Joe stumbled but quickly caught himself, finding his footing before he could fall.
"Are you sure you're alright?" Shelly asked, standing up alongside him.
"I'm fine," Joe replied, his voice steady despite his exhaustion. "My body just needs a bit more time to recover. I used too much mana in my last fight."
"I'm not talking about your body. I'm talking about your mental state. You didn’t look good back there," Shelly pressed.
Joe hesitated, his gaze dropping to the ground. "I'm fine, but… I can’t shake the feeling that all this is my fault. Maybe that Stan guy was right. If I hadn’t confronted him, none of this would’ve happened." A bitter expression crossed his face.
"It’s not your fault that guy turned out to be a psycho," Shelly countered, taking steady steps forward. Joe followed, albeit more slowly. "You couldn’t have known he’d do something like this."
Joe shook his head, his frustration building. "I confronted him in such a tight space. I should’ve thought about the consequences. I put all those lives at risk, and for what? To prove I was strong? To play the hero?" His voice grew louder with each question before softening again. "Maybe… maybe I should’ve let them take the potions. If I had, maybe no one would’ve died."
"You were doing what you thought was right," Shelly said firmly. "There’s nothing wrong with that."
Joe stopped as they reached the spot where his black blade rested. He bent down, picked it up, and sheathed it across his back. His eyes scanned the burned-out stores on either side of them, now reduced to piles of ash.
"Someone once told me," Shelly began with a gentle smile, "that we can’t change the past. But we can change what happens in the future. Isn’t that right?"
Joe glanced at her, his expression softening. "You’re right. Thanks."
His resolve hardened as he silently vowed, I won’t let it happen again.
But as he studied the destruction more closely, another thought crossed his mind. "Those who died… Can we do the same thing we did in the Black Forest and help them pass peacefully into the afterlife? I know it’s not much, but—"
Shelly shook her head, cutting him off. "That skill only works if there’s a body left behind. Without a corpse, there’s no chance. And the thing about fire is that, it doesn’t just destroy the body; it destroys the soul too. There’s only one person I know who might be able to preserve their souls even now… but they’re someone I hope I never have to see again."
Joe noticed the tension in her voice and decided not to press further. Instead, his thoughts lingered on the gravity of what she’d said. The idea that those people had lost not just their lives but their very souls weighed heavily on him.
"Before we go looking for Mikey," Joe suggested, shifting the topic, "we need information. We need to know where he is and how to ensure this mission is a success."
Shelly frowned in thought, then smirked. "That’s true, but I’m starving. Can we eat first? If we’re going to do this, we’ll need all the strength we can get."
Joe nodded in agreement.
Suddenly, a notification appeared before him.
[Generating New Main Quest]
[Main Quest]
• Objective: Slay The Native “Big Daddy” Mikey
• Reward: 18,000 Rank Points
“What’s this? A quest to kill someone?” Joe asked Syr through their mental link.
[Well, It’s Something You Were Going To Do Anyway. I’m Just Giving You A Little Nudge.]
“Why’s that?”
[Facing Mikey Will Undoubtedly Make You Stronger. Just Need To Ensure You See It Through. I Need You To Be strong. For Both Our Sakes]
“I don’t need your little nudge. I was going to do it anyway.”
[Well, Completing The Quest Won't Hurt You In Any Way, So Does It Matter?]
Joe couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being used. This was his goal—his decision—and Syr’s interference made it feel less like his own. But he shoved the thought aside. Syr probably had his reasons, reasons he wouldn’t share even if Joe asked.
As they made their way deeper into the town, the chaos from the earlier fire had faded, and life resumed as if nothing had happened. The bustling streets returned to their usual rhythm, though whispers followed Joe and Shelly wherever they went.
“Did you see that kid? He beat one of the Big Three—Stan! Someone said he actually killed him.”
“The boy doesn’t even look like a licensed adventurer.”
“That’s insane.”
The rumors were spreading, and Joe couldn’t help but feel uneasy. He didn’t want a reputation for killing. Thankfully, many seemed to doubt the story, which offered him some relief—for now.
The pair arrived at Meat Is Money, a massive building that dwarfed most of the other stores in town. Made of sturdy brick, it stood alone, with plenty of space around it. A bold black sign with white letters loomed above the door, leaving no doubt about its purpose.
Joe and Shelly exchanged a glance before stepping inside.
The door creaked as they entered, revealing a bustling establishment. Nearly every table was occupied, and though most patrons looked ordinary to Joe, a few Mana Signatures hinted at adventurers among them. The rest seemed average—unremarkable.
