CHAPTER 5:

"Can't wait to torture him! Can't wait to beat him!" In the dead of night, the faint tune of a malicious song could be heard from within a group of 5 players.

Their target: an NPC who had just dipped into a dark alleyway, most likely leading to wherever his home was.

Without waiting for his team, the mischievous grey slin leaped up ahead in front of the group and headed 1st into the alleyway, "Hey, lil fella, wanna have a chat with ya!"

Like that, their impulsive and hotheaded teammate slipped into the shade of the night.

The group leader puffed out in frustration, “Damnit, that fool's always been greedy for loot. Though... I can't help but wonder how that kid survived out there?”

His black eyes twinkled with a mysterious light as he and the team stepped into drab alleyways after their colleague with caution.

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[Meanwhile... Further into the Alleyway.]

"Hey, where are ya lil pipsqueak?"

After running far into the alleyways in hopes of single-handedly taking all the loot, the grey slin began looking around, trying to catch a glimpse of where the boy had gone.

The alleyway was narrow and dark, with the path slowly expanding and winding into many separate paths as one went further.

To call this alleyway a maze wouldn't be a stretch at all.

As the grey slin continued walking, his face contorted in disgust at the piles of filth and waste littered everywhere.

He continued walking while leisurely unsheathing a dagger from his belt, "Sigh... these NPCs never wanna make things easy, do they?"

However, unbeknownst to this grey slin, a pile of trash that he just passed silently rummaged with the figure of a young boy slowly rising out.

Crow quietly got up with a piece of broken glass in his hand, the smell of alcohol from the bottle shrouded by the stench of the alleyway.

His bag was left concealed within the trash pile.

By now his target was about 4 steps away, and so with a bend of his knees, the boy shot forward.

tap- tap- tap- tap

The sound of moist footsteps splashing against the muddy alleyway floors rang in the grey slin's ear.

CHUUUNK!

Yet it was too late.

Crow quickly came from behind and stabbed the player in the side of the neck, "AAAHHHHH!!" his victim let out a guttural scream, yet it was all for naught as the boy pushed the glass shard even deeper and twisted it.

Yet, before Crow could finish him for good, his eyes widened in shock at what he saw: small black boxes were covering the player.

The grey slin screamed in agony, writhing around on the ground as if the boxes were centipedes consuming his every flesh.

Finally, his entire existence was erased, all except for his dagger that lay in pristine condition on the ground.

The boy simply stared at the ground where the player and the boxes just were, 'What... what just happened, what are those things?'

Cautiously, he slowly approached the dagger on the ground, only for a notification to pop up: ❏❐▊❑❒▨☳⊳░▃▀❒. 

Lines and lines of this without a single bit being understandable, 'I don't understand what's going on, but I'm gonna get to the bottom of this.'

Crow thought to himself with a resolute look as he stood back up.

As he did, the sound of footsteps caused him to look back; the grey slin's companions had all arrived, and upon seeing this NPC hold their friend's dagger, they could assume what had happened.

Yet, confusion was on the face of their leader, 'Wait, players aren't supposed to lose items on death, only a level, why does this NPC have his dagger?' 

Taking careful precaution, he narrowed his eyes, "Get into [Battle Formation]"

Hearing their leader speak, the group, who looked at this young NPC, slightly bewildered, took on a serious expression and raised their weapons as they all got in place.

The girl in the back of the group, who had no weapon in hand, only a robe, cast a gaze at their leader, who was in front, 'Magnus is most experienced in battle, and he supposedly also has insider knowledge of the game. For him to be this cautious...' 

She cast a wary gaze back onto the boy whose dark complexion seemed to melt into the darkness of the bleak alleyway, his hollow black eyes glistening coldly as he stared at them. 

Magnus was at the front, having taken out a longsword and a single armored shoulder pad strapped to him. 

The female slin on his side had a short bow out and was prepped to fire, while a human male had gauntlets on his fist. 

1 against 4.

Crow stood there, a slight smirk rising on his mouth, 'After a whole month, I thought I’d fall behind, but strangely I feel oddly comfortable.’

With a glint in his eyes, he dashed forward.

The players were taken off guard, such a difference in number, and still taking the initiative?

The leader roared with beastly wrath and lunged forward, taking a massive downward swipe to crush this puny NPC, yet Crow simply raised his dagger and sidestepped the blade, allowing the massive beastkin to pass right by him, stumbling under his own weight. 

