[Ding! Successful Transaction!]
[Obtained 50 Gold!]
[Stole a Heart!]
….
Gray couldn't help but shake his head at the status window. What kind of ridiculous screen was this? Yet he almost had to agree with it. The youngster before him was totally captivated.
For some it was breasts, asses or even feet.
For the youngster, it was obvious.
'Transmigrator'
….
That's all it had taken to get him going. So much that he had excitedly called out to him as soon as he tried leaving, desperation clear in his voice— he was afraid of missing this opportunity.
"Wait, let me tag along! I'll close shop and leave a note. It will be fine. Let's talk some more. I'll be right there!" And a few minutes later he had shown up on the street completely out of breath.
The night sky, with two moons nostalgically floating above. One for local residents and one for the Transmigrators, the ones chosen by the gods. He'd try not to destroy the second one. This time.
"The moons are beautiful right?"
"Beauty and madness."
"Ah?…"
Gray simply chuckled, gesturing for him to lead the way as he brought an invisible cup to his lips, the youngster coming alive as he enthusiastically walked.
He looked just like a lost puppy finding a home.
But as for where they were going…
| The Singing Minotaur |
Ironic. The perfect name– unless one had ever reached Floor 37 and seen an actual Minotaur.
They didn't sing. Ever. They made their victims sing in their stead. Every note meant another limb torn as they smiled. But they did get something right.
Alcohol. It was great.
The blond kind full of glowing Mana veins that felt like fire in one's stomach.
And now…
"Hey, hey, is it true that Transmigrators aren't allowed to drink at 16?! It can't be right? 16's an adult! Many start families at that age even! What do you think?"
This kid.
As they were entering, Gray had quickly whispered that he was an undercover Transmigrator. That no one was supposed to know. That it had to be a secret. And he had believed it all.
Hence why he now finished all sentences with 'what do you think', as he tried playing cool. Part of Gray would have found it endearing long ago. Now he just found it idiotic. No point answering.
He simply shrugged…
"Who knows, but more importantly. Tell me more about this city. Stormveil. That shop of yours. Anything you can think of, I'll listen." He played the 'big brother' role to perfection.
It seemed like harmless questions. It wasn't. Not one bit. There was a reason he had shown to that specific shop in the first place. Not that the youngster even noticed.
His eyes glowed like the sun as he kept drinking and spilling it all.
— The Latest Academy Drama
— The Strongest Adventurers
— Top 10 Stormveil Beauties
— The Shop's Inner Workings
— His Dreams of Adventure
…
They had just met yet Gray already knew how many employees there were at Stormveil Commodities. Three.
'Boss Lang'. Old but fair.
'Elder Brother Xavier'. A half-noble.
'Just Damien'. The idiot in front of him.
…
As for recruiting more?
It wasn't an option. The old boss absolutely hated waste and strongly believed that only a small team was trustworthy.
"I see, what a shame…"
Gray kept commenting, goading the youngster, the latter's green eyes already obviously swimming all over the place and losing focus.
He was dead drunk.
And perfect…
'Time to go.' They left the tavern like a breeze, no one noticing them and made their way through the city, one calm once again.
The earlier beast attack had already been thwarted thanks to the city's defenses, the guards resting after going all out. And Gray knew what that meant. Patrols would be pretty much gone for a while.
He headed a certain direction.
"B-Brother, I-It's the wrong way. We won't—"
"All good. Trust me, will you? Just taking a shortcut is all. Don't worry about it."
The youngster leaning on his shoulder simply nodded, smiling like a fool, not realizing where they were going.
The slums.
Fucky. Smelly. Deadly.
And as Gray entered into a more than questionable alley, thieves in the back rose like clockwork cackling with expectation.
The glimmer of a knife.
Hands already clasped like claws as they prepared to strike. Two targets so drunk they couldn't possibly escape. To them, this was the easiest mugging they'd ever do. Or killing, either.
'Yes. Just like that.'
'Only three employees.'
'One gone means a job opening.'
….
It was that simple.
Dying to thieves wasn't uncommon.
