Inside the dimly lit old building, the laughter of thugs filled the dusty air. They sat around a rickety wooden table, their conversation filled with arrogance and mockery. Ar, hiding behind the entrance, heard every word with his sharp ears and increasingly burning heart.
"What will Mr. Bartemus do with the land?" asked one of the thugs, his face covered with battle scars.
"Business, of course," replied a tall man in a deep, hoarse voice, accompanied by a cruel grin. "The land is strategic to the business of selling magic beasts. Mr. Bartemus doesn't care if it's a place for orphans to live. Kaelith, like him, only cares about profit. Besides, this old building has been sniffed out by the Order of the Channeler. Sooner or later, this place will have to be wiped off the map."
Ar clenched his fists tightly behind the hood that covered his head. Magical beasts? So that was their goal. He resisted the urge to attack and decided to listen instead.
"Do you think the old woman will give up this time?" asked another thug, a tall man with a shabby pirate-like headdress. His laughter echoed, full of mockery. "And that boy was really brave. Looks like we need to teach him a lesson, huh?"
"Mr. Bartemus has silenced everyone who tried to stop him, even the head of the Floressia District was powerless against him," the bearded man continued. "We just follow orders. Besides, he pays us with mountains of gold coins. What more do we need?"
Ar felt his anger rising, but he kept his cool. He knew that if he acted rashly, things could end badly. Their tongues were as rotten as their masters.
"Oh, so that's your goal," Ar's voice finally rang out, cold and echoing in the room.
The thugs' conversation stopped. They turned, searching for the source of the voice. From the dark shadows at the entrance stepped a small boy. Ar stood tall, his body small compared to the burly men, but his aura showed no fear. The five thugs immediately burst out laughing.
"Is this boy serious?" one of them asked, his shoulders shaking with laughter. "He seems lost."
Ar removed the hood that covered his face, revealing sharp dark eyes and a cold stare that made the thugs' laughter fade. He raised the long black staff he was holding and pointed it calmly forward.
"Rotten people like you are indeed fit to suck up to Kaelith," he said, his voice low but piercing.
The bearded thug took a step forward, his expression becoming fierce. "So this is the Ethel boy pretending to be a hero? What have you come here for? Are you ready to pack up? This shabby place will be a gold mine for Mr. Bartemus."
Ar was not the least bit afraid. "Satisfy Kaelith's rotten stomach? We're not leaving," he said sharply, his eyes staring straight at the bearded man. "If you go any further, you will receive the most painful punishment."
The room was tense. The thugs looked at each other, some beginning to look suspicious, but some still looking down on them. One of them raised his own staff and smiled sinisterly.
Their laughter echoed through the cramped old room, beyond the bounds of decency and logic. One of the thugs, a large man with tattoos on his arms, slapped the table so hard that the bottle nearly toppled over.
"This boy has guts!" he shouted in a mocking tone and stepped closer to Ar. His face showed a satisfied grin, as if he had already won this fight. "You think you can threaten us, brat? You don't even know who you're up against."
Ar stood still, his body not moving an inch. His sharp black eyes watched his every move, calmly taking in every detail. "I know who you serve. And I know that punishment can come at any time, even for someone like Baron Bartemus."
This statement made the bearded man who seemed to be the leader of the group pause for a moment. But instead of feeling threatened, he laughed out loud. "Punishment? In this kingdom? You're too naive, boy."
The laughter erupted again, getting louder and more challenging. Ar stayed where he was, his small body looking so fragile compared to the large figures in front of him. But he did not retreat. Behind his calm face, he was already calculating his next steps.
"This kid really has guts," the tattooed man said jokingly, his eyes narrowed in mockery. "You think we're afraid of your threats, boy?"
Ar didn't answer directly. He just stared at them with a flat expression that was hard to decipher, as if whatever was said meant nothing to him. A small smile appeared at the corner of his lips, which made the thugs feel something strange.
"Are you done?" Ar asked in a low and calm tone, his voice cutting through the silence of the night like a knife.
Their laughter slowly faded. It was as if the sound had sucked the courage out of them. The bearded man who was the leader of the group took a few steps forward, his fists clenched tightly. His face showed a mixture of anger and confusion.
"How dare you!" he growled, his voice echoing in the room that was beginning to feel smaller than before. He raised his fist, ready to strike the little boy in front of him.
But before he could go any further, Ar slowly raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The sound of the snap was barely audible, but the effect was felt immediately.
A small explosion echoed from behind the building. Fire began to spread quickly, creating thick smoke that quickly filled the room. The thugs immediately turned around, their faces changing from arrogant to panicked.
"What the hell is this?" the bearded man shouted in a high-pitched voice, his face turning as red as the fire blazing behind him.
Ar stayed where he was, his eyes watching their every move. He knew that his plan had been successful. All this was not just to escape, but to show that he was not to be underestimated.
"The boy has set a trap!" shouted one of the thugs, his voice filled with fear.
Ar gripped his long staff tightly, feeling the cold wood in his palm. He took a deep breath to calm his wild heartbeat. Then, in one smooth motion, he turned the staff and drew a long, shining sword from within. Its silver sheen reflected the light of the flames that licked around it, creating an almost illusory aura.
From where he stood, Ar stared at the thugs, who now looked at him with a mixture of confusion and anger. "You have made a big mistake," Ar said in a cold voice, almost a whisper. But his tone was strong enough to be heard over the noise of the fire. "You dared to threaten us, to belittle us, and now you will receive an unforgivable punishment."
Some of the thugs looked shocked at his audacity, but the bearded man among them just snorted. His face was full of contempt, as if he couldn't believe that a child could talk to them like that.
"You think a kid like you can fight us?" the bearded man hissed, his voice full of anger. "We are Level 3 Channelers! You're just an arrogant brat from Ethel who doesn't know his place. Ethel beasts like you would never dare to oppose the great Kaelith, and we are protected by them!"
Ar just snorted, his gaze cold as ice. Inside he could feel his emotions boiling, but he didn't let them get the better of him. In a sharp tone he replied, "Protected by the great Kaelith? They are nothing but rotten scum destroying this world."
Suddenly there was a loud explosion from the right. Ar glanced over, already knowing what was happening: the traps Clau had prepared were beginning to take effect. The fire began to spread faster, forming a circle around the thugs. They were trapped now, trapped like wild animals with no way out.
Ar stood in the center of the circle, the sword in his hand glowing like a warning. The flames around him made him look like a dangerous shadow, as if the fire obeyed his command. He could feel the heat on his skin, but he did not flinch.
The thugs became restless. One of them, a tall man with tattoos on his arms, tried to use the water essence to put out the fire. He sent out a water ball that hit the fire hard. But strangely, the fire only grew bigger, as if laughing at their efforts.
"What the hell is this?!" the man shouted in a desperate tone.
The bearded man tried to cover his fear with a loud scream. "You think your threats will scare us? You are just trash from Ethel!"
Ar did not answer immediately. Instead, he slowly raised his sword and pointed it at them. His gaze was cold, unwavering. "You should not be afraid of this garbage from Ethel. But you should fear the consequences of your actions."
The bald man among the thugs, his face flushed with anger, could no longer contain himself. With an emotional scream, he charged at Ar. His right fist was covered in Essentia that glowed bright blue, showing his incredible power.