Blood and sand were sticking in his shoes as he walked forward, no one dared to act. The soldiers can only point their sword at a single guy that slaughtered anyone regardless of age and gender.

Silence lingered the air, people can only stare, and they didn’t even try to breathe loudly.

The kingdoms knight finally arrived at the scene, all of them are 5th Rank-Experts with Golden Badge.

They equip the dozen or so knights with swords and spears. Before their captain could speak the guy in a black suit rushed towards them.

“Traitor of the Empire, I will not give you a peaceful death!”

The soldiers and civilians heave a sigh of relief. the nightmare will finally end.

But they once again heard the voice that brought terror in their lives.

“Cookie cunt cockroach cockless critter!!”

I was never one of you.

***

Having a logo or a picture on a business place is common practice in the empire. Especially for people that cannot read. A huge metal sign of a compass can be seen in the middle of a five-story building. The Adventurer’s Guild Headquarters is where you can apply for promotion in rank, accept missions, hire porters and individual adventurers for various jobs in relation to their class.

Quinn just submitted his report, paid taxes and walked out the Adventurer’s guild hall. The receptionist is rubbing her forehead while she reads Quinn’s report regarding his former and new clients.

He isn’t hired that often cause on the list there are much more famous porters. Although they are at the same trade, the top listers get more benefits from adventurers. Quinn whispered to himself while he counts his money.

“No matter how much I count it’s still not enough. More, I need more.”

They live a place between the slums and the commoner’s area. The rent isn’t high, and it follows the theme of the city. During these hours the kids are being taught by an Old Adventurer just behind the middle district. This has become her hobby since retiring. She has 40 students and most of them are ready to take the 1st-Rank exam with an Iron Badge.

Quinn can’t help but eavesdrop, he too once dreamt of becoming a famous adventurer.

“Everyone should know the test for the Adventurer’s Ranking exam is coming soon. We will do a quick recap for those that will take the exam.”

“Raise your hands if you know the answer. Who can tell me the eight ranks starting from the lowest to the highest?”

Not everyone is born with the capability to wield mana. There are thousands of kids in the slums but only a few shows talent or even enthusiasm to attend the ex-adventurers class. Half the students raised their hands mostly the ones in front of the class.

“Shaza!”

“1st Rank have the title of Novice and is given an Iron badge upon passing the test.”

“Next, Cholo!”

“2nd Rank is given the title of Adept and they need to pass the written and practical exam to gain their Copper badge.”

“Next ….”

“3rd Rank is given the title of Professional and they need to pass the written and practical exam to gain their Steel badge.”

“4th Rank-Veteran with a Silver badge, they can earn their badge by military merits, hunting threat level 4 creatures, finding lost ruins, treasures, dungeons and deeds that will benefit the human society.”

“5th Rank-Expert with Golden badge, the same as what he said but with a higher value and it’s the thresholds of human limits, you can either stay here or jump over your limit.”

“You lazy ass, next!”

“6th Rank-Master with Agnocium badge, you cannot reach this stage unless you abandon your strength and defy nature itself.”

“7th Rank-Imperium with Genorite badge, people that’s the pillar of Kingdoms, Empires and contributed significantly in the betterment of human society.”

“8th Rank-Tyrannical, they are not given any badge and known to be the strongest humans that exist in our era. One of them is the former Emperor of the Red Dragon Empire. Heaven Flame Emperor Maximo XII.”

The student’s cheeks are burning up, who doesn’t want to become a hero, to be recognized, applauded and wield strength that’s able to blow away everything. For the kids that lived in poverty their whole lives, it’s a hope they could cling on.

“Who could explain the 3 tiers for each rank and how to advance in each tier?”

“Beavis!”

“Ma’am, we advance a tier each time there’s a mana explosion, though unnoticeable each time we kill a monster their core explodes, and it affects our mana channels. We can also advance by constantly training our skill sets, but it has a minuscule effect.”

