Robber’s Den.

A den for all kinds of criminals from all over the kingdom. It was publicly recognized as the most unlawful place in the capital.

Inside such a dangerous place, Miko stood in front of a large tavern called Robin’s. Beside him was the boy who tried to rob him.

“This is your hideout?”

He asked the boy.

“Y-Yes. This is where we come after we reach the daily criteria, to give the boss the money.”

Answered the boy.

“Then it's loaded with cash?”

“Yes.”

“If your boss were to find out that you've sold him out, what would happen to you?”

“H-He would probably kill me.”

Miko glanced at the trembling boy.

“I see. Then we never met.”

Saying so, Miko walked towards the tavern without looking at the boy.

He had regain control of his body, but his mind was still under the influence of the demon. Even so, he still retained most of his personality and reason.

So the current Miko won't unnecessarily end or ruin someone's life; that's why he let the boy go.

However, he was dangerously whimsical. So much that he's planning to crush a guild of thieves for no apparent reason; just because it seemed fun.

Miko walked up to the tavern, and saw a few men standing outside the entrance.

He approached those men.

“Hm? What do you want, kid?”

One of the men noticed him, and glared at him.

Miko smiled at him.

“I want to enter the tavern. Move aside or I'll move you.”

“Wha?!”

The man got angry and all the men around started laughing at him.

“It's gotta be hard to be Mark. Not even this little girl respects y---?!”

Before the man could finish mocking his friend, Miko grabbed him by the throat and force him to kneel before him.

“I'm not a girl.”

Quietly and swiftly. Miko used his hand and chopped the man on the side of his head, robbed him of his consciousness.

He then turned to the other men.

“I've changed my mind. You no longer need to move out of the way.”

He smiled sadistically.

“It seems more fun if I move you myself.”

Inside the tavern there were a lot of people, almost numbering 50. There were men, women, children, teens, adults, and the elderly.

Everyone inside were thieves, and they all work for one man.

This man sat on the balcony on the second floor, overlooking his lackeys like he was a king looking down on his subjects.

He sat in an expensive looking chair, with two women on his lap. The women were feeding him food and liquor, while being felt up by the man's boorish hands.

This man who looked like he was the textbook definition of arrogance, was known as Slick Fingers. Or Slick for short.

He was slim, rude looking, and was someone who was obviously conniving.

Slick was a renowned thief. From he was a kid, he mastered the art of pickpocketing in order to survive the slums. He used to work for his abusive father who was also a pickpocket. He one day killed his father when he was drunk and robbed his corpse. From his father's dead body, Slick got 11 gold coins. That was enough to last a child like him for months. Even so, Slick still continued his pickpocketing, that's because he wanted more.

Slick became addicted to money, and the luxury it brings from a young age.

At the age of 15, Slick stole a magic book and found out that he had the talent for it. He took months to teach himself magic, and then used that magic to suppress his rival thieves.

Slick soon became the boss of all the pickpockets in the Robber’s Den, and lived a comfortable life ever since.

But none of that matters, because he's about to become cannon fodder for someone far more arrogant than him.

*Boom*

A loud crashing sound suddenly resounded through the tavern, and caused Slick to look at the entrance.

When he looked he saw a man laying on a broken door. It was a piece of the tavern front door.

On a closer look, Slick noticed that the man was bleeding heavily.

Slick quickly stood up, and was about to shout something when another man was sent flying into the tavern.

The man flew and crashed into a table where a few women were having drinks.

The women looked down on the broken table in shock.

“What's happening?!”

Slick was finally able to speak.

That's when he spotted one of his lackeys being dragged on the ground like a rag doll by a azure haired kid.

The kid threw the lackey one side and spread his arm open.

“Good Morning, Thieves! My name is…..Well, it's not important. What's more important is that you all are unfortunate enough to become my stress relievers. Too bad for you.”

Everyone glared at the arrogant brat, but he didn't seem to mind.

“You come into my castle and declare such foolishness? Who the hell do you think are?!”

Slick stood up and roared.

“Kill him! Kill that Brat!”

At the leader’s command several people took out a wide variety of weapons, and wore cruel smiles.

Seeing this, a sadistic smile appeared on his face.

“This should be fun. I've haven't had a real fight since Darius.”

He lift his hands in front of him, and released his claws. His right hand then began emitting electric sparks, while left was claded in blue flames.

“Fire and lightning. Let's see how well they mix!”

He aimed both arms at the people charging towards him.

A ball of fire and lightning quickly appeared in front him. It grew from the size of a tennis ball to half his size in less than a second.

When Slick and the others saw that, cold sweat covered their bodies.

“[Electric Flame Cannon].”

The ball of lightning and flames, shot towards the thieves with an unbelievable speed.

*Boom!*

Dozens of people were instantly blown away with burns and electricity emitting from their bodies, as an explosion of fire and electricity spread through the tavern and devoured everything in sight.

“Damn it! That kid is strong!”

Screamed a man who escaped the blast. He watched as several of his comrades scream out in agony while others fainted with heavily wounded bodies.

“Kill that bastard!”

Several men angrily charged at Miko.

