Chapter 121 - Super Rookie

"I only have a month at most in order to go on two more conquest missions and survive them."

Yin thought to himself.

Gavin walked up to him and asked him what he wanted to do right now as well as to tell him what his options were.

"Yin, for now you can stand by here in the Grand Castle, I will tell the Emperor myself that I requested a room for you on me and Luken's behalf, so that you can easily be deployed if there was ever a mission available for you."

"Y-You can do that, Gavin?"

The Serpent Summoner nodded.

"Yes. Anyway, I will also put in a good word for you for the team who are assigning missions to Slayers, so that they may consider you even more. I know how eager you are to catch up to Suna and join in on the Slayer Tournament, that much is for sure."

Gavin's words made Yin smile.

He was glad that he found a superior whom was concerned for his well being and is keeping his interests and wants in mind.

"Your other option will be to go back to the hideout and continue training with the Commander, you will have an easier time staying there, I know. But it would be harder on you regarding the constant need of having to travel back and forth from here to the hideout and vice versa if ever you were chosen as compatible for another specific squad."

Yin thought long and hard about it.

Considering he did not know much about the Grand Castle and the heart of Niflheim, it would be a hassle to stay here, even if he had free roof under his head in the castle. 

"Err. If I choose to stay here for now, will you be staying here as well, Gavin?"

Yin wanted to know if the Serpent Summoner was going to be staying here as well.

The latter responded by shaking his head.

"Nope. I will be going somewhere else which is classified. The higher ups and the Emperor have request for me to join in on the research group. We will have to debunk everything that we know so far regarding the Angels, because of the progression that the Corps have made outside the Gates, I am guessing it would be much more productive."

"I-I see."

"But do not worry, I have not told Zach about it as well, he might also want to be staying here in order to be more available for missions. The High Council also places in mind the availability of specific Slayers and where they are in Niflheim. For example, you cannot be deployed for emergency missions if you are at the hideout because of the time delay it would take for you even reach the Gates."

Yin Sohaya nodded.

Because of Yin's annoyance towards his fellow Six Blades member, he would have wanted him to just go back to the hideout and have Yin be enlisted in missions alone.

The thought of it made Yin look forward to it.

"Then I will make my decision right now, and please do not inform Zach, he might follow me or something, that would not be good for both of us, trust me."

Yin exhaled deeply.

"I will be staying here in the Grand Castle and become much more available for missions outside the Gates, sir."

He said slowly and softly in Gavin's hears so that Zach might not hear his decision.

"Excellent choice, I knew you would not be the type of person to pass up on the opportunity to join the Slayer Tournament at your age. You are wise beyond your years, Yin, although that might not seem at first glance. Heh."

The Serpent Summoner responded with a slight chuckle.

"You are wrong, Gavin. If my life had not been timed, I would have preferred to go home to the hideout and train with the Commander and Suna. There could always be next year's Slayer Tournament, but a year from now is not my time anymore. It really is not…"

Yin said to himself with a sad expression.

He did not really realize it but he was staring at Zachary while spaced out.

"What the hell are you looking at?"

Zach was confrontational in nature as always.

"What makes you think I was even looking at you?!"

Yin shouted back from his bed, their voices were far too loud to be shouting, considering they were only located like five meters across of each other.

The healer who had scolded the basilisk Slayer earlier now peeped in on the door, seeing if the noise came from here and if it has not yet subsided.

"Who is making a ruckus here?!"

The healer asked.

"N-Nobody, ma'am."

Gavin told her.

They all let out a sigh of relief.

"She's pretty strict for a healer, don't you guys think?"

Cosette said jokingly.

"She has always been like that, Cosette. Don't mind her."

Artorias Khalil retorted back.

"Y-You know my name?!"

This surprised the A Rank Earth Slayer that the top one ranked Lightning Slayer would even acknowledge her presence.

"How do you know me? Where did you know me? Do you think my fighting skills are top notch? Do you want to invite me to your organization? Do you have any moves that you wish to teach to me?"

She proceeded to bombard Art with questions such as those.

"Woah there, slow down. I keep a list of promising Slayers in the back of my head, you know? It would be a shame if I did not acknowledge you as one of it. Also, I am not part of an organization. I do not need it because-"

The Basilisk Slayer got interrupted by Cosette Akim once again.

"I will not let you down! Please watch the Slayer Tournament and I will show you that all the hype surrounding my name is legitimate and not an overstatement!"

Afterwards, Cosette ran out carrying her large axe which she strategically placed under her bed.

"Why was she keeping her weapon underneath her bed?"

Zach asked Kai nervously.

"Believe me, I know as much as you do, Zach."

Kai replied with a smile.

This whole comedic sequence made him ease up a bit, even for just a little.

"By the way, Kai. Ignis Silva came by with Hector yesterday, but you were knocked out on the bed when he visited, he told me to extend his message to you instead."

The Serpent Summoner told his dear friend.

"Oh. I see. What did he say?"

But before Gavin could tell Kai what Ignis wanted to, Kai inserted his question with another one.

"Wait, how do you know Hector?"

"Hm. Judging from the urgency of your voice, I would best answer the latter question first, then." Gavin put the book he was reading down and stood looked at Kai. 

"Everybody from the Operation Phoenix knows of Hector Incendium."

Kai was confused and amazed at the same time.

"Is he really that famous?" 

"No, no, you misunderstood me. Operation Phoenix was conducted with Hector as part of the squadron which Ignis Silva led."

Kai's expression quickly turned into shock which then subsided back into being amazed.

"Damn. Seriously? That is such a reckless thing for Ignis to have done. I can't imagine bringing a kid into that cesspool of a mission…Anyway, I would guess some Slayers in on the squad were not particularly fond of it?"

Kai replied.

"Not some. In fact, most of them were still not sold on bringing a kid like Hector Incendium into such a dangerous operation like that."

Everyone in the room was confused as to why Gavin and Kai were talking about the mission details just like nothing, as if they were not there.

"Oh, and before you guys react, the news will be available to the people tomorrow, but it will only say that we've exterminated many numbers of Angels, without all the actual important parts of it."

The Serpent Summoner said with a smile.

"I thought you slipped there for a second or something."

Artorias said while nodding his head.

"Anyway, getting back to you, Kai. Hector outperformed some of the most war-hardened Slayers in that squad, unbelievably so. He really is a monster."

Kai looked like a proud uncle while shrugging his shoulders.

"What can I say? The kid's got potential, Gavin, he will probably win the Slayer Tournament a month from now."

Kai's words made Yin and Zachary slouch from their beds.

"Damn. Someone like that exists within our age group?"

Zachary thought to himself.

Meanwhile Yin thought about just how strong this Hector guy actually is, he cursed the fact that he was still asleep when Ignis and Hector came by, other wise he could have gotten a clear look at him.

"Who's stronger between him and me, Gavin!?"

Yin said as he raised his hands.

With no second wasted or even a fraction of it spent on thinking about comparing the two, the Serpent Summoner replied.

"Hector, of course."