“That’s correct, remember that information is very crucial it can decide whether you live or die. That’s why most empire hoard the technology that can precisely tell the tier or levels of each individual.”

“Write an essay on what is mana, its uses and how each class utilizes it.”

The class finished, Quinn was waiting outside to take his little brothers and sister home.

They saw their big brother standing with a wide smile, arms on his waist, they rushed and gave him a big hug.

“Big Bro!!!”

“Let’s go shopping, we can buy meat this time.”

The four of them went shopping, Quinn is carrying a sack of flour, Shaza, Beavis, and Cholo was in charge of carrying other food supplies.

They happily chat on the way home the three told Quinn about their studies and plans on applying for a 1st-Rank badge.

Upon arriving home, 7 other little kids greeted them. They plastered a bright smile all over their faces and can’t help but jump and hug his arms and legs.

“I’m home!”

“Welcome home big bro!”

“All right that’s enough, let’s make a meal big bro made some money.”

Every one of them helped to carry the groceries they Quinn bought.

Some cleaning the table, some peeling off vegetables, some cutting the meat and boiling the pasta. It’s a perfect picture of a simple family cooking together.

“Shaza, prepare the food for mom, I’ll be feeding her before I leave for work.”

Quinn went upstairs, unlocked the doors, and he’s welcomed with the stench of human feces and sweat in a dark room. A thin almost skeletal like figure is staring at the cracks of the windows where sunlight barely passes through.

He cleaned the room and the bathroom first, sat the old lady in the chair while he replaces the beddings and pillow covers.

She undressed the old lady carried her to the tub and slowly wiped the grim and dirt off her.

“Mom, I’m home.”

“Shaza, Cholo and Beavis will have a Badge soon, they are growing up so fast.”

To his surprise, the old lady twitched her nose and looked at him, grabbed him in his arms not wanting to let go. With a candid voice, she spoke in the sweetest tone possible.

“You have some Shrooms? Don’t lie, I smell it. Give it to me!”

“I have none.”

“Then buy me some, I know someone who sells it.”

“We don’t have any money for that.”

“Sell my pieces of jewelry they are quite expensive.”

“You already sold them a few years ago.”

“The house. Sell the title I’m sure someone will buy it.”

“We already lost the house a decade ago.”

The lady loosened her grip and went back to her lifeless self. He finished cleaning her; the room smelled like spring again. But the eyes of the lady never lit up once after that conversation. He tried speaking to her while feeding the food to get some reaction, but it was fruitless.

He stood up ready to leave the room, but as he was about to grab the doorknob, the lady spoke once again.

“Quinn. My sweet boy, I’m sorry.”

He was clenching his teeth so hard that he could hear some of it crackling. Quinn went downstairs with a plastered smile on his face. The meal is ready, and everyone is waiting for him.

“Huzzaah!!! Big bro hurry, I’m hungry!”

“All right, all right I’m coming.”

The kids and Quinn are having an enjoyable meal. It’s not every day they can afford meat, and today their big bro is generous enough to buy smoked meat.

“You! The smallest girl, pass me the salt.”

“It’s Ciddy! Ciddy! Grrrrrrrrrr.”

“Ha ha! I know I’m just teasing you!”

“Bad Big Bro!”

“Shaza I left the money in your Damac Account, please take care of them as always.”

“Yes.”

They heard a knock from their door and Ciddy rushed to open it. But before she could touch the handle it opened forcefully knocking her small body away.

She slammed at the side of the table destroying its already rotting feet; the impact splattered the meal they all prepared over the floor.

The little girl cried loudly, tears and snot are dripping all over her face.

“Is Porter Quinn Pateli here?”

“Yes, that’s me! Who are you and what do you need?”

“We are from the Liler Merchant Group and would like to ask you a few questions. Please come with us.”

Before Quinn can stand up, Shaza was already standing with a notebook and a pen in hand.