Miko greeted them with an onslaught of kicks and punches.

He grabbed a heavily built man by the collar and flip him.

He then stepped on his head. At that time Miko was hit with a chair and nearly fell to his knees.

He quickly spun around and kicked the person.

He was then shot in the leg with an arrow made of earth. He looked around and saw that their were several persons staying away from him and attacking from a distance, while others charge at him to keep his attention on them.

“So their not just a band of thieves? They're pretty organized.”

Miko smile got wider.

“Looks like I'll get a great workout today!”

His body immediately harden, and skin changed into a black luster material.

He activated [Armored Skin].

“Let's have fun!”

Miko charged at a group of men, and swung his fists.

He punched one in the face. He in turned received a kick in the back. He kneed a man in the stomach and uppercut him in the air.

A man broke a club on Miko's chest. Miko stepped back and was once again surrounded.

He immediately covered his body with fire, and with a roar the flames explosively spread around Miko and blew the men away like a shockwave.

This was called [Burn Out].

Miko two hand was then covered with lightning, he clasp them together and quickly pulled them apart.

An electric spark connected the palms and then formed a giant sphere which floated over Miko's head.

“[Electric Murder]!”

The electric sphere scattered, and turned into bolts of lightning and struck those around Miko.

“Don't let him do as he please! Hit him with [Earth Armor]!”

At Slick’s command, several heavy bodied man covered themselves with thick armor made from earth.

They savagely charge at Miko. Miko met them head on.

He slammed his fist one of their chests and slash another with his claws.

The men retaliated with kicks and punches.

Miko was struck all over his body. He caught one of the kicks and used his claws to stabbed the leg, and sent electricity through the man's body.

“Guh?!”

The man screamed out and his armor disappeared as he fainted.

“Bastard.”

A man swung an axe at Miko which he barely dodged.

*Gunshot*

Miko was then shot in the stomach by a woman.

He rushed towards her, but was forced to halt by the dozens of bullets clashing with his [Armored Skin].

All of the women who stayed out of the fight, all fired guns at Miko.

The bullets were slowly tearing away his armored skin, Miko was forced to jump into the air. There he was greeted by a kick from a woman.

“Guh?!”

The kick sent Miko across the room.

*Boom!*

He crashed into bar counter and destroyed it.

The women didn't let up, they continuously fired at Miko who was on the ground. But they failed to see the electric current running through the wooden floors.

“Haaaaa!”

They all screamed when a burst of electricity suddenly entered their bodies.

Miko quickly got to his feet, and used his thumb, index, and middle finger to create a gun gesture.

A light then formed in front of the fingers.

“[Flame Pistol]!”

Fire shot from Miko's hand as if he was firing a gun.

“Hah!”

“Ow!”

“Ugh!”

People fell and screamed out in agony, as bullets made of flames hit them on rapid successions.

Miko started running towards them while firing flames bullets from his fingers.

“Die, Brat!”

A man swung a large sword at him from behind.

Miko used [Ignition Step] and launch himself over the man.

The man, intending to chase Miko, quickly turned around to swung his sword again; but to his surprise, a palm cover his face the instant he turned around.

“[Ignition]!”

A burst of flames came from Miko's palms, and scorched the man's face.

“Guuuaaah!”

He fell on his back and held his face.

At that moment, Miko was stabbed in the back by a spear.

“Ugh?!”

He quickly turned around and was greeted by five more spears.

He stumbled back and clench his teeth.

“That hurt, you bastards!”

He aimed his palm at the group of men who threw the spears.

“[Devil’s Light]!”

*Boom!*

A laser left his palm and scorched the surroundings; and agonizing screams reached Miko ears.

“Darius’s favorite packs a punch, right?”

An orb of light appeared in front of him.

“This is my original.”

The orb flew up to the ceiling and grew almost as big as Miko. And then-

“[Devil’s Light: Hell Rain].”

The orb exploded and hundreds of small lasers rained down on tavern.

*Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!* *Boom!*

The laser wrecked the tavern and mowed down countless people.

“This little…!”

Seeing his lackeys being take down by the dozen, Slick flew up in a fit of rage.

He jumped down from the balcony and glare at Miko, who was steadily taking down his lackeys.

He sprinted towards Miko with the intent to kill.

“Damn brat!”

He roared as he came close to Miko. Miko readied himself to great him when-

“[Absolute Zero].”

A cold voice echoed through the tavern, followed by a cold chill.

(Idiot, get off the ground!)

Before he could think, Miko's body obeyed Tiamat's panicked voice, and jumped up to the ceiling with [Ignition Step].

He grabbed to a wood pillar supporting the ceiling and looked down.

“Wha?!”

The scene before Miko's eyes shocked him.

The ground he was standing on turned in a frozen surface. Not only that, dozens of people, whether standing or laying on the ground, were frozen solid and looked like ice sculptures. Even those on the second floor were frozen.

The tavern had turned into a frozen wasteland in seconds.

“Did that guy who was running towards me do this?”

As he said those words, he realized that Slick was among the ones who desperately avoided getting frozen.

(No. This is coming from the outside.)

