Chapter 18
Back in the remote tavern.
The twelve robbers were still loudly discussing their latest haul.
Pouches filled with coins.
Jewelry.
Expensive watches.
Everything was spread across the table without a care.
None of them noticed the dark-blond-haired man stand up from his seat.
He calmly picked up his chair.
Then carried it toward their table.
The robbers immediately fell silent.
The young man placed the chair down.
Sat down beside them.
And continued eating his fried chicken.
Crunch.
The entire table stared at him.
"...Who are you supposed to be, kid?"
One of the robbers frowned.
Without hesitation, he grabbed the back of the young man's neck.
The tavern owner immediately paled.
This wasn't going to end well.
The young man didn't react.
Instead, he casually reached into one of the sacks sitting on the table.
"You're awfully rude to your boss."
The robber blinked.
"Hah?"
The others frowned.
"What are you talking about?"
The young man slowly pulled something out of the sack.
The moment they saw it—
Everyone froze.
"..."
"..."
The laughter vanished instantly.
The color drained from their faces.
"N-No way..."
"T-That's impossible..."
Cold sweat appeared on several foreheads.
The robbers stared at him in horror.
Meanwhile, the young man simply smiled.
Still holding a piece of fried chicken in his other hand.
Elsewhere.
Valdwess City.
Inside a narrow alley hidden from public view.
The hooded man from earlier walked into the shadows.
Two men were already waiting for him.
The hooded man removed his hood.
A grin spread across his face.
"I found a new target."
The two immediately became interested.
"Really?"
"Not a doubt in my mind."
The hooded man crossed his arms.
"She's definitely not a noble from this region"
"You sure?"
"Of course."
The hooded man nodded confidently.
"I've never seen her face anywhere in Valdwess."
A greedy smile appeared on his lips.
"She also has two young children."
The other two exchanged glances.
Then grinned.
"If we sell them..."
Their smiles became even uglier.
"HAHAHAHA!"
The three burst into laughter.
Then—
The hooded man's expression suddenly changed.
"But..."
The laughter stopped.
"What?"
"She has Leron Jeke guarding them."
Instantly.
The other two became pale.
"What?"
"L-Leron?"
Fear immediately appeared on their faces.
The hooded man frowned.
"What's wrong with—"
Suddenly.
Something emerged from his shadow.
The two criminals froze meanwhile the hooded man didn't notice it yet.
Slowly.
A figure rose from the darkness.
Black hair.
Blue eyes.
A cheerful smile.
Leron Jeke.
"You called for me?"
His smile somehow felt terrifying.
The three men stumbled backward.
"W-WHAT?!"
A few minutes earlier...
Outside Vald Restaurant.
Bump.
The hooded man had collided with Leron.
"Watch where you're going."
Leron immediately bowed.
"S-Sorry."
At that moment—
Shadow Trace.
His whisper was almost inaudible.
A tiny shadow detached itself from beneath his feet.
It silently slipped into the hooded man's shadow.
Completely unnoticed.
Back in the alley.
The criminals immediately drew their weapons.
One of them roared and charged forward.
His machete swung toward Leron's head.
Leron casually tilted his body.
The blade missed completely.
"You leave too many openings."
BOOM!
A powerful uppercut connected directly with the man's jaw.
The criminal's feet left the ground.
He flew several meters backward before crashing into a pile of wooden crates.
The crates exploded apart.
The man immediately lost consciousness.
The second criminal attacked without hesitation.
His machete slashed downward.
Leron sighed.
"You too."
Before the blade could land—
Leron grabbed the man's face.
Then slammed him directly into the wall.
BANG!
The alley shook.
Cracks spread across the stone surface.
The criminal collapsed immediately.
Unconscious.
Only one remained.
The hooded man.
Cold sweat covered his body.
He looked at his fallen companions.
Then at Leron.
A thought crossed his mind.
Someone who only possessed Fue could never defeat someone with a Sigil.
Not directly.
But—
His Sigil wasn't made for fighting.
It was made for escaping.
A grin appeared on his face.
"Flash Step."
WHOOSH!
His body instantly vanished.
A moment later, he appeared dozens of meters away.
The criminal laughed.
"With this speed, no matter how strong you are, you'll never catch me—"
Shadow Rope.
Leron's quiet voice echoed behind him.
"Huh?"
The criminal looked down.
A black rope made entirely of shadow had wrapped itself around his legs.
His eyes widened.
"What—"
THUD!
He crashed face-first into the ground.
Blood immediately flowed from his nose.
Before he could react—
The rope tightened.
Then violently pulled backward.
"WAAAAAH!"
He was dragged across the street.
Within seconds, he was back in front of Leron.
The criminal's face was filled with terror.
Leron crouched down.
Still smiling.
"Do you know Lord Shadow?"
The criminal froze.
"L-Lord Shadow?"
His eyes widened for a split second.
That tiny reaction was enough.
"N-No."
He shook his head frantically.
"I don't know anyone by that name."
Leron continued smiling.
"Interesting."
The criminal blinked.
"Huh?"
"Lord Shadow is pretty famous in the underworld, isn't he?"
The criminal became confused.
"B-But I just said I don't know him."
"Anyone looking at your face would know you're lying."
The criminal immediately shut his mouth.
Leron slowly stood.
Then he raised his hand.
A glowing red object appeared between his fingers.
A signal flare.
FWOOSH!
The crimson light shot into the sky.
Its bright glow could be seen from across the city.
"There."
Leron nodded.
"That should do it."
Using Shadow Rope, he tied all three criminals together.
The ropes tightened around their bodies.
Making escape impossible.
"Wait here."
Leron dusted off his hands.
Then smiled.
His body sank into the shadows.
And disappeared.
Several moments later.
A tall figure with light-blue hair and terrifying crimson eyes appeared near the captured criminals.
The three criminals immediately recognized him and felt their blood run cold.
The newcomer looked at them.
Meanwhile.
Back in Valdwess City...
Elina, Eldern, and Elyra were happily buying ice cream.
"Eldern wants the biggest one!"
"That's too much sugar."
"Mamaaa!"
Elina sighed.
Elyra quietly held her own ice cream.
The atmosphere was peaceful.
Then suddenly—
A shadow behind Elina rippled.
Like water.
Something began emerging from it.
A figure stepped out from her shadow.
It was Leron.
"Ah!"
She nearly dropped her ice cream.
"Good afternoon."
Leron smiled awkwardly.
"Since when have you been here?"
Elina placed a hand over her chest.
"You scared me!"
Leron was still scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
"S-Sorry, Countess Elina."
A sheepish smile appeared on his face.
"I didn't mean to scare you."
As he spoke, his eyes casually drifted toward Elyra.
Then he froze.
The little girl was staring directly at him.
With a look of disappointment.
"...?"
Leron blinked.
Only Elyra had noticed.
She had seen him emerge from Elina's shadow.
The others hadn't.
Elina was too surprised.
Eldern was too focused on his ice cream.
But Elyra had seen everything.
Including the fact that Leron had secretly left earlier.
W-Why is she looking at me like that?
Leron wondered.
For some reason, that disappointed look made him feel strangely guilty.
After a few seconds, Elyra quietly looked away and continued eating her ice cream.
"..."
Leron suddenly felt more nervous than when he was fighting the criminals.
K-Kids are scary...
End of Chapter 18