These people… were worse than I thought.

  The auctioneer scanned the silent room, then gave a small, amused smile.

  "10 silver, going once."

  Silence.

  "Going twice."

  No one even bothered.

  "Sold." He banged his wooden gavel against the podium.

  Two guards approached the frail girl and unhooked her chains from the platform, attaching a long leash of iron links before leading her toward me.

  She didn’t resist. Didn’t struggle.

  She moved like a lifeless puppet, her legs barely carrying her weight as they dragged her forward.

  I clenched my jaw as they handed me the end of the chain.

  I didn’t want to take it.

  Didn’t want to even touch the damn thing.

  But I had to blend in.

  With a tight grip, I held the chain loosely, making it seem like I was playing along with their disgusting practices.

  The girl didn’t even glance at me, her head hanging low, her breathing shallow.

  "What the hell happened to her?"

  I had won the bid. Now, I just needed to leave.

  And as I turned toward the exit, I found myself thinking—That was surprisingly easy.

  Then—

  BOOM.

  The doors to the auction hall exploded inward, sending splinters and dust flying. The entire room lurched in shock, some people stumbling back, others reaching for weapons.

  Through the thick smoke, three figures stepped inside.

  Two women. One man.

  Their outfits were flashy—adventurer-style gear, sturdy but unnecessarily decorated. Expensive. Clean. They were clearly from higher circles than the filthy slum rats that usually operated in places like this.

  The man in the center stepped forward, resting his hand on the hilt of his sword. His hair was short and golden, and his expression twisted in disgust as he surveyed the room.

  "Filthy," he spat. "To think scum like you gather in places like this, selling people like livestock."

  His sword flashed.

  In a single motion, he slashed downward, cutting through the nearest hooded man like he was nothing.

  Blood splattered across the floor.

  Panic erupted.

  Before the crowd could react, the two women beside him lunged forward.

  One wielded twin daggers, moving fast—too fast—as she cut through a group of stunned nobles. The other had a short sword, her swings precise, merciless.

  Screams filled the chamber.

  The nobles and slavers scattered like rats, some pulling out weapons, others running for their lives.

  I exhaled sharply, instincts kicking in.

  Heroes. Of course.

  Coming to rescue the slaves, cutting down the wicked, acting as righteous warriors of justice.

  How cliché.

  I didn’t have time for this.

  I quickly glanced down at the girl I had just bought.

  She barely reacted to the chaos—as if none of this mattered to her.

  I sighed, shifting my grip on the chain.

  "Screw this."

  I let go of it entirely, bent down, and lifted her into a princess carry.

  She was light. Too light.

  Like skin and bones held together by sheer will.

  Without wasting a second, I activated Phantom Stride, my legs burning as I surged toward the exit.

  Two seconds—I was at the back of the room.

  Two more—I was almost out.

  I was so close—

  Then, I felt it.

  A presence locked onto me.

  One of the women—the dagger-wielding one—noticed my escape.

  Her eyes narrowed.

  She moved instantly.

  A flick of her wrist—a dagger left her hand, spinning toward me.

  Shit—!

  I could have dodged it. Easily.

  But I wasn’t alone.

  With the girl in my arms, my movements were restricted. I twisted, trying to shift my body—

  Too late.

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  The dagger sliced into my shoulder.

  A sharp, burning pain exploded through me.

  I gritted my teeth, ignoring the wound as I pushed forward.

  The exit was right there.

  One more step—

  And I was gone.

  I burst out into the night, my boots slamming against the damp stone streets.

  The cool air hit my face, but I barely registered it. My mind was locked on one thing—escaping.

  The girl in my arms was practically weightless, her body limp, barely reacting to anything. I wasn’t sure if she was conscious or just too far gone to care.

  I gritted my teeth, my shoulder throbbing from where the dagger had lodged itself. The pain was sharp, but I had no time to deal with it.

  The streets of Vaeloria’s underground district twisted and turned, the buildings packed tight, narrow alleys leading into even darker corners.

  I needed to find cover.

  Needed to vanish.

  But before I could even make a move—

  A chilling presence flickered behind me.

  Fast. Too fast.

  A dagger cut through the air, slicing past my side, missing by inches.

  I skidded to a halt, my eyes snapping to the rooftop above.

  There she was.

  The dagger-wielding woman.

  Her short black hair framed a sharp face, her dark eyes gleaming with focus. She crouched on the edge of a rooftop, her lithe frame coiled like a predator ready to strike again.

  "You’re fast," she called out, twirling another dagger between her fingers. "But not fast enough."

  I exhaled sharply, shifting my grip on the girl. "You really don’t wanna pick this fight."

  She tilted her head. "You stole a slave, didn’t you?"

  My jaw clenched.

  That’s what she thought?

  I had no time to explain.

  I turned to keep running, but—

  Shhhk!

  A dagger buried itself into the wall right next to my face.

  She was playing with me.

  "Not running anymore?" she asked, jumping down effortlessly.

  She landed without a sound, standing just a few feet away.

  Too close.

  I adjusted my stance, my mind racing.

  I could fight—but with the girl still in my arms, my movements were slower.

  I could run—but she was faster than me.

