*Dorian’s POV*

“How many wounded this time?” I asked while looking down from the balcony of the main house. I could see my fellow guards going in and out of the infirmary.

“23 this time. Most of them were wounded from the scuffle we had with the guards of other merchants.”

I turned my head around towards the team leader, the one who just answered my question, “Did I not forbid you to go against people who are from cities? It is fortunate that no one was killed this time.”

“It wasn't luck that we made it out alive from there. They let us go, Captain.”

“They let you go? Why?”

The team leader looked down as his face scrunched in what I could perceive to be anger. He tried to hold his voice from quivering as he answered, “They said that killing insects would just make their hands dirty.”

I looked at the man who was trying to hold his tears down before I turned around to look at the infirmary again. Even if I was angry that people from cities treated us like trash, there was nothing I could do about it. They had the right to say that. They were stronger than us, after all.

“Go and get your wounds treated. We won't have to travel for another 15 days. Get some rest.” I started walking towards the door after asking the team leader to leave. I wanted to get some fresh air, and free time to not think about these things.

I was always proud of my strength ever since I was a child. I would go around saying that I would become the strongest man there ever was. Even stronger than the so-called legendary Stars. After all, even the adults couldn’t defeat me back in the day.

That is, until I came across someone from the cities. That is when I learned that I was nothing but a frog in a well. Someone who couldn't even touch the toes of someone who was properly trained. It was unfair.

I never got to train properly. It was unfair that we didn't have any proper schools in our villages while kids in the cities got to learn from actual professionals. It was unfair that i wasn't given the same chance as them.

I kept walking as I was reminded of all the humiliation I had felt throughout my life. I had to work as a guard in the house of a third rate merchant because of the unfair life I had. Well, not like I could change anything at this point. I had learned to live with my head bowed low to the ones who were strong. That was the only way to live a proper life.

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In the past twenty years, I have only gone from red mana orb to orange mana orb. How pathetic. Even the children from one of those big academies are stronger than I will ever be. Well, the weak should live as the weak. Not demanding too much and being happy with what they are given.

I kept walking as I reached the garden a little far away from the main house. This is the place I come to whenever I feel down. I sit here and look at the starry night above. The beautiful view always made me feel calm.

BOOOM!!!

A devastating sound rang out far away from the garden. I hurriedly turned around to look in the direction of the sound.

“What.. the hell?!”

A massive fire had covered the entirety of the house. My eyes opened wide as I saw the black smoke billowing and the dark sky shone with an orange hue.

“Shit!’ I started running as fast as I could as I strengthened my legs with mana. Branches of trees scratched my face and the scenery zoomed past me.

I couldn't think straight. Why did this happen? Were my men able to get away? I felt fear welling inside my heart.

My men were the only people who I could call my family. The only ones who ever treated me with respect. I couldn't even think about losing them.

I could see the main building getting closer. Suddenly, I felt my instincts sending out severe warnings as I ducked my head and tried to balance my body. I looked above for a moment to see who attacked me, but even after watching i couldn't quite believe the view i saw.

The slave that I had almost killed today was standing in front of me. He was holding a little blade in his right hand as his many pairs of clothing were dripping wet. I couldn't quite understand the situation at hand and just stared dumbfounded at the mute in front of me.

The 4 year old looked like he had come here to fight me. And with his dripping wet clothes, it looked as if he knew about the fire beforehand.

Just as my thoughts reached this point, I snapped at the kid in front of me. I just needed him alive so that he could answer my questions. I clad my fists in mana as I approached him in an instant. The following situation could only be described as fantasy. That malnourished child moved in a way that not even trained guards in the family moved. And when my eyes focused on him again, he had already stepped to the side and there was a long gash running across my arm.

I just couldn’t believe it. That was when I noticed the mana around the blade that mute was holding.

“Fuck!” Mana?! A four year old slave controlling mana? I had received a shock so big that mana around my fists wavered for a moment. I hurriedly created some distance between us and tried wrapping my thoughts around the situation in front of me.

Well, that was until I heard the Mute speak.

“Why aren't you berating a weak old child like me as usual, strong boy? Have you become mute?”

The mute was speaking! I didn't want to believe the things happening around me. I had somehow become sure that it was all a dream. A 4 year old controlling mana, and the mute being able to speak.

Just as I was fighting with my thoughts in my head, the Mute moved in again while mana around us fluctuated. It felt like I was being tied down gradually and I knew I had to immediately change the flow of this fight. Even if he was using mana, even if he was able to speak now, he was still a child. He only got the first attack in, because I was not expecting it. Now that I know that he is capable enough, things would be different.

I increased the amount of mana around my fists and also covered my body with it. I could already feel my stamina decreasing and headache bubbling up due to the amount of mana I was using. But I had to do it .

I ran towards him as fast as I could while also keeping my eyes on him. As soon as I got close to him, he stabbed his blade in the ground and flung it upwards to my face. It was quite an unexpected attack as I struggled to dodge the soil and dirt. However, I couldn't. The dirt had gotten into my eyes but I still swung my fist down at the place he was standing in.

I did not feel any impact, but what I did feel was a sharp pain in my hand as I quickly retracted it. I touched my right hand with my left and to my horror, I couldn't feel my right wrist. It had been sliced cleanly off.

“Fuck! Fight me fairly bastard. Don't throw shit in my eyes.”

“Aren’t you fighting a malnourished child right now, Captain Strong boy. And life itself is unfair. Stop crying about it.”