Yuri's gaze slowly ascended to see that he had bumped into two guards, one was a goat demi-human while the other one was a wolf demi-human, they both stood there in their shiny steel armor as the sun gleaned off it while the black steel outlined it's intricate engravings seeming to have no response to the sun giving it a matt look, their tall steel halberts resting on their shoulders giving them a pretty intimidating aura, or at least intimidating enough to scare off common thugs or street urchins.

"Hey Faris, am I going crazy or is this little shit actually threatening us?" One of the guards who was the goat demi-human said while looking over to a wolf demi-human, the way Yuri could tell that the guard was a goat demi-human because he had horns like a goat, they were white and slightly bent backwards, his hair was as white and fluffy like snow contrasting his light brown eyes and small short white tail that curved upwards with confidence, unlike the ash haired wolf whose ears were laying almost flat on his messy hair that matched his light gray eyes, his fluffy long tail timidly hid between his legs.

"I don't know Malik, he just looks a little lost, shouldn't we help him find his parents or something." The goat guard glared at the soft-spoken wolf who seemed like he only wanted to diffuse the situation, the goat clicked his tongue -Tch- then looked back at the boy.

"Hey you little street shit, do you know who you're talking to? We're the city guards." Suddenly a evil grin sprung on the goat demi-human's face. "You know what since I'm such a nice guy I'll let you off, but only if you get on all fours, lick my boots and apologize."

Yuri just kept looking down quietly without making a sound.

"Here I'll even throw in a little reward for you." The guard snorted out in a condescending and arrogant tone while taking a bronze coin out of a pouch from his waist and letting it fall out of his hand onto the ground in front of the boy, morcking Yuri even more.

As soon as the coin hit the ground the boy just snapped.

Yuri didn't take that insult very well, how could some lowly soldier DARE to taunt him, not only that but to mock him as well, his ego couldn't take it anymore, the only way to regain his self-worth back was if he spilled blood.

The boy suddenly looked up at the guards glaring at them with pure killing intent radiating from every muscle and fiber in his body as it tensed up like a beast ready to pounce, the guard's eyes widened as they didn't expect this, they both instinctively took a step back and readied they're weapons, sensing as if a predator was in front of them ready to kill them, however it was much too late.

The child's crimson red eyes were right in front of them as he had lunged at them and was already in the air, close enough to attack.

While beating the guards or ripping someone's throat would be a very difficult task for the small six year old boy normally, with Physical Enhancement he could take them out, in a fight to the death head on he would already be on the level where he could kill a guard one on one however by having the element of surprise he could easily kill both of them.

Yuri swung his open hand towards the goat demi-human neck, he was going about claw out the guard's throat without a hint of hesitation, however when the boy's hand was just centimeters away from the demi-human's skin someone interfered with Yuri's attack and grabbed his wrist stopping him mid air, that person had a familiar strong and firm grip.

Now, even angrier, the boy's eyes immediately locked onto the person who dared interrupt him and was about to swing his other hand at the source however he stopped in shock the moment he saw who it was, the one who had stopped him was none other than Arthur, his expression was stoic however his eyes showed just how angry he was at the boy's action.

After the hooded man let go of Yuri's wrist, the boy landed on the ground and stood there quietly while looking down at the floor while his hands clenched tightly into fists. He knew he had made a grave mistake and had let his ego and arrogance take over him too easily.

He looked around and saw people were staring or at least glancing at the altercation as they walked by.

The only person who he respected at that moment was Arthur and also the only person whose opinion he cared about however even so, it was a bit embarrassing to be looked at by so many people.

Arthur just looked down at Yuri in disappointment before switching his gaze to the guards and putting on a fake dumb smile. "Sorry mister guards, my son here is very short tempered sometimes and tends to act out of place, I'm sure there's a way we could forget all about this."

Yuri gaze shifts up, his hair slightly covering his eyes as he sees Arthur handing over a few silver coins nonchalantly to the goat guard while the crowd around them just keeps moving as if this were normal now averting their gaze from the situation.

"-Ahem- Well I guess we can let your son off the hook this time since you seem like a rather generous man." The goat demi-human then glanced over at Yuri, a look of uncertainty was present on the man's face and even though he tried to hide it he was already subconsciously intimidated by the little boy now.

The guards walked away awkwardly into the crowd, still alert of Yuri's presence even though the little boy that looked like a common hoodlum was just looking down at the ground facing Arthur who stood tall even amongst the crowd and his steel glaive making it look like a beacon as it's white edge shined thanks to the sun.

"What was that?" Arthur's voice had become low and intimidating, sending a cold shiver down Yuri's spine. "I take my eye off you for a few minutes and you almost murder a guard for a mere petty insult?"

"I..... sorry." Yuri couldn't bring himself to face Arthur, he was afraid to see the disappointment on his face.

