The vast Republic of Padokea, Rose Grove City.

Within the bustling streets of Rose Grove City, a silver Cadillac was cruising with its midnight alloy wheels across an asphalt road. Hidden comfortably within was one of Rose Grove City's wealthiest businessmen and entrepreneurs, Kanzai Rei, a man whose wealth was something thousands could only dream of.

"Chauffeur, hurry up to the warehouse, eh? You know this kind of business can't wait." Kanzai sat in the backseat, his legs spread comfortably as he held a silver glass in one hand and a loosely dressed woman in the other. This was one of his most important covert business trips; he was heading to a hidden warehouse in the poorest section of Rose Grove City - Blackwood District.

Blackwood District was the "junkyard" of Rose Grove City, a place that embodied the dark muck and poverty generated by large and bright cities. Many who lived there were living well below the poverty line and worked up to three jobs just to scrape by. To the poor of Rose Grove City, it was home.

And it wasn't a place where Kanzai belonged. Sadly, Blackwood District, due to its large population, labor force, abandoned houses, and abandoned warehouses kept countless secrets and was the source of wealth for the richest of Rose Grove City.

As the saying went, the rich often make money on the bent backs of the poor.

And Kanzai Rei was one of those countless aristocrats who sealed their darkest secrets in Blackwood District.

As the gleaming silver Cadillac coasted the dark streets, the roads suddenly became bumpier, the buildings lower and dirtier, and the inhabitants shadier. It only took two miles in for the gleaming skyline of Rose Grove to reduce to the old and worn out buildings of Blackwood.

Here violence, corruption, and gangs ran rampant. Even the police gave up all hopes of bringing Blackwood under the law.

"Okay! Here! Park in this alleyway. The car should be ready, and I'll change into 'character'." Suddenly, the silver Cadillac swerved into one of the infinite hidden alleyways, parking behind an old-fashioned worn out sedan. It was his "cover" car.

Kanzai strolled out of the Cadillac and went to the trunk, grabbing a heap of baggy clothes coated in grease and grime from the hard work of an auto mechanic. He shamelessly changed right there; there shouldn't have been anyone watching. He threw his silver suit into the trunk and completely changed into his mechanic clothes, almost unrecognizable from before.

In just a few minutes, he went from rich aristocrat to blue-collared mechanic.

Obviously, Kanzai couldn't afford to drive through Blackwood District in his Cadillac. It wouldn't be long before he would be mugged and carjacked. Not to mention the suit - it would only point to the lavish wealth behind him. At that point, it was unknown what a Blackwood thief would do.

Not to mention, these times were extremely dangerous for people like Kanzai. This was because of an organization known as Blackwood Redemption, an organization of Robinhood thieves terrorizing the rich. They specialized in stealing at all levels, from petty pickpocketing to full-scale robbery. All members of the society were completely untraceable, not a single member has ever been caught in the act. They faded in and out of the darkness, only striking out against the elites of Rose Grove.

They, in short, were the sworn enemies of Rose Grove's elite. The police, despite the massive heaps of money pooling into their investigation, still had no clue on how to catch these rampant criminals.

Kanzai feared this group the most, he knew he simply couldn't afford to encounter them. Unfortunately for him, oftentimes you attract what you fear most.

Kanzai, now dressed as a hard-working car-mechanic and painter, unlocked the old sedan door with a click. He waved his hand at the silver Cadillac, signaling for it to leave the district. The chauffeur obeyed his orders, quickly pulling out of the alleyway and driving off into the distance.

Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

"Heh. We're finally alone, Kanzai Rei." A ghost's voice came from the shadows, containing the endless chill of winter. With every letter, more and more panic drowned Kanzai's head. He knew he'd been caught.

And it terrified him.

"Who!? Where are you?!" Kanzai swung his head back and forth, searching for that metallic voice. Just as he was about to turn around, he felt a gloved hand rest on his shoulder. It was the Devil's Hand - reaching out to reap his soul from his body.

