The [Thief] swerved within the crowd, concealing himself. The child's face was ambiguous, a look that no one noticed—the work of a Skill. The sea breeze blew, blowing his hood away, revealing curly ginger hair.

With [Quick Steps] and [Even Footing], he avoided tripping on the feet of people, but as the crowd grew in density, his pace slowed into a crawl. He squeezed himself within the ground, determined to get away before he was caught.

He reminded himself of where he should go and sell the Merchant's badge—the Illia Canal tunnel, as he swerved left at an alleyway. The shadow of the two towering buildings covered him. Meanwhile, an old lady, a Human woman in his sixties, was tending to the laundry. She had lived a long, fulfilling life, living peacefully in one of the safest cities to live in this world full of danger. Her old twin hand crossbows and shortsword hung on her wall, gathering dust after she retired from her former profession.

She hung the clothes on the clothesline on the balcony when suddenly, that pesky breeze had blown one of her undergarments away. It twirled in the hair, and as if on clockwork, it landed on that boy's face. The boy [Thief] stopped in his tracks and removed the cotton undergarment from his face.

"Would you kindly give it to me?" The old lady croaked, calling the attention of the boy. Even if he was a [Thief]; and his first Class, he can't refuse an old lady calling for help. And so, with another simple Skill, [High Jump], he jumped higher than regular people than usually jump, and the old lady grabbed the undergarment as he jumped.

"Thanks, dear." The old lady gave her gratitude. His feet landed with a thud.

"There he is!"

From where he came from, a group of blue-plumed guardsmen wearing armor made from giant turtles blocked where he came. He quickly ran towards the other side of the alleyway. Along with the guards is a familiar face. A red-haired man, his hair is now tied in a ponytail. Instead of a spear or baton like the other [Guardsmen] wielded, he held a harpoon.

What warranted the Bloody Harpoon himself to come here? Is the boy that he had stolen from belonging to a big-shot?

Then he read the letter engraved on the badge.

Property of Lascze Vela.

The Leviathans' Bane himself.

And then he dropped the badge. He knows how powerful he is. He heard the stories and legends surrounding that man—a man who slays the kings of the depths.

The [Guardsmen] quickly apprehended the [Thief] before he can escape.

The [Thief] realized that he had messed up.

And he had his hands tied by a rope. At least he wasn't dead. He chose the lesser, safest option. Later, he will be lashed and sent to jail. Behind them, Khasem and Lewis watched. Vonn gave him the badge and continued attending to his fellow [Guardsmen] after. He had no time to talk. After all, he needs to end this soon.

"Thanks." Lewis gave his gratitude to Vonn.

"So, what will they do to them?" Lewis asked.

"They would give him a lashing." Khasem bluntly told the truth. "And be jailed until his parents paid the fine."

"What if he doesn't have parents?"

"Then he will be jailed until an orphanage buys him."

"That's-"

A boy stole a bag of bread from a shambling old man. He ran towards the alleyway. He was surrounded, he was beaten by batons, and was kicked until he was bloody. He was dragged away to-

"A memory." He mouthed. He saw the boy being dragged on the cobblestone streets. He shambled as one of the guardsmen roughly pulled the rope on his hand. The guardsman tugged on the rope forcefully. The Thief fell to the ground, face flat. Now he has a bruise on his cheek to worry about. He spits out a bloody tooth from his mouth, hitting the [Guardsman] that pulled the rope tied around his hands.

In a fit of rage, he punched the boy. Lewis winced. The others stopped him from doing more harm to the child. They will punish the boy later, after all. And so, he was thrown at the edge of the metallic railing. Thankfully, he didn't fall from the large canal beside the streets. The boy stared at the clear water populated by different kinds of fishes. And he saw his bloody face. The blood of his nose leaked, a drop of blood falling towards the clear waters of the canals. The drop dispersed, spreading through the water until it dissipated.

The rope was tied on the railing, along with his hands.

The [Guardsman] from earlier, with a cruel look, taunted the [Thief] with the sound of the baton on his hands, slapping harshly.

"You have committed thievery of an [Merchant]'s proof of identity! Your punishment will be twenty lashings, and be confined to prison until your parents pay your bail-"

"I don't have any parents!" The young [Thief] yelled.

