"What did they say?" Maria asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Silas looked at her for a moment before answering.
"They’re making me Leo’s replacement."
"A replacement?" she repeated, concern written all over her face.
"Yup. I’ll be taking over his work," Silas said casually.
"That means there’s a chance you’ll get killed in the streets," Maria said, her tone serious.
"Only if the person trying to kill me is good enough," Silas replied with a smirk, lightly knocking on the caretaker’s door.
Maria fell silent as the door opened.
"Silas, what are you doing here? I thought Tessa called for you," the caretaker said, raising an eyebrow.
"She did. Just wanted to drop by and say goodbye. I’ll be staying on their turf for now," Silas replied with a grin in his face.
"I see," the caretaker said, nodding. "Well then, it's time for you to really go outside huh? Here." She held out a her hand and give something to silas.
5 dollars.
"Thanks for this, I'm gonna give it back someday. I’ll say goodbye to the kids too before heading out," Silas said,
bowing.
With Maria by his side, Silas went to check on the kids. Despite being in his thirties in his past life, he hadn’t been particularly fond of kids. But in his younger days, he’d loved being the “big brother.”
There was something special about being called *big brother*. It wasn’t just about responsibility or setting an example. It was the bond, the sense of building a family with them, even if it wasn’t by blood.
"You all better behave while your big brother is gone, alright? These two—" he pointed at Oliver and Maria, "—will be your big brother and big sister for now. Don’t give them trouble, got it?"
The kids nodded together. Silas wasn’t the type to play games with them, but they all knew one thing: he was their protector. He was the big brother they could rely on.
After the farewells, Silas waved goodbye in front of the orphanage. It wasn’t some dramatic scene—just a calm, collected wave. He’d been through this before. In his past life, when he was chosen to “graduate,” he’d been filled with happiness and hope. But that feeling had been crushed soon after.
This time, though, there was no lingering bitterness or thirst for revenge against the gang. Silas didn’t want vengeance. He wanted change. A different path, not just for himself but for everything around him.
"Shit... what timing," Silas muttered, clutching his stomach as a sharp pain hit him. Still, he kept walking down the street, the goods from Tessa in hand.
He passed by kids playing on the streets, teens pulling pranks on vendors, and junkies slumped in dark corners. None of it mattered right now. He just kept moving.
Blag! A sudden, loud sound echoed from a narrow alley up ahead.
Rrrrrr... ruff! Ruff!
"Whew! That dog’s got guts! Alright, round two. Let’s see who wins!" a teenage boy shouted, picking up a rock.
"I’m telling you, this time I’ll nail it," another boy smirked, tossing a rock in his hand like he was warming up.
As Silas walked past the alley, he caught a glimpse of their “game.”
A dog, chained to a wall, dodging rocks being hurled at it by three teenage boys. They were aiming for its head, laughing as they missed.
"Fuck! That dog’s pissing me off. It keeps moving its head! If I lose, I’m beating the crap outta you instead," one of them growled, pointing at the dog.
“Tsk.” Silas clicked his tongue, stepping closer.
Ruff... ruff... arf... rrrrrrr.
“Shut the fuck up, you dumb mutt! I’ll shut you up with this rock right now,” one of the teens yelled, picking up a heavy rock from the ground.
“Hey, man, that’s way too big. It might kill the—” another guy started, pointing at the rock, but stopped mid-sentence when the first guy shot him a glare.
“It’s better if it kills him. That way, we can play without all the noise,” the first guy snapped, laughing.
“If I crush his skull, I—”
WHACK!
The loud, sudden sound of impact echoed through the alley.
The other two froze, staring in shock as their friend crumpled to the ground, clutching his face.
“What if the four of us played your little game instead?” Silas said, smirking as he stomped on the guy’s face for good measure.
The remaining two teens panicked and looked for a way out, but the only exit—besides the alley entrance—was a locked fence on the other side.
“No point in running, boys. It’ll be fun, I promise,” Silas added, grabbing the shirt of the guy he’d just stomped and shoving him aside like garbage. Then he pointed at the other two. “Go. Stand next to the dog.”
Silas’s victim was already out cold. His head lolled to the side, but Silas didn’t even glance at him. He walked toward the dog, grabbed the chain it was tied to, and yanked it free. The dog barked at him, but Silas stepped back, letting it run off into the streets.
