"Let's grab some snacks outside," Gustav says with a smile, and we immediately set off from the armory room.
__________________________________7
"Wow~" I exclaim in awe as we stroll down a bustling street. This is my first time exploring the kingdom to this extent, all thanks to Gustav. This place, called Sharkwood, is situated on the outskirts of the royal palace but still falls within the royal territory. It serves as a landmark, with guards strategically positioned, making stealing a risky endeavor.
The residents here consist of nobles and wealthy merchants who conduct their businesses in this area.
"You know, you look weird with that eyepatch," Gustav suddenly remarks, examining my face.
"Haha, coming from the guy with the abnormal ears," I retort, making Gustav narrow his eyes.
After walking for a while, we reach a large store that seems to sell everything one could need. And when I say everything, I mean it. The building is massive and heavily concealed, with only a small open platform staffed by about three workers. Currently, there's quite a crowd, but fortunately, one of the workers seems to have fewer customers waiting.
Without hesitation, we join the line.
"Hi, how can I assist you?" a white-haired man asks, flashing us a smile when it's our turn.
"We'd like two bowls of ice cream," Gustav promptly orders before I can speak.
"Hoho, these two cuties want some ice cream. I'll take your orders. Please make your payment first," the old man says, still wearing a beaming smile.
Suddenly, Gustav waves his right hand, conjuring two silver coins before tossing them to the old man. Without complaining about Gustav's brusque behavior, the old man catches the coins and starts pressing some buttons behind the platform.
Wait, did the money just materialize out of thin air? What the actual fuck?
Glancing at Gustav's middle finger, I notice a small dark ring adorned with embedded runes. He has a space ring! It's considered a treasure in this world, according to what my sister told me. Space rings vary in capacity depending on their grade, but regardless, they are highly coveted treasures that nobles would go to great lengths to obtain.
Suddenly, a flat board emerges from the platform, holding two bowls of ice cream. In a flash, Gustav waves his hand again, and the ice cream bowls vanish.
The display of Gustav's wealth leaves the old man astonished, his mouth hanging open. He holds a paper bag in his hand, which he was trying to give us before Gustav performed this astonishing feat.
Didn't he notice it earlier?
As I turn my head, I observe people greedily staring at us. I can see the pure greed etched on most of their faces. If it weren't for the tight security here, they wouldn't hesitate to kill us and snatch the space ring, judging by the way they're eyeing us.
With the ice cream in hand, we begin our walk back to the training ground.
"Gustav, why did you show off like that?" I ask, looking at Gustav, who doesn't seem bothered at all. If he continues with this attitude, he might end up getting killed someday. Not that I care much, since we've only known each other for a week. But I despise being caught up in unpleasant situations.
"I was just trying to save us the hassle of carrying the ice cream. Besides, it would've melted before we reached the training ground. And those fools can't harm me in any way, at least not in their lifetime, haha," Gustav responds with a rare smile.
Hearing his words, my eyes widen with shock. My intuition was right, no four-year-old kid can talk like this. He is indeed a reincarnation, just like me. Should I confront him? No. He would have noticed it by now, which explains why he wants to get acquainted with me. I have to be careful when dealing with this guy. He's the cunning type!
I shouldn't get too full of myself because I don't know what type of monster he was in his last life. I think inwardly while glancing towards Gustav.
__________________________________
[After the break]
POOOOOOOOHHHH!!
"The next match is Red Hawk vs. Zero!" the instructor announces as the other kids start booing Gustav and me. It's one of the most anticipated matches about to begin.
Nodding in agreement, we stride forward and climb onto the large ring surrounded by four wooden beams with padded ropes wrapped around them. It's designed to provide spectators with a clear view of any event taking place inside.
Suddenly, Gustav and I stop in front of each other, giving ourselves a little space. He's gripping a wooden spear, while I'm holding a wooden sword. Gustav is a prodigy in archery and extremely skilled with the spear, which compensates for the weaknesses of most archers in close combat. On the other hand, my skills are more versatile. I can wield any weapon available, but the sword remains my favorite.
"Show me what you've got, Alex," Gustav says, pointing his spear at me.
"Of course," I reply with a slight smile.
In just one move, I'm going to defeat him.
POOOOOOOOHH!!!
The instructor's whistle marks the beginning of the match.
Suddenly, Gustav dashes toward me, tightly clutching his spear. His movements are flawless, indicating that he hasn't been slacking off in training. He executes everything the instructor taught us, only better. But it's not enough. I want to provoke him, to make him reveal his true self.
As Gustav charges, I mutter, "'Shadow dance,"' and begin executing some strange footwork. It's a rare and exclusive martial art technique I learned from one of my wives in my past life, who happened to be an assassin.
My movements become incredibly fluid, making me disappear from Gustav's sight and reappear behind him, a wooden sword pressed against his neck. The martial art pushes my body beyond its limits, enabling me to move at astonishing speed and surprise Gustav from behind. The beauty of Shadow dance lies in its compatibility with other abilities, making it a deadly technique.
"You lose," I declare, pressing the wooden sword against his neck.
"H-How... How did you...?" Gustav stammers, his face filled with bewilderment.
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