Larton Town is a bustling metropolis nestled on the border of the Great Forest, with a magnificent river flowing through its heart, dividing the town in two, and a plethora of offerings that catered to every imaginable need.

Its main strength comes from its unique status as a neutral ground. Unlike other territories controlled by kingdoms or empires, Larton remained unclaimed due to its strategic location and the presence of various factions surrounding it. Moreover, almost all trade routes, merchants, and caravans must go through it, making it a hub and a prize for all.

Everyone feared the possibility of the town falling into their opponents' hands. No one would accept it, so as a last resort and to maintain peace, an agreement was reached that allowed everyone to profit from the town's prosperity. But that didn't stop the powerhouses from playing behind the scenes.

Larton Town, or rather Larton City, considering its massive size and population – 'Town' is just a name that is stuck on everyone's tongues – is truly a melting pot of races and cultures. It welcomes all with open arms, embracing diversity like no other.

"Ugh," groaned a guard stationed at the north gate, stretching his tired body. "What a boring day this is..."

His fellow guard narrowed his eyes and promptly slapped him on the back of his head.

"Fool! If the guards are lazy and the days are boring, that means we're at peace. You should be grateful," he scolded.

The lazy guard rubbed the spot where he had been smacked and scratched the back of his head.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But don't you ever wish for something exciting? Going on adventures, slaying monsters, and getting rich? That sort of thing... Standing in the same spot all day gets old, you know? Sometimes I envy those adventurers and mercenaries."

His companion rolled his eyes; he didn't like what his friend was saying, but deep down, he too felt the same way. Two years ago, he wanted to go out and have his own adventures, but fate decided the opposite.

On a bandit raid, he took an arrow in the knee. With not many options left, he joined the town guards, and since that day he has stuck with this post. Nevertheless, the fire for adventure still burned within him; he wanted to go out but was always hesitating.

"Hey, did you hear?" the lazy guard suddenly spoke, snapping his friend out of his thoughts.

"What?" his friend responded after a moment.

"A few days ago, a caravan got ambushed by goblins."

"Oh, yes, I remember hearing about it. The goblins have been growing bolder lately."

The lazy guard approached his friend, excitement dancing in his eyes. He placed his arm on his friend's shoulder, a greedy smile forming on his face.

"Why don't we track and hunt them down? I bet they stole all the goods, and you know the value of those goods. What say you? Me, you, and two more, hunt the goblins, split the loot, and we can say goodbye to this shit job."

The other guard's eyes sparkled for a moment, captivated by the idea, but he quickly shook his head, slapping his friend's arm off his shoulder. He cast a cold gaze upon him.

"If we get caught, losing our job will be the least of our worries. You probably don't know this, but let me enlighten you. Every merchant in this town has powerful allies backing them up."

The lazy guard furrowed his brow and asked, "What do you mean?"

"There are influential figures running this town behind the scenes, not those you see in the council. They have their claws in everything, especially the merchants. And they won't hesitate to do anything to anyone. Remember what happened last year?"

The lazy guard pondered for a moment, his eyes widening in recollection. "Y-You mean... what happened to that noble?"

His friend nodded slightly.

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"Damn!" he cursed as he remembered that horrible scene.

"Exactly. Damn. Now think about it. If they could do that to a noble, imagine what they would do to mere guards like us."

The lazy guard clenched his fist; the temptation for riches played with his heart. Losing this chance was a big 'NO' for him. He faced his friend resolutely.

"...I am going~"

Before he could finish his sentence, suddenly, tremendous pressure descended upon his shoulder, nearly toppling him to the ground. Struggling to maintain his balance, sweat began to fall from his forehead, and he found it extremely hard to turn his head toward his friend.

He wanted to see if he also felt the same way, when he finally managed to turn. He saw his friend gripping hard to his chest while looking ahead with a pale face and eyes full of terror.

The lazy guard turned his gaze forward, only to witness a raven perched on the shoulder of a tall man. The man, with his black hair and worn armor, carried two imposing black weapons on his back.

But what truly struck fear into their hearts wasn't the man himself but what's behind the man. Both guards could see, with clear eyes, a massive shadow looming behind the man.

