I am in great physique so today's training should be easy.
"Eat up spoiled kid. This was hard to obtain. Two pieces is rare."
Pig thug gave me sushi.
Well, I'll call the guy pig thug because of the nose.
"Do you have a name?"
"You already think of me as pig thug. How insulting to the one who helped you."
What? How did he know?
"I have a unique skill from the other thieves. I can read minds. The minds of the weak. It helps me borrow many things."
"Borrow? You can't return sushi. Crap. I ate it already. You are a di-"
"Disgrace? Call it whatever you want spoiled boy. We think of it as earning. Stealing anyway is punishable by one day in prison."
"One day!? We execute villagers!"
"Glad I'm not one. Enough talking. Time to buff you up."
"As buff as pig thug?"
"You won't be laughing after realizing your weak state."
"Ha. You are no master of combat, I've been trained by Father who has trained with masters...he trained me like twice only."
"Then I was right to give you the title 'spoiled kid'."
The pig thug took out a meat cleaver about the size of his hand which is roughly four times bigger than normal human hands. Is this a boss battle? I've eavesdropped on a few odd travelers who talked about 'bosses'.
I picked up my katana and immediately aimed for the legs but the meat cleaver grew large enough to form a wall to block any further attack on pig thug's legs. He wielded the cleaver in a different way and this time it wasn't wider but longer...it's shaped matched my katana and clashed with it. The force once again pushed the katana off my hand and far away.
"In any battlefield kid, you'll hate many rules especially rules in the Regionals. I may be slower than you tenfold but I can read your mind for now. And so..."
Pig thug cut off my left hand and I screamed. I've lost badly now. I'll probably be chopped up. It's...odd to think while still screaming in pain.
"Get up and use your right arm."
"I can't. I'm weak as you said. I've lost."
"You've lost what? A left hand? Many fight blind and you complain having lost your left hand?"
This guy really pisses me off so...I gathered what's left of my will and as quick as possible completed two steps: pick up katana and then slash his left hand too. By the time I felt drowsy and my body collapsed on the ground...I saw a big hand fall.
"My name is Roark. I can't read your mind anymore so tell me yours. I know you're awake and alive at least."
My left hand was...healed. It's unharmed. There's no scar. Pig thug's left hand was without scar too.
"I stole a few regrowth potions. You're right. I don't borrow."
"Is it still morning?"
"It is but it's already the day after we trained. Time for sauna then."
"But we're in prison, we can't escape."
"Prison in the Kingdom of Thieves isn't ba-this prison is the best out of all the five kingdoms."
"It's a sewer."
"Which means there's no door and there are no guards. I'll show you around the kingdom."
"I'm Sam. Let's go."
Pig thug gave me a clean black robe and he gave me the tour around the kingdom. Why do I even trust someone who cut my hand off?
Maybe it's because I feel assured he'll get another of those potions if he does so. I forgot the potion name.
We managed to visit the potion shop, most of the smiths and the sauna. We got a proper bath so that next time we train, I don't feel dizzy from the pig odor.
The people around town were not human but beasts. Other beast faces were new to me. My least favorite were the goblins. Some fairies were taller than me which I found contrary to the accounts of my history book.
"Halt! We are the royal guards of King Thesmus!"
"You're just thugs. Understand this Sam. If we're defeated now, they'll take your katana and take all the money I've earned."
"You stole the money!"
"You stole your comrades' money and wives anyway."
The "royal guard" leader gave off the odor of dishonesty. All thirty men behind him grew furious and their faces became more sinister.
"We trusted you...the leader..."
"Why trust anyone in this kingdom?"
Pig thug was obviously leading them to fight amongst themselves using facts. Sadly this isn't a battle won with rumors and sabotage.
We quickly hid in the bushes and pig thug gave me a jar of honey. One hand wasn't enough to hold the jar.
"Since you're so spoiled this is the perfect stolen souvenir to treat you with. Hurry now to a more respectable kingdom. I'll point my meat cleaver to one direction and you'll follow it to reach the other kingdom."
"What will become of you, Roark?"
"Stop trying to sound like royalty. I'll be fine."
"Tha-"
"They are here. Go!"
I ran past the bushes and a small forest to be greeted by flat fields. A huge kingdom could be seen from the edge here in the Kingdom of Thieves. It looks bigger...maybe twice in terms of area or it's just the palace looks taller. Come to think of it...The Kingdom of Thieves doesn't have a huge castle...
Could it be? The innkeeper is King Thesmus?
[Yami's sinister and ominous perspective]
The young boy gained one level. the growth isn't abnormal. This isn't the one. Hmmm?
Hmmm so this Roark was level 50. A ten level difference provides this much result?
Sam should die then at the Regionals. I shall change the rules.
Looks like the guards and the generals are all the dead. It's not just the group who tried to steal from Sam. Every thief squad is gone but the demons attacking have also died along with one High Demon. Who could defeat a great demon in this weak kingdom?
I'll stop following the boy. Maybe I have a skill that brings misfortune as a consequence.
Looks like there are only Four Kingdoms now. There used to be a lot. Errd really became less popular after the Universe Update.
The kingdom I'm watching right now won't recover from the flames.