Nashiro was on the criminal’s heels. He was catching up when the thief noticed.

"Huh? A boy?"

He muttered as he pushed past a man carrying some crates. The crates flew into the air and crashed down next to the pushed man.

"You bastard!" The angry man shouted as his items were in pieces.

The thief was a normal height with a worn out gray hood over his head. He had a thin but lengthy moustache and yellow eyes. Even with Nashiro's athleticism, he wasn't gaining all that much on his long legs that had brown worn-out pants that lookeda bit short and tight for him but it wasn't slowing him down.

Nashiro followed him closely and noticed some guards in the distance.

"HEEEEY!"

He shouted, "THIEF!!!"

The guards were alerted and drew their spears.

The thief looked out of options until he spotted an alley. He noticed a path to his right but before that he had to get the boy off his tail.

He saw a girl with a basket of flowers and managed to grab her arm, throwing her into Nashiro.

"Eeek!"

The girl screamed as she ended up crashing into Nashiro.

The thief smirked and ran into the alley where the two guards followed him into it.

The young girl looked up and saw her basket on Nashio's head.

"I'm so sorry mister!"

She pulled the basket off his head as he spat out a few flowers that ended up in his mouth.

"Are you okay?”

Nashiro turned to the girl, forgetting about the thief for a moment.

“I’m alright.”

Just as he got the confirmation, he stood up, “I got to go!”

He dashed towards the alleyway.

“Wait a second!”

She tried to get his attention but he was already gone.

The thief looked behind him and saw the guards chasing him.

‘How do I shake off these guys?’

He was coming up to a dead end and had to stop in front of the wooden wall. He quickly looked around and it was just him, the walls of the buildings and a few barrels that had trash in them.

“Stop right there criminal!”

The guards were approaching quickly but he had an idea. Their armour was light but they were running towards him hastily. He dropped the barrels and kicked them towards the guards, making them trip over since they didn’t manage to jump in time.

“Heh! You guys are too easy!”

he laughed as the guards struggled to get on their feet. Nashiro just about managed to see his body climb over the wall and the sack he had with him. His footsteps were hearable and Nashiro had no time to waste. He ran forward as fast as possible towards the wooden wall and propelled himself with the help of a guard's metal helmet, jumping against the wall of a building and managing to land on the other side with grace.

“What!? I can’t see!” The guard that he used had a helmet on and it was now stuck on his head.

Nashiro could see the thief and continued the chase. He turned around and saw the boy to his displeasure.

‘I thought I got away from him! Guess I'll deal with him myself.’

He turned the corner onto a street and Nashiro followed but upon turning Nashiro was almost face to face with his enemy.

“Got ya!” He had a dagger and was about to kill him with it. Nashiro folded his legs and the dagger just missed his head and took off a few hairs instead. He slid behind the thief and rapidly turned towards him.

‘I could have died right now,’ he touched his neck to make sure he wasn’t bleeding or anything, ‘The way he swung, he was aiming for my neck and wanted to end me for good.’

His surroundings weren’t promising either. It looked like he entered the slumps of the town. There was barely anybody around and the ones that were didn’t look like any help as they covered towards the little bit of shelter they could find.

‘I’m on my own here,’ he concluded and looked back at the thief.

“You are really pissing me off kid!” The thief had a slightly deep but tidious voice. He cracked his neck and switched the dagger from his left hand to his right, “This is your final chance to leave. If you refuse, I won’t have any mercy in killing you.”

“You would resort to killing when things don’t go your way?”

“I’m not a fan of it, trust me. What I have in this sack is more valuable than your entire life will ever be.”

“In the sack? Mind telling me what’s in it?”

“No can do! I'm on a job and they explicitly told me not to say anything even if I get caught. Now, choose your fate!”

Silence came upon them as Nashiro was debating himself but he clenched his bottoms and spoke again, “To be honest, I’m scared shitless and my body wants to run away,” The thief smirked, thinking he had won, “But…” He raised his head and looked at him with one eye covered by his ginger hair, “I can’t let scum like you get away with no punishment!”

The thief started to laugh hysterically.

“I commend you for your bravery. Can’t blame you either. Everyone wants to be a hero nowadays but is that really what you want? There are some vicious rumours going around in the past few years. Some saying that those who have become known through their bravery gets their head put on a stick as a warning to the populus with no sign of who or what killed them other than a symbol drawn in their vicinity of the body and the name of the group doing it."

He was shook by what the thief said, "I can see it in your eyes that you're pretty frightened. So just let me go and you'll avoid it all. I usually forget faces of the people I come into contact. Its a good deal," The thief shrugged as he spoke, expecting him to waver and let him run away scot free.

