learned of the betrayal.
And just like that, Sebas became the hunted.
For days, he ran.
Hiding in shadows.
He didn't sleep.
He barely breathed.
His only thought... Protect the child. Protect Luke's child.
Eventually, his strength gave out.
Sebas collapsed at the edge of a noble estate with his body broken and his breath shallow. The infant was quiet but alive and it rested against his chest.
When a noble couple found them, they did not ask questions.
They took him in.
Fed him.
Tended his wounds.
And listened when he asked one thing...
"Will you please raise this child… as your own?"
And without hesitation, they agreed.
With warmth, not pity.
With kindness, not curiosity.
Then they offered him a place.
Not as a killer… but as a butler.
From that day forward, Sebas served their household in silence and dignity.
A shadow of the assassin he once was but...
Ever watchful.
Ever vigilant.
Always protecting.
•••
Sebas in the present…
He watched Lucien playing with the Soilwyrms.
"BREED hehe... what a useful skill. That damned Rodyart has a cheat. I can finally achieve my dream of infinite money glitch and loot drops."
Sebas watched the boy with a smile... an expression that somehow bypassed his Poker Face.
"Sebastian! Look! These things are f*cking each other!"
"As expected of young master… and it's Sebas."
He chuckled at the familiar exchange.
It felt like he had returned to the past.
"Like father, like son huh..."