Legend: Season One by Nick Venom (best management books of all time .txt) 📕

Ace crouched down to meet her face. “Hello, my name is Ace.” 

“Ugh, let’s go already. I want to go home.” Ariana whined.

“Fine, then let’s head back to the carriage, miss’ shop too much.” Ace said, mocking her.

“How dare you!” Ariana exclaimed, pouting and crossing her arms. She then turned around and began making her way back to the carriage.

“Well, the sun will set soon, so let’s return home.” Ace said, extending his hand out to Teresa. She hesitated and flinched slightly. “I won’t hurt you,” he told her. She raised her head and looked into his eyes, sunlight glittering off her dark purple eyes. She nodded her head and took his hand before they walked back to the carriage.

TBC… 

Ace led Ariana and Teresa to the carriage to find it empty. “Where’s Catrina?” Ariana asked. 

Ace shrugged his shoulders. “I’m not sure, maybe she went to a nearby store?”

“Impossible, she must be at the carriage at all times in case of emergency!” Ariana declared, raising her voice, making Teresa flinch. Ace’s body jerked, a notification appeared in front of him, startling him. He noticed the radar pop up and watched as the demon lord’s dot neared him. He looked over in the direction of the dot, noticing a demon lord emerging from the shadows with two ninjas following him, masked in the shadows.  

“I am Demon Lord Isku!” He announced. Isku was twice Ace’s side and looked like a mix of an orc and a demon, leading to an abomination of a demon lord. 

“I kidnapped the driver. If you hand over the princess then I’ll return the driver and won’t harm the young girl.” He declared. Ace glared at the demon lord, ripping his sword out of an invisible sheathe on his back, before charging towards Isku. His buff skill, Bloodlust, activated as he charged towards the demon lord. Isku took out his demonic sword, nicknamed War Destroyer, and prepared himself for the fight.  

The ninjas dispersed into the shadows and watched from afar as Ace made contact with Isku, leaving Ariana and Teresa defenseless. Ace and Isku traded blows, bashing each other with the hilts of their swords. The blade of their swords clashed together. Isku’s War Destroyer emitted a purple mist but was neutralized by Ace’s Excalibur, parrying each other’s strikes. Ace began to force Isku back and gained a small advantage over him until a scream snapped him out of his bloodlust. Ace glanced over at his shoulder at the ninjas, who moved through the shadows, towards Ariana and Teresa. Ariana left Teresa behind, dashing away from the carriage while Teresa froze, standing still in the same location. One of the shadows dashed towards Teresa, brandishing a laced dagger. Ace blocked a strike from Isku before throwing a wild attack and turning around, dashing towards Teresa. Ace took out Azroth and pointed it at the shadow, leading his shot. His arm throbbed from the pain he received from Isku and swayed wildly. Ace gripped his right arm with his left hand in an attempt to stop the swaying. He wanted a clean shot. He lined up the bullet before pressing the trigger, firing off a bullet that tore through the wind’s current and ended up in the head of the shadow that threatened Teresa’s life. His body collapsed to the ground, illuminated by the fleeting amount of sunlight. 

Once Teresa’s safety was ensured, Ace’s focus went towards Ariana, who was being chased by the second shadow. Ace ran towards Ariana, evading Isku’s strikes while stopping the swaying of his arm. He fired off the first bullet that missed the shadow by a few inches, alerting him to Ace’s plan. The shadow increased his pace to catch up to Ariana while Ace prepared the second bullet, firing it off before turning towards Isku, confident in his shot. The bullet ripped through the wind and the shadow’s head, dropping his lifeless body onto the ground. Ace faced Isku, who was heavily panting and ran at him, clashing swords again for the last time. Ace struck Isku with multiple blows, one making contact with his torso while another dented Isku’s forehead. Isku, dealing with brain damage, crumbled to his knees, pleading to Ace to let him live. Ace, merely, scoffed at the idea, ending his sobbing and pleads with a bullet through his dented brain. Ace had no time to grant mercy to those who intended on hurting those he cared about. That short list didn’t include Ariana.

TBC...

