Morning.
In a restaurant.
" Look at that boy..."
" Isn't it fine? He must have been hungry."
" Tsk. I've lost my appetite." A man with sharp eyes and combed back, spiky hair clicked his tongue.
" Haha."
" Eat and become strong." An old couple giggled.
...
" Mhmmm! Mhmmmm! Delish!" Adam's arms blurred as he ate many different dishes.
"..." Levi sat with his eyes closed, eating from the plate of food before him.
" Slurp!" Adam downed his glass of juice.
" Ahh! All's right with the world~" He sighed with satisfaction.
" If you are leaving, pay for what you ate first." Levi handed over a few gold coins.
" Oh! Thanks!" Adam Grinned.
" Don't misunderstand. You still owe meee..." Levi pulled out a roll of paper.
He held the end before letting it roll on the ground.
" 263 gold and 679 silver coins." He said after reading what was written.
" 'Kay!" Adam ran off.
"..." Levi glanced at him for a few seconds before getting back to eating.
A few minutes later.
" Fuu." Levi sighed as he put down the spoon.
"..." He got up and stretched.
" Are you ready to pay for your meal, sir?" A waiter walked up with a professional smile.
" Hmm." Levi nodded as he handed over 2 gold coins.
" Wait, sir. Just this much will not cover your meals." The waiter said with a complicated look.
" Hmm? The person who was with me should have paid, right?" Levi asked, slightly confused.
" Um, no. When we asked that customer whether or not he would be paying, he explained that you, sir, would be the one footing the bill." The waiter anxiously explained.
' This customer's bill comes up to 5 gold coins...5!!! What will I do if he can't pay?!' The waiter thought.
'...That bastard!!!!' Levi roared in his head.
"..." A vein on Levi's face threatened to burst.
" I understand. I'm sorry for any trouble." Levi handed over 3 more gold coins, before bowing in apology.
" No, it-"
"..." He left swiftly.
"...isn't any trouble..." The waiter finished.
...
' When I find him!' Levi thought spitefully.
' No! You know what? It would be great if I never saw him again!'
' Forget about the money!'
' If that's what it costs to get rid of him, money well spent!' Levi thought.
" Hm? This smell..." A mouthwatering smell wafted through the air.
'...Wait! I can't stay here!' Levi thought as he panicked.
' Where there is food, he will be the-'
" Heeey!" A shout sounded.
'...re.' Levi finished as tears streamed down his face.
" Hmm? Why are you cryin'? Bullies?" Adam spoke with multiple wooden squiers sticking out of his mouth.
' You are the only bully here! Just leave me alone, okay?!' Levi thought.
" It's ok, it's ok! Have one! they're tasty." Adam handed over one of his many meat kebabs.
He rubbed Levi's back with his free hand to comfort him.
' Maybe I should just go home? My cover must have already been blown.' Levi nibbled the meat.
"...What kind of meat is this?" He asked absent-mindedly.
" Hmm...frog meat? That's why I had this much!" Adam said.
"..." Levi stopped as his face paled.
" What's the matter?" Adam asked.
" You bastard!!!" Levi dropped the kebab as he grabbed Adam's collar.
" What, what, what?!?" Adam shouted in surprise.
...
" Jeez, you shouldn't take your anger out on other people!" Adam said with a wronged expression.
" Beat your bullies, not me!" He shouted as he fixed his collar.
"..." Levi walked stiffly as he forced down his anger.
" Hey, where are you guys going?" A man sitting under the city gate asked as he leaned against the wall.
"...I'm looking for a certain sect." Levi said.
" Aren't you all?" The man grinned.
His dirt covered face caused it to come off as sinister.
"..." Levi turned to continue on his way.
" Wait, don't you want to know where to go?" The man asked.
"..." Levi stopped before facing the man.
"...Heh heh, follow the left trail. Take the first right, then follow the path and you will reach your destination!" The man said.
" How do you know this?" Levi asked.
" You are not the first person to want to join that sect!"
" Around this time of year, the number of people trying to join it increases!"
" Since that is the case, I help them reach their destination. If they are grateful enough, some take pity on me..." The man said.
' Around this time of year? So that is why finding a place for the night was so difficult.' Levi thought.
"...Here." Levi flicked a gold coin from between his thumb and index fingers.
The man's arm blurred as he swiftly caught it.
" Melinnnn!" He shouted.
" Y-Yes, papa?" A soft, high pitched voice sounded as a small child clumsily ran.
" Go! Take this to your mother! Get yourselves something to eat." The man handed over the coin.
