*Tap-tap-tap-tap*

The sound of heavy footsteps from the outsoles of the soldier’s boots hitting the ground could be heard from behind me, as I weave left and right, evading the bystanders in my way.

They had managed to track me down quickly after Stealth’s duration ended.

'Good thing that I pumped a lot of points into agi'

As I was thinking of how my stat was allocatted

*Thud*

I bump into a middle-aged woman, making her fall to the ground.

'What a stupid mistake… maybe I should pay attention to my surroundings from now on'

“Hey! Watch where you’re going!” she yelled at me

Bystanders looked at our direction, including some of the guards who were close by.

“Over there!”

‘Tch. Shit, they spotted me’ clicking my tongue while I head straight into a long alleyway

I tried to run as fast as I could towards the south city gate, but, it was too far away and Stealth only had a thirty second up time.

They darted towards my direction, while people moved to the side, making a way for them.

'Sureee, make it more easier for them' I thought, when I looked back towards them

“Station a few people here and guard this exit, the rest of you go pursue him. We’ll circle around the smithy and meet him there” ordered the leader wearing a bronze helmet

With more than fifteen guards following behind me, I only had Stealth to rely on to help me get out of this sticky situation. I couldn’t fight them all, as there were fifty or more guards, all equipped to the bone.

Looking at the window on my upper left vision, I check for Stealth’s cooldown.

‘Three more minutes. I just need three more fucking minutes!’ trying to think up of a plan to avoid the pursuing guards while I wait for Stealth’s cooldown to wear off

As I was thinking up of ways on how to buy time, I see a window that’s open ten feet up on one of the sides of the buildings there.

I dragged one of the wooden tables that were in front of a store below the window.

“He’s over there! Hurry!” shouted a guard

I quickly went on top of it and jumped up inside of the window, pulling myself up.

Looking at the room, there were pots, dishes and vases made of clay all around, each differing in shape and size.

‘Just two more minutes’ running towards the only door in the room

I openned the door while hearing people jumping inside of it from behind me.

"Waah!"

“What are you doing inside here!?” shouted a man, as I evade the broom that he swings towards my face

"Sorry, It's an emergency!"

I ran past him and went down towards the first floor, jumping over the wooden counter and exiting the pottery.

I survey my surroundings and saw none of the guards.

“Gotta think fast. Where should I go? Left, right, or inside a trash can…"

“What are guards doing inside my store!?” while I was trying to decide on what direction I should pick, I heard the man who swung a broom at me shouting again from upstairs.

I quickly went towards a restaurant across the street. Pulling the cloak’s hood over my head as I enter the establishment.

A savory aroma immediately greeted me, as a teenaged girl wearing an apron over a blue shirt and short pants passed by me.

“Here you go sir, enjoy your meal” she was holding a steak platter. Delivering it to one of the patrons table.

A few groups were chortling at the jokes made by their companions, while chugging down a few mugs of alcohol before ordering another one.

‘Calm and collected, let’s try to act as natural as possible’

Only a few people pay attention to me, as they continue to drink their alcohol or eat their food.

'Calm and... how to act natural anyway?' as I walk to one of the unoccupied tables, making sure I didn’t attract that much attention… Not like a guy wearing a gray cloak and having it’s hood covering most of your face isn’t suspicious enough, I’d say I have about five minutes before something goes bad.

“What are you ordering for today sir?” the same teenaged girl who was holding the steak platter came close to my table and asked for what I would like to eat

“It’s my first time here and I’m not too familiar with the menu. What do you recommend I should order?” I asked her

She puts her left hand on her waist and leans forward a little, smiling while she tells me what their best seller was.

“We have the best and juiciest T-bone steak that you’ll ever find in Loam. Self-proclaimed though~, but every bar, restaurant or tavern that you’ll visit will always say that about their own food”

I liked how she said 'self-proclaimed' at the appraisal of the food. At least she's honest about it.

“I’ll have one of that then”

“Okay~ I’ll deliver it to your table in five minutes. Be right back in a jiffy” she said, as she goes behind the counter and entered the kitchen

I look at Stealth’s cooldown, seeing that it only needs a minute left until I could use it again.

‘Better be prepared if something does go wrong’ I thought, as I wait for my order of steak to arrive

I glance at my left and right, seeing more people looking towards me. Whispering and talking with each other, with some of them getting their weapons ready.

‘Oh, come on! It’s only been a minute after I sit down and someone already wants to fight. At least let me eat first!’ taking out my knife and getting a Void Eater ready

"You wanna go?" I told them, while my eyes narrowed into slits

Tension rises as I face off against ten different people at the same time. I can’t get out while they block the only entrance out of the establishment. Inside a close and confined space like this where my movement is limited, I could already see my future…me behind bars while playing a harmonica. I just hope I don't drop the soap in the showers.