"Not my problem." He mocked as the passing citizens watched like this is a daily occurrence. The [Thief] had gone to prison once, but his parents always bailed him out.

Now his parents were dead. Death by the debt collectors that came and stole everything from him. All because his father had gambled too much. A crime ignored.

And so, with a single swing, the baton had beaten his back, leaving his back bruised. With a strike, the [Thief] groaned in pain, tears in his eyes.

Lewis winced. He sees himself in him. Khasem tried to reel him away, but he was locked in place.

The [Guardsman] raised his baton.

And strikes the boy down to his knees with a crack.

And another.

Another hit. This time, on the spine.

And another.

Each blow gets stronger and stronger; the pain grows fiercer.

And another.

And-

Lewis had taken a blow for him.

He had fallen to the ground. His face is now slightly disfigured, now bloody and bruised.

"Obstruction of justice!" The [Guardsman] yelled in anger. "You must be punished-"

The [Guardsman] was blown away by Vonn's fist. He was now lying on the ground, unconscious.

"What are you doing?" Vonn shook Lewis, worried.

"It was cruel," Lewis answered.

"Cruel? He was a criminal!" Vonn argued.

The [Thief] waited for another hit, but it never came. Instead, he struggled to turn around, wondering what was happening. Someone was arguing on his behalf. He turned around and saw a boy with black hair standing up to a [Guardsman Captain]. Not just any [Guardsman Captain], but a former Gold-rank adventurer.

He was astounded by the boy. He never knew that someone will save him. No one had done that before to him. In the small criminal underworld of this prosperous city-state, people only look out for themselves.

He coughed blood. The blood and saliva dripped onto the floor. Lewis ran towards the fellow child and wiped the blood on his face. The [Thief] stared at bewilderment as the stranger took care of him after arguing with Vonn.

"He still needs to be arrested!" Vonn warned.

"I know!" Lewis yelled back. "I'll be back for you."

The boy and the [Foreman] left the scene. For the first time, the [Thief] had hope.

The [Haulers] and their cart had arrived at Lascze's place. The [Foreman]'s order has been dealt with, except for the payment.

"You what?!" Lascze gasped. Lewis had honestly told the whole story. Except for that flash of memory.

"I beg you. Save the boy from prison." Lewis bowed.

"No." Lascze sternly scolded. "Even if it's cheap, what can we do if he turns to thievery again? He was a [Thief], with the Class!"

"Class? How is 'class' a part of this?"

"You're thinking of a different 'class.' Classes are part of our life. Classes define who we are. Classes are extensions of one's self. Do you understand?" He asked.

"No," Lewis answered.

"You will understand once you level up." He answered.

"Level up?"

"Yes. Like Classes, Levels are a part of our being."

"I don't understand."

"You will. When you sleep, you will hear a voice in your head that gives you the fruits of your hard work. Now, I'll give you tasks because you work for me now, and if you do these tasks properly, I will permit you to visit that person."

"Thank you." The boy sighed. "Now, what shall I do?"

"Call people outside. Tell them to come to my shop." He spoke.

Colarbo overheard the conversation.

And so, Lewis followed his instructions.

"Buy from Lascze's General Store! From household goods to adventurer's gear, our products are top quality!"

He repeated the sentence, in different variations, over and over again.

Of course, people had noticed this, but they treat him as a standard [Hawker]. Lascze is relatively new to the mercantile world, so he was known as a less-than-average [Merchant]. Without his reputation as the Leviathans' Bane, his business will surely fail.

A group of Seafolk adventurers stopped in front of them. One looks like a crocodile who was wearing armor that had been harvested from a turtle. He was armed with a barbed spear and with a wand on his side. The other one, who looks like a snapper, seems to be your typical [Mage], with purple robes and a stave seemingly made out of coral. Their other teammate is a large bald humanoid monkfish wearing a black enchanted cotton shirt and an enchanted beaded necklace, wielding an arquebus with a hatchet on his side and a blue hooded barracuda Seafolk with a bag of scrolls and a halberd.

"Ah, so Lascze hired a young [Hawker] now?" The crocodilian Seafolk remarked.

"[Hawker]?" Lewis' asked.