Ace checked the health of Teresa and Ariana and led them to the carriage before running off to find Catrina. He then found Catrina ten minutes later, bringing her back to the carriage. She was hidden in an abandoned warehouse behind some stores, tied up in a chair. Once everybody made it to the carriage, Catrina drove it towards the castle. Ariana sat with Teresa and Ace in the back on opposite sides, keeping an atmosphere of silence. Ace reflected on his actions as blood was scattered on his clothes. Teresa glanced up at Ace every few seconds, looking away whenever their eyes made contact. Ace felt the atmosphere and attempted to break it. “Are you okay with traveling with us?” He asked, directing the question towards Teresa. Ariana’s ears perked up. 

She looked up at Ace with cold eyes. “I’m alright, master.” She responded with a lack of emotion. 

Ace’s heart took a great dive, nearly killing him. “Please, don’t call me master. I don’t think I can survive if you call me that.”

Teresa tilted her head and looked at him with a strange look. “But, you bought me from my previous master? As a slave, I should be calling you master.” She declared.

“It’s fine if you call me by my name, Ace. I would prefer that a lot more,”

Teresa looked down with a face full of confusion. “A-A-A-Ace?” She muttered.

“A slave should refer to their owner as master, though. That’s what I’ve been taught.” 

“Well, I’m not like the other slave masters. I’m different,” Ace told her.

Ariana smirked before muttering: “You sure are,” to him. 

Ace ignored her words and focused on Teresa. “Can you call me Ace?”

“Is that a direct order?” She asked.

“A suggestion,” Ace told her while smirking. 

Okay… then thank you for saving me… Ace.” She said with a smile that melted his heart.

Definitely worth it, Ace thought. He pumped his fists into the air, attracting the stares of Teresa and Ariana. He then directed his focus to Ariana. “Ariana, why were you so against the idea of getting Teresa?” He asked while putting Ariana on the spot. 

“It isn’t worth the trouble,” she responded coldly.

“What do you think about Teresa, Catrina?” Catrina looked over her shoulder, receiving a glare from Ariana. She then turned around and focused on the road, not answering his question.

“Well, I think she’s cute and will be a nice addition to our journey.” Ace declared. Teresa’s eyes changed from cold to gleeful as she looked up at Ace.

“You think I’m cute,” she whispered.

“Of course, Teresa. You are very cute,” Ace responded without hesitating, bopping her nose.

“My last master said I was ugly,” she whispered.

“Well, I’m not your last master and I don’t think you’re anywhere near ugly.” Ace told her with confidence. Ariana scoffed before turning away from them. Teresa’s jaw fell open and stared at him. It seems like Rose was telling her that she’s ugly. What a bat, Ace thought He then laid back on the bench with Teresa snuggling up to him while Ariana kept her distance from them. Catrina focused on the road but shot glances over her shoulder at Ace. Her heart began thumping, alerting her to an unfamiliar feeling.

The carriage neared the castle, soon ending the shopping trip that left two demon lords dead and bringing a new family member to the castle. 

TBC…

King Mason waited outside of the castle with the head butler and the remainder of the staff for their arrival. The carriage stopped in front of the king, allowing Ace, Teresa, and Ariana to jump out and walk towards him. “Welcome home,” He said as Catrina drove the carriage away from the main road onto a side road along with the other carriages. Mason’s face went from cherry and delighted to strained and angry. “I’ve heard about the attacks. You managed to defeat two demon lords.”

“Yeah, they ambushed us, but I was able to take care of them.” Ace responded.

“Did you kill them?” 

“Was I not supposed to?”

Mason shook his head. “They are enemies to our kingdom, so it’s better if they’re taken care of.” He then glanced down at Teresa, erasing his anger and putting on a smile to face her. A trait that a king needed to appease those who are important to the kingdom’s future.  “Who’s the little girl?”

“A slave that he forced me to buy from some merchant,” Ariana muttered.

Mason looked Teresa up and down before motioning Ace to follow him. Ariana scoffed before walking to her room where, moments later, a door being slammed loudly could be heard for miles and miles. 

Ace began to follow Mason into the castle but stopped to glance over at the side road to look for Catrina. Unfortunately, he couldn’t see her. She’s probably avoiding me after what happened, he thought as he continued to follow Mason. Another interruption prevented him from entering the castle as a slight tug on his shirt forced him to look down at Teresa, who looked up at him. “Can I go with you?” She muttered.

Ace looked up at Mason, who already turned around to face them. ‘I’m sorry, but can I take Teresa with us?” 

“I’ll allow it,” Mason remarked before turning around, heading up to his