Chapter 2: Experience

“Move.”

“…”

“What’s wrong? Got a problem? I healed you, didn’t I?”

The thief just kept eyeing me nervously, hesitating, not making a move.

“I healed your wounds, even reattached your damn arm. Who else would go this far after getting backstabbed? I’m practically a saint. Right?”

“…”

The thief glanced away briefly.

Following his gaze, I saw his comrades, sliced in half, lying cold on the ground.

“What? Jealous?”

“N-No! Not at all!”

“Look, I’m busy. Lead the way already.”

“Uh, well…”

“What?”

“Are you… really going to let me live?”

“Ugh, how many times do I have to say it? Lead me to your base, and I’ll let you live. Got it?”

Bullsh*t. This filthy bastard.

The thief swallowed hard.

No way the guy who carved up his comrades without blinking would spare him.

Just looking at those eyes told him everything—once he led this guy to the base, he was as good as dead.

Three years in the thieving game had honed his instincts for this kind of thing.

Those bastards… I knew this job felt off!

He’d been against it from the start, saying they should back off.

But those idiots wouldn’t listen.

And this was the result.

Worse, this guy was using that rumored Aura Blade.

They’d picked the wrong target, big time.

He cursed his dead comrades, but it changed nothing.

They were gone, and he was screwed.

“What’re you doing? I said I’m busy.”

“Y-Yes, I’ll… lead the way…”

He had no choice.

The thief reluctantly started moving, dragging his feet.

Rustle, rustle. Rustle, rustle.

The dense forest was silent, save for the sound of their footsteps.

…If I run, he’ll catch me, right?

He wanted to bolt right then and there, but the memory of his comrades getting cut down while trying to flee stopped him cold.

“Hey.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Feels like we’ve been circling the same path for a while. You trying to die?”

“N-No! I just… got a bit lost…”

Damn, this guy’s sharp…

He’d been stalling, looking for a chance to escape, but he got caught immediately.

“Ten minutes.”

“Huh?”

“You’ve got ten minutes. If I don’t see your base by then, you’re the first to go.”

“B-But that’s…!”

“Answer.”

“Y-Yes, I understand!”

F*ck, I’m screwed! Really screwed…

Cold sweat poured down his face.

At this rate, his head would be rolling in no time.

He racked his brain desperately as he moved, searching for a way out.

…Wait, that’s it!

His head snapped up.

Didn’t the boss just complete his third job advancement?

The thought sparked a glint in his eyes.

That’s it.

There were a few tough guys at the base besides the boss.

If he could team up with them, even this monster of a guy wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Hm…”

A sly grin crept across the thief’s face.

Who would’ve thought the boss, who usually just bullied the newbies, would feel so reliable now?

“Is this the right way?”

“Yes! Absolutely!”

Of course, he didn’t do anything stupid like acting cocky.

He had to keep playing the scared, pathetic thief for now.

Taking this guy down would come after they reached the base.

You’re done for.

Imagining the look on this guy’s face when he met the third-job-advanced boss brought a wicked smile to his lips.

His steps lightened, and it didn’t take long to reach the base.

“We’re here. This is it.”

“Hm… really?”

It was a shabby but surprisingly spacious barracks.

The thief moved to enter.

“Then, please, come insi—”

“Hold on.”

Thud.

Just as he stepped forward, the guy grabbed his head.

“Uh…? W-Wait, sir…?”

Squeeze…

“Guh… urgh…”

The grip tightened, and the thief groaned in pain, feeling like his skull might crack.

This… f*cking… bastard…!

He struggled to break free, but the grip didn’t budge.

No, it only got stronger.

“You… f*ck…! What the hell are you doing?! You said you’d let me live—Guh!”

“Oh, right. I did say that. But… I forgot to settle something.”

“Settle what… Arghhh!”

“That potion I used to heal your crippled arm? It was high-grade.”

“What does that… mean…!”

“It was f*cking expensive.”

That was the last thing the thief heard.

Crunch—!

His head couldn’t withstand the force and burst.

“Ugh, gross.”

I plucked some nearby leaves to wipe the blood off my hands.

They didn’t clean well.

If anything, the leaves made my hands stickier.

“Guess he had some kind of backup plan?”

I glanced at the thief, his head smashed, lying on the ground.

At first, he was scared stiff, circling the same path like a frightened dog.

But at some point, his steps got lighter, like he knew something good was waiting.

‘Hm… I’ll find out what’s inside.’

I stepped toward the shabby barracks.

I pushed aside the tattered sackcloth serving as a curtain.

“…Huh? Who’s this guy?”

The moment I entered, I was greeted by a group of rough-looking thieves.

“Hey, who’s this bastard?”

“No idea, boss.”

“Didn’t the boss say anything?”

“Nope.”

“Ugh, what a…”

“Sit down, boss. I’ll handle it.”

The lowest-ranking guy among them strode toward me.

“Hey, who the hell are you? What’re you doing here?”

“Dunno, don’t feel like explaining to a punk like you.”

“Ha, this…”

The punk turned his head, letting out a mocking laugh—

“—f*cking bastard!”

He whipped out a dagger from behind and lunged at me.

His movements were so slow I could’ve yawned.

I kicked out before he even got close.

“Guh—!”

Caught off guard, he couldn’t react.

The heel of my boot slammed into his chest, sending him flying into a pile of junk that collapsed with a crash.

“Damn it!”

“You bastard—!”

The others, enraged, started to draw their weapons and charge.

“Wait, hold on, brothers! Just a second!”

“What?! Can’t you see what’s happening, you idiot?!”

“N-No, it’s not that… I think… that guy’s dead…”

“…What?”

Everyone turned at the thief’s words.

The guy on the ground wasn’t moving.

Blood soaked his mouth, and his eyes were lifeless.

“…”

The air froze in an instant.

“What’re you waiting for? Come on in.”

Tension rippled through the group of thieves.