"No!" Nashiro stood his ground, "Rumours can be fabricated on the spot and I think that you're lying. Your tricks and deception won't work on me."

The thief sighed and placed a hand on his face in dissapointment, "If only it was that simple," he ran his hand down his face, "You leave me no choice!"

he charged towards him and slashed the dagger in his hand.

Nashiro moved back, dodging his strikes. They weren’t particularly quick but one wrong step and he could end up with a nasty injury.

He tried to punch him once he saw an opening but missed and got his arm slashed.

“Aghhh!” Nashiro moved back as he covered up his cut.

‘It was only a split moment but he tempted me with a small opening and I played into his trap.’

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

He glanced at his wound and luckily it wasn’t deep. He raised his fists and concentrated more.

“I would have thought you value your life more than chasing after a masterful thief.”

“I am not dying today, I can assure you of that.”

“Brave boy!” He clapped, “You better do something if you survive.” he laughs and attacks again but Nashiro has learned how the thief moves.

'His moves are predictable but he makes it up with speed. I need to keep my focus if i'm going to land a hit,' He concludes.

Nashiro couldn't tell when the guards would arrive but from the looks of it, it would be too late if he waited.

The thief lifted his leg and kicked Nashiro. He rolled back once and got on his feet quickly.

"Just give up kid, you won't be able to beat with with no weapon. I have the advantage," He shouted as he spun the dagger in his hand, "Let me finish my job and I may even consider giving you a few coins,"

"Shut up! You're not going to presuade me!"

Nashiro rushed to the thief.

"I'd hate to have to blow out a a young candle but I guess I'm forced to," The thief said and swung the dagger across the air as he got within range but just before it could reach Nashiro's face, he ducked. He was almost laying on his side and to before the thief could react to it, he kicked the thief in the stomach making the thief stumble back.

"Oghh! Not bad," He spat to the side, "I didn't think you had the reflexes to duck in front of me and be quick enough to follow it up. For a kid, you aren't half bad."

"Thanks but I don't need the compliments," He smirked. 'It was a risky manuver but it worked. I can't be afraid in the face of danger. Even if it means getting hurt myself.'

“Whoa!” Nashiro jumped back as the thief just grazed his leg with the dagger. Another cut, this time a bit deeper than the one on his arm, "Ouch," He muttered as the blood was pouring out of the wound.

"Last chance! This is the finale chance i'm giving you to move away. My next attack won't miss." The thief's playful attitude dissapeared and a serious expression took over.

'Was he playing with me before? I was barely getting by before,' All the confidence from the earlier success popped like a baloon, 'Should I give up? It's not like anyone would blame me for it. I'd end up dying for no reason,' he started backing up and stepped on a molded plank of wood and then it gave him an idea

“I see that I am no match for you, Mister thief!”

“Finally! Some sense out of you. Now step aside-"

“Have you met someone that is proficient in magic before?” Nashiro cut him off, grinned.

The robber tensed up,“You’re bluffing. I'm not falling for such a blatant l-lie.”

He pointed his dagger at Nashiro as he kept calm, "If you had that in your roster, why haven't you used it by now?"

'He took the bait, now I just need something to convincing,' he thought and kept his grin as he looked up at the thief, "My teacher told me that my magic is destructive that if I use it incorrectly, It has the power to erase my opponent within an instant,"

"L-lies! No such magic exists!"

"Are you willing to bet on that?" He calmly lowered his hands, "I'll gladly show you."

Nashiro took a step back and pulled his hand next to his side, chanting something under his breath. The thief had no way to defend if he did have magic. He charged before he could finish his chant. Within seconds, Nashiro launched the plank of wood in his arms and the blade went straight through. The dagger was stuck so deep in the plank that no matter how much he pulled, it wasn’t coming out.

"What the!?"

“Now, we're evenly matched!” Nashiro smacked the plank against the head of the robber and as the robber stumbled backwards. He threw the plank to the side and wanted to finish it while the thief was confused. He launched his fist and hit him right up the chin, knocking him out for good.

“Well, that was eventful,” he pulled his shirt a little and it was torn up a lot more then he realised.

Picking up the sack, he peeked inside but before he could tell what it was he noticed a squadron of guards approach.

"Halt!"

One of them shouted. They stopped for a moment and just stared at Nashiro and then towards the guy that was unconscious. They went back and forth between the two for a bit.

"Arrest him!" Their commander ordered.

"It's not what it looks like!" Nashiro released the sack and raised his hands in panic.

"Tell that at the guard house, punk!"

He was quickly put into binds of some sort. They were rough on the skin and the more he struggled the tighter they became.

"Commander!" A guard called and brought forward the sack Nashiro was holding a few moments ago.

