(Rodova Military Academy, Tactical Training Grounds, B-9)
The final class of the day after Practical Combat was ’Scouting, Movement, and Planning,’ an Assassin Branch-exclusive course that Leo had to take alongside regular class students.
It was a 90% theoretical lecture with a few practical demonstrations conducted by Army Specialists—nothing too physically demanding, which was a relief, considering that nearly everyone who arrived for the lecture looked half-dead after enduring the first day of hellish training at the Rodova Military Academy.
On the first day, the Lieutenant conducting the class outlined the importance of mission planning and introduced three core rules that every assassin had to follow when preparing for an operation:
1. Scout
2. Verify
3. Plan
The first thumb rule—Scouting—was the foundation of every mission.
Before an assassin ever lifted a blade, before a single step was taken toward the target, scouting had to be done.
A poorly scouted mission was a mission doomed to fail.
The more an assassin knew about their target—their habits, routines, security measures, and the layout of their environment—the less room there was for unexpected surprises.
Scouting was not just about watching a target from the shadows. It was about gathering every possible detail that could be used to ensure success.
How many guards were stationed at a given time?
Did the target have a predictable schedule?
Were there alternative exits if the main escape route was blocked?
What terrain or structures could be used to an assassin’s advantage?
These were questions that needed clear answers before any plan could be formed.
A well-protected target required a different approach than one who was careless.
A target surrounded by political figures demanded stealth, whereas an enemy general on the battlefield could be eliminated more aggressively.
Every mission had unique variables—but those variables meant nothing if they weren’t accounted for before execution.
Which was why scouting wasn’t just a task—it was a mandatory step in mission planning.
An assassin who scouted properly entered every battle already holding the advantage.
And an assassin who didn’t?
Walked into the unknown, blind, and vulnerable.
—---
The next part was to verify the information they had obtained and ensure that they were not being purposefully deceived by the enemy through misinformation or planted intel.
This was the stage where an assassin had to question everything they saw, every bit of intelligence they gathered, and every assumption they made—because the smallest overlooked detail could turn a perfect plan into a disaster.
What if the guards they had been tracking were only decoys, meant to mislead intruders?
What if the secret passage they uncovered was, in fact, a trap designed to funnel intruders into an ambush?
What if the unguarded window was left open deliberately, to lure them into a kill zone?
A skilled enemy knew that assassins and scouts relied on information. The smartest ones used that against them.
Because of this, verification was a non-negotiable step.
An assassin had to cross-check everything. Observe a target’s behavior on different days, at different times. Note variations in security routines—not just on regular days but also on high-alert situations.
If an opportunity seemed too easy, it probably was a trap.
And hence the class was given a simple phrase to memorize:
"Misinformation is deadlier than ignorance."
Because an assassin who went into a mission without information had a chance.
But an assassin who went in with false information?
Was already dead.
—-----
Once information had been gathered and verified, the final step was creating a plan.
However, a good plan was never just one plan.
The Lieutenant stressed that having a single strategy was a rookie mistake.
An assassin needed to operate with at least three plans at all times:
1. The Primary Plan – The optimal, cleanest method of execution. If everything went as expected, this was the plan that would be followed.
2. The Contingency Plan – A backup method that accounted for unexpected variables. If a guard patrol changed, if a security system was upgraded, or if the target moved unexpectedly, the assassin needed a second option ready to be deployed.
3. The Escape Plan – No matter how well-planned a mission was, extraction was just as important as execution. If an assassin eliminated a target but was caught or killed during escape, the mission was a failure. A proper plan included multiple exit routes, disguises, or diversions.
There was no such thing as a ’perfect’ mission. There were only well-prepared assassins.
—--
As the lecture concluded, most of the cadets sat up, paying full attention.
Despite their exhaustion, they understood the weight of what was being taught.
This wasn’t just textbook theory.
It was knowledge forged from real missions. Real deaths. Real failures.
And Leo appreciated it too.
Having an escape route planned beforehand and being cautious was probably a smart strategy that his arrogant ass needed to learn, as just like the Lieutenant said, there was no perfectly executed missions, just prepared assassin’s that had thought about every possibility that could unfold.
Hence, by the end, Leo stood up thoroughly satisfied with what he had learnt for the day, as he hauled his tired rear to the mess hall for dinner, with a grumbling Mu Ryan by his side.
"Oh my God, Leo—- everything hurts!" She complained, as she clutched her head.
"My head hurts, my body hurts, my butt hurts…. I don’t even know how a butt can hurt, but mine hurts after all these long hours of sitting! And it’s only the first day.
The hellish Professor Marvin expects us to come in early tomorrow and run more laps as penalty for failing his expectations today, and this hell will just continue all over again tomorrow morning.
And… and… and this is all if I retire to bed now, but I can’t.
I still have to spend a few hours meditating, then I have to work on the scroll given in the basics of perception class and also prepare for the next lecture of Professor David by studying his lecture notes today.
I then have to introspect my combat performance like Major Hen wanted, and I have to sleep and recover my tired body too!
It’s like there’s not enough hours on the clock for me to do all that and still remain sane, because I’m going to either fail one of the courses, or I’m going to go insane" Ryan complained as she stomped her feet in frustration like a spoiled baby.
"It’s not all that bad… you can grab a couple extra stamina potions during dinner, it will help you stay awake longer" Leo comforted, as although he too felt like the academy life here was a lot more gruelling than he expected, he was somehow fine with it.
Deep down, he understood that getting stronger was not supposed to be an easy process, because if it were then every bum in the universe would be naturally powerful.
Becoming strong was hard, and required sacrifice, which was why the strong were universally respected, as not everyone could become what they were.
*Chatter*
*Chatter*
As Leo entered the mess-hall for dinner, he found the place entirely full with hardly any seats left, however, to his surprise, the corner table which he usually sat at had a few empty seats left with Su Yang and Mu Shen sitting together on it, looking like they were saving it for him.
As he walked in, Mu Shen immediately waved towards him to grab his attention, as Leo chuckled at this unexpected development.
He had not expected to make allies in the Academy—at least, not this quickly.
But now? It looked like he was going to be in a power-block with the two best students in the class