"Relax...you rich folk are always so uptight. You'd think with all that money you'd learn to relax and 'ride the flow', right? Get down." Suddenly the hand pushed down with extreme force, causing Kanzai's knees to buckle.

Pow!

Kanzai's head slammed into the dusty windshield of the old sedan. He abruptly felt his hands being moved against his will, and in a flash, he was forced into some makeshift handcuffs made out of nylon wire. He was effectively immobilized and handled - all in a span of a second.

Clearly, the thief had done this many, many times before.

And he had. In fact, this man was the leader of the famous Blackwood Redemption, the group of juvenile and young thieves. No one knew who he was, and his codename was simply Redemption to the outside world.

"This truly was the best way, I didn't really want to fight those huge bodyguards of yours. But honestly, did you really think your warehouse schemes were completely hidden from the outside world? Next time, remember that someone is always watching." Redemption spoke coolly; he was wearing a voice changer which kept his voice metallic and cruel. He had no fear of talking.

And just like that, another famous robbery was performed on one of the aristocrats of Rose Grove City. It made the headlines, but there was no witness nor footage of the robbery. And so the legendary Redemption faded away with 200 million Jenny worth of bank accounts.

Where did all this stolen money go? It all cycled back into Blackwood District, as the money would be given to the countless poor and struggling workers of the city. In fact, many new schools, parks, and other projects have been completely funded by the mysterious Blackwood Redemption.

That was why only the elites of Rose Grove hated this famous band of criminals. To everyday Blackwood citizens, Blackwood Redemption was doing good works to save the city.

...

Later that day, in one of the countless apartment complexes in Blackwood District.

"Finally home." A youth uttered under his breath, leaping up the stairs three at a time. He quickly entered the second level of the apartment complex, stopping in front of a smooth wooden door with the number "568" engraved within.

In truth, this black-haired youth had more than enough money to buy this entire complex. It would only require a single phone call and a withdrawal from countless bank accounts connected to him. But this wasn't Karo's style - futile spending only made him feel like one of his targets.

He reached into his pocket, taking out a pair of keys dangling from his Blackwood High School keychain. He chose a plain silver key and used it to unlock the wooden door. With a single step, he entered his home.

Instantly the fresh and refreshing smell of lavender hit him, a content smile settling on his face. He strode into the room and promptly shut the door behind him. Then, as was his custom, took off his dirty and cheap running shoes.

"Nothing like home." Karo strolled into his simplistic and serene living room just to be jolted by the sight of a man lying on his couch - asleep! Karo froze for the next few seconds, his mind racing to register what was going on.

This was his home, and he couldn't even begin to describe the number of precautions he had gone through to make sure his identity and residence was hidden. In theory, this place should be impossible for even the greatest detective to find.

So how could Karo not be shocked when he saw an uninvited guest lying on his dark leather couch?

But Karo was a youth who has been through a lot and seen more, he quickly recovered from his initial shock and began to respond. Several thoughts raced through his head in half a second, his mind processing the best way to handle the current situation.

"Ahh! You finally came - you're a tough one to find! Not to mention having to sit here and wait for you to come home, you really made me work!" This oddly dressed man awoke from his slumber, causing Karo's deep stare to lock onto his hazelnut eyes.

The man sleeping was wearing an unusual dull turban-like cap, with strands of hair flinging out of it. He was poorly shaven and unruly, with a scruffy beard that only spoke of poor treatment. He was wearing plain baggy pants with a loose long-sleeved shirt on top. Not to mention his peculiar dark blue scarf and long dark boots, he truly was a strange fellow.

"Oh! Before you even think of anything, hear me out. Let me introduce myself, I'm Ging Freecss, a good friend of your late father. I think you'll want to hear what I have to say Karo Riverbliss, or should I say - Redemption?" Ging smirked confidently, laying out all his cards on the table.

He had reeled Karo into his trap.