" What about papa?" The ball of cuteness asked.
" Papa is fine, now go!" The man smiled.
"...Ok!" The little girl nodded.
She clutched the coin that was as big as her palm tightly as she ran.
" You..." Levi looked at the man.
" Hmm?" The man looked back at Levi.
" Oaf!" A soft cry sounded.
"..." The man's head suddenly snapped to the side.
" Hmm?!" A large man looked down.
" Watch where yer going brat! Before I stomp you to death!" The man shouted.
" T-The coin!" The girl frantically looked around.
" Melin?!" The man sitting under the gate shouted from the distance.
" Coin? Well, well! Wouldja look at that! Heaven's watching over me today!" The man bent over before picking up a gold coin.
" W-Wait! T-That coin belongs to papa! Can you gibe it back?" The little girl fumbled due to fear.
" Melin!! Forget about it!!" The man's eyes were wide and bloodshot as he shouted to his daughter.
" Your papa's? Fuck off!" The man shouted as he turned.
" W-Wait! Give it back! Mama hasn't eaten in days!" The little girl hit the back of the man's foot.
" Huuuh?!" The man looked down.
"..." The girl looked up at him defiantly.
" Humph!" He kicked out.
" Ack!!" The little girl's body was lifted.
Her eyes widened as tears squeezed out.
" Ugh! Ah! Ah!" She began crying out in pain as she landed.
" Fucking brat! Didn't I say I would kill you!?" The man began walking towards the little girl.
" Melin!!!" The man's voice cracked as he shouted, hope draining from his being as he dragged himself with his arms.
Boom!
" Huh?!" A loud shockwave rippled out beside him.
" Die!" The man shouted as his foot hovered over the child.
Some onlookers gasped, while others turned away, pretending that they couldn't see anything.
Levi's robes fluttered as his figure flashed.
" Fucking brat!" The man stomped down.
" Ahhh!" The girl cried out in fear and pain.
"..." Levi's body spun, as the back of his foot slammed into the man's face.
Crack!
" Garbage." Levi muttered as he exerted more force.
The air rippled as the man flew.
His body flipped and bounced for a long time.
By the time he stopped, some of his limbs were mangled and bent in painful directions.
" O-Ouuuuuu!" A person cheered.
" OUUUU!" The onlookers then erupted into cheers.
' Instead of helping, they look the other way.' Levi looked at the girl.
' Instead of risking themselves, they cower.' He walked toward her.
' Then they cheer as if they did something themselves.' He knelt.
'...I really detest human beings.' Levi thought as he carefully picked up the little girl.
" Wuu! Wuu!" She wept.
'...But children are oblivious to the selfishness of people.' He carefully wiped some dirt from her face.
...
" Thank you! Thank you so much! I seriously-Hic-can't thank you enough!," The man lowered his head to the ground.
"...Take her." Levi lowered the girl expressionlessly.
" You're going to be ok...You're going to be okay..." The man rocked the girl gently in his arms.
" Whoa! You are so strong! But then, how come you were bullied?" Adam tilted his head.
"..." Levi silently looked down at the pair.
"Let's go." Levi said.
" Okay!" Adam began humming.
" Wait!" The man shouted.
" Hmm?" Levi glared.
" That technique you just used! You're having trouble controlling it, right? Instead of tightening all of your muscles, you should relax your body!" The man shouted.
"..." Levi's eyes widened slightly.
' So he was a martial artist. I thought as much. The way he caught the coin...' Levi thought.
' But...' He glanced down at the man's legs.
" Thank you for the advice." He bowed before continuing on his way.
" Hum Ha hum~" Adam hummed as he followed behind Levi.
...
At an intersection.
"...So I guess this is the left trail?" Levi mumbled.
" The one on the right is what we used to reach the city." He said.
" Well, I guess we can only find out if it is the right path after going down it." Levi said.
" Hmmm." Adam walked beside him.
" You're a nice person, huh." He said.
" Me?" Levi looked at him doubtfully.
' Ni-Nice?! Bwahahahahaha! Nice!!! Him?!? Nice joke!!' The demon saint slapped the ground as he laughed.
' Shut up, you.' Levi thought.
' And are you going to keep listening to and watching everything I do without saying anything? Pervert. Stalker. Old demon.' Levi berated.
' Old demon isn't an insult, you know...' The demon saint said.
' Whatever.' Levi thought.
" I lost something, so I was too scared to help earlier." Adam said.
" Lost something? You mean your money?" Levi asked.