Next, the fighter with gauntlets came rushing at him, trying to catch him with a wide right hook.

Crow ducked under and gave a simple stab into his abdomen while pulling him along and using his body to block the arrow soaring at him.

CHUNK!

The arrow struck against the fighter's head, causing his neck to whip back.

Using this, Crow quickly sliced his front throat, as the black boxes consumed his body just like the grey slin's.

Seeing this, the archer's eyes widened in fear, 'What are those things?'

Yet, with the fear of seeing her teammate die, her shaky hands couldn't nock her bow in time before Crow threw his dagger at her, landing in between her eyebrows and sending her onto her back. 

Crow rushed up and pulled the dagger out, calmly slicing the girl's neck and allowing the black boxes to consume her as well.

All this had occurred in less than 7 seconds.

Finally, the cause of this slaughter had already retrieved his bag and was now in front of the girl positioned in the back, only sporting grey robes with her hands in what looked to be a prayer sign and tears pooling out of her eyes, "P-please, I-I'm sorry."

Yet the boy only smiled at this, but before he could do anything.

ROAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARR!!

A frightening roar quaked through the entire alleyway, catching the boy's attention and causing him to turn and face the source of this sound. 

The blue, black-striped beastkin, the leader of this now deceased squad, was staring angrily at the boy, his hand that gripped his longsword quivering with rage, "You... will... pay."

The beastkin squeezed out of his mouth, barely containing his rage.

Crow then took a glance at the girl behind him before a smug grin spread across his face.

He turned towards the girl, his dagger waving through the air.

"NOOOOOOO!!" The beastkin yelled out.

Yet Crow knocked her in the head with the handle, instantly knocking her out and causing her to slump in his arms.

The boy lunged her over his shoulders while pointing at the leader of the defeated party, "Wow, you guys suck, especially this chick. From how useless she is, I guess she's the group healer, and seeing as how she didn't do jackshit, you haven't gotten a skill for her yet."

The beastskin had halted running to the boy, afraid that he might harm her, "Let her go, we can negotiate."

Crow's eyes creased like crescent moons as a malicious smile spread as he looked at the girl, "And seeing as how protective you are of this waste of space, I'm guessing she's either a girlfriend or..." he locked eyes with the leader, "A sibling."

The beastkin's eyes widened in shock, 'What kind of game is this? How did we end up in this situation?'

The pair were about 3 meters (9.8ft) apart and both locked eyes for about 15 seconds before the NPC spoke, "We can trade."

The beastkin nearly crumbled to his knees in relief, but he couldn't, not yet.

"What do you want?" The beastkin asked, not daring to be arrogant any longer.

Deep down, Crow wanted to say, "Give me Lóa back," yet he knew that wasn't possible, and he couldn't let his emotions destroy the initiative he had gained, so instead he pointed downwards.

The player looked towards where the NPC was pointing and at his own hand, "My weapon?"

Crow only nodded in response.

The player gritted his teeth, "Fine, but give me her 1st."

The boy simply smiled, "We both know that's not how this works. You choose, your weapon, or your sister."

Begrudgingly, the beastkin prepared to toss the blade before he was stopped, "Throw it all the way to me and stay where you are, anything more or less and I slit her throat."

'Damnit!' The beastkin grit his teeth as he gave an underhand throw of his longsword, allowing the blade to skid across the floor before stopping before this dastardly NPC's feet. 

Crow picked up the blade.

Black boxes spread across his hand and weapon as he did so, but having grown accustomed to this, he simply analyzed the blade, all while keeping one eye on the beastkin player. 'A very impressive sword, especially for this level. He's definitely well-connected in the real world.'

"You've fulfilled your end of the bargain, so I will fulfill mine," Crow spoke magnanimously as if doing the beastkin a favor.

The beastkin player could only put on a fake smile while squeezing his fists in anger, "Thank you... very much!"

Meanwhile, his mind was churning, 'You bastard, just wait till I have my sister back, it will be the end of you, even without my wea-'

"Catch." 

Yet the player's inner dialogue was cut short as the robed girl was thrown into the air and towards the beastkin.

A relieved smile spread across Magnus' face as all of his attention was on his dearly beloved.

Despite all she had just gone through, her face was still serene and beautiful as she fell into his arms.

Yet, as she finally fell into his embrace.

SPLOOOKSH!!!

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