"Wait! What do you think you're doing?"

Robin resented the black mage and his subordinates for what they did but she couldn't tolerate Arthur's actions. She couldn't bear to watch him brutally behead a little boy.

Her reasoning was obviously wrong as the boy may be just young in appearance, he may even be a monster or some kind of shape-shifter. Having a weak heart in such times can be quite troublesome. If you spare someone because of pity or sympathy, there's bound to be terrible consequences, no matter how insignificant the person you spared was.

"I'm getting rid of an enemy. Stop pitying enemies and try to remember what this crazy cult did to your grandfather. I'm not trying to be cruel to you but it's because you let appearances trick you or you spare anyone that looks weak is exactly leads to consequences you are not ready to face."

As her friend, Arthur had to wake her up and tell her that this is not a world where every little boy is innocent. Just from the dazed face and unwilling expression, he knew she was not convinced yet so he retrieved his threads and spared the little boy.

He had short black hair, pale skin, and a thin frame. He was strangely quiet but emitted a creepy aura, to be more precise, it's blood aura, the same as the ones from the people in Meyzu's clan, the ones who used Blood Magic.

'So it is Blood Magic after all.'

He had a small guess when he saw the blood circles and the hearts inside the silver cups but he wasn't too sure, when he felt his blood aura, he was able to ascertain his guess.

The boy was shocked by the sudden death of the old man, he gazed at the headless corpse for a couple of seconds before he turned his head and noticed Robin and Arthur. First, his eyes narrowed but they sure turned moist and tearful, then he began crying.

'Yeah... talk about shallow acting...'

Arthur shook his head and ignored the crying kid as he inspected the gloomy room. He noticed several corpses to the side which were missing their hearts but except that, nothing was worth paying attention to.

Robin ran to the kid to see if he's alright. She clearly didn't even doubt his acting and thought he really was innocent despite being in such a dangerous and creepy place. As for the little boy, he was happy when he saw the target approaching him with her defense open.

Unfortunately for him, a hidden killing intent that suffocated him and stopped him from acting surfaced and rendered him unable to breathe normally.

All his secretive plans to take this defenseless woman as a hostage were soon abandoned when he felt the killing intent from Arthur, who staring at him from the corner with two eyes shining with a gray light in the dark cave.

"What's wrong little boy.... are you alright?"

Seeing Robin crouch down and check the little boy, Arthur really wanted to knock some sense into her.

'How can she not see he is acting? tsk... women.. always so kind to any kid they see.'

Even Lucy had a weak heart toward kids which is why she insisted too much to help and adopt Saly. Well, he was going to help her anyway but Lucy was the first to voice out her thoughts.

"T-they forced me *sniff*.... I'm s-sorry.... *sniff* *hikk*"

Arthur could barely hold himself back, he didn't like lying and acting bastards, much less if he or a friend of his is easily fooled by such a simple act.

With the little bit of self-control he managed to muster, he held himself back from cutting this boy into pieces. He wasn't as merciful as to spare a boy, for him an enemy is still an enemy no matter his appearance, race, or gender.

The three didn't linger too much in the dark cave. They left the underground cave system along with the boy who apparently was named Rey.

Robin held his hands and talked to him and tried to reassure him but honestly, any person would feel suspicious of him, it's confusing on why a smart lady like Robin is oblivious to all.

Rey, who was playing it the pitiful little boy act was shocked when he saw all the beheaded corpses in all the other rooms. He was expecting some reinforcements but none but him were left alive. He wasn't stupid and instantly realized that Arthur, who was walking behind them was the one who did all of that.

He had such immense strength yet he couldn't see through Arthur, he wasn't able to react before the old man was beheaded in front of him. He would have been dead like them if not for Robin who interfered.

"So... Rey is it? What were you doing in such a place?"

Once they left the hidden cave, Arthur faced the little boy who was holding Robin's hand and questioned him while staring at him with confused yet piercing eyes that made the kid feel a deep chill down his spines.

'T-This person is crazier than master! I,I have to use this woman!'

"M-Mister... T-they kidnapped me and my friends... w....we couldn't retaliate..."

"And when was it?"