Maybe I could learn how to pick it up using my feet?

"HAAA!"

One person then tightens his grip on his longsword and charges towards me. But, he stopped moving, as an axe flew towards his direction.

The axe hitting one of the foundations of the building, missing him only by a few centimeters.

'So close, that would've been one less person to fight' I thought

“NO! FIGHTING! INSIDE!” a loud deep shout came from behind the counter.

“TAKE YOUR SHIT OUTSIDE OR I’LL SERVE YOU ALL TO THE PIGS!” a tall muscular man goes outside from the kitchen, holding a small axe on his right hand. He was wearing a blue jacket with white fur on the collar, with black denim pants and heavy leather boots.

I guess this place doesn't have the philosophy of 'The customers were always right'.

His face turns red, while making a disgruntled expression. He was bald, so I could see how the veins were popping out and how red his whole face turned, making him look like a ripe tomato.

‘Are my eyes playing tricks on me or is he getting bigger by the second…’ rubbing my left eye just to be sure.

Taking another close look

‘Yup, he is’

I watched the man for a few seconds, as his body started to grow, like the Hulk when Bruce Banner gets angry.

The other people inside immediately sat down and put away their weapons, most of them still keeping a close eye on me.

I also put away my knife and erased the miasma ball on my palm. The black liquid goes through my skin, absorbing it like a dry sponge.

“Hmph, cause a racket one more time and I’ll behead all of you and hang your heads outside the city” giving one last glance before he goes back inside the kitchen

A few minutes later, the teenaged girl comes out of the kitchen carrying a platter of steak.

“Here you go sir, enjoy your meal” she smiles, as she puts down the platter in front of me

“Can I ask you something?” I asked her before she could leave

“Sure thing, as long as it’s not anything too personal~” she winks at me

“Who was that person with the throwing axes a while ago?”

Curious as to why the other people obediently sat and quieted down

“Oh, you’re talking about boss Jenko. He owns this place alongside some of the shops lined up here on the street, he’s also a contractual mercenary hired by the city”

“Does he usually carry throwing axes on himself and hurl them at his customers?”

“Nah, he only brings those toys with him when Miss Eleanor gives him a job to do. He doesn’t come out into the open much either, so, it’s very rare that you’d get to see him in the daylight like this”

She goes over to the axe that was stuck pretty deep on the wall, pulling it out with one hand without much effort.

‘Never judge a book by its cover…I’ll have to remember that’ looking at her, as she plays with the axe in her hands, twirling it between her fingers.

“What’s he doing out here then?”

She leans closer and whispers something that only the two of us can hear, placing the axe on one of the unoccupied chairs.

“I overheard him talking with the head cook inside the kitchen about two individuals messing up the academy. Vandalizing and destroying some of the buildings and precious research materials inside, making some of them restart their projects from scratch"

Those two sounds familiar to me...

"It angered the director of the academy so much that he fainted and spewed blood. So, the academy fired the professor who was involved in it and banished her out of Loam. Right now, they’re searching for the other person that’s responsible”

Yup, he’s right in front of you

“Oh, I hope they find that person soon” I made an awkward smile, as a bead of sweat dropped down from my forehead

“There’s nothing to worry. Once the boss is on the job, he’ll stop at nothing until he finishes it. His moniker as the ‘Bloodhound’ isn’t just for show you know”

'I dont know' I thought, while she was showing a proud expression on her face at the mention of her employer’s title

“I’ll leave you now then. Don’t forget to tip me if I was useful in answering your questions~” winking at me one last time before she leaves, heading towards a newly seated customer

‘So the professor was fired from her job and banished from the city…’ remembering her face as she chased me throughout the campus

Shaking my head

‘I have my own problems right now, can’t dwell on other things for the time being’ as I cut the steak with the knife that came along with it.

‘Hoh~ this’s very juicy and tender. Like, melts in your mouth tender~’ putting another piece inside my mouth, delighted at the unplanned meal before me.

After three minutes of cutting and stuffing meat inside my mouth (well…( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)), I went to the counter and paid for my food. Remembering to give a 25 silver coin tip to the girl who served me.

As I walk towards the door, the other customers also got up. Following me as I go outside of the restaurant.

“Hey! How about one at a time!” getting their weapons ready, while all of them charged at me.

I evaded their strikes, kicking some of them when I did so, making them topple backwards.

I retreated for a few meters and used Stealth, my silhouette disappearing as I vanish in front of them.

