by Ink Bamboo
Tears of frustration fell from the teen's reddened eyes. Zaros could already guess what he was going to say next.
“They took my sister,” said Alexander, speaking his words with clear frustration. “According to them, selling her into slavery was enough to pay our fines. The gods know I tried to fight them off, but I wasn’t able to. I was too weak and got beaten until I finally blacked out.”
Zaros sighed, visibly frustrated. The rot of a society appeared not only amongst those of poor backgrounds, like the slums' residents. It also inhabited those who prided themselves for being of higher birth. It was something he had come to learn during his past week in the slums.
“Do you have an idea where she might be then?” inquired Zaros. If they truly intended to sell Maria as a slave, he was duty bound to save her. Where did this sense of duty stem from? he wondered. Now that he thought about it, alien thoughts were becoming increasingly frequent from time to time.
“When I woke up, I realized they must have taken her,” answered Alexander. “My best bet is the slave pens they have under their state. Boss, help me save her! I’ll do anything in return.”
Alexander knew his request was mildly unreasonable. His boss had no responsibility to save him nor his sister from the consequences of their daily activities. The gang already did enough by shielding them from being directly targeted by other slum-dwellers.
He knew the guards would cause trouble for his boss if he decided to interfere. He even suspected this was somehow related to the discussion they held with his boss the other day. Unfortunately, he had no one else to rely on.
Zaros’s fingers tapped the wall in a rhythmic manner as he processed Alexander’s request. He knew the frustration one felt when they were unable to save those they care about. Was he really able to help the boy?
“It's a trap,” said Amro. “Just in case you were foolish enough not to realize it.”
“Clearly,” said Zaros to himself. He could instinctively feel that was the case. The warning those guards had given him the day before was enough to make him realize this was related to their disagreement with him. Unfortunate, alas, given how he had never intended to take over the gang. It had all been Amro’s plan to begin with.
Even then, it wasn’t something he was willing to ignore. He had also received benefits from Amro’s plan. Fortunately for him, his finger-tapping served as the perfect cover for delaying his answer.
“I’ll go,” said Zaros to himself, hoping Amro was listening to his words. “Don’t try to dissuade me from doing so.”
Surprisingly, Amro didn’t try to convince him otherwise. The former god knew conflict and danger could help his host’s growth. Strong emotions often shook the body and soul in ways no training could. In fact, gloating him into participating was part of Amro’s goals, one he hadn’t expected to turn into reality by itself.
Zaros met Alexander’s expectant gaze. He could tell from the look in those eyes that Maria meant everything to him. He had to help the brother and sister in some way, lest someone else had to live with a grudge of revenge in their hearts.
“Let’s get her back,” said Zaros. He would try his best not to let the past repeat itself.
Zaros saw Alexander’s shoulders slump down. An enormous weight had been taken off of the teenager’s back. In his eyes he saw expectation, and more importantly, hope. Alexander fell to his knees, venting all he had bottled up.
“Thank you, thank you so much!” The words seemed to stick in his throat from time to time. It was the first time someone had shown him so much generosity. Perhaps there were leaders that were worth following. Alexander believed Slyfox would have never agreed to help, not even if it was his own fault. It was then that Alexander discarded all feelings of fear he held towards Zaros.
All that remained was loyalty. Not to his strength, but his character.
Zaros's felt pained when he saw Alexander’s overboard reaction. It reminded him of himself from not too long ago. A man without strength could only endure the unfairness of the world unless he depended on others. Zaros hoped he could one day achieve his revenge with Amro's help, the same way he would help this boy achieve his after recovering his sister.
Zaros reached out his hand, helping Alexander up. The teenager was still crying, making it hard for Zaros to convey his ‘first’ order. With a slap, he brought Alexander back to his senses. After all, it wasn’t the time to cry, it was time to fight.
"Summon everyone; it's time to get your sister back."
Chapter 16
Retaliation.
The sound of a marching crowd reverberated across the streets, dozens of men and women were marching in unison towards the same direction. The unexpected noise attracted the attention of those in the central area of Sol. Where had did this many people come from?
Many left their houses. They had been expecting to see an impromptu military parade following behind a visiting noble with great status. Much to their luck, however, they found themselves greeted by the look of what seemed to be a crowd of thugs and beggars.
Shock and surprise painted the faces of the residents in the center of town. None of them had ever seen something like this. Some gazed outside their windows at the growing crowd, eager to figure out their purpose. Even if some of those in the crowd lacked the physiques to make them appear menacing, the sheer number caused an impact of its own.
The crowd only seemed to grow larger as they kept moving east. At the head of the group, a child stood with imposing bravado. His eyes seemed resolute, just like those of a ruler who stood above his subjects. Had it not been for his small stature and the appearance of the unconventional following behind him, he would have looked like an army commander leading his troops.