“Let’s get started, shall we?” Silas said, dragging the chain behind him with a twisted grin.
He looped the chain around the unconscious guy, tying him to the fence. Then he stepped back toward the alley entrance, leaving the other two standing there trembling.
“Alright. New rules,” Silas said, bending to pick up a rock. “If that guy over there”—he pointed to the unconscious one—“doesn’t wake up, I’ll keep throwing these at you. Sound fair?”
“W-why us?!” one of the teens stammered, his voice shaking.
“Why? Don’t ask dumb questions, you piece of shit,” Silas said,
throwing a rock on his face.
WHACK!
It smashed into the guy’s face, sending him stumbling. Blood trickled down his nose as he wiped at it, trembling.
“Oh? You’re still standing? Impressive,” Silas said mockingly, picking up another rock.
Several more rocks flew, hitting the two teens over and over. Each hit came with a sickening sound, but Silas didn’t stop until the guy tied to the fence groaned, finally regaining consciousness.
“What the hell’s going—”
THWACK!
Another rock smashed into his face mid-sentence, shutting him up instantly.
Silas grinned, tossing the chain aside. “See? Now that’s how you play.”
“You two, get the fuck out of here,” Silas said, pointing at the two guys.
Faces swollen and bleeding, they stumbled to their feet and ran for their lives, barely able to process what had just happened—or what might happen to their friend.
“What the fuck did we even do to you?!” the guy tied to the fence shouted while in pain.
“Nothing. Hahaha. I’m just bored, you know? Gotta find entertainment somehow,” Silas replied casually, tossing another rock straight at the guy’s face.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
“AAAAHH! Stop! Please, man, have mercy!” the guy begged, tears streaming down his bloodied face.
“Alright,” Silas said with calmly.
Hearing that, the guy sighed in relief and managed a weak smile. “Th-thank yo—”
SMACK!
Another rock slammed into his face mid-sentence.
“Oops. My bad. My hand slipped,” Silas said, laughing.
“Fuck! Stop it, you psycho! If you don’t, I’ll tell my brother! He’ll mess you up, I swear!” the guy shouted, desperation obvious in his voice.
“Oh no, not your brother,” Silas said with mock fear, clutching his chest dramatically. “I’m shaking, man. Alright, I’ll stop.”
The guy exhaled shakily, his body relaxing. “Haaa. That’s right. Untie me, and my brother will spare you.”
“Yeah, sure. I’ll untie you—” Silas paused, gripping the heavy rock the guy had been holding earlier. “If you can survive this.”
“Wait, what?!” the guy screamed, eyes obviously in panic. “I’m not fucking joking! My brother will hunt you down!”
Silas walked toward him, then throws the massive rock into the wall beside him, the impact sending chunks of stone scattering.
“Hey,” Silas said in a low, serious tone as he grabbed the guy’s face, forcing him to look straight into his eyes. “If I catch you beating dogs—or pulling any other shit like this—I will kill you. Got it?”
The guy froze, fear painted across his face. His hands trembled as he nodded, too scared to speak. This wasn’t just a kid standing in front of him— it was a former hitman.
“Good. Sleep it off,” Silas said, delivering a swift kick to the guy’s face.
WHACK!
The guy slumped unconscious against the fence.
“What a joke,” Silas muttered, running a hand through his hair. He wiped the blood splattered across his cheek with his sleeve, shaking his head as he walked out of the alley.
Kring!
[You have save that dog’s life!]
You receive:
- 60 XP
~
Silas headed off to deliver the goods. The walk wasn’t long—about twenty minutes to reach the address.
“Delivery,” he said flatly.
A hand appeared the half-open door, handing him some cash in exchange for the goods.
And just like that, the delivery job for the day is over. Quick, simple, no unnecessary interaction.
Silas was used to this kind of job. He’d done it a million times in his past life, practically perfecting the process. No delays, no mistakes.
Turning away, he began the walk back to Tessa’s place.
As he strolled through the streets, the smell of grilled and fried food hit his nose.
Grrrrrr.
“Damn it,” Silas muttered, touching his stomach. “Why does it smell so good?”
