I take the cup of rum and gobble it down in one go. After that bizarre refreshing taste, I wipe the corners of my mouth and look at Naomi.

“So, did you find what I commissioned?”

So trusting. To think he would just drink it without being suspicious of it being poisoned.

“Wait a bit.”

Naomi signals Jasper to go fetch the information down at the basement.

“Now, while we are waiting. Tell me more about yourself.” Says Naomi.

“Still trying to snoop, huh?”

“Come on now. I’m just a bit curious. Where are you from? Where are you going?”

I look at her nonchalantly before I pour myself another cup of rum, downing it within a second.

“Well, it was better to try than not.” says Naomi shrugging her shoulders.

“Did the hostages escape okay?” I ask.

“Yes they did. The people who took them in have a good cause. They want to liberate innocent slaves of any kind without discrimination. They’ll be fine.”

“I see.” I drink another cup of rum. “I’ll be leaving after this transaction.”

Naomi’s brows twitch a little.

“Really? Will I ever see you again?”

“Yes, we’ll see each other again.”

Naomi is stunned as she weighs her body on the counter.

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because I like you.” I say as I look her in the eyes. “There isn’t a lot of people I like in this world. Anytime I meet someone I like; I just want to have them.”

She is startled by my words. Even her cheeks turn red for some reason.

“D-don’t say that to a woman.”

Naomi is a talented and intelligent individual. I want her to work for me in the future. Right now, it seems like her information network is limited to this kingdom. Not only that, it’s quite fast and efficient too.

“I just hope the next time we meet, you’ll choose the right person to affiliate yourself with.”

Emotion flushes out of her face as she looks at me blankly.

Was that an invitation? Come to think of it, this kid might be under an organisation. Will he invite me to join it in the future? She continues to stare at me, trying to fish for any hidden emotion. But there is nothing on my face. Then again, the vibes I’m getting from him aren’t that of a follower or a subordinate. They are that of a leader.

Jasper finally arrives holding a bunch of parchments. He hands them to Naomi who hands them to me.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Here it is Wonder boy.”

I take the information and start reading it. From the information, it seems the Wixx patriarch will return to his dukedom a month from now. I guess I’ll wait and find some other ruins before paying him a visit. I place the information in my storage space.

Naomi isn’t even surprised now but this action made me cringe since I had told myself I would stop. Well, it’s always tough to stop a habit, I guess.

Just as everything is finishing up, I hear footsteps descending the stairs. Silence washes over the entire bar as everyone wears a dissatisfied expression on their faces. I look over at the person responsible for this change in atmosphere at the corners of my eyes.

He looks to be in his late twenties with black hair and a red and black attire. A long scythe is at his back and he has a weird smug on his face. This person is one of the people I sensed with a higher mana capacity in the city.

He glances over at me and walks right to me. Arriving where I’m at, he slams the counter with his bare hand, cracking it a little before shoving his face right next to mine.

“Hmm, this is weird. In my time since I’ve arrived in this city, I haven’t seen anyone like you.”

Sigh, this will be annoying I can tell. What to do? What to do? Should I kill him? I look at Naomi who has an anxious face. Sigh, I already killed people in her inn. Maybe I should try to resolve this matter with words.

I turn my head and look directly in his eyes.

“That’s because I’ve just arrived in the city.”

That was a good come back if I do say so myself. Resolving a conflict without killing.

Don’t be so proud of yourself, kid. I don’t remember you having a track record of resolving things without conflict.

I would shut up if I were you Ray.

“You see, that’s were the problem is.” He shoves his face even more, almost kissing me. “I didn’t get any report about anyone like you entering the city you see. After all, the city is under lockdown. You know what lockdown is right?”

Ah shit. Guess I should stretch resolving this without a conflict huh.

Hahaha, told you you didn’t have a track record of resolving things without conflict.

I hit Ray with my soul avatar fist on his head as a bump grows.

“Since you seem like you don’t know what a lockdown is, I guess I’ll help and explain. It means no one leaves or enters. So, I’ll ask again. Who are you and where did you come from?”

Naomi interferes in our conversation.

“He’s a friend of mine who leaves in the deep parts of Waham. Please don’t mind him.”

Bloodlust emanates from him and without losing eye contact with me he answers Naomi.

“I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to him. Do you know what I think boy? I think you are the one responsible for all this chaos that has happened in this city. And by law, I must arrest and question any suspicious individuals. That’s you in this case. It’s up to you to choose to resist. Which I wish you’ll do.” He says as he grabs his scythe.

Sigh, how annoying. I backhand slap him in the face sending him flying out of the inn and crashing to the ground leaving a giant hole and a cloud of dust.

Shit, I didn’t mean to slap him that hard. I didn’t kill him, did I? Well, I did hold back when I slapped him by a lot so hopefully, he’s not dead.

From the rubble, the guy stands up with a bewildered face. His cheek red and blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Oh good, he’s not dead. Hmm, maybe he should have just died now that I think about it. Guys like him are persistent. Just from him releasing bloodlust like it’s an everyday thing should have been enough to tell me the type of person he is.

I stand from the chair I am sitting on and as I am I about to go outside and kill him, Naomi grabs my arm. I glare at her with the corners of my eyes.

“Please wait. Please let this go. That man over there is a Slayer. The King Cobra Slayer to be exact.”

Slayer huh. I remember from the information Naomi gave me. Slayers are said to be the protectors of this country. The strongest people.

“So you think I can’t kill him just because he’s a Slayer?”

“N-no. It’s not that. It’s just that if you kill him, forget an organisation being after you but the entire country will be looking for you. And that’s not the only thing. There is another Slayer here in Waham. I’m sure even for you it would be tough to go against two Slayers.”

I see why she wants to stop me. But now, I want to fight him not just to kill him. I want to see the power of one of the strongest people in this country. And I also want to increase my progress bar but I doubt it’ll even increase that much against this weakling. At least I can test out this body of mine to a certain extent.

I exit the inn as I walk slowly to the staggering guy. A surge of bloodlust releases from him as he grabs his scythe which emanates a red/black energy.