  Think. Think. Think.

  Then, an idea hit me.

  I didn’t have to outrun her.

  I just had to create a distraction.

  I grinned suddenly, surprising her.

  "You’re strong," I said casually, shifting the girl’s weight in my arms.

  The woman raised an eyebrow. "Obviously."

  "But you’re also kind of dumb."

  Her eyes narrowed. "Excuse me?"

  I smirked and threw the girl into the air.

  Her eyes widened—not at me, but at the girl I had just launched.

  For the briefest second, her instincts kicked in.

  She moved to catch her.

  And in that moment—

  I activated Shock Pulse.

  

  A sudden wave of force exploded from my feet.

  The sheer impact cracked the ground, sending a burst of concussive energy outward.

  The woman stumbled, her footing thrown off just as she caught the girl.

  I didn’t waste a second.

  The moment her balance wavered, I lunged forward, yanking the short sword I had taken from the rich bastard earlier.

  Before she could react, I slashed at her legs—quick, precise, brutal.

  The blade cut deep, and she let out a sharp hiss, staggering.

  In the same motion, I caught the girl out of the air, securing her in my arms before activating Phantom Stride.

  By the time she regained her balance, I was already gone.

  I darted into a side alley, my breath coming out in sharp, controlled exhales. My legs burned from Phantom Stride, the adrenaline still pumping through me.

  I didn’t stop until I was far enough away from the auction hall, the sounds of chaos fading behind me.

  Finally, I slowed, pressing my back against the cold brick wall of a secluded alley.

  I glanced down at the frail girl in my arms.

  She still looked lifeless, but there was something different.

  Her dull blue eyes, once completely empty, now held the faintest flicker of awareness. Surprise, even.

  She was processing everything.

  That was good.

  That meant she was still in there.

  I slowly crouched down, setting her on her feet. She swayed slightly but stayed upright.

  "I need you to listen," I said, keeping my voice calm but firm. "I don’t have any ill intentions. I’m not here to hurt you, and I don’t plan on doing anything wrong."

  She didn’t react at first.

  Then—a small nod.

  Barely noticeable. Almost hesitant.

  But it was enough.

  I exhaled and pulled off my hood, placing it over her head. The oversized hood covered not just her head, but most of her frail frame, draping over her thin shoulders and concealing the tattered remains of her clothes. Now, she looked just like any other commoner avoiding attention.

  I ripped off the mask I had stolen, tossing it into a pile of discarded trash in the alley. No point in keeping it now.

  I straightened, adjusting the hood over her head.

  "Alright. Walk with me," I murmured. "Slowly. Don’t rush, don’t draw attention."

  She nodded again—this time, slightly more certain.

  We stepped out of the alleyway, merging into the lively streets of Vaeloria.

  The moment we blended into the flow of people, it was like we had never been part of the chaos at all.

  No one looked twice at us.

  No one questioned a boy and a hooded girl walking through the marketplace.

  As we moved through the crowded streets, a sharp pain flared up in my left arm.

  I clenched my jaw, suppressing a wince.

  The corruption was burning again, pulsing under my skin like it was reacting to something.

  I didn’t know if it was because of the mission, the girl, or the fact that I had used too many skills back to back.

  Either way, I couldn’t afford to show weakness.

  I adjusted my pace, keeping my expression neutral.

  But as I walked, a thought crept into my mind.

  The system hadn’t notified me about the mission being completed yet. No reward, no confirmation—nothing.

  Either it had glitched out again, or I have to keep her safe until the full time ran out.

  Twelve more hours.

  As we walked toward The Rusted Anvil, I felt the system buzz.

  A window popped up before me—

  "I knew it," I muttered under my breath.

  I had to keep her safe—but from who?

  Was it the three lunatics who stormed the auction and started cutting people down? Or was it someone entirely different?

  The thought unsettled me.

  If it was those so-called heroes, they had probably written me off as some rich bastard trying to smuggle away a slave for myself. But if there was someone else after her...

  That meant I had just walked into something way bigger than I realized.

  This was turning into a way bigger pain in the ass than I thought.

  I sighed, shaking off the irritation. It didn't matter who was after her.

  I just needed to make sure they didn’t find us.

  We arrived at the Rusted Anvil’s side entrance, avoiding the front just in case.

  Suddenly the system buzzed again.

  I froze.

  What? Don't tell me I fucking jinxed something again.

  My eyes snapped up, scanning the inn’s surroundings.

  The street was normal—people walking, vendors shouting, the usual noise of city life.

  But the system never gave warnings like this before.

  That meant something—or someone—was nearby.

  Watching.

  I forced myself to stay calm, acting as if I hadn’t seen the message. If I suddenly stopped, looked around, or reacted too strongly, whoever was tracking us would know that I had noticed them.

  I gave a small nod to the girl, signaling her to keep walking up the stairs. She didn’t question it.

  My senses sharpened.

  I listened.

  Felt.

  For a few seconds, the presence remained.

  Then—

  I blinked.

  The oppressive feeling in the air vanished.

  What the fuck does it mean by ‘threat neutralized’?

  Did the system take care of them? Or did they just leave on their own?

  This shit is driving me insane.