Reed approached the scared yet murderous kid, a mix of curiosity and concern on his face. "What are you doing here?" he asked gently, trying not to intimidate the trembling child.
The kid, too afraid to speak, stood frozen, hands and legs trembling.
Reed's gaze shifted to the lifeless body of the man he had just killed. "Do you know him?" he inquired, looking back at the kid. "Is he your father?"
The kid could only manage a timid nod.
Reed sighed, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Look into my eyes," he instructed the child. Once the kid made eye contact, Reed posed a direct question, "Do you hate me? Do you want to kill me?"
The kid remained silent, leaving Reed to continue his warning. "You're free to hate me and try to kill me, but know this: I won't hold back just because you're a kid. If you come at me, I'll kill you."
Reed, in an attempt to establish some form of connection with the kid, asked, "What's your name?"
The kid replied with his given name, "Yerquifi."
Reed crinkled his nose in disapproval. "You have got to be kidding me. What type of name is that?" He sighed and declared, "I will call you Yael."
The kid, now named Yael by Reed, remained silent, but Reed didn't seem to mind whether the child accepted the new name or not.
Reed continued the conversation, shifting the focus to more pressing matters. "So, Yael, tell me. Why did you become a murderer? But before that, tell me your age."
"I am seven eclipses old," Yael replied.
In the tower, every year, there was a day when the eclipse would happen and that's how the heroes and the residents who never kept tabs on how many days had passed, would come to know that a year had passed.
"Seven eclipse?" Reed raised his brows at the peculiar way Yael described his age. 'If he is referring to his age like this... that means he was born in the tower. Well, this got interesting.'
"So, you were born in the tower, right?" Reed questioned. "If that dead man over there is your father, where is your mother?"
Yael gazed at his father's lifeless body and said, "He said she went to the upper realms."
"Oh?" Reed responded, intrigued by the unexpected twist in the story.
In the intricate tapestry of the tower's existence, residents, though belonging to various races, found themselves living alongside the heroes who ventured into their realm. For the heroes, these residents were akin to non-player characters (NPCs) in a game, entities that existed solely for their benefit. However, to the residents, the heroes were nothing short of foreign entities, newcomers to their home.
During the initial years of the towers' emergence, when heroes were still grappling with the novelty of their surroundings, there was a misconception that the residents were akin to game characters, resurrecting if slain. Unfortunately, the harsh reality contradicted this belief - once a resident perished, there was no resurrection, no second chance at life.
Interestingly, not all heroes entered the tower with the primary goal of acquiring system upgrades and magical prowess. Some sought refuge within the tower, viewing it as a way to start a new life in a world apart from their previous existence. For these individuals, the tower offered a new beginning, a chance to distance themselves from the burdens of their former lives.
Despite the apparent separation between heroes and residents, marriages between them were not uncommon. Love knew no boundaries, and heroes could establish families with the tower's inhabitants.Children born from such unions faced unique circumstances.
As time unfolded, the realization dawned that residents lacked the capability to ascend to higher realms or leave the towers, confining them to their designated spaces. However, their offspring, born with the potential to gain the system, could navigate between realms.
Once they acquired their own systems, these children gained the ability to traverse between realms. The tower's gates would open on a specific day, marked by the appearance of an altar in select locations. Those seeking to inherit the system could embark on this journey during the auspicious opening, a gateway to new possibilities and realms beyond.
'So the mother managed to go to the higher realms, but the father couldn't?' Reed mused, contemplating the fragmentary details offered by the boy. 'The kid says his father told him that his mother went to the upper realms, so does that mean the kid has never seen his mother?'
Yet, Reed wasn't one to be easily entangled in the complexities of others' lives. He preferred to keep things simple. Glancing at the kid, he silently resolved not to let the web of the boy's history ensnare him.
'It doesn't seem like the kid can kill anyone,' Reed observed, his gaze fixated on Yael. 'He does have the red dot on him, but it could be that his father forced him to kill someone. I personally don't care about age and gender... evil is evil, and my job is to eradicate evil.'
As Reed's mind delved into the nuances of morality within the tower, he acknowledged the multifaceted nature of the red dot above one's head. It could mark an individual who had taken a life in self-defense or under inexcusable circumstances.
'There was a possibility that the man had a similar case. I killed the man because of the murderous intent I felt from him,' Reed justified his actions internally. 'He was planning to kill me. I don't have a red dot because I killed a rogue hero.
That's how things work in the tower. If a hero or a resident has a red dot on them, they are registered as evil in the system; the same as the monsters and wild animals. Killing them has no penalty or consequences.
I wouldn't have cared if I had gotten a red dot on me, but it has many disadvantages and only one advantage. The disadvantage is that my luck will decrease, or rather I would become unlucky. Skills and items won't drop even when I clear dungeons or finish quests, and I will have high chances of running into higher level monsters.
And the only advantage is that everyone will ignore me. and I will have a nice time solo leveling. The disadvantages overweigh the advantages, so obviously I will try to make sure I never get the red dot on me.'
