Step to paradise

Flauros left the blacksmith shop, walked down the small alley, and joined the crowd on the street. It was still early in the city, the cold morning air covering the gray tiled roofs and cobblestone streets in a layer of mist.

The smell of toasted bread and bacon from the roadside eateries mixed into the air, mixed with the cries of the vendors setting out their wares on their stalls.

He walked slowly, his demeanor leisurely, but his eyes still quickly scanned every corner, every building, as if remembering every detail of this city. After all, he wouldn't stay here for too long.

"A week, or maybe sooner."

Flauros repeated the blacksmith's words, smiling faintly. A week was enough for him to prepare for the next step, but it also meant he had to find a temporary shelter. The constant movement last night had already made his body start to feel tired.

He looked around, his eyes passing by the mid-range inns and small cafes along the roadside. The main city was bustling, but there was a strange stillness to it, as if it was all just a cover to hide the undercurrents behind.

'As long as I don't attract attention, things will be easier.'

Flauros thought to himself before turning onto a smaller street where there were fewer people. He needed a place to rest, a quiet place to plan for what was to come.

Flauros frowned as he remembered this important condition. Without his identity card, he couldn't rent a room at the regular inns in the main city, one of the recent security measures the Ozone Empire had implemented.

'What a pain.'

He thought to himself, slowing down his pace on the cobblestone street. He could easily forge a pass with magic, but the major establishments in the city would have a way to check the authenticity of the documents.

If he were discovered, not only would his room rental fail, but he might also be listed as a suspect by the royal family. Experiencing the feeling of being in prison once was more than enough.

While he was pondering, Flauros noticed a small alley ahead. Unlike the bustling streets, this place seemed more deserted, with only a few people standing around talking to each other, their eyes furtive and somewhat wary.

'Maybe I should look for more unorthodox places.'

He entered the alley, his eyes quickly scanning every dark corner. If there was any place in the city that accepted people without papers, it was the underground area, where illegal transactions took place in secret.

Flauros quietly walked deeper into the alley. The atmosphere here was completely different from the bustling street outside. The old stone walls were covered with green moss, a few rotten wooden boards hung overhead, and the doors were half-closed as if hiding the secrets of those who lived in the dark.

He walked slowly, his eyes observing every corner, looking for signs of an inn or any place where he could stay temporarily. But all he saw were small shops, stalls selling contraband, and a few unfriendly faces silently watching him.

"Maybe I should ask someone directly."

Flauros approached a middle-aged man sitting on the steps, wearing an old cloak, and his sharp eyes swept over him when he approached. He did not beat around the bush and went straight to the point:

"Is there a place here that rents rooms to strangers?"

The man squinted at him for a moment, then chuckled softly.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay at a regular inn?"

"No papers," Flauros replied curtly.

The man nodded, as if he were used to situations like this. He pointed to the end of the alley, where there was a heavy wooden door with a strange symbol carved into it.

"That place can help you, as long as you have money and don't cause trouble."

Flauros glanced at the door for a moment and nodded his thanks. He adjusted his cloak, walking towards a place that could temporarily shelter him in the middle of this dangerous city.

Flauros stood in front of the heavy wooden door, his eyes glancing at the black raven symbol carved on the surface. A familiar symbol, the mark of the Black Crows, is one of the largest bounty hunter organizations on the continent.

Once a powerful force, the Black Crows had a network that spread far and wide, accepting missions from hunting criminals, recovering assets, to even assassinations and protecting targets.

But times have changed, the Ozone Empire is unstable, and political forces are increasingly oppressing the organization. Now, the Black Crows no longer operate openly but retreat into the shadows, lurking in the heart of the underground world.

"So they have to hide like that." Flauros thought to himself, his lips curling slightly.

He raised his hand and knocked lightly on the door three times, each time steadily but not too hard. In the moment of silence, nothing happened. But then, a small crack in the sliding door opened, revealing a pair of sharp eyes observing him.

"What do you want?" A deep voice rang out from inside.

Flauros did not answer in a hurry, only holding up a silver coin engraved with the Black Crows' distinctive pattern. He had obtained this a long time ago, when he was involved in a transaction with a high-ranking member of the organization.

The eyes inside the crack stared at the silver coin in his hand, then quickly disappeared. The sound of the latch clicking rang out, and the thick, heavy door opened a narrow crack.

"Come in." The voice no longer had the coldness it had before, but instead contained a hint of caution.

Without hesitation, Flauros stepped inside. The door slammed shut as soon as he entered, trapping him in the world of the Black Crow, where only the strong could survive.

Flauros glanced at the silver coin in his hand, the flickering light in the dark room highlighting the delicate engravings on the metal surface. This was not just an ordinary silver coin, it was the mark of the Black Crow, a symbol of trust and also a ticket to the underworld.

Where did he get it?

Many years ago, when Flauros was still wandering the continent, he had received an assassination mission in a small kingdom. It wasn't because he wanted to enter the underworld at that time, but because he wanted to ensure the safety of the newly established Dawn Guild from outside forces.

But it was not a simple task, because his target was someone who had close ties to the Black Crow.

