Warrior Training System-Chapter 287: Human nature

"So, how should we start this?" Cassian asked, his voice low and calm as he continued massaging Cassandra's back. She leaned forward, resting her head on the table with a blissful expression, still seated in the chair.

Cassian's eyes drifted down, unable to resist admiring the curve of her back in that tight-fitting shirt. Her slim waist contrasted beautifully with her broader, toned back, giving her a muscular yet undeniably alluring look. It didn't help that he'd seen that same back without clothes so many times before. The image popped into his mind uninvited, making it harder for him to control the growing urge to let this "relaxing" massage turn into something far more intimate.

But Cassandra, blissfully unaware of his thoughts, misunderstood his question. With a relaxed, almost drowsy voice, she murmured, "You could work on my legs a bit. For some reason, even just sitting down is making them feel stiff..."

Cassian looked slightly annoyed for a moment but quickly smiled and said, "Lack of movement leads to tightness in your hips, thighs, and calves, which can cause discomfort." Stepping back from her, he added, "Lie down over there. I'll fix it in a minute."

Then, unable to fully control himself, he smirked and teased, "And after that, maybe we can do some rough movements to keep it from coming back anytime soon."

Cassandra frowned slightly, confused by his choice of words, but didn't dwell on it. She got up and walked to her bed, which was tucked behind a drape just beside her work table. Without much thought, she lay face down on the mattress.

As always, when Cassian saw a woman lying on her front, his eyes were immediately drawn to the curves of her body, now on full display in that position. He swallowed, forcing himself to stay focused… at least for now.

"So, what's the situation with these monster attacks? They said there'd be monster waves, but I haven't heard anything about it yet," Cassian asked as he placed his hands on Cassandra's thighs, deciding to make the massage a little more interesting—at least for himself—before things escalated.

"They're happening, even now," Cassandra replied, her voice slightly muffled by the bed. "But the soldiers on the front defensive lines handle them easily enough. Most monsters aren't tough for them to kill. Only a 10-star monster could cause real trouble, but you probably won't hear much about that either. If word got out, it might cause panic among the citizens..."

Her words trailed off, turning into soft, breathy sounds that could almost be mistaken for moans as Cassian skillfully worked on her stiff legs, easing the tension and improving her sluggish blood circulation with steady, firm strokes.

"I assume things won't return to normal anytime soon," Cassian said. He didn't mind fighting—he actually enjoyed it—but if these skirmishes continued, it could soon escalate into a full-scale war.

Though he had never experienced a war firsthand, everything he had read and heard about them painted a grim picture. Wars weren't just about battles and victories; they left behind endless killing and destruction. And what wasn't often discussed was the aftermath—the impact on those left behind. Families losing their sole breadwinner, children losing their mothers, lovers torn apart, and parents grieving their children.

The evil deeds of killers weighed heavily on Cassian's mind, especially when he thought about their victims. But despite that, the word "war" didn't sound as terrible to him as it probably should have. In fact, just hearing it made his heartbeat quicken—the warrior's heartbeat, pulsing with excitement. He couldn't help but wonder how it would feel to face those monstrous creatures in battle, to test his strength against something truly massive.

Then, unbidden, memories crept back into his mind—memories of a time when his cowardice had led him to spare a killer responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent villagers.

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"Yeah they won't, if only our city was under attack," Cassandra said, her voice slightly muffled as she buried her face deeper into the pillow. "But kingdoms and territories all around the Arcadian Forest are dealing with the same problem."

She sighed softly before adding, "And that can only mean one thing—the cult won't stop until it gets what it wants. And that's going to lead us straight into a war."

Cassian's mind drifted as Cassandra's words faded into the background. He began imagining how that war would unfold—a battlefield filled with chaos, the clash of weapons, the roars of monsters, and the desperate cries of warriors pushing themselves to their limits. His excitement grew with every vivid scene his imagination conjured.

He pictured himself standing at the front lines, sword in hand, drenched in blood but still fighting, cutting down monstrous beasts and enemy warriors alike. The thrill of battle pulsed through him, so intoxicating that he almost forgot everything else—his fear, his doubts, even his past cowardice. His heart raced faster, and for a moment, he felt invincible.

