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18. His First Target

Different from a slum on modern earth, the one in medieval is worse if not outright unbearable. Wherever you see, can be seen a junk and stain from people piss. The hygiene in this place is considered bad, even if seen from a hoodlum perspective

Walking in this part of the city, this place is actually not that shoddy and have a good brightness coming out from upwards. People are seen walking in and out of building whose contents is god knows what. When you walking here, scream, moan and shout can be heard from anywhere randomly, it is just showing how much lively this place is.

But as good as that sound, the crime is done in open while you in this place, and you will be robbed blind if you can't protect your things properly. The law in this place is like the law in the jungle. You weak, then you died. You useless and you'll be disposed. You annoying and your skull will break in the next second. That is why people would prefer wearing black cloak while they come in here.

Slavery and violence are brought out to light in this place, but no one tried to stop it. Even if someone out there is really sympathetic about these people, it is not in their right to do so and they must wary of offending some big shot in here. Or maybe they will found their body disposed to the river on the next day.

Stopping on a certain building, Yoro is seen with a disguise as the other people, well...a black cloak and plain white mask is not to shabby right? And while he on the way here, he has met with a countless attempt of stealing. And all people who did that have to brace with some broke in their bones. He may seem ruthless, but if he shows weakness in here, people would just more eager to try to cross the line.

Stopping in front of the thug who guards this place, he then pulls out a certain badge from his jacket, a badge depicting a viper coiling a wine bottle in the middle of it. Seeing it is their typical badge, they open the door behind them without a word and let him in.

Different from a dirty exterior of the building, the inside of it can be called quite fancy even compared to a normal building in the market of Ehrenar City.

Painting and decoration are being hanged in the grey wall of the room. And bellow, the floor is being made by a brown, glistening wood plank that neatly placed.

Looking right and left, Yoro is walking through that hall before stopping in front of thug guarding the deeper area. "Bussines or join?" He asked Yoro.

Like a cue, one of them speaks to him after he close enough to hear them.

Yoro: "Neither" And just like that, their head is cut out in instant.

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In a certain room on that building...

This room is famed to be the most extravagant and the most decorated room if it's compared to the others in this building.

In this place, a reverberated tapping noise is heard throughout the room. The source of it is a man, sitting behind a fancy desk with a grey hair combed backwards and black fierce eyes in his face.

Continue tapping his desk, he seems to wait for something, or...someone, to come here. Opening his mouth, he then says to the bulky man behind him: "is he really coming?" Even if he seems calm, uneasiness is dripping from his voice.

???: Yeah, boss. We don't know what he wanted, but i have a feeling it's not something good" but on the contrary to the one he called boss, this man seems calmer than him. But more than word calm, it's more like he doesn't believe anything bad can fall to the man he called boss.

The grey-haired man in front of that bulky guy is a leader of the gang in this place. And while he is not the one who rules with the largest territory and dominates others with the strongest combat level, his cunningness and his quick wit has saved him in many, many, times in the past.

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And that is exactly why he is nervous right now. His extremely reliable instinct that saved him many many times before is ringing like mad in his head. It's never been this bad until today's event. So basically, it's like his instinct telling him that he is gonna die, and he won't be able to escape if 'the death' already sees him.

Grey-haired guy: "t-then...d-do you know what is his combat level currently?" Can't keep his composure, he stuttered in his word there. In sync with his nervousness, his tapping on the table becomes more and more quicker too.

Bulky guy: "from what I found, his combat level in the swordsmanship is only in the mid-elementary level last year. Logically, just how much a 9 years old kid can do to you after just one year?" He said convincingly.

Hearing him, the grey-haired guy starts absorbing his words properly to his head, and after he finished thinking over it, he finally can't help but convinced by that the bulky guy words. 'I have trained my sword for 20 years long, and I can't even touch the advanced tier in my swordsmanship, even if that kid trained his sword day and night for 1 year, it's just impossible to reach my level of skill in that span of time'

Assured by his logical and smart thinking, he finally can let out a smile on his face. 'Sigh...my instinct is growing more and more rustier as the time passed. Well, I would just need to train it more in the future then' he thought.

After forcefully suppressed his instinct to calm down, he then intertwined his finger and place it in front of him as his eyes become sharp again. It is his usual style when he is doing business and facing problem in the past, and he always comes unscathed as he does this. And so this time, he will use it again when he facing this brat.

When the bulky-guy sees his boss has calmed down, he then let out a satisfied snort. 'hmph, it is just a marquis son, what could've gone wrong now?' he thought while he folded his arm.

Before this happened, their lackey has found someone with the unfamiliar white mask has come to the slum and heading towards their territory. As he pays the task and follows their protocol, they would just let him enters in, but not before they identify his identity.

Later on, with some threatening and dirty means to the mask merchant, they found out that he is actually the marquis son, Yoro!

He is the one who they messed with when he was going home alone after the Circus event. After that happened, they're faced with some oppression and struggle from the neighbouring nobles and aristocrats around. So their business in the city is impacted quite badly afterwards.

But luckily, they can come out alive after that! The oppression is gradually decreased until there is none at all anymore. But suddenly, this boy is coming from out of nowhere to their base with unknown intention in mind, so they informed this to their superior which is leading to the situation now.

As they wait in that room, the silence is the only one who accompanied them except them both. Meanwhile, silence usually brings calmness to oneself, the silence which enveloping this place is instead bringing a tense atmosphere in the room.

That is until-

Thud!*

A blunt noise is coming from behind the door in their vision. The grey-haired guy heart is skipped a beat as he heard that. Following up to that sound, a knocking then heard from behind the door.

Grey-haired guy: "en-" but before he can complete his sentence, the door is already opened. And behind that door, is revealed a figure of a teen boy.

Enters in, this teen is wearing a black cloak with a white mask hiding his face. The only thing they can see is two blue coloured orbs called eyes...the eyes filled with utter coldness directed towards them.

Grey-haired guy: "who ar-"

Bulky: "Marquis son, Yoro! You aren't allowed to come in before this boss of mine allow it!" Before the grey-haired guy can finish, this bulky man interrupts him and shout at Yoro.

But Yoro there isn't answering or pay any heed to his words. He just stands there, staring coldly at the bulky guy with his own blue eyes of him.

Being ignored by Yoro, this bulky guy is ashamed of himself. Feeling rage build up in his chest, he grits his teeth before walking briskly towards him while shouting: "impudent bastard! Know your plac-"

But he can't finish his word...

For the white glint intertwined with black streak has come out.

And he can't let out any sound...

For his head is already rolling in the ground.

Yoro: "shut your dirty mouth, you mongrel" swishing his sword, the blood that sticking to the blade is splattered to the ground below, staining the floor of brown-coloured wood planks into red because of it.

Raising his sword again, he then points it at the wide-eyed man in front of him. "Now, for the main dish today..." He stopped for a second as he stares at the shocked guy in his vision "...is gonna be you, my friend" and his mouth turn upwards into a feral grin as he said that.