"You know, the guys who call people to buy in stores." He replied.

"Anyhow, Lascze called us." He mentioned. "So, goodbye."

A crocodile, a snapper, a monkfish, and a barracuda Seafolk entered Lascze's store.

"So, what do you need?" The leader of the group, the crocodilian, asked Lascze.

"Can you handle a group of Bulwark and Razorgore Walruses?" Lascze asked. "I'll need Orbetto to make my armor and weapons from them. I'll sell the meat to the butchers."

"How about you handle it?" The man with a barracuda's head told Lascze. "You're a former Famed Adventurer, right?"

"Well, if I handle it, you adventurers will be out of jobs." Lascze joked.

They laughed. The group worked with the Leviathans' Bane ever since he first stepped foot in the world of merchants, after all.

"And besides, if I fire my ballista, nothing will be left. And I'm old and tired." He sighed. "I'll pay you 30 silver each."

"40." The leader of the group haggled.

"35. I'm kind of broke right now."

"The crocodilian sighed. " Understanding Lascze's situation. While he wasn't as high-level as he, he was old. His Class, Skills, and Levels had kept his body strong and spry. He plans to retire to continue the family's fishery business. "If one of them dies, pay me to double the amount."

"Alright. May the waters stay still." Lascze said his goodbyes.

"May the winds be fair to you too." The crocodile Seafolk waved. "Tides of Sobek, move out!"

And so, they left the store.

The Tides of Sobek. A name that has been passed from generation to generation. From a cult of Amunahapt to an adventuring team. Their members had died down and throughout ages, and they splintered into different groups that have the same name.

And one of the splinters rented a large boat to one of the hundred islands that surrounded the city-state of Aquinox.

"So, what's our plan?" Thel, the Barracuda Seafolk, asked.

"You, Ulron, and Kel will attack from the boat-"

"If they approach this boat, I'll flee! And no refunds!" Sek, the group leader, was interrupted by the old Human [Ferryman], who was afraid that his boat will be sunk by those reckless adventurers.

"Don't be a coward!" One of the [Rowers] and [Netters] that also owns the boat scolded him.

And so, the crew of this reasonably large boat argued as they rowed.

"Ahem." Sek coughed. " Anyways, bombard them with spells while I draw their attention. Thel would back me up after."

"Don't be reckless." Kel, the Monkfish Seafolk, with his hands perpetually clasped in a prayer position, reprimanded their leader. His menacing size, along with his scars on his face, more often than not, scares whoever sees him—even Bronze-rank monsters.

"He can do it." The Snapper Seafolk [Mage] affirmed.

"Relax, youngins'." Their leader confidently reassured. "I'm a Level 140 [Tidal Spearmaster], anyways. I got the waves on my side."

Under their boat, the land underneath the island sloped deeper into the deep blue abyss. The clear ocean enables them to see what's underneath. Countless sea creatures swam below the majestically clear waters. Sea monsters lurk within the depths, rising up from the infinite blackness to feast upon the living buffet of sea creatures. Colossal whales rose from the depths as Leviathans, draconic serpent-like creatures lined with tentacles, surrounded them with their ever-extending tendrils, devouring them: Oceanic Serpents, as gigantic and fifty times lengthier than galleons devoured Colossal Octopuses the size of ships. Krakens engulf a large part of the sea with their tentacles, consuming sharks and fishes sailing ships' size.

And thankfully, they were leagues away from that. They were too small for them to notice.

Surrounding the islands' chain surrounding the city is a circular foundation embedded deep within the islands' sunken lands. And within this gigantic foundation is a city, lining the slopes of the bottom of the islands. Lights shone within the buildings on the underwater city, showing the sunken half of the city-state of Aquinox was alive, indeed. Guarding the bottom of Aquinox are gigantic barnacle-infested statues of men in armor, gripping their weapons. They are seemingly as tall as the surface lands of Aquinox.

And so, they sailed from the city, sticking to shallower waters to avoid the attention of the sea monsters.

The waves and winds were calm, which was fortunate. The sky was clear, except for the flying whales: Cloudeaters and drifting sky islands high up in the sky, where no arrow or spell can reach from below. However, the sun was searing hot, so the Seafolk riding the boats always showered themselves with the seawater.