His excitement grew, making him forget the cowardice that had once shattered his conviction.

And yet, even with that guilt gnawing at him, another thought struck, darker and more twisted. He was excited. Excited about something as horrifying as war.

Guilt wrapped itself around his chest like iron chains. How could he feel this way? War wasn't just about battles and glory—it was about suffering.

As Cassian wrestled with the tangle of guilt and excitement in his mind, his hands continued to work expertly, kneading the tension out of Cassandra's legs. She let out soft, contented sighs as he eased her stiffness, the deep relaxation evident in the way her body settled into the bed.

But then his hands began to slow, his troubled thoughts distracting him. Finally, he stopped altogether, his brow furrowed as he stared at her back.

"Captain?" he said, his voice uncertain.

"Hmm..." Cassandra murmured, her face still buried in the pillow. She was too relaxed to lift her head, enjoying the lingering sensation of his touch.

Cassian hesitated for a moment, then spoke, his voice quieter than before. "Would it make me a bad person if... if I'm actually looking forward to the war?"

Cassandra's eyes opened slowly, and she tilted her head just enough to glance back at him. Her expression was unreadable at first, and she remained quiet for a few moments, as though weighing her response.

"Why do you think that makes you bad?" she finally asked, her tone calm but curious.

Cassian let out a slow breath, his hands resting on her legs as he tried to put his feelings into words. "Because war is horrible. People die—innocent people. Cities burn. Families are torn apart. And yet..." He clenched his fists slightly. "And yet, I can't help but feel excited about it. The idea of fighting, of standing on the battlefield and facing something huge and dangerous... it makes my heart race. It's like... like I'm craving the chaos."

Cassandra turned onto her side, propping her head up with one hand as she looked at him more closely. There was no judgment in her gaze, just quiet understanding.

"That's not unusual," Cassandra said after a brief pause. "We're Circle Warriors, Cassian. If chaos doesn't excite us, then what will?"

Her words hit Cassian with a strange sense of déjà vu. He'd heard that phrase countless times before from other Circle Warriors—we're Circle Warriors—as if it were some universal excuse. An excuse to justify their obsessive, fight-crazed tendencies, and maybe his own as well.

As she sat up straighter, Cassandra continued, her tone more thoughtful now. "Chaos and war… they're terrible, yes. But warriors like us exist to face them, to shun them down, to unravel the madness. We fight to stop wars, to bring peace. Yet, to do that…" She paused dramatically, her lips curling into a faint, knowing smile. "…we still have to fight. And even if we didn't, wars would still happen, with or without us. If there were no Circle Warriors left in the world, conflict wouldn't suddenly end. It's just how things are."

She leaned back, her eyes narrowing as she drove her point home. "So don't feel guilty for being excited, Cassian. Every species that has achieved intelligence comparable to humans wages war. They purge lives, destroy homes, bring down kingdoms, commit atrocities—and they always will. The only real difference you can make is to be on the side that's… less evil. Sometimes, that's all there is."

Cassian nodded thoughtfully, mulling over her words before saying, "So, what you're basically saying is… the world's already a bad place, and maybe it's not so terrible to be a little selfish or do some bad if it means making the world a less bad place. Even if that involves fighting in wars, since they'll happen with or without us Circle Warriors. So, there's no need to feel guilty about being excited for it… right?"

Cassandra let out a tired sigh at his oversimplified summary but gave him a small nod. "Yeah, you're not completely wrong. But still, war is bad. Don't go starting one just because you're bored." She held his gaze, her voice firm but tinged with weariness. "If you're going to fight, do it to stop a war, or to save innocent lives caught up in one—not for glory. Fight so that, maybe, there can be peace… and so it may lasts just a little longer," as she said this she added "In the chaos of war, morality isn't always clear—but being part of it doesn't make you a monster, also it doesn't care for guilt or innocence. It's a storm, and all you can do is survive."

Cassian was still a bit confused—Cassandra hadn't really answered the real question of whether it was wrong to be excited about fighting in a war. But maybe this was just her way of dealing with that dilemma, sidestepping it entirely.

One thing, however, became clear to him: war was part of human nature. 'And if I enjoy it… maybe I'm just being true to what humanity has always been.'