The commander took a look into it and was surprised at what he had found.

"You thought you could get away with this type or robbery!" he smacked Nashiro with his metal hand across his face.

"I'm not the criminal here!" He shot back as he had a bruise on his cheek, "I stopped that guy over there from getting away with it."

"You expect me to believe that story?!" The commander asserted his authority. He was a tall, middle aged and well-educated man. He had small angel-like wings on his helmet that told everyone he was in command. He had a goatee beard around his lips and a very strict expression.

"I suspect you were an accomplice of his,” he pointed at the unconscious thief, “You could’ve had a dispute between the both of ya and then a fight escalated. You knocked him out and planned to take the reward for yourself," he finished explaining and Nashiro just stared, flabbergasted by his words.

"You can't make an assumtion like that. I was clearly chasing after him," Nashiro complained. He noticed the guards that he called from before just walked by him.

"Hey!"

The guards turned to him, "I warned you about the robber, you guys can testify that I was the one chasing him."

The guards looked at each other, "Sorry, we don't remember you," They spoke in fear of their commander who gave them a sceptical look.

"WHAAAAAAAT!!!"

Nashiro wanted to kick them in anger but was held back from doing anything.

"Take him to the station!"

The commander ordered and Nashiro was being pulled away.

----------------------------------------

Several hours went by while Nashiro was taken to the guard house and put in a cell. He only wanted a 'thanks for your help' or something similar but what he got was a cold prison cell that only had a wooden bench for a bed, a thin blanket and a small window to let some light in.If he didn't regret taking action when he saw someone cry for help, he definitely did now. If there was a God or a powerful being that was looking down on him, he prayed that someone would get him out of this unfortunate and miserable experience. He was half-asleep when he heard a door open and a couple of footsteps echoing through the tight hallway. They stopped in front of his cell.

"Wake up!" The commander shouted at him and Nashiro raised his head. Seeing a familiar face, made him jump to his feet.

"Katsumi!"

"I couldn't leave you alone for an entire day and this is what you get yourself into," she was surprisingly calm but had a disappointed look on her face.

"You are to be released. After gathering some evidence and witnesses, It seems we misjudged the situation."ž

"You think?!" Nashiro shot him a look as he crossed his arms in front of the door.

The commander unlocked the cell and Nashiro walked out. It was ackward for him to see Katsumi especially in the situation he found himself in.

"Let's go. You have some explaining to do," She led him outside.

"Nashiro!" Yasune was sitting on the bench outside when she saw him come out. She quickly hugged him.

"I shouldn't have sent you out on that errand. Look at you all bruised up and hurt."

She was concerned about him, seeing his cuts and bruised face.

"I'm fine… I tried doing something good and it backfired on me," he sighed.

"No my boy, it didn't."

A man left the guard house behind him and smiled widely.

He had a fancy green jacket and a white bow tie. On his head was a white tophat and a small golden chain across his chest that went into his pocket.

"Nashiro was it?"

"Yeah, and you are?"

He rotated his body to face him.

"I'm the great Zaga, the merchant of jewelry and riches from the entire land, surely you must have heard of me before,”he posed a bit expecting him to say ‘yes’.

“No, haven’t.”

His posture fell off immediately. Disappointed, he didn’t let that deflate him and smiled either way.

“Nevermind. I wanted to thank you”

“Huh?”

“You saved my reputation. If word got out that I was successfully robbed, my business would be in danger. It would’ve encouraged other thiefs to try the same thing.”

“How do you know I wasn't an accomplice like the commander suggested?”

“There is no doubt in my mind, I saw you chase after him. It took my breath away that a young and fragile soul chased after that fiend,” he took off his hat and kneeled to him, “You’ve got my utmost respect, Nashiro. I even came to bribe the commander for your release,” He laughed. Nashiro looked at Yasune and she nodded to confirm that. Katsumi stayed out of the conversation for now.

“I suppose, I should thank you for helping me out. If it weren’t for your side of the story, I might have been locked up for a good while,” Nashiro smiles meekly.

“No need kiddo. Tell you what, as a reward for your bravery, come to my shop tomorrow and I'll give you something.”

He tapped his shoulder, put on his hat and left the area.

“Well, he's certainly something. It's my first time seeing him in person.” Kastumi mentioned after listening to the conversation.

“I just want to get home. I had enough of today,” Nashiro complained.

“I’m sure you’re hungry by now, you haven’t eaten since this morning,” Yasune remembered.

“You’re not off the hook yet,” Katsumi reached for his shoulder, “We got to talk.”

Nashiro sighed and nodded to it. He just wanted some food and rest at the end of the day. For the time being, he definitely didn’t want to do more heroic acts like that for a while.