Chapter 22: Partnership with a Devil!

"Your mother was a thief and you want to become like her?" Ace repeated her words in bewilderment.

"Yes. That's been my dream since young but after I become a Grant Family slave my life didn't belong to me anymore. They train me to become an Assassin after discovering my special abilities. I didn't have any choice but to obey their order. After my training was complete, Lyla Grant gives me to her son Asher Kelby to do his bidding.

"He was adored by both his Father the current head of Kelby family and his grandfather the head of Grant family also Lyla's father. He was also the one who planted this slave mask. That's why he let me go to Asher's side, knowing I can't do anything because I had this mask on my face." Black Fox's eyes turn cold while mentioning Kelby and Grant's family, she resented both families to bones. How could she not be? It was because of them she was living as a slave all these years.

"But if you are bound by this slave mask then how can you resist the orders and seeks my help?" Ace asked in puzzlement.

Even if Ace was new in the cultivation world he clearly knew how slave marks work. The bearer of this mark can't resist their master control. Thus, if this fox mask was really more powerful than the normal slave mark it would be night impossible for her to resist Asher's will.

Black Fox said gravely. "This is because one of my lineage skills that no one knows about, I can bypass this mask control with it. But it can't help me get rid of it, if they find out about this skill they will kill me." 

"YOU?! Are you an idiot? Are you not afraid of me telling them your biggest secrets? What if I sold you out to save myself from Asher or kill you right now to shut your mouth after that no one will ever know about my secret." Ace continues gloomily, "As for Kelby and Grant's family, I can hide or even leave the city, and you know exactly that I'm capable of doing it. So why are trusting me so much!?" 

Ace didn't know her or she wasn't his relative or anything important either. Then why was she telling him her secrets one after another like it was nothing it made him quite uneasy. Because this girl was by no means a fool, she finds his hidden identity with so few clues.

"Heh heh,  You would never do it because you are like my mother, you robbed that fatty because he was an evil person and always bully the poor. You even helped those innocent people's families who were killed by Billy in his madness. You give all those dead people families 10 ruby coins without letting them know. But do you know? They all know it was the 'Black Ghost' who help them when no one was listening to their pleading.

"They called you a Hero of justice. My mother was also this kind of thief. She always stole from rich and bad peoples and helps the needy when no one wanted to help them." Black Fox nostalgically said as she remembered her mother's words and her stories even now because she was her Hero.

Her father always scolds her mother not to tell her this kind of story, but she never listens to him and always tells her about her great adventures and achievements.

Black Fox still remembered her mother telling her about the variety of thieves, "Remember Eva there were three types of thieves. First, those who stole for poor and rich peoples alike, whether they were good or bad. The second type is those who stole from only the weak because they are cowards who run from the strong and bully the weak. The third type was the rarest those who only stole from evil people and help the weak." That was the last thing she told Black Fox before her tragic death.

"Your mother was really a good person and I can't compare with her." Ace sincerely said without hiding his awe for that great thief.

Eva giggles after seeing Ace's goofy face, "That's why I wanted to find you and form a partnership. Because you are a loyal person and you will not do something so shameless to sell your comrade for saving your own neck." She has deeply investigated Ace before she makes her decision to form a partnership with him.

"Tell me how can I free you from this slave mask and about Kelby's family strength I want to know all about it," Ace asked, he wanted to help her if he could but more importantly wanted to complete his mission.

Now Ace has some idea what kind of family Kelby truly was after hearing her story. A number three family of the whole inner region and he has to empty their treasury in two years. He nearly cursed the system.

"Oh, your next target was the Kelby family looks like I didn't misjudge you. You really are a 'kind-hearted thief' just like my mother." Black Fox was relieved after confirming her assumption about Ace being a 'kind-hearted thief'. In her eyes, he was going to 'Judge' Kelby family the black-hearted family who treats her like a slave and do all kind of evil deeds.

Ace's face flushed when he heard Black Fox's words. He wanted to clarify her misunderstanding but was afraid that she would beat him if he told her he wanted to do robbery for his own selfish purpose.

'She has definitely some screws loose in her head.' Ace nodded and decided to let her be.

Ace was not the 3rd category thief he was actually a new type of thief, that robbed others to get stronger. It was that simple.

"Cough... cough" Ace Cough twice to hide his embarrassment. "Listen? Can you not talk about this and just simply tell me how can I helped you get rid of this mask and in return, you can give me all the information on the Kelby family."

Ace gave in, he didn't want anything from this crazy girl anymore. If she can just give him information about Kelby's family security or even helped him get in there, he was happy with just that.

"Humph. First, you have to form a partnership with me and we will be a team from now on. Then like a real team, you will help your partner first then do official business together." Black Fox snorted clearly dissatisfied with Ace forgetting something so important this quick.

'What official business?? That's a mission from the system!!' Ace really wanted to yell this but held himself back.

'Sigh' Ace sighs helplessly, "Fine we will form a team and I'll help you first but if your skill is not enough or you slow me down, I'll escape and leave you behind. Now tell me how can I help you!!!" There was clear frustration in his voice.

"See that wasn't so difficult. I promise you that I will not slow you down and always follow your order. Since you're the team leader name our team first." Black fox said excitedly, she was looking at Ace with great expectations.

"What team leader? And why do we need a name??" Ace asked hurriedly he didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Since you're more skilled than me in thievery and you already 'famous thief' you will be our team leader and in future, our team will be famous in whole worlds so we should have a magnificent name that will stuck fear into bad guys hearts." Explain Black Fox while imagining their glorious future with gleaming eyes.

'She is definitely a madcap.' Ace nodded while smile bitterly.

"Fine fine! I'll be the leader but for the name of the team let's talk about it in the future when we become famous or something like that." Ace didn't even want to form a team much less name it so he just said random things to assure Black Fox.

"You are right we will decide on a name when we become famous." Black Fox seriously nodded in agreement.

Just as he expects, 'She totally buys it!'

"Now we are team and partners so we should introduce ourselves. My name is Eva Jude and you can call me Eva from now on." Black Fox or Eva introduced herself while advancing her snow-white hand towards Ace.

"Ace White just call me Ace, not the team leader." Ace smile wryly as he shakes her delicate hand.

Ace didn't know his forced-formed team will shatter the entire piece of the Golden Sky World in the future.

"Ok Ace. Now you have to help your partner." Eva tittered, it was clear she was quite happy.

"Just tell me already!" Ace was on verge of going insane and didn't even want to know about Kelby's family anymore. He only wants to know how to solved her problem and shut her annoying mouth. Because in Ace's eyes she talks too much!

But if Asher sees her talking like this, he would think that this was someone else in the black fox mask. Because she never said more words than she needed. She only answered if you ask her questions and becomes mute after answering the question. This was how the usual Black Fox behaves, Coldly!

But in front of Ace, she acts like a spoiled child and why she was doing this even she didn't know. She just felt close to Ace for some strange reason the moment they meet.

"OK! I'll talk stop annoying me." Eva annoyingly said after seeing Ace was going to explode anytime.

'YOU'RE THE ANNOYING ONE HERE!' Ace roll his eyes and retorted in his heart.

"If you want to help your 'precious partner' you have to infiltrate Grant Family's treasury!" Eva sounds like a little girl who was quite excited about her big adventure with her team leader of course.

"W-WHAT?!?" That night the whole Inn heard a shrill scream fill with regret and resentment.