Chapter 92: Return of the Scrouge
Eight years vanished like a passing breeze.
The Hall of Mercenaries remained as unforgiving as ever, but the children who arrived trembling with fear were children no longer.
Thud!
Thud!
Thud!
Deep within the training grounds, rhythmic impacts echoed through the damp morning air. Standing before a wooden Wing Chun dummy was a young man. Leo.
The frail ten-year-old boy who struggled to climb the mountain was gone. Now, he stood over six feet tall. His upper body was bare, displaying a lean, powerful physique. Compact muscles shifted beneath his skin with each motion, forged by eight years of relentless training. Countless scars crisscrossed his chest, shoulders, and back—silent reminders of the punishments and battles he had survived.
His expression held a steady calm. His eyes lacked the confusion and fear of childhood, replaced by a quiet confidence.
Thud! His palm struck the wood.
Thud! His elbow followed.
A blur of punches, palm strikes, and elbows flowed together in a seamless rhythm, ending with a sharp kick that sent the heavy dummy rocking on its base. Leo let out a long breath and relaxed his stance.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Light footsteps approached from behind.
"Big Brother!"
Leo turned. Walking toward him was a young woman. Lia.
The little girl who used to cling to his arm had grown into a graceful young lady. Her long black hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and she wore the standard black uniform of the Hall of Mercenaries. Her eyes were her most striking feature. When she smiled, traces of the innocent little girl from years ago peeked through. Yet, beneath that warmth hid a sharp chill. Her past innocence had been forged into steel by eight years of brutal training.
She skipped the last few steps, coming to a halt in front of him.
"Big Brother!" Her face lit up with excitement. "Tomorrow is the final test!"
"We’re finally graduating!"
"After tomorrow, we’ll be allowed to leave the mountain and go on real missions!"
Leo couldn’t help a small smile. He closed the distance and patted her head.
"I know you’re excited."
"But don’t lose your focus."
"Anything can happen during tomorrow’s test."
"Never lower your guard."
Lia closed her eyes, leaning into the familiar gesture.
"What are you worrying about?"
"I heard Miss Hilda is the one overseeing the final test this year." She puffed out her chest in a show of confidence. "Knowing our relationship..."
"I’m sure she’ll secretly make things easier for us."
Leo let out a quiet chuckle.
"You think too highly of her."
"Hilda would never do something like that."
Lia scrunched her face. " You are still so against her even after all the things she did for us all these years "
Leo shook his head, offering no reply. Even so, seeing her bright smile eased the lingering tension in his chest.
"Get in formation!"
The instructor’s commanding voice echoed across the dirt lot. Leo and Lia fell into step, joining the rest of the trainees. One by one, the remaining students lined up in perfect rows.
The training grounds felt empty.
Eight years ago, over a hundred children stood in these very same spots. Now, only ten remained. Leo. Lia. And eight others. The rest had perished, or washed out long before reaching this point.
The instructor swept his gaze across the survivors. For the first time in years, a faint trace of approval showed in his eyes.
"You..."
"...are the only ones who survived the Hall of Mercenaries’ training."
"You are the finest products this batch of trainees has produced."
He took a moment before speaking again.
"Tomorrow..."
"...you will face your final examination."
"The outcome of that test will determine whether you are worthy of calling yourselves mercenaries of the Hall."
His sharp stare rested on every face.
"Prepare everything you’ll need."
"Rest well tonight."
"You’ll only have one chance."
A heavy silence hung in the air before he gave a small nod.
"...I wish you all the best."
Without another word, the instructor turned and walked away. No one moved. The ten survivors held their positions in total silence, lost in their own thoughts. Tomorrow, everything they had endured over the past eight years would face the ultimate test.
The group broke apart in small numbers once the instructor was out of sight. Lia faced Leo, her bright smile returning.
"Big Brother."
"I’m going to see Big Sister Selena."
"I’ll be spending the night with her." She tilted her head in a playful manner. "Are you coming too?"
Leo smiled, shaking his head.
"No."
"I still have a few things to prepare for tomorrow."
"Give Selena my regards."
"We’ll celebrate together after we pass the exam."
Lia grinned. "Deal!"
With a light spring in her step, she waved goodbye and jogged down the path. Leo watched her figure shrink in the distance before heading to his own dormitory.
Late into the night, the dormitory remained dead quiet.
The glow of a single, flickering bulb illuminated the small room. Leo sat alone beside a worn wooden table. Spread across the surface lay several throwing knives, hidden blades, lockpicks, steel wires, and assorted tools of the trade.
Scrape... Scrape...
The whetstone glided across the edge of a blade in a steady rhythm. Leo moved with deliberate care. He honed every weapon until the metal caught the dim light. Upon a final inspection of each tool, he slid them back into their sheaths.
Leaning back in his chair, he let out a heavy sigh.
"I hope..."
"...nothing goes wrong tomorrow."
The next morning, Lia stepped out of Selena’s dormitory, dressed in her black combat uniform.
Fastened tight beneath the ordinary fabric rested a variety of concealed weapons. A pair of daggers sat flush against her thighs. Throwing knives lined the inside of her sleeves. Thin steel wires hugged her waist.
She grazed a hand over the hidden bumps and smiled. The conversation with Hilda and Selena from the night prior echoed in her mind. Their words of encouragement had washed away her lingering nerves. Today, she would graduate.
Wearing a bright expression, Lia set off down the path to the assembly area.
Halfway down the corridor, her boots dragged to a halt. Her smile dropped.
A figure approached from the opposite end of the hall. A tall man. As the distance between them shrank, Lia’s eyes narrowed. The right side of the man’s head lacked an ear. A jagged scar ran down the length of his neck.
Dennis.
Lia clenched her fists.
"You..."
"Why are you back?"
Dennis stopped a few paces away. A crooked grin stretched across his face.
"Oh..."
"My little lamb."
"It’s been a long time."
"I hope..."
"...you missed me."
Without waiting for a reply, Dennis closed the gap, standing right beside her. He leaned close to her ear. In a hushed voice meant only for her, he whispered:
"I’ve prepared a very special surprise for your big brother today."
"I wonder..."
"...if he’ll survive it."
Lia’s eyes widened in shock. The color drained from her face.
Dennis let out a low chuckle and strolled past her, acting as if they were old friends. A few steps away, he tossed up a lazy wave, never bothering to look back.
"See you soon."
Lia spun around.
"I’ll never let you succeed!"
Dennis kept walking. His laughter bounced off the stone walls of the empty corridor.
"We’ll see..."
"...Only time will tell."
His tall frame vanished around the corner. Lia stood rooted to the spot. She balled her hands so tight her fingernails dug into her palms.
"I won’t let you..."
"...I won’t."
Drawing a deep breath, she pushed the rising panic back down. She placed one foot in front of the other, marching toward the examination grounds.
But the bright excitement from just moments ago was gone.