Instinctively, he patted his pockets, hoping for a miracle. His fingers brushed against something—something familiar.
Money.
A five-dollar bill.
“I completely forgot about this!” he said, laughing to himself and holding the bill up like it was a golden ticket.
He scanned the nearby food stalls for something cheap. His eyes landed on one menu.
“Can I get the Iron Belly Sliders?” he asked, pointing at the board.
Iron Belly Sliders were a local favorite—grilled flatbread stuffed with spiced pork belly and charred greens.
“Sure thing, kid. Two minutes,” said the bearded man behind the stall.
While waiting, Silas noticed a familiar figure nearby.
Ruff... ruff.
The street dog.
The same one he saved earlier, wagging its tail like it had just found its best friend.
“You hungry too?” Silas asked, crouching down as if the dog could actually answer.
Reaching out, he checked the dog over for injuries.
“Looks like you’re fine after all,” Silas said, patting its head. “I didn’t really check on you earlier, huh?”
The dog responded by licking his hand, tail wagging even harder now. It seemed to have taken a liking to him.
Silas wasn’t really into pets. He didn’t hate them, but the idea of owning one didn’t appeal to him. Still, animals seemed to get along with him just fine.
Huff… huff…
“There you are… huff… huff…” A familiar voice broke through the air.
“Hey, kid, here’s your order. Just 3 dollars,” the vendor said, handing Silas his food.
Silas, still crouched next to the dog, glanced up. His eyes locked with someone he really didn’t want to see right now.
“Is that your dog?” the person asked.
“Nope. Looks hungry, though,” Silas replied, standing up.
“Yup, because it's my fucking dog, you asshole!” Ray shouted.
Silas raised an eyebrow. “Then why the hell were you asking me if it’s mine?”
Without waiting for an answer, he grabbed his Iron Belly Sliders and handed the vendor his money then grabbed his change.
“Right… whatever. Fuck off,” Ray said, rolling her eyes. She crouched down, calling out, “Hey, Jet! Let’s go!”
The dog didn’t move.
“Jet, come on,” Ray tried again, a little softer this time. Still nothing.
“He’s probably hungry,” Silas said, breaking off a piece of his slider and holding it out to the dog.
“Wait, don’t give him that!” Ray lunged, but she was too late. Jet scarfed down the food like he hadn’t eaten in days.
“If this dog dies from allergies, it’s on you,” Ray snapped, glaring at Silas.
“Fine,” Silas said, unfazed, already halfway through his own food.
“Jet, hurry up and finish!” Ray urged, clearly annoyed.
“Ray,” Silas called out between bites.
“What?” she shot back, arms crossed and irritation written all over her face.
“About earlier—” Silas began, but before he could finish, he bowed slightly.
Ray waved him off. “I get it. You were probably right or whatever. But just so you know, I still don’t like your freaking attitude. Though…” She smirked. “If you got on your knees and begged, I might consider forgiving you. Maybe.”
Silas let out a small smirk of his own, but she didn’t notice. He wasn’t about to let her off that easily.
“Fine,” he said.
“Wait, seriously? You’re actually going to beg?” Ray laughed, pointing at him. “You’re such an idiot!”
“Yeah. But first, do me a favor,” Silas said, his tone suddenly serious.
Ray raised an eyebrow. “What kind of favor would a dumbass like you even ask?”
“Lower your pride,” he said, still calm, bowing again. This time, he made sure to hide his smirk.
Ray blinked, stunned for a moment. Then her expression turn into annoyance. “What the fuck is wrong with you bastard?”
Silas didn’t answer. He just went back to eating, completely ignoring her.
Ray clenched her fists, then took a deep breath. “You know what?” She raised her middle finger at him. “Fuck you.”
Commanding Jet to follow, she stormed off, her finger still proudly in the air as a few bystanders turned to stare.
“Bye,” Silas called after her, casually waving her and the dog off.
Ray didn’t look back, but her middle finger stayed up until she disappeared from view.
“What an annoying brat,” Silas muttered, finishing the last bite of his slider.
Silas finished the last bite of his food and plopped down on a bench to rest for a bit. As he leaned back, he decided to mess with the game screen hovering in front of him.
“Ok. Let’s see” he said while poking at the screen with his finger. His eyes wandered around, checking if anyone could see what he was doing.