“Broken table §3,000.00, Broken door §1,500.00, a meal for 10 people §2,000.00, Doctors Fee and medicine for the injury of my little sister §11,000.00. Let’s round it off and you can just give us §16,000,00.”

A young red-haired guy smacked his guard that opened the door forcefully. He strolled inside and handed 2 Damac cards at Shaza.

“I apologize for interrupting your meal. Here’s §20k for the troubles I have caused, and if ever you’re looking for a job, give this introduction card to any Liler Merchant Shop in your city. We look forward to your application.”

Quinn cannot grasp the situation; her little sister just earned more money than he could do in a month’s hard labor. Shaza tugs her big brother’s legs with her feet signaling him to make a move. He looked at the crying Ciddy and saw the mocking smile on her face.

I might be raising bandits in this small house.

“I’m Quinn Pateli, please let me know what I can do for you.”

Quinn accompanied them inside the fancy carriage and drove off. Inside the carriage, the red-haired guy started the conversation.

“I would like to ask about your clients about a week ago.”

“I’m sorry, but I’m not allowed to give personal information about my clients.”

“This is a signed paper of your client, you can give information to his family members. I’m his elder brother and would like to know the details on what happened.”

“I understand.”

“According to the report you submitted to the adventurer’s guild. Quote They have been eaten by bears or something Unquote.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.”

The guy covered his face with his hands and slumped his shoulders downwards. But he’s not a good actor.

“Oh! How sad. How Heartbreaking! thank you for giving us peace of mind”

Quinn got off the carriage ready to return to Rus and Co.

“Little Boss, why are you so kind to those commoners?”

“This is why you’ll never be a guard captain regardless of your strength. Your first mistake is introducing us as Liler Merchant Group, second is using your mana trying to intimidate them. That girl calculated everything precisely, including the information we should have gotten for free. None of them seemed nervous when you use your mana, it means they have routes of escape. If you use force, I’m sure they will scatter, and this will even go to the authorities.”

“How about the introduction card?”

“There’s always room in our company for skilled people, and she’s way smarter than you.”

***

The floor reeks of dried alcohol and vomit, the afternoon heat doesn’t help either, it only made the guys surrounding the table sweat. In the opposite side of the table is Rus and on the other side is the leader of the Sydu Spies inside the City.

The leader’s feet on top of the table, arms crossed clearly stating his disrespect.

“Tell me, oh! Great one how can you disable the Genorite alone? It’s made of pure Genoa the only key is in the hands of a 6th-Rank Arch Wizard. Never mind the security but if you try to destroy it, it will only blow up in your face!”

“Who said I’ll be alone? If I said I’ll take care of it, I’ll take care of it! Or did your Sydian Pride got hurt that I can do something you’ve failed to accomplish for a whole decade?”

*bang*

The leader destroyed the table with his feet, stood up and looked down at Rus.

“Thousands of our people are marching in the desert right now to take over this city. We can’t let a single mishap happen. You didn’t even ask for a single genny in return who wouldn’t be suspicious of you?”

“Is that so? how about you give me a Million Genny for this mission? Hmm hmm, that sounds fair.”

The leader’s brows are meeting together, and his eyes are getting red. He has never been insulted like this even by his closest friends.

“You don’t seem to understand, there are only two paths for you right now. First is cooperate with us and give us the plans on how you will deal with the Genorite or you’ll leave your corpse here.”

“My plan is to sneakily go into their defense control room and whack the Genorite.”

The Sydians inside the room simultaneously drew their swords and daggers all rearing to cut him into pieces.

“I told you my plan and still you want me to leave my corpse here, that seems so unprofessional of you.”

“Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.”

They heard a loud shout outside; dozens of soldiers and magicians are at every entrance of the brothel the Sydians are using as a headquarters.

“We got you surrounded, surrender peacefully and we’ll give you a quick death!”

