The hallways of the palace were filled with terror. The palace servants hid in their hidden rooms, designed to withstand most attacks and designed to the undetectable. [Sentinels] roamed around, searching for the [Assassins] lurking about. [Assassins] prowled the palace's corridors and rooms, using their Skills to locate their target. It was their most dangerous job yet, assassinating the [King] of one of the New World's few paradises.

They ran with silent steps and roamed without shadow. The light dims as they pass by. Without a whisper to be uttered. With their silent gestures and Skills, they pass messages to each other. A language only understood by those who are in their field of work.

They sensed a powerful presence. Like sharks smelling blood, they rushed towards it.

It was their target—a Seafolk Orca with royal blue robes. Beside him is a scruffy man with green hair and a Seafolk Grouper.

They lunged in for the kill.

Suddenly, they felt like the ocean had come crashing down upon them. The gravity of the King's Aura had weighed them down. They struggled to breathe. This is the power of [Kings]. To make those who are lower than them bow to his will. The [Steward] tied them up without difficulty. Interrogated them harshly. They were hired by the [Prince] himself. Along with the nobles that followed in his banner.

"Ah, so he had resorted to this, eh." He mused.

"If he was serious about killing you, would he have hired a Level 100 or above [Assassin]?" Lascze asked.

"Yeah, you're right." He answered. "Maybe this is a prelude to something."

They had captured any assassin that they had encountered until they scoured the whole palace. They had assembled the bound [Assassins] in the main hall.

"Arrest them, and put them in the dungeon." He ordered the [Sentinels] of the palace.

"Yes, my lord." They answered in sync. They dragged the tied [Assassins] away from the [King] 's presence.

"What will happen next?" Lascze asked.

"Either I will be forced to entertain an audience with them, or they will expel me from the throne by force." The [King] answered.

"Oh, that would be bad."

"Yes." He uttered. "I think that they will make their move tonight.”

"Let's go make sure that Lewis is safe, shall we?"

Away from the commotion, they walked towards the secret room. It had not tampered whatsoever. The hidden door was undamaged. The door opened. No table, no chair was turned. Nor even the windows were broken. Nor even the plates on the table were tampered with. Not even a fold was found on the curtains and carpets.

But still.

Lewis was missing.

And Lascze was worried, sweating bullets. Iguino patted him on the back.

"But why?" He asked. "He isn't involved in the politics of your court!" He outraged.

"I don't know either." He answered without a clue on why. "Don't worry; I will use my power as [King] to find him. I will order the best of my [Royal Diviners] to find him. Even the best of my [Royal Trackers] and [Royal Spies]. I will do anything for my friend after all."

"Thanks." Lascze expressed his gratitude.

Fion, the two-tailed cat, appeared from Lascze's shoulder.

"Hello there." Iguino petted his head.

"You smell something?" Lascze asked.

Fion jumped from his shoulder and pointed towards the corner. The corner where the shadow had been.

"Ah, so it’s a spell or a Skill. Or both." Iguino commented. "But how did he evade the multilayered wards?"

The cat took a nap on the carpet without care and purred as chaos was brewing within the palace.

-

From the shadows, a hooded [Assassin] had dragged the boy on the palace gardens. He was tall and imposing, and his grey robes added to the effect.

The boy had been knocked out. The group of [Assassins] didn't know why the boy was important, but he didn't question his employers.

"Take him to the wagon, and don't let any of the Sentinels of the palace detect you. Or even the [Guardsmen]. Go beside to the Illia Canal." He ordered his subordinates.

And so, the hooded grunts had hauled the boy to a nondescript wagon. The grunts tied him more, just to be sure, with an additional cotton blindfold. Like their leader, they didn't know what makes this boy important.

Lewis opens his eyes. He only saw white cloth and bits of light that penetrated the cloth. He realized that he was blindfolded.

He struggled. Inching, working his way out. But the bindings are too tight. As tight as a steel vice.

"Mhmp! Mhmp! Mmph! " He tried to scream, calling for help. But he was gagged.