“Hey, what’s that kid doing?”
“Is he… poking the air?”
“Bro, is he on something?”
“Maybe he’s on drugs. Oh hell no he is too young.”
“Don’t stare. If he’s crazy, he might notice us.”
Hearing the murmurs, Silas pause. His hand stopped mid-air.
"Yeah, nope," he muttered, quickly lowering his hand and pretending like nothing happened.
He decided this wasn’t the best idea.
Kring!
[You've unlocked an instant combo attack skill by using karate kick 3 or more times!]
You receive:
[Jab-Cross-Mawashi-Geri]
A quick punch combo followed by a powerful roundhouse kick.
"Crazy. So i can try it on without practicing it huh?"
~
As the night dragged on, Silas found himself walking with a growling stomach again.
Then, he sensed it. Someone was watching him, hiding in the shadows. He heard low whispers.
"I'm sure it's him."
Silas quickly turned and saw a tall guy, probably in his twenties.
"Are you the one who messed with my brother?" the man said, his voice low but filled with anger.
"Yeah, it’s him! You’re screwed now!" The guy Silas beat up earlier pointed at him, grinning.
"Too much stress on the first day," Silas muttered under his breath.
The tall man laughed. "This is it? This little punk messed you up?"
He stepped forward, dropping into a boxing stance.
"Look, I don't wanna beat up kids, but you're really starting to annoy me," the tall guy said, swinging his arms.
Fuck, he’s a boxer.
The tall guy had the height and reach advantage, but Silas wasn’t scared. He was calm, focused, ready to dodge the punch.
"Dodge all you want, you bastard!" the tall man yelled, calculating every punch.
One punch slipped past Silas’s shoulder, grazing him slightly.
"How’s that feel?" the man said smugly.
"Finish him, bro!" the younger guy yelled from behind.
The tall man wound up for a bigger punch, giving it everything he had, encouraged by his brother.
But Silas was faster than expected. He stepped back, pivoting his body, just in time to avoid the punch.
The punch didn’t stop. It came at him faster.
Swishhh!
Silas raised his left hand, using a rising block to deflect the punch as it came at a high angle.
Thwack!
"Fuck!" the tall man cursed as Silas blocked the punch cleanly.
Silas quickly closed the gap between them.
"What the hell are you?" the tall guy asked, his smirk gone, replaced by confusion.
"Tsk," Silas muttered.
Then, he caught the guy off guard.
[Seeing patterns]
[Using Jab-Cross-Mawashi-Geri]
Silas unleashed a combo of punches, hitting the man with a rapid sequence. The younger brother stood there, stunned, unable to move, watching in fear as his brother was pummeled.
"We’re fucked," the younger guy whispered, his eyes wide.
[Using a roundhouse kick now]
Swishhhh.
Whack!
The tall man was knocked out cold, falling to the ground unconscious.
"Shit! Why does this always happen?" his brother muttered, panic creeping into his voice.
"You. Get the hell out of here with your brother," Silas said, grabbing the guy’s head.
Kring!
[Win a fight with an amateur boxer]
You received:
- 80 XP
"That’ll help," Silas said, turning away and heading toward Tessa’s place.
Silas walked toward the building, rubbing his shoulder where the punch had landed earlier.
He opened the door to find Shane sitting there, looking like he was meditating.
But as soon as the door creaked open, Shane's eyes snapped open.
"Kid. What the hell took you so long to deliver one package?" Shane asked, his voice sharp.
"Sorry, I got lost trying to find the address," Silas lied smoothly.
Shane scowled. "First time, huh? Leo did better than you on his first day, and I was really hoping you wouldn’t end up dead this week." Shane’s tone was serious.
Silas just brushed it off. "Where’s the room?" he asked, wanting to move on.
Shane clicked his tongue, clearly annoyed. "Upstairs. Number 4," he said, his tone dripping with irritation.
The building had five rooms upstairs. It wasn’t their actual base, just a place they used as a turf.
When Silas got to his room, he expected it to be a mess. But to his surprise, it was clean. All he had to do was wash up and get some sleep.
He didn’t waste any time, heading straight for bed after a quick shower.
----------------------------------------
Lifetime: 7 days
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