# Chapter 152: Freelancers Alliance
"They are Fallen Ones!!"
The two people looked at each other in silence for a while before Kashya slowly spoke, her words once again revealing a hard-to-conceal Sorrow.
"Fallen... Ones?"
"Yes, Warriors who abandon their own Glory and responsibility, and even Hatred the entire Sanctuary..."
"Why is this happening? Didn't you say Adventurers' will is very firm?" I roared loudly, not understanding.
"Do you know how Fallen Ones are born?" Kashya did not respond to my anger, but asked in return.
I shook my head vigorously. If I knew the answer, would I still need to ask you?
"Because they lost the things they should protect, lost the reason to continue the Battle." She sighed faintly, and Kashya continued to speak.
People are always selfish. The reason most people Battle is not for that illusory and ethereal Justice of 'Save Sanctuary'. The motivation for these people to continue the Battle is because behind them, there are some people they must protect. You are also like this, right, Wu...
And after losing those people they should protect, they also lost the motivation to continue the Battle, and then became reckless and unrestrained."
"But even if they abandoned a Warrior's Glory and responsibility, there's no reason to turn the butcher's knife back and point it at their own people, right?"
I still cannot understand the actions of those people. I can sympathize with them abandoning their duty because they lost what they protected, but I cannot understand why they would turn around and deal with their own people.
"You just said a Warrior's will is very firm, right? Precisely because of this reason, the stronger a person's will is, the more likely they are to become fixated after suffering a blow they cannot bear. They put the Hatred from losing all their Relatives onto us. They believe that while they were fighting hard in the front, we in the rear failed to properly protect his Relatives. And the Fact is also like this."
Kashya lowered her head, blaming herself.
"We have already done our best, but there will always be accidents happening..."
"How could this be..."
I lowered my head weakly, unable to say a single word. But putting myself in their shoes, if it were me who lost all my Relatives and Friends, I also don't know if I would have fallen into that state. Kashya tried to matchmake me and Sister Sharna, Akara pushed me onto the Elder's position. They have been trying hard to create various Bonds for me, perhaps their purpose is also this.
"Since the topic has come to this, I might as well tell you everything, Wu. Listen carefully. As the War intensifies, the number of Fallen Ones has increased. They formed an Organization called the 'Freelancers Alliance'. Your future Quest is to monitor it, and to eliminate those Warriors who have completely fallen into Bloody Avengers. Can you do it?"
Kashya stared at me intently.
"This... kill...?"
My Body trembled slightly. Silently looking at my own hands, to use these hands to eliminate my own kind, can I do it? Can I?
"Why, why do such a Matter? Let those Experts come back. Just capture all those Fallen Ones and the like, wouldn't that be enough? Right, as long as we do this, wouldn't everything be solved?"
I lowered my head, my tightly clenched Fists trembling. I know I am avoiding this, but I really cannot turn my Weapon towards my own kind...
"Impossible..."
Kashya lovingly stroked my head: "Most Fallen Ones just abandon their own responsibility, break free from our control, and live only for themselves. But they still have conscience and haven't done any Bad Deeds. Only a small portion completely become murderers. If because of this we were to crusade against them, wouldn't it seem too overbearing?"
"Behind every Fallen One, there is a Sorrowful story. No one is wrong, the mistake is ours for being born in this era that shouldn't have been born. And the creator of Sorrow - the Legions of Hell. Even those Fallen Ones who indiscriminately kill the innocent are just a group of pathetic people. But precisely because of this, we must let their hearts, tormented by Hatred, find liberation. In order not to let Sorrow continue, we can only do this. Yes, there is no other Method..."
Kashya's Tone became more and more agitated, until in the end it was like a roar. Rather than explaining to me, it was more like trying to convince herself.
"I'm sorry, I got too agitated..."
After a pause, she also noticed her own loss of composure.
"Think carefully about what I said. We are not Reluctantly forcing you. The decision is in your hands. Perhaps, it really shouldn't be for a Young Person like you to Accept this cruel Reality..."
She took a deep breath. Kashya's Tone became Calm, the kind of Calm like a pool of stagnant water. She silently walked to the Assassin's Corpse, squatted down, and gently stroked that pale and peaceful face.
"Qiuludun... pathetic Qiuludun, do you still remember me? Fifteen years ago, that Auntie who always punished you on the Archery Range to Practice until late at night? At that Time, you always without complaint or regret showed me an innocent smile, meticulously completed my tasks..."
Kashya said distractedly, murmuring, her Voice carrying an aged choke. Only then did I realize that as a level 78 Amazon Warrior, her age was actually not much younger than Fara. Even if her Appearance was young, her heart was still old...
"What exactly is it that made the innocent you become like this now? Was it that Plague five years ago that made you Painfully lose your parents? Or was it that disaster two years ago that took away your Wife? I'm sorry, it's all my fault, I failed to properly protect your Family, it's all because of me..."
