It was still the afternoon when a man showed up in front of Edmund’s house. He was holding a knife in his scarred hand. Behind him was a 17-year-old boy.
“I’m certain the kid entered this house after talking to the guard” after hearing what the boy said, the man kicked the door open with his leg.
He walked in with his back straight and his chess puffed, appearing very intimidating. He expected to start hearing a child’s cry within moments, which was music to his ears.
But, the child looked at the intruders with indifference and then spoke, “Are you here to help me fix up the house?”
The man and the boy with him both laughed. The boy added, “we are here to teach you a lesson about the law of the streets.”
The man added, “don’t worry, you will live. You will be a walking example of what happens when you piss off the Drill Gang” without wasting time, the man moved forward to hold Edmund with his hand. He aimed to hold him from his nick, but before his hand reached it - his fingers were broken.
“This is the example? Are you breaking your hands before me to show me how far you would go? I’m terrified; I’ll tell everyone.” Edmund teased.
The boy, who was previously confused about what just happened, felt like he had just got an explanation. But, the man suddenly fell to the ground and screamed in pain; he had not yet registered what had happened. First, he saw the child touch his hand, then moments later, he was in pain.
The man stepped back in confusion and pain and ordered the boy, “Rick, show this kid the same pain I am feeling; let him feel it.”
Rick took a step forward and was about to do as ordered when his gut feeling overpowered him and called for him to just run away. It was illogical; he feared the gang more than he cared for a child that he did not know - But he survived this long by listening to his instinct, and he decided to listen to it this time as well. So he did not move or speak; he just stared at the situation and tried to understand what was happening.
The man quickly repeated his order while grunting in pain. “What are you waiting for? Do as I said!”
Edmund looked at the boy before him with interest and then started walking toward the man. Before the man could react, Edmund jumped to the same height as the man and then stuck his hand into his face - making him fly seven steps back, hit the wall, and then fall to the ground.
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He then spoke, “The lesson you wanted to teach me, perhaps it is the strong survive, and the weak should learn when to hide?”
Rick watched what happened before him in disbelief. Then suddenly Edmund looked at him.
“So - are you here to teach me as well? I propose instead that you do me a favor. See, I need you to clean the blood and carry that bulky body away from him.”
Without another word, Rick used his shirt to clean any drop of blood on the floor and then quickly carried the man outside the house. Before leaving, Rick emptied the man’s pockets and his own per Edmund’s instructions and gave him everything, then quickly vanished from Rick’s sight.
“Such a good starter pack. This knife looks good; the money will be useful as well.”
As he said those words, Edmund suddenly saw the wall collapse in front of him.”Ah! I should’ve forced them to fix the house! - I’m sure the man will return with more people, At that time, I'll strip them of everything. But, I guess I can't wait for them to show up here - it could be days, and I can’t sleep here without a wall - or let my mother come back to this - I must follow them and settle this right away, instead of wait for them to show up when it is convenient to them”
Upon deciding this, Edmund closed his eyes and focused some mana on them - when he opened his eyes, the world had gone darker, but people’s presence was suddenly glowing. The wall the man fell into had a glowing green light, and the boy that carried him had a purple light - all Edmund had to do, was follow the Green and purple light combination to track where they went. He did not wait too long and quickly ran after these lights.
‘This is not how I wanted to explore these streets for the first time; I would’ve preferred to see it with my natural eye - but I guess I have no choice,’ He thought to himself.
He followed the lights until he saw they had disappeared inside a building. Inside he saw the presence of two strong lights, one of them belonged to a magician, while the other belonged to an experienced swordsman - from their aura, he could tell that they were strong “so they aren’t just riff-raff here.”
He then heightened his hearing and listened inside; Rick was speaking to someone “Boss, the child has awakened powers- I think he might be a magician; he is stronger than anyone I’ve ever seen” as soon as he said those words, everyone inside laughed and multiple voices started teasing “And you say that directly to the boss after you saw him?”
“And about a child no less!”
“Maybe we should start calling him Rattled Rick.”
“But, Dariun returned all bloodied, so maybe..” - “Nah, that guy is even more of a fool, he is only good for his scary looks, even my mother can beat him.”
Everyone inside laughed and spoke to each other, which made it clear to Edmund, “So, they are all part of the gang.”
“Well then, it's time to clean up.”