The ascendant of

"Let go of me, you fucking bitch!"

Kiyen writhed in his grip like a cornered beast.

He didn't know her, but he hated her already.

Not just for trapping him, but because she belonged to a bloodline that guaranteed her survival.

For her, being here was nothing more than a game, an adventure without consequences, while for

him it was a matter of life and death.

It was obvious just by looking at her.

Clean skin. No traces of corrosion. No marks of hunger or disease.

While the others were clinging to life tooth and nail, she was in a much better position than most.

But the girl did not react as he expected.

She didn't get angry. She didn't sneer.

She simply looked at him.

With that damned curiosity.

Like he was an interesting animal in a cage.

That look infuriated him more than if she had hit him.

Then, chaos erupted.

"That brat was the one who robbed me!"

"You little thief!"

"I'm going to kill you!"

"You starving bastard! You think you can steal from us and still breathe?!"

"I'm going to tear your fingers off one by one!"

"I'll break your bones until you beg for death!"

"Somebody get a knife! -Let's get the loot out of his guts!"

The threats intertwined, the hatred grew as did the insults and the flash of unsheathed knives, hands ready to get him.

Kiyen cursed his luck.

The risk of stealing was always high, but the reward was worth it. He didn't regret the risk he took, he just wondered where he had failed.

How had that woman tracked him?

He had made no mistakes.

He hadn't been careless.

Then... how?

How the hell had they found him?

His mind spun in circles, searching for an answer, but he could only find the sound of his own agitated breathing.

He couldn't see a way out of this...

Unless...

His hand slid to his daggers.

If he was quick, if he cut the woman's arm at exactly the right moment, he could break free and flee.

It was his only option.

He was about to do it.

Until a giant shadow blocked the light of the torches.

A bald, burly man in greasy, threadbare clothes advanced toward him with outstretched hands.

This was bad.

I have no time.

There was no room for hesitation. He would cut the woman's arms and then fend off the subject until he found an opening and escape.

His fingers found the cold metal of the daggers.

Ready to draw.

Ready to break through.

But before he could react, the world tilted abruptly.

His body soared through the air.

With sharp reflexes, Kiyen stomped down and, without thinking, nimbly slid between the burly man's legs.

She had let go.

Why had she let go?

No idea, but now she had a chance to defend herself....

No sooner was he behind the man, however, than the dry sound of flesh and bone tearing forced him to turn his head and watch in stupefaction as the subject ended up practically torn in two.

He had been thrown with impressive force.

The murmuring and bustle of the room died down instantly.

In front of him, the woman remained in the same position but with her leg extended.

Did she send him flying with a kick?

Kiyen felt a shiver run down his spine.

Who the hell was she?

Kiyen unsheathed his daggers quickly.

He drew back one foot, flexing the other leg forward as he wielded both weapons.

Kiyen had used daggers before... or rather, rusty knives that served that purpose.

They were comfortable and effective for someone small and quick.

But these...

They felt different. He noticed it when he cut through the skin of that scavenger.

He noticed its weight.

The perfect balance in his grip.

And something else.

A tingle ran through his palms, spreading from the metal to his arms.

"This is weird."

She forced herself to ignore it.

Surely it was the adrenaline.

In front of him, the woman calmly lowered her leg and moved her right hand to the side, as if pointing at something.

"You want a group, don't you?" Her voice sounded relaxed, not at all intimidating. No one starts work without a little fun first. This is more common than you think.

Kiyen didn't respond, just looked at her suspiciously.

"Look around you," she continued. "Everyone is looking at you with a death wish. Show me you can handle them before the work alarm goes off...and then I'll let you into my group."

Kiyen narrowed her eyes.

"A group? Why should I believe you?" After all, this whole mess was her fault, and now she wanted to help him? What was the point?

But no sooner had she finished speaking than the others began to close in.

Furious looks from men and women who wanted revenge.

The girl, on the other hand, made no move to attack him.

There was no tension in her posture. Nor the slightest intention to fight him.

She did not raise an arm or flex a muscle. He just watched.

After seeing how he had sent the other guy flying with a single kick....

The smart thing to do was not to provoke it.

Had enough trouble with the other thugs.