“Is this how celebrities feel when they get mobbed?” I blurted while I run away, as fast as I could

Those people who attacked me wore surprised expressions, as they spread out in search of me.

Not wanting to waste Stealth’s short thirty second duration, I dashed towards the south gate. Passing through bystanders and guards that I meet in my way.

‘There’s more guards now than there were a few minutes ago’ observing more than two dozen of them marching here and there

‘They sure have a lot of people searching for someone who just caused a small racket inside a campus…’

With Stealth’s duration almost over, I made my way inside a weapons shop, as I wait for 10 whole minutes to use Stealth again.

“H-hello, h-how c-could I help you?”

I hear a high-pitched stuttering voice as I entered the shop

Looking towards where the voice came from, I see a young boy, about seven to eight years old with his brown hair covering most of his eyes, standing on top of a chair behind a glass showcase used for displaying merchandises.

“Oh, don’t mind me. I’m just here to look around” I said

Inspecting some large swords and lances, going through each one. Most of them have standard or simple looking designs, while there were some that looked very impractical.

Looking at a sword with metallic thorns coming out of its handle with its blade that’s separated into five parts forming a pentagon…

‘…It’s a fantasy game…that’s right, this is a fantasy game. Not everything needs to make sense…’ I thought

Moving on, I went towards the other sections of weapons, inspecting each one of them while commentating on how stupid their designs were.

‘A watering can is considered a weapon?’ picking up the bronze watering can and swinging it from side to side

‘How the fuck would you even fight with this thing?’

After losing interest and putting it back into the rack, I moved on to the next weapon rack.

As I move from one weapon to the other, it started to get weirder. I picked up the fruit that was in front of me.

‘Now…what the fuck is this even doing here!?’

“Hey! How do you even use this to fight!? Throw it at them and hope they’d get diarrhea from too much vitamin C!?” I asked the kid, startling him as his eyes go wide in surprise.

“U-u-Uhmmm, s-Some C-classes use it t-to feEd their c-companions to make them d-do stuff…” he said, as he was about to cry with tears coming out of his eyes.

“H-hey, don’t cry. I’m sorry I startled you. See? I’m not a bad person” smiling while I consoled the little boy

'Great, I'm a wanted criminal and I make children cry. Maybe I have what it takes to be a villain one day'

He stopped crying a few seconds later. Wiping the tears off his face using his sleeves.

After that was done, my sight then moved towards the section where the knives were. Seeing that there were only a few that were on display, ranging from a few cleavers to boning knives.

“Is this the only kinds of knives you have?” taking one cleaver in my hand, trying to get the feel of it

He breathes in a couple of deep breaths before answering my question.

“M-mama said that people don’t u-usually buy those kinds of things from the shop, since people who can usually use a knife will often use a sword instead” he said, as his stuttering began to lessen

“Your mom’s the shop owner? How come your all alone in here anyway?” thinking of letting a child manage a shop by themselves was already a bad idea.

“S-she went to the post office to deliver a letter”

As I was putting the knife back, I heard someone enter from the entrance.

“Oh, hello there. See anything you like?” a feminine voice asked me from behind.

I look towards my back and saw a woman in her early to mid-thirties with the same brown hair as the young boy, wearing a brown black jacket with jeans. She was eyeing me, warry because of my attire…or because of that notification a while ago.

'Wait... how come that waitress was friendly with me?' thinking about the teenaged girl I met a while ago

'Meh, Doesn't matter'

She goes behind the glass showcase, as I was thinking to myself.

“I was just looking at some of the weapons here” I said

“I hope my little boy helped you with anything that you needed” putting her left hand on the boys head

“Yes, he did” I made a smile and looked at the young boy

He blushes in reaction as he lowers his head, masking his whole face with his hair.

“By the way, do you by chance have any other knives besides the ones on display?”

She shakes her head to the side.

“Not really, since it’s hard to sell those things and most of them are outclassed by others in reach and other utilities” shrugging her shoulders

“If you really want a good weapon, there’s the kingdom of dwarves, Volrhid, to the west of Kilgean. Its where most renowned blacksmiths of the empire gather. It’ll take a few weeks of traveling by horse to get there though” she suggested, while the boy beside her goes down from the chair and went inside the door behind them.

“How about the stuff in Dorias? Are they any good?”

“Hmm, the weapons and armors there are pretty good, and the ores there are of high quality too. It’s just that the fee for commissioning a master blacksmith for making any equipment there is ridiculously high. If I remember correctly, I think it was quadruple the standard fee than what they’d charge elsewhere”

After listening to what she had to say, Stealth’s finally ready to be used again.