The 5th-Ranked Barbarian leader brandished his ax towards Rus, without a chance to draw his sword he blocked it along with the sheet. He smashed towards the window breaking a couple of ribs in the process.

His head hit the face of the mage that was positioned near the window breaking his nose into pancakes.

“We have an escapee! Restrain him!”

“No! I was the one that sent the anonymous tip!”

“Do you have any proof?”

“That’s why it’s called anonymous, you idiot!”

“Arrest him!”

The Sydians rushed out of their hiding spot, but instead of escaping they faced the soldier’s head on. Swords Clashed, Magic flared through the area and they heard screams of a dying warrior. In only a few minutes the normal silent afternoon in the red-light district is back.

Outnumbered and unorganized because of the sudden turn of events, only their leader was left standing. But most of them died by ingesting the poison when they were restrained or incapacitated.

The leader of the Sydians saw Rus being escorted nicely out of the scene by the soldiers of the empire. He looked at the direction where Rus is and shouted so he could hear his message loud and clear.

“BROTHER! ESCAPE! TELL THE CAPTAIN WE’VE FALLEN!”

He has cuts, holes, and arrows all over his body, but he died with a wide smile on his face.

“Hold that person down and gag him, he might commit suicide.”

“Yshhgmf shhggmmft, mfffppggrrpff fffhnngggrr.”

They cleaned up the corpse, weapons, and items inside the headquarters of the Sydians and dragged Rus along with them to prison. The captain of the soldiers is satisfied with the outcome of the raid.

“Ask our intelligence division on who gave the tip and bring this guy in the chamber for questioning.”

Rus was tightly chained inside a damp torture chamber; one look and you will know that this isn’t a place you want to stay for a long time.

This place reeks of cliché.

Two guys in a triangular black mask entered the room, they stood there and didn’t make a sound. The raid Captain sat on a chair in front of him.

“Let’s see here, Rus Tessaro passed the 1st and 2nd Ranking Exam at the same year at the tender age of 9, and just recently got your 3rd-Rank steel badge.”

“You’re also in a possession of an illegal substance, aside from those there are no records of you. My theory is those Sydus planted you here since young to infiltrate the empire. So, this is how it works, we ask questions if you don’t answer you get hurt a little.”

He grabbed a thin needle and scraped it slowly and repeatedly underneath Rus’s pinky finger. Before he can even clench his hands, the hooded guy held it down in place. The captain breathes heavily with a little blush on his face.

“Hmffggbmmfsttrd.”

“Oh! I’m sorry, I’m bad at following instructions.”

The so-called interrogation continued without Rus being able to utter a single word.

Rus’s eyes were red, and his body is shaking because of the pain that’s running through his entire body.

They were abruptly stopped because of a call for the captain.

“We will continue this tomorrow, stay alive until then or I will have no one to play with.”

The torture lasts for almost an hour, he took the pain head on and didn’t even let out a single scream thanks to the gag in his mouth. But the mind can only take so much, and the last straw that broke the camel’s back is when the captain blew him the creepiest flying kiss. Rus Fainted.

The three went out of the chamber leaving Rus tightly bounded on the chair. The captain received a call from the vice general of the army.

“Captain Kurac, How’s the interrogation going?”

Like a straight arrow and firm voice, Kurac saluted and responded in a way that’s the total opposite of what he looks like inside the torture chamber.

“Vice General Heisen. The suspect is a tough nut to crack, he never even uttered a single word”

“That’s expected, the Sydu’s are known for their patriotic almost fanatic nature. We’ll be executing him tomorrow afternoon in the plaza.”

“Tsk.”

“Did you say something?”

“No, nothing Sir.”

“Before I forget, I want you to bring me the report regarding my missing daughter.”

“As you command. Sir!”

Only Rus and those close to him knew what kind of monster the military base is holding captive.

They will be the one to witness the first bloodbath inside the city and the ones that will open the gates of destruction for the Red Dragon Empire.