The men behind the child wore a different kind of look, however. They carried a mix of dejection, fear, and anticipation. First, they anticipated what was to come, for this was the first time the entirety of the slums had gathered under one banner. Second, they feared the child leading them, for they had met his prowess in combat not too long ago. Finally, they were dejected, for they knew it wouldn’t be possible for them to grow their authority as long as this child remained alive and in charge of the slums.
If someone had been there to follow them closely from the beginning, they would realize that the crowd was making its way to the eastern zone of Sol — the place where the so-called nobles of this town resided.
Zaros had Alexander by his side. Despite being beaten up the day before, the teenager was now filled with courage and valiance. He looked at Zaros with blind faith, reminiscent of a priest looking at his god’s imagery. His eyes were overflowing with awe and respect, and his heart was filled with nothing but loyalty.
Zaros used the time marching as a chance to stretch his muscles. In order to gather this much support, he had been forced to use rather ‘compelling’ methods to ‘convince’ the smaller gangs to join his entourage. Surprisingly, it had been easier than he imagined. Strength was a language much too familiar to those of the slums.
In the beginning, they had refused to help him. He had tried to argue his intention of protecting his subordinate. Alas, his explanation had been taken like a sign of weakness. The strong sense of individuality in the slums made it hard to understand why he would risk offending the nobles for someone else.
Some gangs had taken it further, trying to attack Zaros upon his visit. Visiting them alone with Alexander had painted a target quite too striking on his back. Defeating Zaros was the equivalent of taking over Slyfox’s legacy. Unfortunately for those who tried, they were quickly taught the reason behind Slyfox’s defeat.
Most of the people watching the crowd started following after them out of curiosity. Some were eager to see what had driven this unruly mob to unite while others wished to be part of whatever fun they may engage in. Only after they neared the eastern side of town did some uninvited spectators leave.
However, this only served to fuel the mob’s excitement. When had they ever been
able to step inside this part of town with such an imposing manner? The thought was so foreign, they felt like it was a dream.
Some guards and peace-loving commoners thought about stepping up to stop the crowd. None of them felt the mob were there with good intentions. The sheer number of thugs, however, made them think twice about it.
Their hesitation only fueled the arrogance inside the hoodlums. This? This was all because of their new leader. Young as he might be, he had gained their respect with a clear display of power. Some had even started fantasizing about the heights the new head would take them to.
Unable to stop the crowd, the guards had no choice but to go out to report to their respective employers. Most of the wandering patrols belonged to different noble houses after all. Once they delivered their news, their employers became just as surprised as everyone else.
A few merchants and nobles grew weary, making the decision to order their troops to stand by and wait. It wasn’t that they were afraid of such a mob. Instead, they knew that those who didn’t stand out had the chance to thrive when others went down. As long as they weren’t directly targeted, they wouldn’t raise their hands. The main reason they remained so cautious was related to some rumors spreading for the past couple of days.
Only one household prepared their troops without thinking it twice. The noble house of Lapas, known for their not-so-secret partnership with the slave markets. The head of the house was currently in turmoil, issuing orders left and right as he organized his private force. A couple of his guards had been able to warn him of the incoming troops and the child leading them, which prompted the arrogant noble into readying himself to meet their march. After all, he knew better than anyone else what had triggered this ‘visit.’
Regardless, Baron Lapas was sure of his own victory. His family had always relied on various forces from the underworld to satisfy the demand for slaves in the underground markets. He was used to dealing with force in order to get his point across. There was always an abundance of people with lust equal to their wealth, which had filled his war coffers with enough money to equip a small army of his own.
This would have normally incurred the wrath of authorities like the church or the royalty. However, House of Lapas had managed to remain afloat. They had carefully avoided stepping into other nobles’ businesses.
What’s more, donating hefty sums of money to the different churches always ensured their cooperation. This had led the noble household to thrive in success, allowing them to grow arrogant towards the populace over the years. In their eyes, common folk were seen as nothing but livestock, even more-so when they had no background. Just like those from the slums.
That being said, the hearts of various merchants and nobles relaxed upon seeing Zaros and his entourage go past their residences without making a fuss. Some of them might live in wealth, but not all of them had enough personal guards to fight off a crowd of this size.
“What is this idiot doing?”
Atop a house’s roof, a shady figure stared at the crowd. He had followed after them with as much speed as he could with a partially damaged leg. Strands of flaxen hair covered part of his hidden face as a dark robe covered most of his body. It was Slyfox.
He had heard about the commotion while sleeping at the inn on the town’s center. Once he saw the boy leading the mob towards the eastern district, he quickly started going after them. On one hand, he wanted to see how this crowd had come to be. On the other, he wanted to see if the nobles would take action against the boy leading them.
Ironically, he found himself surprised by the kid’s prowess. Even he wouldn’t have been able to unite the slums in such a manner. He couldn’t help but wonder what kind of underhanded methods Zaros had used in order to do so. Uniting them was one thing, but convincing them all to act this arrogantly, without fear of the consequences, was another.
Slyfox frowned at the thought of how the nobles might retaliate against the slums. They might be avoiding the trouble for now, but once they had the time to prepare, they would surely repay this ‘visit’ on their own terms. This strengthened Slyfox’s desire to see Zaros fail. He believed the slums needed a leader as wise as himself.