The waiters moved through the crowded room in tattered brown uniforms. Joe found it unsettling that most of them were kids his age, though a few were even younger. Some servers knelt on the floor, acting as makeshift footrests for customers. Joe grimaced but pushed the thought aside, reasoning that this was just how things worked here.
“There’s an open table,” Shelly said, pointing to a spot in the far corner.
Joe nodded and followed her silently to the table.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Within seconds, a girl approached them. She had messy black hair and stood taller than Joe, looking a few years older.
“Can I take your orders?” she asked, forcing a smile.
Her face was a mess—scratches marred her skin, her bottom lip was bleeding, and her left eye was swollen shut. Her arms, too, looked swollen, and around her neck was a black collar engraved with the number four.
Joe suddenly felt too uncomfortable to speak. Shelly’s concerned eyes darted over the girl, mirroring his unease.
“Are you okay? How do you have so many injuries?” Shelly asked softly.
“Everything is fine. Master takes good care of us,” the girl replied, her voice detached. “Now, please place your orders. I’ve been at this table too long.”
Before they could respond, a loud cough interrupted the room. Heads turned toward the sound as glass shattered against the floor, its echo cutting through the buzz of conversation.
“You bitch! Do you see what you’ve done?”
A man in a white shirt, pants, and boots leapt from his seat, towering over a frail girl. She was coughing harshly, struggling to stifle it with her hands.
"I'm sorry," the girl managed to say, her coughing momentarily subsiding.
A slap sent her sprawling to the ground. Blood trickled from a fresh wound on her already bruised face. Her injuries mirrored those of the girl who had served Joe. Only her vibrant red hair seemed untouched, almost out of place amidst the brutality.
"You think sorry will fix this?" the man roared, pointing at his white outfit stained with sauce, the dark streaks running from his shirt to his boots.
A piece of meat lay at his feet, surrounded by shards of broken glass. "Do you have any idea how much money you just wasted, Number Two? How will you pay for this, huh?" His voice thundered through the room.
"I'm sorry, Master..." the girl whimpered, her body trembling.
"That won't cut it!" A vicious kick to her ribs rang out, followed by the sickening crack of breaking bone.
"Why the hell are you still coughing anyway? Didn't Claudia give you medicine already?"
The girl nodded weakly, every movement seemingly drenched in pain.
"Then why aren't you healing? You're becoming more trouble than you're worth. Maybe I should punish you by never letting you see your brother again!"
Her eyes widened in horror, and she fell to her knees, groveling at his feet as tears streamed down her face. "Please, Master, don't take my brother from me. He's all I have. I beg of you."
"Clean this up, you bitch!" he snapped, pointing at his boots.
Joe and Shelly sat frozen, watching the horrifying scene unfold. Joe's face reddened with fury.
"Who's that bastard?" he growled.
"That's one of Mikey’s Big Three," the server whispered, her voice tight. "The Wild Tamer, Red. No matter what happens, don't get involved. It'll only make things worse for us. Master won't kill her. You just have to wait for this to pass."
The girl crawled forward, clutching a white cloth. She shakily removed the meat and shards of glass before hesitating over the red stain. She reached out to wipe it clean, but the man’s voice stopped her.
"Don’t use your cloth. Use your tongue!" His tone was cold and commanding.
The girl froze, her body trembling with hesitation. But after a moment, she leaned forward, her tongue extending toward the boot.
Red smiled, clearly relishing her humiliation. "Hurry it u—"
A deafening crunch cut him off as Red's cheeks crumpled under the force of Joe’s punch. Red's body was hurled across the room, crashing through the wall and landing in the open street outside.
Joe stood over the wreckage, his bloodied fist clenched, his eyes burning with rage.
Murmurs filled the room as patrons scrambled to process what had just happened.
Joe’s voice silenced them all in an instant.
"Shelly, take care of the girl. I think we just found our information source."
Shelly nodded without hesitation. "You got it." She didn’t even look surprised, as if she'd expected Joe to act.
Joe stepped through the fractured wall, his movements calm yet deliberate. His sword gleamed in his right hand.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous. "How can you do something that disgusting?"
Red coughed, spitting blood as he staggered to his feet. His mouth was missing several teeth. Yet, despite his injuries, he managed a crooked smirk.
"You’ve got some nerve, kid. What I do to that girl is none of your business. She’s mine!"
Joe’s grip on his blade tightened. "She’s yours?"