Gray wanted to work at Stormveil Commodities, and he would soon. The 'how' mattered very little to him. So little that he almost grinned when the lowlives appeared.
The thieves stepped forth…
"Hehe, your coins or your life! Don't even think about struggling. We're all Ranked over here. Two pipsqueaks like you won't stand a chance! You'll–"
"Damien, was it?"
"Uh? Y-YES!"
Gray completely ignored the thieves, turning to the naive youngster. They didn't matter, not yet.
The alley disappeared…
There was only a youngster and an old monster left. And a question that would change everything.
"Do you want to be a Hero?"
"Join the Adventurer Guild."
"Become famous…"
…
Gray spoke like the devil.
Who wouldn't want to become one? The kid especially. Every time the Adventurer Guild was mentioned he would shine. Yet, the reality was far different than what he offered.
A naive kid turning to adventuring would only have one result. DEATH.
For a moment the kid seemed to realize it, but then all hesitation shattered as he saw Gray's 'encouraging' eyes. The kid even beamed, hope and pride swelling together.
"D-Do you really think I can?!!!"
Gray nodded.
Of course he could. He could become an adventurer. He could die in a ditch. He could also never come back.
That single nod was akin to thunder in the youngster's smooth brain. If a bona fide Transmigrator believed in him, why would he still hesitate? GO! WITH COURAGE!
The kid grinned, heroically so.
"Alright, I'll become an adventurer!"
"I'll join first thing tomorrow!"
"I'll become the greatest—"
…
He had barely declared that his face turned pale.
As if a lost child, he glanced back with clear distress. "A-Ah, but the shop? I can't leave the shop or Boss Lang will be mad. What will he do without me? What if…"
He started to spiral, only for Gray to put a hand on his shoulder.
"Live your dream. I'll cover."
That was all it took, a certain kid staring back with so many tears in his eyes that it threatened to drown his face. "Y-You will?! THANK YOU! THANK YOU SO MUCH!"
He had no idea he had just escaped death. Neither did he know that this path 100% led to death. Just like that tears of gratitude kept flowing, tears so completely undeserved.
And someone couldn't stand it…
A silver arc brightening the night, a sharp dagger magnifying before Gray's face and stopping 1 mm next to his eye.
An annoyed thief…
[F-Ranked Human Thief!]
"Oy, oy. Did you forget about us, you little bastards! As I said, your coins or–" he suddenly stopped talking.
He stopped breathing too.
The thief froze entirely.
He had just made eye contact with Gray, everything changing. There were humans. There were beasts. There was whatever the fuck that thing was.
[Ding! Learned Intimidation!]
[ERROR! User Smiled?!]
[Recalculating…]
….
Gray's hand flashed.
It looked like a magic trick, the kind that a bored uncle would pull up at parties. If said uncle had once been an assassin.
Same knife. Except it was now brushing against a thief's throat ever so gently. One move and it would all end. Bloodily so.
"Humans are pretty fragile…"
He casually commented. It wasn't even meant to intimidate. Humans really were fragile compared to beasts. Matter of fact, only brains put humans on top.
Gray knew how it would go…
Seven thieves total. He had to kill three to make the rest flee, if he was domineering enough that is. Else they'd misunderstand their chances and try their best to resist anyway.
Or he could get away without a fight…
"Careful, don't lose it next time."
He gave the dagger back.
The gentle smile sealed it. Then he walked away, whistling a happy melody as he dragged a drunk youngster with him, the latter so wasted he was even telling the thieves he'd be a Hero soon.
The duo left, leaving a thief leader questioning the world.
But it wasn't the same for his crew.
"Boss, what are you fucking daydreaming for?! Everyone after them! Don't let them escap—" The leader's dagger in the guy's throat suddenly stopped any orders from coming out.
'Please don't turn back…'
'Please don't turn back…'
'Please don't turn back…'
….
Luckily for them, Gray was already gone. Why would he care about small fries? The fact that they were technically more powerful than him wouldn't change their status in his eyes.
No, right now he had other priorities…..
| Stormveil Commodities |
It would be his…