Did this kid not think about how much his actions could damage the people from the slums?
It took only a while for the crowd to reach their destination. A small army of fifty well-equipped guards was blocking their way to the front of a mansion. Leading them was a fat, bearded man. He was guarded by two familiar figures: Seth and Mata, the guards who had paid Zaros a visit the day before. The man leading them was Baron Lapas, the head of this family.
The tall and short guards both had a mocking smile on their faces. Just what were these commoners hoping to achieve with such a poor display of strength? They knew each of their guards could handle several of these hoodlums on their own.
Even if most of the guards had not reached rank one, their equipment would still give them a huge advantage. Not to mention their physiques. Just how could the emaciated hoodlums compare to them, people who never had to worry about food? The guards couldn’t help but think those in the crowd would probably collapse on their own after a little struggle.
Zaros brought the mob to a stop with a gesture of his hand. Even the more rowdy troublemakers who were about to cause problems were beaten into submission by the leaders of the smaller gangs when they saw Zaros’s intent. These leaders considered beating them a favor, lest they incur their new boy’s wrath. They had engraved that lesson in their hearts after his personal visit.
Zaros’s eyes were filled to the brim with anger. He had already lost his village in the past, so losing a member of his new ‘family’ was not acceptable. His thoughts were filled with disgust as he looked at the fat man who seemed to be in charge of the small army. It was easy to see that Baron Lapas’s sleazy eyes were filled with tangible perversion, as if he was judging everyone around him as nothing but pieces of meat.
“Are you not planning to bow?” asked the fat man with arrogance. The clear disdain in his words served to accentuate his stance. “You’re in presence of nobility. Someone like yourself should know your place.”
Zaros paid no attention to the man’s words. Instead, he found himself busy looking into his eyes, evaluating his character, weaknesses, and strengths.
The sleazy noble, on the other hand, felt taunted by the boy’s disregard for him. Zaros’s sharp stare only served to accentuate his rage. Taking a sideway look at his subordinates, he delivered an order, “Mata, Seth, force that child to bow down to me.”
“You have one of my people,” spoke Zaros, ignoring the fat man’s instructions to his subordinates. “Give her back, or pay the consequences.”
The noble doubled down on the game of disregarding his adversary’s words. Turning sideways, he yelled at his subordinates, “What are you waiting for? Don’t make me repeat myself!”
The tall and short guards took a step forward. They couldn’t blatantly reject their lord’s orders in front of so many people. Despite what little reservations they may have for going against Zaros, they unsheathed their swords. The polished iron gleamed in the sunlight, their blades ready for combat.
An arrogant smile took place on the face of the tallest guard, Mata. Despite his partner’s warning the day before, he was still unconvinced about how much strength a child like Zaros could have. Seth, on the other hand, was a bit more cautious. His gaze was carefully tracking all of Zaros’s movements.
A couple of burly men stepped forward from the crowd of hoodlums. They were the men who guarded the entrance to Slyfox’s old base. Their burly frames and bronze skin made them look as imposing as the strongest battle-hardened warriors in Baron Lapas’s camp. Zaros had gotten to know them during the past few days, forming a closer relationship to them.
Both of them were prepared to join the fray and fight against the incoming guards. Unlike Alexander, his sister Maria managed to get along with many of the gang’s members. Her quirky temper and her in
credible ability for gossip had provided many of them with countless opportunities to profit, gaining her the gang members’ appreciation.
However, just as both of them were exiting the crowd, Zaros held up his hand. With it, he stopped both giants from continuing forward. Right now was not the time for pointless chivalry. This situation was to be dealt with at once, in the most efficient way possible. One Zaros knew would fall on him, thanks to Amro’s estimation of his opponents’ strength.
“I’ll deal with them,” said Zaros, his gaze turning towards the incoming guards. He planned to make an example out of them, one which would remind the nobles those of the slums were not to be messed with. “Yesterday, you gave a small gift to my subordinate. Please let me repay you today.”
Chapter 17
Setting an example.
Zaros cracked his knuckles as he approached the two guards. A thin layer of mana covered his hands and feet, rhythmically appearing and disappearing as he walked towards them. It was the same technique Amro had used a few nights before in order to defeat Slyfox. Inside his mental space, Amro smiled smugly with pride. Other than him, who else would be able to teach this young boy such a technique?
Seth’s expression turned ugly when he sensed Zaros’s use of mana. With this display, he had enough confirmation that the boy was able to use it at will, far beyond what he and his partner were capable of doing. The only remaining source of confidence he had left was their age difference.
How much battle experience could a child have, anyway?
Unfortunately for him, Zaros had a much more eventful life than his. The young man had hunted daily for the last several years. Once that experience was combined with Amro’s soul domain, Zaros was like a veteran hunter, one who had seen the sight of blood more than a few times. He was unlike the guards, who only had to deal with a couple drunkards at most every day.