Reed, standing tall amidst the forest shadows, observed the tremor in Yael's small frame as he presented the choices laid before him.
"I have two options," Reed began, his voice measured. "To spare you or kill you. Both options have their own merits and demerits. But as someone who is used to killing people from a young age, I am biased towards you."
Yael, with wide eyes reflecting a mixture of fear and curiosity, listened intently as Reed outlined the terms. "If you agree to my conditions, I will spare you. And if you deny, then I will have no choice but to end your life here. But don't worry, I will make the process painless. You don't deserve pain."
Of course, Reed wasn't serious. He simply wanted to discipline the kid and make his life better by bringing him on a good path.
The weight of the decision lingered in the air, and Yael nervously gulped before posing his query, "Are you going to ask me not to avenge my father's death?"
Reed, finding amusement in the kid's assumption, couldn't help but scoff. "You will never be able to harm me, kid."
The brave glimmer in Yael's eyes persisted as he retorted, "I know. But I can get strong one day!"
A chuckle escaped Reed's lips. "Oh, you sure can. But by the time you become strong, I will have become even stronger." His teasing tone added a layer of levity to the otherwise grave discussion.
'Well, he is a kid, so I don't expect much from him in the first place,' Reed contemplated inwardly.
With a newfound determination, Yael questioned, "Then what do you want from me?"
"Hmm~" Reed, amused, rubbed his chin. "I don't know the correct word, but the closest one I can think of is... secretory. Become my secretary."
"What does... that mean?"
"..." Reed understood that the kid grew up in the tower and lacked modern world knowledge from outside. "It's like… err… errand boy. Kid, work for me," Reed clarified.
"What do I have to do? Carry your stuff and steal for you?" the kid asked.
"Is that what your father made you do?" Reed questioned curiously.
The kid nodded in response, adding, "He sometimes even asked me to join hero parties or play victim and kill the heroes when they were sleeping."
"Well, I won't ask you to do something I can do by myself," Reed shrugged. "You are a kid, even with the red dot on your head, you have more freedom than regular heroes and residents. I want you to gather information for me. Roam around the town, eavesdrop on everyone, and collect as much information as you can. If you promise to do that, I will spare you," Reed proposed a deal.
"What if I pretend to work for you and run away? Or give you false information?" the kid asked.
'I am surprised he could even think of doing something like that. I guess it's true that kids mature fast in the tower,' Reed uttered inwardly. 'But well, I don't really care if he runs away.'
Reed smirked at Yael and said, "If you want to know the consequences of betraying me, you can try it and learn it firsthand."
"..." The kid fell silent, contemplating the gravity of Reed's word
Reed tossed the 20 coins and the sword he had obtained from the dead man to Yael and uttered, "Here, you can have this."
The child accepted the meager possessions, a mixture of gratitude and uncertainty in his eyes. His gaze shifted momentarily to his father's lifeless body, a silent acknowledgment of the brutal reality they both faced. Reed, following Yael's glance, let out a sigh that carried the weight of experience.
"Give me your shield," Reed requested from the child.
Yael hesitated for a moment before reluctantly handing over the shield. His young eyes observed with curiosity as Reed approached the deceased man. Without further explanation, Reed began to dig the ground, using the shield as a makeshift shovel.
"What are you doing?" Yael questioned, his curiosity now overcoming his hesitation.
"Digging a grave," Reed responded matter-of-factly.
Yael watched silently as Reed completed the somber task, burying the remains of his father in a hasty, makeshift grave. Once done, Reed turned to the kid and remarked, "No need to remember the grave's spot. You will most likely never visit again."
Reed then inquired if the child knew the way to the nearest dungeon, as that was his reason for venturing into the forest. Reed found himself deep in the woods, devoid of any innate sense of direction, making it easy for him to become disoriented in the labyrinthine surroundings.
"Why do you want to go to the dungeon?" Yael questioned, his innocent curiosity shining through.
"I got an invitation from the monsters for a birthday party, and it would be rude to not go," Reed replied sarcastically, a smirk playing on his lips.
"The dungeon should be in the west," said the child.
Reed inwardly groaned at the notion of relying on cardinal directions. 'How the hell am I supposed to know where the west is?' he thought. 'I guess I will have to search for a pathway.'
Creating some distance from Yael, Reed crouched on the ground. With a swift, swirling motion, he leaped into the air, soaring even above the towering trees. After a few seconds, he landed gracefully on the forest floor and turned to the kid, announcing, "Found it."
"You can fly?!" Yael exclaimed, wide-eyed.
"No. Flight is one of the rarest skills," Reed clarified.
"But you were floating just now!"
"I just jumped, nothing else."
"But you were in the air for so long!" Yael marveled at Reed's seemingly supernatural abilities.
"I happen to have good control over my body," Reed explained nonchalantly.
With that settled, Reed and Yael proceeded on their journey toward the dungeon.