The White Rose: A Killer's Rebirth

Zuhn was relieved to see the men he'd encountered earlier weren't following him. He had no interest in dealing with them—his priority was getting back to Scar and Charlotte. By the time he reached Charlotte's house, the sun was setting. He could sense both Scar and Charlotte inside, waiting for him.

Out of breath from running and fighting, Zuhn knocked on the door. Charlotte opened it, her eyes widening in shock. She'd been on the verge of going out to search for him, convinced he might be dead. But something told her he was still alive.

Zuhn chuckled at her expression and stepped inside. Scar, equally surprised, was overjoyed to see him. He'd never imagined Zuhn was so powerful—or so cold-blooded.

Charlotte wasted no time. "Zuhn, let's get straight to the point," she said, her tone serious. "Who are you?"

Zuhn shrugged. "I come from a faraway place where magic and cultivation doesn't exist."

Scar believed him, but Charlotte's expression didn't change. "If you won't tell me, I'll find out myself," she said, launching an attack.

Zuhn had sensed her intent long before she moved. Her aura radiated killing intent, but it was tempered by a sense of justice. She wasn't like him—she didn't kill for pleasure. Before she could reach him, Zuhn countered, his blade slicing her neck.

Charlotte collapsed, blood pouring from the wound. Zuhn crouched beside her, lifting her head. A faint golden aura glowed around her neck, healing the cut.

Knew it, Zuhn thought. He'd suspected she had a trick up her sleeve.

"Fuck you!" Charlotte hissed, grabbing a towel to wipe the blood away. The wound was gone, leaving no trace.

Scar stood frozen, watching the tense exchange.

"Now," Zuhn said, his voice calm, "I should be asking the question. Who are you?"

Charlotte glared at him. "I'm a leader of an organization very interested in the power you possess."

Zuhn wasn't impressed by her organization, but her healing techniques intrigued him.

Before she could finish her pitch, three deliberate knocks sounded at the door. Charlotte paused, then walked over and opened the hatch. Outside stood two young women, both around twenty years old.

"Who are you? And what do you want?" Charlotte demanded, eyeing the two girls through the door's hatch. The girls exchanged a glance, then laughed, pulling out daggers.

Charlotte slammed the hatch shut and grabbed her weapon, but before she could act, the girls kicked the door down, sending her crashing into the wall. Zuhn and Scar turned their attention from Charlotte to the intruders.

"Scar… run!" Charlotte managed to choke out. Scar didn't hesitate, darting into hiding. He knew he was no match for the assassins.

The two girls, expressionless and armed with daggers, advanced on Zuhn. Their movements were precise, their training evident. Zuhn didn't underestimate them—he'd seen young girls wield knives with deadly skill before.

He reached for his dagger, shifting into a defensive stance. The girls attacked in unison, their strikes swift and coordinated. Zuhn barely dodged, countering with a flurry of attacks aimed at one girl. She staggered back, but her partner pressed the assault, forcing Zuhn to retreat.

He moved closer to Charlotte, hoping she'd recover enough to fight. But she remained slumped against the wall, unmoving. One of the girls seized the opportunity, slicing Zuhn's arm. The pain ignited his anger.

No longer holding back, Zuhn retaliated with brutal efficiency. He slashed the first girl across the chest, sending her to the ground, clutching her wound. The second girl lunged at him, daggers crossed, but Zuhn disarmed her with a single strike and knocked her unconscious.

He turned his attention to the first girl, her eyes wide with fear as he loomed over her. His own eyes glowed dark red, piercing into her soul. He pressed his knife to her face, carving a shallow cut, then methodically stabbed her limbs, rendering her immobile.

Zuhn repeated the process with the unconscious girl, ensuring she couldn't fight back. He then called to Scar, "Get me some rope, and check on Charlotte."

Scar obeyed, returning with rope while tending to Charlotte, who assured him she was fine. Zuhn tied the girls to chairs, his movements deliberate. As he finished, the second girl stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

When the two girls regained consciousness, they found Zuhn staring at them with cold, devilish eyes. They realized the rumors about the Silver Master were true. Both girls were Silver-ranked themselves, considered among the strongest in the region. They hadn't expected to encounter someone like Zuhn in this small town.

Zuhn, however, wasn't impressed. He wanted to kill them but knew he needed information first. He collected their daggers, noting the intricate designs. "Custom-made, huh? Thanks for the free weapons," he said, patting one girl's shoulder. She winced in pain, her body trembling.

"Oh, sorry," Zuhn said with mock concern. "I forgot—I enhanced your pain sensitivity. Even the air hurts you now. You're tough, but not tough enough to ignore it."

Charlotte, now seated and watching, raised an eyebrow. "Charlotte!" Zuhn called. "Do you have any… special tools for me?"

Charlotte nodded and returned with a small black bag. Zuhn opened it, revealing an array of knives and torture devices. He grinned, laying them out one by one, each item eliciting a fresh wave of fear from the girls.

"Tell me what I want to know, and I won't kill you," Zuhn said, his tone chillingly casual. The girls struggled to speak, their voices failing them.

"No? Alright, let's start simple." Zuhn picked up a spiked wheel, blowing on it to make it spin. "This is beginner-friendly. Minimal blood, maximum pain."

He approached the girls, deciding to start with the one he'd knocked out earlier. "Last chance. Talk, and I stop."

The girl remained silent. Zuhn pressed the wheel to her arm, slowly rolling it up and down. She writhed in agony, her screams muffled by Zuhn's command to stay quiet.

"Shhh," he whispered, continuing the torture. When he finally stopped, he laughed. "This is just the beginning."

He returned to the tools, selecting a dull saw-like device. "This one requires a lot of pressure to cut. Perfect for endurance."

Zuhn picked up the saw and returned to the girl, her terrified expression filling him with twisted joy. He pressed the dull blade lightly against her arm, and she gasped, her breaths heavy and labored. Behind him, Charlotte motioned for Scar to leave the room. Once he was gone, Zuhn began sawing.

The dull blade only cut the surface of her skin, but the pain was excruciating. The girl thrashed violently until, finally, she passed out. Zuhn frowned. "Already? She's no fun."

He set the saw aside and scanned the table for another tool. His eyes landed on what looked like an automatic saw. Testing it, he grinned as the blade whirred to life. Perfect.

He approached the unconscious girl, considering how to wake her. Cutting off a limb would do it, but it might kill her. Instead, he grabbed a butcher's knife and spread her hand flat on the table.

The other girl, still conscious, squeezed her eyes shut. Zuhn noticed and had an idea. He turned to Charlotte, whispering instructions. She nodded and retrieved a set of small wires from the storage room.

Zuhn returned to the conscious girl, securing the wires to her eyelids to force them open. "Now you can watch," he said, his voice chillingly calm. "And when it's your turn, she'll watch too—if she's still alive."