Arthur casually sat on a rock and crossed his arms, he knew this going to be a long, very long interrogation.

"About a w-week ago...."

"Then why are you the only one alive? Where is the rest? If they died then where are their corpses? Why were you with that old man?"

A bombardment of questions came out from Arthur's mouth, each harder to answer than the previous one. Stuttering and unable to properly give a good response, Rey hid behind Robin and played 'the scared boy' card which marvelously worked since Robin had long since fallen deep into his Oscar-level acting, or so he thought.

"Knock it off, would you? Can't you clearly see he's injured, plus he's just a little kid, what can he do in such a situation? Of course, he has to do what he is told so quit your questioning and give me something that relieves his injuries."

Robin walked toward Arthur and dragged Rey with her, she pushed her glasses back and stretched her hand to Arthur, expecting to receive some good Healing Potions.

Since it was quite boring with Robin always complaining all along the way, it wouldn't hurt to add a bit more spice and have this kid on board, for the time being. At least he could enjoy having a liar who has been seen through trying to hide his real intentions.

With a flick of his hand, a Health Potion appeared in his hand, he passed to Robin and watched how the kid boldly consumed it while glancing at him a few times.

Since all Health Potions Arthur has are of good quality, the wound on Rey's shoulder healed in a few seconds which made him speechless. The boy rubbed his hand on his shoulder to see if he could feel any pain but no pain was felt or blood was seen.

'T-This is one of the precious healing potions Master talked about! I must get them all!'

Rey glanced at Arthur with dark thoughts rampaging in his mind. He was trying to come up with a clever plan but it's a shame not even a thousand of him could beat Arthur.

One thing ascertained Arthur's guess was when he saw Rey being Lv94 and being a Demi-Human. Although his daughter, Saly could beat this kid, she would still come out injured despite winning as Blood Magic is lethal to everyone, including the user.

....

Arthur wanted to continue searching for the black mage or other hideouts until they found him, however, Robin insisted they headed to the nearest city to let the kid rest as he witnessed enough horrors.

Rey, who knew that going to the city is a bad idea since the lies about his family would be exposed so he supported Arthur's opinion and said that he wanted to bad guys who hurt his friend to be punished.

Four hours later, Arthur had just killed another old man who was doing the same thing as the previous old man. This was the 5th hideout he found after they 'found' Rey, no other kids were found which made Robin believe Rey even more but not Arthur.

Rey, as for now, was completely terrified by Arthur after witnessing how the people died all around them without him lifting a finger, he wasn't even able to see what's killing them but his guess was that they were razor sharp invisible blades.

"Kid, enjoying the sight?"

Arthur smirked as he played with an old skull, these past five hours were quite entertaining with Rey telling one lie after another and Robin sympathizing with him and promising she'll take care of him.

"B-Bad people should b,b-bbbe punished..."

"Ah, is that right? I mean like... I could have sworn I was attacked by some kind of Blood Magic more than one time in the past five hours..... must be my imagination, right?"

Rey, seeing that all his secretive attacks were seen by Arthur, began sweating and feeling uneasy and panicking. For fear of being killed, he hid behind Robin yet again and leaned his head, peeking at Arthur and trying to see his expression.

Robin was going to defend him again but Arthur was not going to just ignore it, it was time to head to the big boss. Telekinesis was used and Robin was easily pushed toward Arthur. Before she could react, Arthur used Advanced Earth Magic and used [Earth Cage] to imprison Rey in a cage made from Black Earth.

The little boy reacted fast and waved his hand, shattering the cage with a small wave of blood magic that kept floating above him as he stared at Arthur coldly.

"Good good, entertain me more!"

As he said that, Arthur used Plant Magic and a long thorny vine appeared from the ground and wrapped around Rey's legs, disabling his movements.

The kid was smart and had fast reflexes, the blood above him transformed into a two-edged sword and without hesitation, he slashed at the vine. Unlike what he expected, the vine was cut only after five desperate slashes.

Since Arthur injected a bit more Intelligence in that vine, it was a bit durable than the Black Earth but if he used all his strength to create a thorny vine, only Heavenly Realm or above can cut it. The difference was just too big to even compare him to Rey.