They passed islands full of monsters. Rocky islands, islands full of trees and sands. Islands with mountains that one can climb, with caves unexplored. Goblins that sailed with rafts tried to plunder them, but they had eliminated their rafts with the team's magic. Fortunately, no sea monster decided to attack them yet.

And so, after passing the islands, they arrived at the coast of a rocky island. The sandy shore consists of jagged rocks and tide pools. With round protrusions on their shells, walruses with stony armor stood on the other side of the coast. These Bulwark Walruses look like moving stone pillars more than animals. On the other side of the beach are Razorgore Walruses, with curved blades protruding from their front, especially their mouths. These blades can gore a person, even with plate armor.

At the coasts, the Bulwark Walruses and the Razorgore Walruses fought each other for territory. The Razorgore Walruses' blades were broken as they clashed with the Bulwark Walruses' armor. But they instantly regrew. The battle between these different species of walruses painted the sand and the rocks red.

"Too dangerous," Sek uttered. The [Ferryman] and the rest agreed. And so they rowed to a less populated coast.

A few Bulwark Walruses and Razorgore Walruses fought each other.

"Here," Sek told the rest of the boat's crew. "Tides of Sobek, prepare to engage!" He dived towards the water.

Ulron, the [Coral Mage] prepared his coral staff with bound spells, the staffs glowing with glyphs around it. Thel, the [Spellscribe Halberdier] grabbed one of his scrolls from his Bag of Holding. Kel, the [Gunmonk] loaded his arquebus with gunpowder and an iron bullet. He armed the arquebus by cocking its cock.

Sek raised his thumb up while swimming, signaling them to get ready for them to attack.

Ulron chanted, pulses of magic course through his staff, concentrating on its tip. Thel slowly unfurled one of his magical scrolls. Kel aimed his arquebus towards the nearest Razorgore Walrus.

Then, with a motion of Sek's thumb, they attack.

"[Boost Magic: Coralshard Blast]!" From the [Coral Mage] coral staff, shards of coral materialized and floated. With a swift motion, they blasted the huddle of hostile walruses. The walruses heard the blast, but they hadn't had time to dodge the hail of shards of coral. The high-velocity shards pierced the Razorgore Walruses' flesh, even as far as breaking the blades that protrude from them, but the bits bounced off the shells of the Bulwark Walruses.

Thel opened the scroll. Suddenly, swords of light and lightning were conjured, spinning above the head of the [Spellscribe Halberdier]. And with a flash of light, they had sped towards the group of agitated Bulwark Walruses. As they hit the ground, there was a flash of light and then lightning. The armored Walruses were electrocuted before they could swim towards them.

"[Repeating Shot], [Rapid Reload]!" With two of his Skills, his hands were a blur as he fired his arquebus, reloading and shooting at almost the same time. His shots either hit or miss, but they dealt severe damage when they hit. Walruses fell one by one with every few shots.

Sek had burst from the water and speared a Razorgore Walrus through its head before it could do something. The other Razorgore Walruses charged towards them, bouncing menacingly. They swung their bodies, trying to slice the [Tidal Spearmaster] with their protruding, jagged blades.

"[Evasive Backfilp]!" Sek performed a backflip away from their blades and tusks.

"[Spear Art: Seaward Slash]." With a slash of water from his barbed spear, he beheaded the three Gold-rank monsters in midair. A Bulwark Walrus charged towards him at an incredible speed. But the [Tidal Spearmaster] was regaining his stamina for a second. But that will be a crucial second that decides life or death,

"[Stab and Sunder]." From the air, Thel had stabbed the Walrus' eye until the ax blade has embedded deep into the skull. With a chop, he sundered the creature.

Sek regained his stamina. "Phew, I need to catch my breath for a second." He sighed, catching his breath.

The boat sailed closer to the shore, and the [Netters] hauled the dead walruses towards the large rowboat. The two hopped inside the ship. The team was resting from the energy that they expended. As the hired [Netters] hauled the walruses' corpses to the boats, the [Rowers] rowed the boat away before they encountered any monsters on the coast.

The sea breeze washed their faces. They stared at the horizon as they passed by islands.

And under the boat are where lesser sea monsters lurk.

For them, it's another day in their line of work.