He felt helpless. As helpless as he has been when he came to this world. Now, he is silent. Somehow, he felt calm. His senses were in overdrive. He can feel where he was going. In fact, he remembered the direction that the wagon took by feeling it. Feeling where the wagon had taken. Which direction the horse had trotted. Where the wooden wheels rolls. Unbeknownst to him, he had an above-average memory. He silently memorized it. The directions that the wagon had taken.

He remembered how he was taken before he got knocked out. A tall hooded man dragged him from the shadows.

And then he was dragged in a wagon, where he was bound and tied.

The boy silently waited. He wondered how the boy that he rescued is. Is he alright?

-

Someone bailed the [Thief] out of prison. A mysterious man had brought him to the outside world. The sky is clear, displaying its vibrant blue. The light of the sun reflected the surfaces of the numerous waterways within Aquinox. The gondolas were sailing peacefully, the flow of the crowd undisturbed.

Even the [Guardsmen] patrolling about didn't notice the two suspicious people walking against the crowd. The boy [Thief] used [Blend in Sight], while the mysterious person simply walked. Even without the Skill, the stranger hid from plain sight.

They were in an alley. A wet alley caked in moss. Where the sun seldom shines.

The man removed his hood. A humanoid with blue scales and a Dragonet's head, scarred from battle. A Dragonet Seafolk.

His boss. He was lithe, but he grabbed the human boy's neck like a vice with his blue webbed hands.

"This is the last time that I will bail you out." He warned. "Next time you fail, I'll cut your throat." He dumped the boy away.

"Be thankful that I have a job for ye'." He gruffed. "I need all the gang's hands. This is a pretty big job. And it pays gold."

The lowly [Thief] stayed silent.

"Your job is to occupy the Red Den." He answered. "Be fodder for a while."

"What?" The boy answered.

The Red Den. A warehouse that is infamous for death. Rumors say that the Red Den is where the enemies of the nobles get murdered. Or where the biggest gangs in Aquinox dispose of their prisoners. Or even the Crimson Waters Killer's hideout.

Well, the truth is a combination of those.

"When the guards come, you will fight them. If you live, you got not one, but two gold. If you die, that's one less mouth to be fed. Maybe you can even pay your indenture to me." He mockingly informed.

Hope in the form of a single gold coin—a coin worth hundreds of foreign coins or a few silver inside this kingdom. And the best thing of all, to be free of being a thief. To pay off a debt. To integrate back to society.

"I'll do it."

"Excellent," he said. "All you need to do is to guard the prisoner. Say the gang's name before you enter. Now go!" He kicked water into his face, forcing him to wipe his eyes.

The boy ran away. He ran on the stone bridges above the waterways. He waded through bustling crowds on the streets beside the canals. The boy headed towards the tight and wet alleyways, navigating the maze between stone buildings. As a common [Thief], he knew his way around the shady alleys.

He emerged from an alleyway. He was in a wide harbor. It was a harbor full of sailing ships made out of hardwood and its sails bound by rope and wood. Merchant ships were harbored at the docks, [Haulers] hauling sacks, barrels, and wooden boxes, filled with goods. Goods were hauled to the wagons, and wagons wheeled further towards the city. Some of the goods were transported to the smaller wooden boats within the waterways trailing towards the city—the ocean beyond glittered from the sun's rays.

Mercenaries and some adventurers guarded the warehouses. He cautiously walked the harbor, weaving among the crowd so that his face wouldn't be seen, away from their pursuing eyes. The smell of cooked food was in the air, along with the barks of [Hawkers]. The chittering and chattering of men and women, tourists and locals, filled the moss-lined colorful stone streets beside the harbor.

Then on the edge of the harbor, he found it. A half-sunken warehouse, darkened by grime, dotted with barnacles and painted with moss. A place that not even the Seafolk would touch. It was a rare sight, an unoccupied building in the crowded city-state of Aquinox.

Her eyes darted towards the red paint at the dirty stone walls—the Red Den.

The atmosphere felt different. The crowds were gone. The sky lost its luster. He was now in an empty street on a harbor. And he was not alone.

"Identify yourself." Three men wearing black tricorns and black coats spoke in unison.

"I was sent on behalf of the Canalmoss Gang." He quickly answered. He felt the daggers inside their sleeves, threatening to spring out and murder him.