Kashya knelt and lay prone on the Corpse of that Assassin named Qiuludun, her shoulders trembling violently.
I silently stood beside her, watching, unable to say a single word. At this Time, any words of comfort were futile.
This is a Sorrowful world, a mistaken era. Most people here are all seeking that Single Point of small happiness, while enduring more Pain and Sorrow. A faint smile, yet it requires paying the Price/Cost of countless tears and Blood. Is it really worth it like this? Perhaps, it would have been better if it didn't Exist in the first place. At this moment, I couldn't help but feel a strange sense of disgust towards this world, this era...
I want to break this kind of world, break this era, let happiness become no longer distant. But with my Strength, can I do it? Perhaps, having this Idea/Thought is also a kind of Sorrow.
I stood there blankly. The rustling Cool Breeze of the evening blew past. Even though it was summer, it unconsciously made me feel a chill.
I don't know how long passed, until I received a light tap on my head, only then did I suddenly snap back to my senses.
Kashya's right hand was in a hand-knife shape. It seems I don't need to look for the culprit. But, seeing that faint, composed smile revealing firmness reappear on her face, my inner negative Idea/Thought also vanished like smoke.
"Take this."
Only then did I discover she seemed to be holding something in her arms. Looking closely, it turned out to be a complete Set of Equipment of various sizes.
"This is...?"
As soon as I asked halfway, I immediately understood. Isn't this the Equipment from that person named Qiuludun's Body? Although Equipment in this world is very precious, recycling from dead people's Bodies to avoid waste is understandable, but...
"Why give it to me?"
"Originally according to regulations, this Equipment, as Relics, were to be brought back to his Relatives. If his Relatives cannot use them, or do not have the Ability to keep them, they would be exchanged for corresponding value in Valuables. However, this child no longer has any Relatives, so as the victor, you naturally became their owner."
Kashya explained with a smile. Even when speaking of "this child" it was like this, letting me see what true Strength/Power is.
"Then I won't be polite."
I frankly received all the things from Kashya's hands. After a person dies, the Items in their Inventory naturally vanish, but what was worn on their Body can still be stripped off. So what I have in my hands is a complete Set of Equipment still carrying a trace of Body temperature.
A blue Chain Mail. A blue Iron Helmet, golden Heavy Gloves, blue Chain Boots, a blue Belt, a Normal Warrior's Cloak, two Rings, a Necklace, and those two blue Wrist Blades that gave me a lot of trouble.
"I'll leave these two Wrist Blades for you to handle."
I briefly looked them over, took out those two blue Wrist Blades, and handed them back to Kashya. An Assassin's special Weapons, such as Fist Swords, Wrist Blades, Hand Axes, or Claws, have a very different Method of use compared to other Weapons. One is held in the hand, the other is worn on the hand. If you're not used to using them, it's very awkward. So I am not very interested in these two Wrist Blades.
"Oh, that's great, nearly a year's worth of Fine Wine, wow! Kid, you got it, that's generous enough. Auntie thinks highly of you..."
Patting my shoulder, with an air of 'I'll cover you from now on', Kashya had completely recovered into her original carefree Image.
"Oh right, in the recent Battle, do I still have any shortcomings?"
Asking for guidance at this Time was the best possible opportunity. As the saying goes, 'He who eats another's food is beholden, he who takes another's things is weak-handed', I should at least show some gratitude.
"Hmm..."
Kashya put on an Expression of thinking very seriously.
"In this Time's Battle, your performance was already very outstanding. If I had to say there was any flaw, it would still be insufficient Technique and Experience. Otherwise, with your Strength/Power, wanting to defeat Qiuludun should have been easier. But don't worry about it, this is also a Matter that can't be helped. After all, he lived for over ten more years than you."
"However, perhaps I have a very good Suggestion. Don't you have Fara's Battle Staff in your hands? I heard you kid even forged it into Runeword Equipment?" Speaking of this, Kashya immediately entered jealousy mode, her eyes were almost red.
"If I were you, I would change Polar Storm to the Skill attached to the Staff - Inferno. Although it is said that if your hand is burned, use Cold Magic compress, and if the weather is cold, use Fire Magic to drive away the cold, this is the Principle. But Ice and Fire are not absolutely mutually exclusive. Remember one sentence from me: Among a Wizard's Lightning Magic, Cold Magic, and Fire Magic Three-Element Magic, if two are combined, based on the pure destructive Power produced, Ice and Fire Magic is always the most Powerful."
Seeing me thoughtfully lowering my head and pondering, Kashya nodded with satisfaction. With one hand, she lifted the Corpse from the ground and put it into her Inventory.
I will bury you beside your Relatives, so rest in peace, poor child...
"Wait..."
Just as Kashya was about to go back, suddenly a Voice came from behind.
"Can you give me the Map of the Outer Cloister? If possible, it would be best to include the Barracks'. If you think Time is still ample, I also wouldn't mind if you told me how to get to the Inner Cloister and the Cemetery..."