Arthur just sighed before getting down on one knee and putting his hand on Yuri's shoulder, his grip was firm yet gentle, Yuri looked up slightly, his hair still covering most of his eyes, the look in Arthur's eyes wasn't that of anger or disappointment, it was that of worry.

He leaned it closely and whispered in Yuri's ear.

"Yuri, listen to me, you won't be able to become a propper warrior if you lash out at every lowly bastard and trash that steps out of place, there are times and places where you must remain patient, don't worry you will make him pay, but you can't do it here in broad daylight especially where there are witnesses... you must first stalk your prey, find its weakness and when he's most vulnerable..... strike him down with one swift motion." Arthur's eyes glowed softly as the toxic green color of his eyes felt suffocating, Yuri nodded, a calculated and cruel smirk spread across Arthur's face.

"Yes, master." Yuri then started walking back into the crowd the same direction the two guards went.

"We'll be staying at an inn called the Toothless Tiger, it's a place I visited a few times before in the Red Light district, it's not exactly a place for kids, but don't worry, you're my student so you'll fit right in with all teh others." With that both of them parted ways, the hooded man standing there, fading into the crowd while Yuri just walked away, following the guard's direction.

A few minutes later Yuri managed to track down the guards who were still making rounds around the market plaza, Yuri closed in the distance however he still kept himself hidden in the crowd or behind stalls.

"Hey, do you remember that kid, the one with the red eyes, don't you think there was something off about him and his dad?" The goat demi-human said while walking, looking straight ahead.

"I mean I guess so... that kid, he seriously gave me the creeps... hey, do you think that if his dad hadn't stopped him he would have actually... you know." The wolf demi-human felt timid, his ears still flat on his gray hair as his tail went between his legs.

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"Dude straighten up, we're the guards here, how are the people supposed to feel safe if they see you like this?" The wolf guard straightened his posture at the goat demi-human's command, his tail now swinging timidly and his ears perking up slightly.

"Don't you think we should, you know, report it to the commander or something?" With that the goat guard smacked the wolf demi-human over the back of his head.

"Dumbass, if we report it the'll find out about the 'funds' I've- I mean we've been taking, then you can say goodbye to your job." From what Yuri could tell the wolf demi-human wasn't actually a bad guy or anything like that, the goat guard was just and asshole and pressured him into doing bad stuff, the wolf probably just tried to fit in with the otehr guards not wanting to be bullied or looked different by his seniors, he looked barely 17, most likely having joined the guard as soon as he could.

Yuri thought about it carefully while following the two guards for a few more hours as they just made rounds around the marketplace plaza, he would let the wolf live, but not because he felt pity for the teen, it was simply because the goat was the one who insulted him while the wolf demi-human just cowardly watched deeming him not worth the trouble of killing him.

Finally night approached and the two guards finished they're shifts, they walked to a giant stone fortress like building where may guards were casually strolling in and coming out of, some even in civilian clothes, it's design was simplistic yet robust being a giant rock fort with many entrances, openings and balconies spread out tactically with guards posted up in each spot, almost like a jungle gym... whatever that is.

Yuri followed the men however he staying at a safe distance from teh building as to not be spotted by the other guards patrolling around, a few minutes later the sunset was changing the sky in a vibrant show of different shades of red and orange, the wolf and goat guard came out of the in civilian clothing and each went their separate ways, naturally Yuri kept up closely behind the goat demi-human.

For a few minutes the man just wandered around sometimes greeting random people, after a while he finally reached a small house that was along the other black rock built houses that formed almost like a living network for the middle-class, he entered it while Yuri sat in a dark alley opposite of his house watching him.

The small boy peeked inside the house through a small window next to the front entrance, often looking around to make sure nobody walking down the street would notice him.

What he saw made him freeze, the goat demi-human had a family, a wife who looked to be a sheep demi-human judging by her unusually fluffy and long white hair, her amber colored eyes and her friendly and warm appearance, she smiled softly as she heard the man enter the house, carefully making her way to him in a elegant strides while his three children who looked only a bit younger than Yuri himself ran up to the man, they all hugged each other like a big happy family.

A dilemma formed. His sense of pride was being threatened by the little compassion he had left in his heart.

As time passed by and the night fully set, the wife put the children to sleep in a sprate room Yuri could not see then and joined her husband into their room, Yuri followed them, now standing on the side of the house looking through another window.

Yuri watched their every move as they made they're nightly routine, suddenly both of them started taking off their clothes and slowly going into bed under the sheaths, they started moving in weird ways.

The innocent boy's face became red from, emberassment, he felt like he was watching something he wasn't supposed to so he looked away and sat down by the window leaning his back against the wall, all he could hear was the creaking of the bed and low moans, he didn't know what was happening neither did he want to find out... or so he told himself.

