“Can I help you?”

Yuya raised one of his eyebrows, “Help me?”

“Yes. I want to help. Can I not?”

Yuya’s mouth rise, forming a slight smile on his face, “Sure.”

“Where do we start?”

===

In the deep, dark city sewer, a group of men wearing black hood gathers. Then another one arrived in front of them, carrying an unconscious woman.

“Is this all?” ask their leader. “No, there’s a couple more.” Said the one who’s just arrived before chucking the woman into the back of a truck. “Be quick.” The leader ordered, “The city lord has issued a city-wide lockdown. It wouldn’t be so easy the harder we dawdle.”

“Yes, sir.” His underling replied, then one by one, they disappeared into the darkness. “It won’t be long. Soon, I’ll be promoted. I’ll say goodbye to these disgusting task and enjoy myself with women and wine.” He grinned creepily.

===

Yuya jumped into the river below, landing on a nearby rock. “Here, this is the only place I haven’t checked yet.” I followed Yuya inside. “What is this place?”

Yuya pinched his nose, “It’s the city’s sewer.” I winced back, reeking from the smell. Seeing me, Yuya smirked, “You’re an Aura Master, right? Blocked the smell with your Aura.”

“How do you….”

“It shows when you swung your sword. I can tell you’re holding your Aura back.” Yuya smugly explained, “You need to hide it better young man.”

My eyes twitched when I heard that.

We explore the sewer thoroughly. On the way, we encountered some monsters. We dispatched it instantly, of course, but it raises a question, why are there monsters inside the city? We follow the monsters track carefully. Upon following the monster tracks, it turns out that there is a camouflaged wall.

I tried stepping into it, but Yuya stopped me, shaking his head, “Wait.” He stepped forward, touching the camouflaged wall before frowning, “A detection spell!” He contemplates for a moment before looking at me, “Ready yourself. Once we enter, the enemy would likely notice us. We don’t know what’s going to happen down there.”

“Thanks for the warning Mr Yuya.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

===

The leader of the black-cloaked men stands up abruptly as soon as he felt someone cross his detection spell. “We’ve got company,” he said, smirking from ear to ear, “Ha, finally some entertainment. I was about to get bored.” He laughs maniacally.

“You,” he points at his subordinate, “Notify the others. Looks like we’ve got to do something fun.”

“Yes, sir”

===

“Well, well. Look what we have here. The government lapdogs or adventurers? No matter, you’ll be a great sacrifice for our lord.” Men in black-cloaked appear from the darker part of the room. “Hmm?” their leader stood bemused upon seeing me, “A pretty boy. Why don’t you gave up and come with me? I’m sure the Misstress would like to play with you.”

Yuya and I stood side by side, alerted by the numbers of our enemy. Yuya’s eyes turned bloodshot, then he charges at the leader, “I’ll handle him. You take care of the small fires.” Both of them crash through the wall, leaving me with 15 other men, “Not if they took care of me first.” I gripped my sword tight, preparing for the most brutal fight in my life.

===

“Haaa, you left your friends alone to face me?” the leader laughs maniacally, “Are you sure he can handle my subordinates?”. “Shut up” Yuya throws the leader to a nearby wall, breaking it. “Hyahahahaha,” the leader comes out from the smokes, “Good, I need some entertainment. Fireball.” He throws a quick fireball towards Yuya, but Yuya easily brushes it off. Unexpectedly, the leader charges at Yuya immediately after he cast the fireball. Due to Yuya’s fast reflexes, the leader only able to graze Yuya in the arm.

“Hyahahahahahaha. I got your arm.” The leader licks his bloodied knife. Yuya looked at his arm, frowning. “Hyahahaha, are you afraid yet? I’m going to take my time butchering you up.” He raised his knife while simultaneously casting a spell. “Fireball, fireball, fireball.”

Three fireballs flew towards Yuya. He snickered, “A 3rd Circle Mage dared to be arrogant.”

*BOOM* *BOOM* *BOOM*

“What did you say? I can’t hear you clearly. Hyahahahaha.”

As the smoke clears, the leader’s expression becomes more serious, “So, you managed to survive, huh. Hyahahahaha, how about this.” Dozen more fireballs appeared behind the leader, “TAKE THIS.” He launched the fireball’s forward, aiming at Yuya.

“You’re going to regret being arrogant in front of me,” Yuya drew the blood from his hand, shaping it into a scythe. “DIE” he swung the blood-scythe at the leader.

The leader didn’t even manage to utter his last word before red energy completely engulf him, cutting his head clean.

Yuya put the blood-scythe away, “Fucking weakling,” he snorted in disdain. He examines the leader’s corpse, then takes a familiar emblem from his pocket, “Shit….”

===

I stood tall, facing against the biggest challenge of my life. All 15 of them stared at me like I’m some sort of prey. I observe my surrounding, looking for a place where I can ideally take them one by one. Cladding myself with Aura, I sent out an energy slash; immediately after that, I dashed at an enemy, quickly killing him, then I ran, positioning myself against the wall.

“Cole! Bastard”

“Aura Master”

“Be careful; he’s an Aura Master.”

The death of their comrades made them a little more serious. “He’s against the wall, smart.” He said sarcastically. “He must think we’re stupid. That would’ve worked against some imbecile party or a monster group; unfortunately, you met us,” one of them scoffed, “Surround him. 3 people at a time, alternate your attack. We’ll dissect this bastard.”

“Yes, vice-leader.”

The black-cloaked men moved according to their vice-leader order, effectively cornering me. Damn, they’re good. My advantages now become my disadvantages. I forgot they’re not just goblins. What do I do now….?