The mysterious figures straightened.

"Be with the rest of the other gangs." They spoke. He can’t see their faces no matter how hard he looked—concealment Skills.

"Other gangs?" He asked. The boy knew that this city is relatively safe compared to the other city-states across the waters. Or anywhere around the immediate area within southeast Yropia. It is a prosperous city, after all, which means fewer crimes.

The men didn't answer. He blinked once, and they were gone. Sweat dripped from his neck. He realized that he was dealing with high-level people. Or a high-level organization. He hesitantly walked towards the warehouse. Everything feels fishy. He knew that this isn't a normal job, but he hadn't expected this.

"Two gold coins." He whispered to himself. "He better makes sure that he will reward me with those coins."

He walked further, closer towards the warehouse. The whole place was creepy, and he can feel it throughout the hairs on his skin. Nevertheless, he walked in.

The sight was unexpected. They were a gathering of people inside the warehouse. Common [Thieves], [Pickpockets], [Ruffians], [Street Rats], [Street Brawlers] and [Street Toughs]; people like him who were poor and desperate despite the prosperity of the city. Beyond is a wooden set of stairs leading to a room guarded by people of different gangs.

“You will help guard the hostage inside. “A bald Human in black, holding a wooden club reinforced with metal rings, ordered him.

He did not question it, but he thought of the future in the back of his mind. If he is paid after this, he will be free of his indenture.

As he opened the door, he saw a boy tied to a chair with a sack on his head. Vitelli did not show it, but he is angry. Although most of his features were obscured and his voice muffled, Vitelli recognized him. Three people were guarding him. A Garuda with a dagger. A Tuna Seafolk holding a ball and chain. A scarred Human man with a rapier hanging on his side. Vitelli cannot tell how dangerous are they, and even their features didn’t register on his mind. Must be higher-than-average criminals since they have Skills that can conceal their abilities and alter their appearances to be unremarkable.

Without any hint of hesitation, Vitelli rushed towards Lewis to try to unbind him, but as soon as he moved, the three people that guarded him moved. The metal ball on the chain was hurtling towards his head as the rapier from the Human was speeding towards his chest. He saw all of that as time seemingly slowed for him due to his adrenaline. For a second, he regretted not thinking first before he tried to rescue him.

But in an instant, the chain of the ball-and-chain was grabbed, throwing the Seafolk towards the wall, shattering the stone, and the rapier was deflected by a dagger, forcing him to step back in caution. The Garuda stood in front of him, protecting both of them.

With the unseen swipe of his dagger, he cut a hole on the roof.

“Untie him and escape.” The mysterious, featureless Garuda pointed towards the roof. “From his claws, a golden ring glowed, and the two were enveloped in white light, causing them to levitate towards the hole that their rescuer had made.

The Garuda’s features started to be more visible, his Skill wearing off. A dove’s head and white feathers.

“Wait! You are not-“

The Garuda lunged towards the Human with the rapier with his dagger, cutting him off.

“[Precise Thrust], [Disarming Strike]!”

The Human [Rapier Rogue], taking advantage of the opening, took a forward step and thrust with his rapier, aiming to disarm his dagger with a precise thrust. His rapier had passed through his dagger.

“[Instant Feint].”

His real arm that held his dagger appeared on top of the [Rogue]’s nape. He reversed his grip and struck his neck with the pommel, making him unconscious.

The Garuda stood there and used a Skill to report to his superior.

-

A portion of the [Guardsmen] was deployed to search for a boy. A garrison emptied their men to search for him. Vonn led the [Guardsmen], and with a communication crystal, a rare item at that, they communicated with each other to lead which direction they should take.

The two-tailed cat ran across the street, running below legs and tails. The cat skirted through the stalls, jumping on fruits and other fresh produce.

Lascze jumped from roof to roof with his miniature ballista on his back. On the streets are the [Guardsmen] of Aquinox, riding on a horse, making the crowd disperse. The cat bounced into an alleyway, speeding past people. The cat tracked the smell of the boy.

The cat took a sharp turn towards the right and found two boys in an alley.