Kiyen moved quickly. Thinking too much wasn't going to help him. He was agile, but the place was crowded, and most wanted to see him dead. However, he noticed that some were starting to fight among themselves, as if his presence had ignited a spark in the atmosphere.

Suddenly, a figure emerged swiftly: a thin, swift man. Kiyen saw a flash in his hands.

"Shit, he's armed."

He jerked back just in time. The blade whistled through the air, grazing his cheek. A lock of her hair floated in the air, severed.

It wasn't just any knife, it was a dagger. Its blade wasn't rusty, but it didn't emit an unusual sheen either.

"So it's not a mana weapon."

He felt at an advantage, but the man was fast. Too fast. His thrusts were continuous and precise, leaving no room to breathe.

"Where do you think you're going, you little thief?" the attacker snarled.

Kiyen thrust to the side, dodging the next attack. But his opponent gave him no respite. The guy was attacking relentlessly and, from the looks of it, he knew how to fight. The only thing Kiyen had in his favor was his size: he was smaller and could dodge more easily.

Kiyen turned his body, dodging, but felt the burning in his side.

"Tch!"

Blood stained his clothes. It wasn't deep, but it hurt.

"You're not as agile as you think, brat," the man spat, advancing with a crooked grin.

Now that Kiyen got a good look at him, he realized that he was one of the guys he had avoided robbing by noticing that he was alert.

That meant that the guy hadn't been robbed, and yet he was looking for him to get revenge? No, that guy just wanted the chance to kill him, spill blood for fun. Nothing more.

Kiyen didn't have the strength to face him head-on, and the situation got worse when another guy tried to join the fight. But his attacker intercepted him without batting an eye.

A clean cut.

Throat cut open.

Blood everywhere.

"The boy is mine!" shouted the man, licking his bloody dagger after killing the other. "No one interferes! I got him first!" his eyes glowed like those of a lunatic.

Chaos continued around them, but Kiyen noticed something strange. The fights... they weren't chaotic. They were almost organized. Most of the clashes were in even teams, as if.... This was a game? A warm-up before something bigger?

He feigned a misstep, leaving his defense open. The man took the bait and attacked.

At the last second, Kiyen spun and reached for the man's arm with the dagger. But the guy reacted faster. He dropped his own weapon and caught Kiyen's wrist on the fly.

"Do you think I haven't fought rats like you?"

The pressure on his wrist was brutal and the dagger fell from his hand.

[ERROR.]

An echo echoed in his head. A voice.

He had heard that voice before.

"But from where?"

It didn't matter. Whatever it was, now was no time to be distracted.

He tried to kick it, but the man didn't even flinch. Instead, he picked him up and threw him against the tunnel wall.

The impact stunned him. But he rolled to the ground before he could be finished off. The dagger... where was it?

There it was. A few feet away, its reddish glow was much dimmer.

The daggers seem dull... why?

But the man didn't seem interested in her. As if he didn't consider it important.

Doesn't he realize he has mana?

Kiyen couldn't stop to think about it.

She sat up again and began to move in circles, running around her enemy, looking for an opening.

"Stop running!" roared the attacker.

The man advanced with a slash straight to the chest. Kiyen ducked, letting the blade pass barely over his head, and rolled to the ground. His hand closed around the handle of the fallen dagger.

"Whatever they do, it had better work."

Wasting no time, he turned and plunged it with all his might into his enemy's thigh.

There was a strange cracking sound, somewhat similar to the one he felt with the scavenger, but more intense.

The man grunted, staggering, but it wasn't the blow that unnerved him. A slight vibration ran through the blade of the dagger and, in the blink of an eye, a flash of red glowed in the wound.

"What...?"

The enemy tried to retreat, but his leg did not respond immediately. Kiyen took advantage of that instant of confusion and lunged with his other dagger, this time seeking his throat.

This time, he did not miss.

Blood splattered on his hand. The guy tried to speak, but only a thick bubbling came out. He fell to his knees... and then to the ground.

Kiyen stared at him, feeling his breathing hitch, his heart pounding loudly in his ears.

With a sharp jerk, he withdrew the dagger and his enemy's body collapsed completely.

With both in his hands, he scanned the scene for his next adversary.