" And speaking of money, don't tell me you spent all that I gave you on...those things?" Levi paused as he felt sick to his stomach.
" Hmm? What money?" Adam tilted his head.
"...I give up." Levi tripped.
" Oh, we have already arrived at the next intersection." He said.
" Hmm ha hmm" Adam hummed.
" Where are you going?" Levi asked.
" I'm following the guy's directions? He said to follow the left path and we will find our destination." Adam said.
"...He said to follow the left trail then take a right and continue." Levi said.
" For real? You're sure?" Adam asked.
"..." Levi kept silent.
...
Half an hour later.
" See what I mean?! Furthermore, this is partly my fault, following someone like you!" Levi shouted.
" Hehe, I forgot, sorry! Who knew this path would lead to a giant hole in the ground!" Adam laughed.
" Do you remember anything?!" Levi wore a defeated expression.
' Damn, I can't believe I trusted this guy for directions. Is being around him costing my common sense?' Levi thought.
" Now, we have to follow this path." Levi said.
" How will we know when we arrive?" Adam asked.
' Valid question, but I am not answering anymore of your common sense stealing questions.' Levi thought as he kept silent.
...
" Ugh! How much further!" Adam threw down his stick as he shouted.
' It's already evening, but there still isn't any sign of a sect...' Levi looked at the sky.
" That guy must have tricked us! Even taking our money!" Adam clenched his fist.
" What 'our money' are you talking about!? It's my money! And you owe way more than him in any case!" Levi slapped the back of Adam's head.
" Wuuu! Wuu! Why did you hit me? Ah ah, I'm hungry. What're we gonna eat?" Adam wept briefly.
" Crocodile tears, huh." Levi mumbled.
" Well, they are no stalls or any place for you to buy something, so." Levi shrugged his shoulders with a gloating expression.
" Agh, dammit! why are you so happy about that!" Adam raised his fists.
" Well, 'cause a certain someone can't pester me for money to spend on nonsense, or somethin' like that." Levi's gaze shifted as he hid his mouth with his hand, still gloating.
"...That face is really creepy, please stop it." Adam said after a pause.
" Shove it." Levi glared.
" How scary!" Adam hugged himself.
" Hmm?" Levi looked up.
" What that hell is that?" He pointed.
"...Whoa!" Adam looked up.
A large semi-transparent wall stood in the distance.
"...It is kind of curved. The shape looks familiar too?" Levi mumbled.
' Like a giant transparent wine pot.' Levi thought.
"...Whatever. There is only a part visible so I can't be sure it's supposed to be a wine pot." Levi said.
" In any case, that place is too eye-catching to not be what we are looking for." Levi glanced at Adam.
" Hehe." Adam grinned.
...
Some time later.
" Hmm? Hmm..." Levi looked around.
" There are fewer trees, but that's about it...So that thing get's completely transparent when you get close to it?" Levi mumbled.
" Whoa! Whoa!" Adam's voice sounded.
" What are you doing over there?" Levi asked.
" Come! Come! Every time I pass here it feels like something is going through me!" Adam said with sparkling eyes.
" Are you a child?" Levi walked over to him.
" Humph!" Adam snorted.
" ?!" He pulled Levi toward himself.
"...Whoa." Levi's eyes widened.
" See? See?!" Adam asked.
"...I did feel like I passed through something." Levi looked at his palms.
"...So if we continue in this direction, we will reach that sect?" Levi mumbled.
" But it looks like this is a mountain, and a rather large one at that." Levi looked at Adam.
" S-Seriously..." Adam wore a pitiful expression.
" So it was you two that were making the detection go off rapidly." A voice sounded.
" ?!" Levi's body reacted before he could think.
He grabbed the back of Adam's collar before jumping a few steps back.
" Huh?" Adam sat on the ground in confusion as Levi still gripped his collar tightly.
" No need to be alarmed." The man said.
This man had combed back black hair that was the length of his body, with gray streaks going through it.
He wore an extremely long, elaborate black and white robe. Its tail floated a little above the ground behind him.
" Have the two of you come in hopes of joining this sect?" The man asked.
" So it is around here!" Adam beamed.
"..." Levi pulled him back up on his feet.
" Yes, senior, I did come to join da sect!" Levi fumbled as he bowed.
" No need to be so nervous, little one." The man smiled gently.
" Unfortunately, the exam has most likely already begun. You will not be able to participate, therefore, you will not be able to enter the sect." He said.
' What?' Levi's eyes widened.
" Huuuuh?!?" Adam's shoulders, along with his jaw dropped.