“I need to go, thank you for the information though” thanking the lady

“Sure thing” she nods towards my direction

I went outside the shop, but as I was about to close the door, I heard a *thud* right next to me.

"Hm?"

Looking to my side, I saw a small iron axe lodged onto the wooden door frame of the shop.

“That’s your only warning. Give up now or I’ll drag your corpse towards the morgue instead”

A familiar deep voice came from behind me.

I immediately activated Stealth and started running towards the south gate.

“So, the morgue it is”

I heard him say from behind me

I didn’t look back, but I felt like he was just right behind me, almost like his hands were about to clamp onto my shoulders and dragged me towards the ground.

I made a Void Eater on my right palm just to be safe, in case that if he did manage to find me, I’d shove a miasma ball in his face.

"Woah!"

Something tackled me from behind, as I turn right towards a corner. Making me fall forward, face meeting the ground first. It then bit into my hand, dragging me back to where I just came from.

*Grrrrrrrrrr*

I turned and looked up, seeing a brown dog with no hair. Wait…no, correction, a dog made out of sand.

I shove the miasma ball on its face, enveloping its whole head. It doesn’t let go until most of it’s snout was gone. After it’s whole head was gone, it’s body that’s made out of sand scattered, leaving a pile of sand where it once was.

‘A tracking dog made from sand?’ I thought

Standing up, I noticed that the people on the street were staring at me.

‘Shit, Stealth broke’

As I was about to run, I heard more dogs barking from every direction from where I was standing.

*Grrrrrrrrrr* *Grrrrrrrrrr**Grrrrrrrrrr*

I saw thirteen dogs slowly making their way towards me, going through the crowd from both directions, circling around me. I also heard some of them from the rooftops of the buildings, where six of them were staring at me, ready to leap.

*Whistle*

Someone whistled behind the crowd of people, stopping the dogs from advancing.

“Your coffins ready and waiting at the morgue. Say your prayers now before I shove your body inside of it” said the man, wielding an axe each on both his hands.

“Are you sure it isn’t yours?” readying my knife and Void Eater

“Hoh, you sure have some guts. Let’s see if this dog can only bark”

He then whistles again, and the whole pack of dogs leaped at me.

I activated Butchers Instinct, but there weren’t any red lines appearing on their bodies. I immediately deactivated it, while dodging a leaping dog in front of me, but I was tackled from the side by another one.

‘I wish I had eyes on the side and back of my head. I wonder how that would work…’ shoving a miasma ball on the dog and kicking it’s body to the side.

After getting up, I fasten my knife to my belt and use Void Eater two more times, both forming on the palm of my hands. As I was about to charge at them, I noticed that I couldn’t move my feet.

"Come on!" looking down, I saw that there was sand going up to my shin, steadily going up towards my knees

*Grrrrrrr*

I couldn’t evade the leaping dogs while my feet were covered by sand. Some of them sacrificed themselves and kamikazed on the miasma balls, making sure that there were no other threats when the others charged at me.

After the two balls of miasma were gone, they started biting at my arms and legs, pinning me so that I couldn’t move. They didn’t do a lot of damage as my HP only went down by a hundred.

While I was busy trying to get this mutts off me

“Hey, catch” he said

I looked up towards him and saw an axe flying towards me, sinking it’s blade into my right shoulder.

“I said catch” as he throws another one, heading towards my left knee

My blood was splashing on the dogs, absorbing it into their sandy bodies. But, they didn’t show any signs of whether they were inflicted by any of the status ailments that my blood had.

‘Maybe it doesn’t work on anything that isn’t alive? Are these dogs even alive in the first place?’ looking at the mutts beside me, their hollow black eyes staring straight into the flesh that they were holding down.

“You didn’t catch it again? Let’s try one more time” throwing two more axes towards my stomach and chest

“Where the fuck are you stashing all those axes anyway!”

He wasn’t holding anything a second ago, then suddenly an axe was in his hand. He doesn’t even have any place to hide it.

“It’s a trade secret. If I told you how it works, then I’d have to kill you” for the first time he grinned, showing a smug face

“You’re killing me right now!”

“Heh, you’re really bad at this aren’t you?” he said, while this sadistic fuck threw another one towards my left hand, almost dismembering it, only hanging by an inch of flesh

He threw another one, hitting my neck.

“Doesn’t this…look…like a…public...execution?” I forced myself to speak while coughing up blood

“Public execution? I don’t see anybody else here besides the two of us though?” he looked around while playing with an axe on his right hand, tossing it up and catching it with his other hand.