While hunting for his prey, Flauros accidentally encountered a mysterious man, a Broker of the Black Crow. He did not directly attack, but with just words and a deep understanding of the underworld, he made Flauros understand that if he dared to point his sword at the organization, he would never have a day of peace.

However, instead of threatening him, the Broker proposed a deal.

"You can take his life, but in return, take this."

He handed Flauros a silver coin engraved with a black crow, accompanied by a meaningful smile.

"This will save your life one day, or at the very least, it will open a door that others cannot pass through."

Flauros accepted it without hesitation. He still completed the mission, but from then on, he was no longer pursued or watched by the Black Crows. It was a rare concession from an organization that had no tolerance for anyone who opposed them.

Now, standing before their hidden base, he understood that this silver coin had finally come into its own.

The heavy wooden door opened, bringing with it a stream of damp air from the underground hideout. Under the dim light of the oil lamps, the people inside immediately stopped all their activities, their sharp eyes focused on Flauros.

Vigilance was evident on their faces, assassins, mercenaries, and those who lived off the dark side of the world. The atmosphere in the room became tense for a moment, and the sound of knives sharpening against each other faintly rang out.

A man with a scar running from his temple to his chin raised his eyebrows slightly, his voice low but full of caution.

"Strange face."

Another man, leaning against the bar, tapped his fingers lightly on the hilt of the dagger at his waist, his gloomy eyes watching Flauros' every move.

The tension between the two seemed about to explode, but Flauros remained calm. Without saying much, he reached into his cloak, slowly pulling out a silver coin engraved with a black raven.

With a gentle flip of his hand, the silver coin reflected the light from the oil lamp, revealing the image of a black raven with deep, hollow eyes.

Immediately, the atmosphere in the room changed. Those who had been tense just now looked at each other, some raised their eyebrows, others smiled faintly as if they had just realized something interesting.

The man with the scar glanced at the silver coin for a long time, then jerked his chin towards the bar:

"Sit down. If you have that, you're probably not an ordinary person."

Although there was no longer the threatening gaze like before, Flauros could still feel the hidden scrutiny from the people around him. It seemed that his appearance had attracted quite a bit of attention from these hunters.

As Flauros walked towards the bar, a voice rang out from behind, filled with surprise and a hint of doubt:

"…Flauros?"

He stopped, not turning back immediately. This voice. A memory from the past that he had thought he had left behind long ago.

When he turned back, his cold gaze met a young man with ash-gray hair, amber eyes filled with caution. His charcoal-blue robe was embroidered with yellow patterns, clearly someone who was not ordinary in the world.

"No way… is it you?"

The other person stepped forward, his eyes observing Flauros from head to toe as if to confirm that he was not mistaken.

Flauros narrowed his eyes, distant memories flooded back to his days in the Liberation Corps, under the harsh training of Miss Sora.

He was Leif, one of his fellow magic students, once one of the most promising young mages, but he always tended to live by principles and never deviated from the path of "righteousness".

Flauros did not answer immediately, only looking at the person in front of him, as if assessing whether the current Leif was still the person he once knew. But clearly, life had changed both of them. Flauros had fallen into darkness, and what about Leif?

"I thought you were dead." Leif said after a moment of silence, his eyes still not leaving him. "At least after the Liberation Corps' counterattack..."

Flauros just smiled faintly, pulled out a chair, sat down, and poured himself a glass of wine.

"There are things... that are not as easily destroyed as you think." He raised his glass, his eyes cold as if the past had never existed. "What about you, Leif? Do you still believe in the legion's justice?"

Leif frowned, but did not answer immediately. Time had changed many things, including beliefs and people.

Leif was silent for a moment, his eyes filled with complicated emotions. He pulled up a chair and sat down across from Flauros, his fingers tapping lightly on the old wooden table.

"I'm not as naive as I was when I was in the legion." Leif sighed, looking at the glass of wine in front of him. "Justice? That only exists in theory. Now I just do what I can to survive."

Flauros raised his eyebrows slightly, putting down his glass of wine. "So you've learned that lesson too?"

Leif smiled faintly. "After the Liberation Army collapsed, we went our separate ways. I wandered around and finally ended up here, doing odd jobs for the bounty hunter organization. Not the best choice, but at least I'm still alive."

Flauros's eyes swept over the small badge on Leif's shirt, a black crow, the symbol of the bounty hunter organization. He chuckled. "It suits you."

Leif leaned his hands on the table, looking at Flauros seriously. "What about you? Why are you here? If I remember correctly, you never wanted to get involved in things like this."

Flauros didn't answer right away, just quietly turned the glass in his hand, watching the red wine shimmer under the dim light. He had a reason to come here, but it wasn't something that could be easily shared.

"I have work to do." He said briefly, his sharp eyes looking straight at Leif. "And it's best if you don't try to find out more."

Leif was silent for a moment, then chuckled. "You haven't changed a bit." He leaned back, crossing his arms. "But I won't ask. If you need help, I can arrange lodging for you here. Not for free, of course."

Flauros smirked. "Of course. Bounty hunters, nothing comes for free."