It was at this moment, Miko saw someone walk into the frozen bar.

“…A little girl?”

It was a girl around Miko's age.

She had a beautiful yet cold-looking face. Her black hair with emerald endings, stretched down to her back. Her blood red eyes lacked liveliness. She was wearing a red and black button up hoodie, black pants, and red sneakers. Her tomboy dressing made her face look even more beautiful.

“…….”

The girl looked around at the sculptures with indifference. She then turned her attention to Slick, who was clinging to a pillar.

“Slick, right?”

The girl asked.

Her voice was melodious and soothing to the ears, but at same time hallow and lacking emotion.

“Y-Yeah. What of it?”

Slick voiced had visible caution in it. He didn't know what happened to the tavern, but he was certain that it had something to do with this girl.

“I see.”

A dark and sinister aura suddenly envelop the girl’s body. It made Slick flinch, and Miko alert.

“[Dark Entanglement].”

Slick suddenly found himself surrounded by a dark mist. The mist then move as if it was alive, and wrapped itself around Slick’s limbs.

He fell from the pillar he was clinging on, and slammed into the ice cold floor.

“What the hell is this?!”

Slick screamed as the mist started to squeeze his limbs together, and forced him in an odd position.

He looked like pig being tied up before getting slaughtered.

“Milia, come in.”

The girl ignored the screaming Slick, and called out to a thin little girl waiting outside.

The thin girl walked in timidly and didn't meet the eyes of those around her.

When the thin girl walked beside the black haired girl, Slick face was filled with shock.

“This is Milia. She's the eldest daughter of a poor family, and more importantly my friend. A few days ago, she was carrying money she saved up to buy a present for her baby brother. However, she was robbed by you. She said you took her money and dangled it in front of her, and walked away laughing. Do you deny this?”

The girl’s voice had a hint of anger in it, which was the first emotion she's shown since appearing.

“I-I don't remember!”

Slick said nervously. He noticed the changed in the girl, and was instinctively frighten.

The girl-

“I see.”

She clicked her fingers, and the mist around Slick forced its way into his mouth, and grabbed his tongue. The mist then sharpened and pierce his tongue.

“Guaaaah?!”

“You lied to me. I hate lies.”

The girl clicked her fingers again and the mist around Slick’s tongue disappeared.

Blood flowed out of his mouth.

“I want her money back. Do you have it?”

“Y-Y-You little bitch! I'm going to kill you!”

“I see.”

The girl gestured for the thin girl to leave the tavern.

“Wait for me at home. I'll be right there.”

“Y-Yes, Luka.”

The thin girl then hastily left the tavern.

When Luka saw that she had left, she turned her attention back to Slick.

“I’ll ask you one last time. Do you have her money?”

“Go to hell!”

“….I see.”

Luka waved her hand and the mist disappeared. Seeing that he was free, Slick jumped to his feet and charged at Luka like a madman.

“Die, you freaking bitch!”

“Unfortunately, I can't die just yet.”

Luka didn't panic. She held out palm and spoke.

“[Black Coffin].”

The ground under Slick suddenly burst open, and two halves of a box closed in on him, and trapped him inside.

When it trapped him, the box changed its appearance to eerie black coffin with a skull on it.

No sound came from Slick who was trapped in the coffin, it was like the coffin didn't have a living person inside.

“I'll just take everything in this place, and give it to Milia.”

Luka said softly.

She then used the stretched out palm to form a fist.

“[Black Burial].”

The coffin immediately started to compress. It continually got smaller, until blood started leaking from it.

In a few seconds, the bloodstained coffin was reduced to the size of a coin and float in the air. There was a pool of blood under it.

Luka then waved her hand, and coffin disappeared leaving a ball of bloody meat behind.

Those who saw that were frozen in fear with paled faces.

It was at this time, that three persons ran inside the tavern.

“Mikky!”

It was Hina and the boys.

They spotted Miko hanging on the ceiling and shouted in joy.

“Hina? How did you find me?”

Miko jumped down and spoke to them.

“Sora heard that a kid was causing a commotion here, so he found us and we all came together. It looks like it was really you.”

Said Hina.

“Gamiko, did you do this?”

Ace asked as he looked at the frozen people.

“I beat up the ones on the ground, but I wasn't the one who froze them.”

Miko looked at Luka while he spoke. Hina and others also looked at her.

Feeling Miko's stare, Luka turned around and looked at him.

“….?”

It was then her body jerked in an unnatural manner. Her expressionless face suddenly became lively with a hint of surprise.

She stared at Miko with passionate yet sharp eyes.

This caught Hina’s and the boys attention.

“Mikky, do you know…?”

Hina stopped her question halfway when she looked at Miko's face.

He was staring at Luka with a passionate yet sharp stare as well.

That wasn't the only thing. Miko was smiling. It wasn't a savage smile or a cruel one. It was an excited smile.

He looked like he saw a lover after years apart.

When she looked at Luka, it was the same. She had a charming and mysterious smile.

This caused mixed feelings to appear in Hina's heart.

This was how Gamiko met Luka. A girl who like Hina would change his life forever.