Forcing my head to turn around, I saw that the streets where now empty. The lively streets of Loam was now a deserted area. Even the stalls that where here were abandoned, leaving their merchandise in the open.

“Everyone in Loam already knows the meaning when I or my dogs come out” coming closer towards me, with his axes on both hands.

‘I really want to learn how he does that’ I thought

He steps in front of me and used his axe to chop away both of my hands.

‘He’s too cautious’ even though I was already held down by his dogs

‘Why do I often find myself in this kind of situations anyway?’ asking the universe, even though I knew that I won’t get an answer from it

“Any last words before I chop your head off?”

“Yo-“ I didn’t get to finish my sentence as my head flies to the side.

It’s a weird feeling. Seeing your body in front of you, but it’s missing one important part, the head.

A ‘Bounty Hunter’ has killed you. Some of your equipment or items may drop when you die

‘Ah, shit’ then everything turned black

------------------------------------------------------------------

Waking up, I open my eyes and saw nothing but pure darkness.

“This basically became a routine for me now” standing up and stretching my body

"How many times did I die already?"

Inspecting my equipment and items, relieved that nothing was gone.

“Are you ready to begin your trial?” a low raspy voice asked me from somewhere

I jumped to the side

“What?” surprised at the sudden voice that was questioning me

“Are you ready to begin your trial?” it repeated

“Who’s there?” I asked the disembodied voice

Using the light that’s coming from the door in front of me, I looked around, searching for the source of the myterious voice.

“I am your judge. I am assigned to see through your trial and judgement”

‘Trial? As in a court trial?’

Imagining a fat person with a giant white wig, holding a gavel and shouting ‘Order! Order in the court!’

“You may not leave the room until I give my verdict”

“What’s the trial about?” I asked, still looking where the voice was coming from

It doesn’t answer. I asked again and waited for another minute, but the voice still won’t respond.

“Okay then, let’s just get this over with. I’m ready”

The surrounding started to rumble, with scraping noises, as if something heavy was being dragged across the floor.

“Step into the door behind you”

I turned around and saw a black metallic door without a doorknob that’s been chained and locked.

“How can I go in if the thing’s chained and locked tight?” looking at the lock. I pulled it, checking if I could remove it without the key.

*Hisssssss*

“What the?” something sharp suddenly pricks my finger.

I take a closer look, but I couldn’t see what the thing was, as the surrounding was too dark and the thing that pricked me was too fast to see, immediately going back inside the key hole.

While I was speculating what the thing was, my blood flows from my fingers, going inside the key hole.

As it entered, the chains surrounding the door fell to the ground with a loud thud.

“Well then…time to get this over with I guess?” pushing the metallic door open

You are about to enter ‘Endless Nightmare’. Time inside will be ten times faster than the normal game time Warning: Once you enter, you cannot leave until the trial is finished

“This type of thing again… Not a good sign” sighing at the warning that the system gave me.

Mentally preparing myself for the things that were about to happen.

“I’ve had worse things happen to me anyway, and what can they even throw at me at this point?” confirming that I wish to enter, a blinding light then enveloped me

A few seconds after closing my eyes, I heard someone yelling.

“Hey! Mister! Get out of the way!”

“Uff” something hits my groin, making me fall forward

“I warned you. What the hell are you even doing, standing in the middle of the street like an idiot?” extending their left hand towards me.

I take the hand that’s extended and stood up, while doing so, I look towards the person in front of me who was riding a bike.

“You fine? Nothing out of place? Your manhood still there?” she asked, peering at my nether region

She had long emerald green hair that extended up to her hips. Her eyes were of the same color. She was wearing a black hoodie that had a picture of a foreign K-pop idol and blue jeans that had some tears on it.

“It’s still intact, don’t worry about it” I said while I looked around

“Where am I anyway? This place looks kinda familiar…” seeing ruined buildings that had plants and vines growing out of them. There weren’t cars or anything that uses a motor, instead, people walked or used carts or bikes to move down the street.

“Memory loss!? But, I didn’t even hit your head! I mean your upper head!?” she started to panic

Stopping the girl before she calls for help

“I don’t have memory loss. I just don’t know where I am right now” shrugging my shoulders

She looked at me skeptically.

“Are you sure? How can that even happen in the first place? This isn’t one of those new ways to pick up girls is it?”

“What? You know what, that doesn’t matter. Where am I anyway?”

“Well…you’re in one of the last few cities that’s still standing in the country, Dawnlock”

I blinked a few times, before I asked her again

“Hah? Can you repeat that last bit?” using my pinky finger to clean my ear

“You’re in Dawnlock, the last hope of the south”