The shadow possessed two blazing crimson eyes, which fixated upon the guards. In that instant, the guards felt something grabbing their hearts tightly, freezing the blood in their veins.

The shadow merely displayed a wicked smile, exposing its sharp teeth. Seeing that smile, the guards felt their hearts ripped out, only to be thrust back in all at once. Then, with a broader smile, the shadow vanished into thin air.

In that moment, the pressure also disappeared, and both guards collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. For a moment, they forgot how to breathe; their minds were fixated on a singular image: two fiery crimson eyes.

'The eyes of a demon,' they both thought simultaneously, but were swiftly jolted back to reality when they heard someone addressing them.

"What's wrong with you two?"

Looking up, they saw the same man standing before them. He exuded handsomeness and sharpness in his gaze. Sensing his aura, the guards instinctively stood up, as if in the presence of their king, their eyes still fixed on what lay behind him.

The man narrowed his eyes, glancing over his shoulder but finding nothing. He turned his attention back to the guards and inquired,

"Is there something wrong? Why do you two keep looking behind me?"

The guards trembled, their bodies shaking involuntarily at his question.

"N-NO!... Everything is fine, sir. We're just... a little tired, right?" The guard with the knee injury stammered.

"Y-Yes!... We have an important duty after all... guarding the town."

The lazy guard, drenched in fear, added, even wetting himself slightly.

The tall man's gaze lingered on them for what felt like an eternity until he finally turned to the raven perched on his shoulder, receiving a nod in return.

"Oh, thank you for all your hard work. But you must take care of your health. We wouldn't want you to die from overwork, right?" The man spoke with an innocent smile on his face.

Both guards felt their hearts leap out of their chests at the mention of the word 'die,' and that 'innocent smile' did the opposite of multiplying their fear. Inside, they were screaming. 'This man is terrifying... we're going to die... please... HEEELP!'

"Now, may I enter?" the man asked.

"E-Enter where?" The lazy guard mustered the courage to inquire.

'SHUT UP, MY STUPID MOUTH!'

"Eh?... To the town, where else? I have some business to attend to," the man replied.

"...What kind of business?" the other guard blurted out, only to immediately regret it as he caught a glimpse of the man's crimson gaze before they reverted back to their normal black color.

He remembered the overwhelming sensation he had experienced moments ago and the two demon eyes of that shadow. Then he saw the desperate look on his friend's face—the look that told him, 'What are you doing, fool? Just let him go QUICKLY!'

"...I'm sorry I said that; it's just~" he stammered.

The man waved his hand, cutting him off.

"No need to apologize. You're just doing your job. I simply want to sell a few cores and find a nice place to rest."

The guard stepped aside, extending his hand towards the entrance of the town.

"Well, in that case, welcome to Larton Town."

The man placed his hand on his chest, offering a slight bow in a noble gesture to the guards before passing through the gate and disappearing into the town.

As soon as he vanished from their sight, the guards instinctively looked up at the sky and let out a heavy sigh of relief. The weight of their fear still clung to them, but they had narrowly escaped the clutches of a mysterious and terrifying man.

"So? Are we gonna report this?" the lazy guard asked.

His companion hesitated briefly before shaking his head.

"N-No! Just leave it for now, okay!"

The lazy guard could hear the tremor of fear in his friend's voice and nodded in agreement. They were both petrified to the core.

"Wanna grab a drink?" the lazy guard suggested, attempting to lighten the mood.

"..Yeah!" his friend replied, eager for any distraction.

"Hey! You two, have you seen~ Oh my god! What's that awful smell?" The captain, who had just walked out of the gate, exclaimed, covering his nose in disgust.

"It's me."

"And me."

Both guards responded simultaneously.

"..."

The captain observed tears welling up in their eyes and the damp patches on their pants, and suddenly, a surge of sympathy washed over him for the two guards under his command.

"Oh, well... Ahem... Sorry. Why don't you two take the rest of the day off?" He offered, pretending he hadn't noticed a thing. He had no desire to delve into the details of what had transpired.

The two guards bowed their heads in humiliation, concealing their faces with their helmets as they hurriedly retreated to the guard post to change their clothes.