Chapter 20: Robbery in Broad Daylight

"I'll escort you up to here. From this point on, you're on your own. I've still got things to take care of." Akira said flatly, his voice calm yet resolute as he addressed the group of battered adventurers trailing behind him. They had no choice but to rely on him. After suffering grievous injuries during their previous encounter, they'd begged Akira to act as their temporary escort. With no proper vanguard left and their healers depleted, they had reluctantly offered him their day's worth of loot in exchange for his protection. "Thank you... truly, thank you for saving us." The captain of the team said, bowing deeply in gratitude. His voice was heavy, weighed down by the fear of what might have been. "Without you, we'd probably have all ended up dead." "I just did what I was paid to do." Akira replied casually, waving it off. "No need to get sentimental. You're all alive—that's what matters. Be careful on your way back." "Um... may we ask which familia you're from?" One of the adventurers asked tentatively. "Ah! Not that we're doubting you! We just... would like to visit and offer our thanks properly." "There's no need for that." Akira declined, his expression unreadable. "I'm just a regular member of my familia. No need for such formalities. If there's nothing else, I'm leaving." Without waiting for a response, Akira turned and strode off, vanishing from sight. The group of adventurers stood in silence for a moment, before low whispers began to stir among them. "Captain... do you think he's the guy who lured those monsters over?" "No." The captain said, shaking his head. "He sounded too young, and his strength was the real deal. I just thought... maybe it'd be good to get to know him. Who knows, if we ever get into a tight spot again..." "Then why didn't you keep him around?" "You idiot." The captain grunted, giving his teammate a smack on the head. "He didn't even tell us his name or familia. Don't you get it? A guy like that—keeping him would be like trying to cage a wild beast. We're lucky he didn't turn on us." — — — Back on the first floor of the dungeon, Akira sliced a goblin clean in half with a single, effortless stroke. He planned to linger for a while longer before heading out, so he brought up his status panel. [Personal Information] Name: Akira Age: 13 Level: 18 "The higher I climb, the slower this gets..." He muttered. As for why he hadn't revealed his familia earlier—well, that was obvious. The Astraea Familia wasn't just famous. It was revered. A squad of beautiful and deadly girls, currently among the top forces in Orario. With only eleven members, its exclusivity made it all the more valuable. Now, with Akira—an outlier and the sole male—joining their ranks, rumors were already bound to explode across the city. Fame would follow, but so would trouble. That was why Akira chose silence. He stayed at the first floor's entrance for some time, long enough for over a dozen adventurer groups to pass him by on their way out. Eventually, he figured it was time to leave. He reached into his [Backpack] and pulled out three large pouches filled with magic stones, and two more bags packed with materials—two of which were rewards he'd earned saving those adventurers. At the Guild's front desk, he exchanged the loot for Valis and walked away with 80,000 Valis in hand. He tucked the coin purse into a hidden pocket at the back of his waist, pulling up his hood to avoid catching the attention of any ill-intentioned lurkers. In the Guild's rest area, several shady-looking adventurers were already whispering among themselves. "Hey, that guy's new, right? Every time I see him, he's handing in more loot than most teams bring in a week." "He's a newbie. He said so himself when chatting at the front desk—Level 1 adventurer, just got to Orario a few days ago." "Then we've got no problem. We've got a Level 2 with us. Any idea which familia he's in? If it's someone big, I'm out." "No clue. But think about it—who from a powerful familia hides like that? Could be one of those shady hidden factions, haha." "So? What's the plan?" "Simple. We follow him." The sun had barely shifted in the sky—it was still early. Glancing at the distant clock tower, Akira figured it was just past three. There was no reason for him to return home so soon. So, he decided to continue exploring. Maybe he'd come across someone else in need of help. This time, his feet took him toward East Street. To his left stood the amphitheater. To his right, the infamous Daedalus Street. A vast and labyrinthine residential area southeast of Orario, Daedalus Street was notorious not just for its twisted structure, but for its decaying buildings, broken staircases, and ruined scenery. It wasn't called the "Ground Maze" for nothing. Even residents who had lived there for years often found themselves lost among its narrow passages and overlapping alleyways. It was a relic of the past, built when the gods first descended. Named after the master craftsman Daedalus, who had designed it, this district stood as a testament to his unmatched, albeit chaotic, genius. "What a spectacle..." Akira muttered, stepping into the shadows of a narrow alley. Then he stopped, glancing back over his shoulder. Four figures were following him. "Who are you?" Akira asked coldly. "And why are you tailing me?" "Hey, hey." A mocking voice laughed from behind. "Who screwed up and got us caught this fast?" "Heh, didn't expect you to notice so soon. Aren't you scared, kid?" "If you don't wanna get hurt, hand over your Valis. We've got a Level 2 adventurer with us—[Hound] Pasteur. If you're nice, maybe we'll let you go." The speaker, a cocky werewolf, crossed his arms arrogantly. Akira blinked slowly, then let out a dramatic, fake sob. "So scary~ Help! I'm being robbed! Boohoo..." "Why, you little—!" One of them snarled, realizing the sarcasm. "Enough talk." Pasteur, the werewolf growled, brandishing his blade. "Kill him and take everything." The alley was tight. Barely wide enough for two people to walk side by side. Their numbers meant little here. "Do alleys just hate me or something?" Akira muttered, exasperated. "First that Pallum, now this..." There was no room for slashing. Space was cramped. He was tired, his patience worn thin. So he didn't bother. With a flicker of light, Akira teleported behind them and unleashed a massive sphere of water, flooding the narrow passage and soaking the would-be robbers to the bone. "You're a mage? That's your magic? Weak." One of them scoffed. Akira ignored the insult. With a thought, he switched his elemental attribute to lightning, the air beginning to buzz. (End of Chapter) Read 40 Advanced Chapters on patreon.com/astralicity