Restart:Untalented Man

In the quietude of their journey toward Cerdeauxia, a voice suddenly greeted him, "Excuse me, sir. Where are you going?"

Ferdinand jolted in his seat. His heart pounded with surprise at the sudden greeting.

His body tensed, and his eyes darted left and right, searching for the source of the voice.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as his anxiety peaked in the face of the unexpected interruption.

The secluded streets suddenly felt far less isolated, and his instincts went on high alert.

Then, his eyes fall onto a figure standing not too far from him on the side of the road.

Although he wearing a cloak, the mysterious man didn't cover his face. Perhaps due to the intense heat of the day.

The sunlight provided a clear look at the mysterious individual. Ferdinand could see the man's features in detail.

The man had sharp, observant eyes that seemed to pierce through Ferdinand's defences.

His sharp, angular features accentuated a well-defined jawline. A neatly trimmed beard framed his face, lending a sense of sophistication to his otherwise mysterious presence.

His short, dark brown hair was practical, matching the intensity of his eyes. 

He is Agent Nerdwolf.

As the man faintly smiled, he repeated his question in a calm and polite tone, "Where are you going?"

Ferdinand's response was marked by an undercurrent of tension as he instinctively grasped the sword hanging from his waist. "Why is it any of your business?"

Agent Nerdwolf didn't offer an immediate reply. Instead, he continued his advance toward Ferdinand.

Every step Agent Nerdwolf took seemed to stretch the tension in the air to its limits.

It was as if the atmosphere itself was coiling, waiting for something to snap.

Gulp—

Ferdinand couldn't help but gulp audibly.

His breath quickened, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead, not because of the hotness of the day but fear.

His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword which caused his knuckles to whiten under the pressure.

Each second felt like an eternity, dragging on slowly as he waited for Agent Nerdwolf to get within his range.

The voice of his wife reached him from behind, emanating from inside the carriage. She couldn't quite see what was happening due to Ferdinand's figure blocking her view.

"Is there any problem on the road?" she asked with worry.

Ferdinand replied with a feigned nonchalance, "Err... nothing, just someone blocking the road. Stay quietly inside."

He didn't want to make his wife worry further, knowing that the situation was already tense enough.

Agent Nerdwolf continued to close the gap between them.

He appeared calm and composed, unlike Ferdinand, who was anxious and tense.

Once Ferdinand felt confident that Agent Nerdwolf was within his reach, he unsheathed the sword with a swift motion.

Swoosh—

The blade sliced through the air with a soft swoosh, aimed at Agent Nerdwolf.

But Agent Nerdwolf was no ordinary opponent. With lightning-quick reflexes, he barely managed to dodge the strike, his cloak fluttering in the motion.

Knowing that he couldn't avoid the fight, Ferdinand prepared to jump to engage Agent Nerdwolf.

But, before he jumped off from the carriage to the ground, Ferdinand turned to his wife and said, "Take care of the children. And do not get out of the carriage!"

His voice carried a sense of urgency.

From the blurry window, Ferdinand could see his wife nodding. Her expression was a mix of panic and concern over the sudden escalation of events.

"So, you choose to fight. Good choice, I guess." Agent Nerdwolf's voice held a hint of amusement. He was unsure whether Ferdinand was lucky or not.

Before he arrived at this exit route, Agent Nerdwolf had decided on several potential outcomes. 

If Ferdinand had rushed toward the exit the moment he saw him, Agent Nerdwolf would have instantly killed him. 

If he surrendered and turned around, he would spare Ferdinand.

If Ferdinand opts to fight, the outcome depends on the situation. Ferdinand might live or he might die.

To Nerdwolf's disappointment, Ferdinand made a third option.

Not gonna lie, he felt a bit bummed out.

Normally, when anyone does something bad and sees an enforcer chase after them, they become panicked and make attempts to get away as far as possible.

No one would be so courageous as to spend their time fighting. 

Not that Ferdinand's choice posed him a problem though.

Agent Nerdwolf never once thought he would lose. It wasn't arrogance, but a deep confidence in his skills and training that had been honed over time.

Ferdinand rushed toward Nerdwolf.

He knew he was in a disadvantaged position, so he believed making the first move could potentially give him some control over the battle, increasing his chances of winning.

If he allowed a battle-hardened agent like Nerdwolf to initiate, he wouldn't stand a chance.

Clank—

The clash of steel rang out. With each strike, Ferdinand tried desperately to land a single slash, but Nerdwolf deflected each attack with ease. 

His movements were fluid, precise, and seemingly effortless.

In fact, the SIN's agent looks bored.

As the fight goes on, It becomes increasingly clear that Nerdwolf is far superior in skill. 

The agent continued to parry Ferdinand's attacks, his focus unwavering, as if toying with his opponent.

"Say, Ferdinand... why don't you surrender?" Nerdwolf asked. He decided to initiate a conversation due to boredom.

"And get myself executed?" Ferdinand retorted. He's not stupid to realize how big the crime he committed. He incited people to rebel against the king. It was an offence he was well aware of the consequences.

"At least, it's much better than letting your innocent wife and children die with you," Nerdwolf said. "Come on, Ferdinand. Don't force me to take innocents' lives. Your selfishness is the one that put your family in danger, not me."

....

Slash—

Another former Vofors Republica's leader crumpled to the ground. Their lives were extinguished in an instant.

On the other side of the operation, Agent Wheatman's efforts progressed smoothly.

As he moved through the opulent mansion, most of his targets fled at the mere sight of him, recognizing the imminent danger he represented.

"These people certainly have a keen sense for danger," Wheatman mused to himself.

He then peered down at the floor, where lifeless bodies lay scattered like discarded pawns on a chessboard.

It was a reminder of the important mission he and his fellow agents were executing.

Wheatman couldn't help but ask himself, "How many people are left?"

The question hung in the air.

He was so focused on exterminating his targets and their accomplices that he forgot to keep track of the total numbers.

"Well...Whatever. I'll leave that to the [Recruit] agents." He shrugged, "Let's find the rest of the targets."