"That’s right. Every one of those servers is mine. They’re my property. Mikey gave them to me, and I can do whatever I please with them as long as they bring in money!"
"I won’t let you lay a finger on them, you scumbag!"
Red chuckled darkly. "That’s funny, kid. You can’t stop me. They're mine to control. They live to serve me. To them, I am a god!"
"They’re yours to control?" Joe’s voice sharpened. "You don’t have the right to control anyone! They were born free. Who do you think you are to take that from them?"
"You’re a naive brat," Red sneered. "Do you think life is about rights? No one cares about that. The powerful will always be in control."
A glowing blue circle formed in Red’s palm, mirrored on the ground below.
[Red Has Activated The Skill (Summon).]
Blinding light erupted from the circle, and a monstrous creature emerged.
[Red Has Summoned The (Rank 18) Glattanor.]
[The 'Glattanor' Has Appeared.]
As the light subsided, a massive beast towered over the town. Its colossal frame cast a shadow over everything in its vicinity.
The creature stood on four thick legs, each digging deep into the ground. Its body was covered in silver scales, with a massive, tortoise-like shell dominating its back. A long, muscular neck connected to its head, which was bound by a black collar. Crimson eyes glared at Joe with fierce intensity, while its two tails lashed excitedly behind it.
Joe could barely believe his eyes. The creature before him looked like something out of a myth—an impossibly massive beast that seemed more like a sculptor’s masterpiece come to life. Yet there it stood, staring down at him with an air of primal menace.
"Good thing I dragged that bastard outside," Joe thought. "Otherwise, things could've gotten dicey."
[Red Is Using The 'Passive Skill' (Tamer) To Keep The 'Glattanor' Under Control.]
[The Mana Tool: Black Collar Is Enhancing Red's Tamer Skill.]
Red stood triumphantly atop the creature, his grin wide and smug as he surveyed the battlefield.
Joe tightened his grip on his sword. I’ll finish this quickly. Holding myself back nearly cost me last time.
[You Have Activated The Skill (Outsider’s Enhancement)]
[-200 Mana Pool Rank Points.]
[Current Mana Pool:7870]
[+80 Rank Points To Your Physical Attributes (Total: 122).]
[+120 Rank Points To Your Mana Attributes (Total: 165).]
Joe’s figure disappeared in a flash, leaving behind only the dark traces of his mana. He reappeared at the Mana Beast's left side, swinging his blade with precision, aiming to disable its front leg first.
[The 'Glattanor' Has Activated The skill (Hardening)]
The beast’s body glowed with orange mana, its entire frame solidifying. When Joe’s blade struck its leg, it felt like hitting iron. The impact didn’t leave a scratch, and the recoil sent a sharp jolt up his arm, nearly throwing him off balance.
The Glattanor moved faster than its size suggested, swinging a massive limb toward Joe. He barely had time to raise his sword in defense before the strike connected, sending him sliding back across the ground.
Joe halted a safe distance from the creature, his chest heaving. Pain throbbed through his body. The force of that single blow made his bones feel like they might splinter.
"This is control, kid," Red called out smugly, standing tall on the beast’s back. "Obedience and order are what make the world go around."
Joe gritted his teeth, the weight of the battle pressing down on him. Damn it. That thing’s powerful. But Syr said the collar is enhancing Red's control, right? If I cut it off, he’ll lose control. It’s worth a shot.
But just as he prepared to move, doubt crept in. Wait... if I cut that collar and the thing goes berserk, it could destroy the entire town. Damn it!
His mind raced for a solution, and a single, grim conclusion formed. There’s only one thing to do—an all-out attack. I don’t know what kind of skills this thing has, but if I drag this out, it’ll be disastrous. I have to kill it in one strike.
Joe’s grip on his blade tightened, his mana flaring outward in dark waves. One of the inscriptions on the black blade began to glow, radiating a stark white light that danced amidst the darkness.
[You Have Unsealed The Mana Tool: The Black Blade.]
[You Have Removed 1 Seal.]
[+10 Rank Points To Your Mana Attribute]
[-25 Rank Points To Your Mana Pool]
[Current Mana Pool:7845]
"This has to count," Joe murmured, his determination solidifying.
Red sneered down at him. "I’ll make you pay for interrupting my business, kid!"
Joe’s voice cut through the tension like steel. "You’ll pay for what you did to that girl! And while we’re at it, you’re going to start singing about your boss, Mikey. You’ll tell me everything you know."
The battlefield seemed to freeze, the tension thick as both combatants prepared to unleash everything they had.