Yuri just sat down and endured the sounds, he wanted to know what they were doing but he remembered his father's words to stay out of an adult's business, a few minutes later the room went quiet.

"Hold on baby, let me go for a quick smoke." The goat demi-human said before he got up from his bed and started walking towards the window, Yuri kept silent, sitting under the window, each step of the man was louder and closer to his location.

Suddenly the nude goat guard opened the sqare glass window and lit up what looked like a device that has a mouthpiece at one end of a tube and a small bowl at the other end, he used Flames to light a small flame under the end with the small bowl with his ring finger, he took a deep inhale of the mouthpiece part then exhaled smoke with a groan of relief.

The demi-human opened his eyes and looked down, a chill of terror ran down his spine as he saw the little boy's outline thank's to the small flame he casted, before he could even let out a single sound Yuri lunged up and grabbed his throat, crushing it, blood started pouring out of every orifice on his face, his eyes forming tears of blood that ran down his cheeks, his nose and mouth also dripping blood.

Yuri let go of the man's thoat before turning around to face him, while the man's face was a picture of terror and fright all Yuri could see was his own bloddy reflection in the man's eyes.

The man let out a loud wheezing sound before dying abruptly.

"Honey what was that? Are you ok?" The woman demi-human asked worriedly, her face facing the direction of her husband's lifeless body as it plopped over the window's stool even though her amber eyes were trying to uncover what the silhouettes were doing, Yuri had already entered the house through the window.

"I'm sorry, you can hate me as much as you please, however I can't stop now." Yuri's voice was somewhat shaky as he tried to keep his nonchalant demeanor. He walked closer and closer, each step louder and louder.

"WHO ARE YOU?! WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY HUSBAND!" She wasn't scared or panicking, she was worried about her husband.

Hesitantly Yuri decided to respond in a cold and calculating manner. "I killed him."

The woman's eyes became empty and lifeless, she got up covering herself with the sheets from her bed and walked up to Yuri then slapped him, the sound echoed through the air for a few moments.

A few moments of silence passed before the woman spoke again, this time in a soft and quiet tone. "Whatever you do to me doesn't matter, however please, spare my children, that is all I beg of you." She got on her knees and bowed, tear flowing down her cheeks.

"Sorry." That was all Yuri could say before cupping the sides of her face and twisting her head with one quick smooth motion giving her an immediate and painless death as that was all he could offer her, he couldn't risk her being a witness, she had seen his face.

Yuri just stood there looking over her dead body as it laid on the floor, her beautiful long snow hair spread out contrasting with the dark woden floor, her head was facing the opposite direction of her body, her expression was calm as if she had accepted her death even offering it.

A tear ran down Yuri's cheek as images of his mother kept popping up in his head, her beautiful sharp blue eyes, her long well kept golden hair, and lastly... her severed head on the spike the bandits skewer it on, he was so lost in thought he didn't remember to extinguish the pipe the man was smoking as a small lit amber had fallen on the floor, the outside walls may have been made by stone but the inside was still fully made of wood.

Moments turn into seconds and seconds into minutes before the boy is brought back to reality by the sudden thickness of the dark smoke that started piling up on the roof and the erupting flames surrounding him, he quickly ran out of the room but not before looking back at the woman's body one last time.

He hurriedly looked around the house rushing through each and every room in search of the children, the clock was ticking as the flames were engulfing everything, finally he managed to reach the room where the children slept however the sight he saw was not a pleasing one to say the least..... he was too late.

The bodies of the three children were laid on a large bed they shared , they're cries and pleas for help having long since been extinguished by the inferno that charred they're small frail bodies and the toxic fumes in the smoke.

They died a painful and slow death however they died holding each other closely..... like a family.

"I..... What am I?" He was becoming like the monsters that put him in his situation in the first place, merciless bandits who just killed for fun and sport.

Yuri walked away as the inside of the house burned away, he kicked open the front door and ran down the road without looking back and before anyone came out to check what was going on. The farther he ran the bigger the flames, they had bursted out of the house through the windows and the door, the whole neighborhood was waking up as candles were being lit inside the houses and people rushed out, but before anyone could see him, Yuri was long gone.

.....

As the small boy stumbled on the cobblestone road he felt a new burden chain his heart.

"I truly am the monster now Noir."

Looking around he found himself in a tight, completely dark alley, not a shred of light in it, almost reminding him of his previous nightmare.

"Shit, now where am I?" Yuri looked around, finally after a few second of walking he managed to see a light and walk out of the alley and into a street, this one seemed more populated and lively than the one before, now all he had to do was find out who he could ask for directions to where the Red Light district was, there were a lot of young people around, especially couples and delinquents.

Yuri spotted a pair of guards patrolling around and sat in front of a house pretending to be a beggar, he definitely didn't want to ask them for directions, then as fortune would have it a frail looking old lady stopped in front of him.