Intermission: Adventure!

(Souta POV)

(Souta is the kid who appeared in Chapter 4: Village.)

I have been saving up money all this time from the things I stole. Food, equipment, and others to keep my brother and me alive.

I was coming back from a good haul, but when I reached our home under the bridge, my brother was not there.

I could only find four peculiar thugs loitering around, stealing our belongings, and consuming our food.

Souta: “Hey! What the hell are you doing?”

Thug: “Oi, kid! Shut up! The boss said you were doing jobs around here without paying respect. This is your payment.”

I can’t believe it. I tried looking for my brother, but it seems like they took him somewhere else.

Souta: “Oi! Where’s my brother!?”

Thug: “We took him as payment. Until you get us 500 gold coins, we will use your brother in our business.”

What? 500 gold coins! I barely have 10!

And with them taking our things, it’s only around two dollars now.

Damn. What the hell is this?

They pushed me to the ground before they left.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

Souta...

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For the past few weeks, I have done everything.

I stole from old grandmas in markets. I took it from drunkards sleeping in the streets at night.

I mugged weak-looking people by stabbing them with rusty knives in hidden streets to get all the gold coins I could.

Luckily, I was good at running and escaping. Whenever the guards see me, they never catch me.

I finally had 50 gold coins. I went to their hideout to make an early payment. I want to see my brother before I can continue.

Souta: “Oi! Let me see my brother. I already have 50 gold coins here! I’ll pay the rest in the following months.”

Thug: “Hmmph.”

He took the pouch of gold and pushed me. I hit the ground with force.

Souta: “Ugh! What the hell? Where’s my brother!?”

Thug: “Shut it, kid. We ain’t showing you, anyone, until you fulfill your promise.”

Souta: “Promise!? I never made any! You guys forced this on me! I won’t do this sh*t anymore if you won’t show me, my brother!”

He then took out a large knife and aimed it at my throat. The tip touched my skin, and blood came out.

Thug: “Listen, you want to see your brother? Bring back the money.”

I can no longer take this.

What the hell is this? What the hell?

I can’t even report them since I’m a criminal myself. If I show up near any guard stations, they will arrest me.

What should I do!? What do I do!?

As I was wandering near the entrance of the village, I saw a guy wearing a cloak.

He had this dangerous aura, from what I felt. It was like he was not human. He was taller than the average guard, and he carried these daggers and spears around his body.

The guard did not check visitors as there was a festival going on.

I need to get this guy’s help! It might be weird, but he looks like a criminal too, and he will help for sure if there is payment afterward.

I asked him again and again, and he finally agreed when some guards started to look at us.

I took him to the hideout, where they were hiding Souta.

Some of the guards are as tall as him, but he doesn’t seem to be fazed at all.

He threw daggers! Before I knew it, the guards were already dead.

Amazing. I thought the cloaked guy was a robust and close-range kind of guy.

When we entered, I could not believe what I was seeing.

I remember the clothes. Not the person, though. My brother is not that "thing."

I felt a chill run up my spine. This body, this corpse, can’t be my brother.

He was brutally killed.

Souta: “SHOTA!!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Suddenly, a group of guys entered the hideout. I know the bald guy; he was the boss.

I tried to drag what was left of my brother to the corner. I can’t believe this.

This can’t be. BASTARDS! I feel an indescribable rage.

These guys need to pay. I tried picking up a nearby wooden stick.

I’ll kill these bastards!

What happened next ended quickly.

The cloaked guy's daggers were planted into the thugs, and the bald guy’s throat was slit.

I learned what horror feels like. This guy is no joke. I thought getting revenge was easy.

Strength prevents others from abusing me, so I need to be as strong as him.

I thanked him and assisted him in getting out of the village. He was going south.

I took all my things and buried my brother. I sold all the equipment I got at the hideout. I bought myself some adventuring gear.

Hide armor, potions, daggers, and a bow.

I will follow him. I need to learn how he gets that strong. No matter how long.

I don’t want to be on the side that gets pushed anymore.

Meeting him felt like my destiny.