The Hero’s Supplier

 

A new guy was trying to get a spot!

The news quickly spread through the bazaar. Before long a sizeable crowd had gathered around hearing the commotion. It was widely known that whenever someone wanted a spot at the bazaar, they had to barter something to the Leaders of the market in return. The stronger the new entrant, the better the barter would be. For the bystanders, it was a chance for the others to see how they should treat the new guy.

The crowd got really excited when news spread that the fifth on the leaderboard Hands knew the new guy to be a complete ignorant fool. Everyone was ready for an entertainment. It was thrilling to see a strong person succeed, But it was even better to see a weak nobody get crushed!

"What could he even offer." The crowd whispered.

But when Rick stated what he wanted to barter, it was beyond what anyone expected.

"I know how to kill the trolls." Rick announced.

The crowd felt silent. It has to be known that almost everyone had tried, at one time, to face the Troll when they reached the Arihant Supermarket on the first day itself. Even the Leaders had gone in to try to defeat the Trolls. But one by one all of them only came back disappointed.

And now there was this nobody who declared he knew how to kill the Trolls! Nobody believed the claims to be true.

"What gave the brat such nerve?" the crowd snickered

"Could he really have a way?" someone asked.

"Have you seen his body? It's so weak. It's already known that as you get stronger, your physique develops as well. So it is easy to make out a weakling from an expert," someone else replied.

The crowd was getting ready for an entertainment. The Leaders would not stand for someone making tall claims.

"Is that so honey? Why don't you enlighten the ignorant?" A woman in blue cropped hair walked up. She gestured to the crowd with the crossbow in her hand as she spoke.

She was the number one expert in the bazaar, Lorie. Jay had told Rick about all the Leaders last night.
"..."

"Let me take care of him", Hand's spoke up before Rick could even say a word in his defence.

Hands was getting more annoyed at Rick every passing moment. He hated weaklings who acted strong! He could not do anything about those pests before, but now after the mutation, he could definitely teach them a lesson.

"If you know how to kill Trolls, you really must be a God sent expert. I am nothing but a small fry compared to you. You don't need to barter anything with small flies like us. You just need to fight with me. When you win you can directly take my spot as a Leader and my shop with it. I am sure you will not back out." Hands snickered.

The people gathering immediately understood what Hands wanted to do. It was a vicious plan. Everyone around knew that the twenty-something looking kid stood no chance against Hands. It was going to be a one-sided pummeling!

But then the crowd got another shock.

"Hands don't go overboard. I accept the kid's barter" Jay, the fourth Leader spoke up. The Fourth Leader, who usually did not even bother participating in the bazaar management suddenly spoke up.

"What's going on? Why is the Fourth Leader taking this kid's side?"

"Maybe he really is an expert."

The crowd began to murmur.

Hands clenched his fists. This Jay who otherwise kept silent suddenly spoke up in the pretentious kid's defence. The moment he decided to teach this kid a lesson, a Leader came up to take his barter.

"Jay, but don't we all have to accept the barter? I cannot accept the barter from someone who cannot back up his words." Hands spoke up. "I will only accept the barter if he can prove his strength."

Rick did not know how things turned out this way. He had no idea what he could have done to make Hands so hostile towards him.

"Sir, I may not be as strong with you. But I am sure my barter will be of use to you. I assure you my information is genuine." Rick spoke up. He could not ask Jay to speak on his behalf, it would put him in a difficult situation with the other Leaders.

"Strength is the law here kid. How could a weakling like you even have the strength to come into possession of such valuable information anyway?" Hands reasoned.

Hearing this, the other three leaders nodded their heads as well. It really did seem like the kid was here to cause trouble. Only the previous day there was someone who had gone into the supermarket. Everyone had heard the desperate gunshots being fired inside.

"Don't bother us again We don't want weaklings wasting our time. Leave!" Hands gestured grandly. He could finally calm his heart, having berated the insolent brat.

"But…" Rick had thought that his information was so good that no one would be foolish enough to give it up. His body burned hot out of embarrassment.

The crowd was really having the time of their lives watching Rick's plight. The laughed at him for thinking that a weak could really stand in front of the Leaders with head held high.

Rick hung his shame. He realized that all this was just because of his misplaced reliance on people listening to what he had to say. Information was only useful if he could be strong enough to make others listen to it. He realized that his miserable condition was all because he was pathetically weak.

As the crowd was watching the scene unfolding with smirks on their faces when a voice spoke up from the crowd.

"How about you fight with me then?" a figure walked out from the crowd.

Hands tried to make out who the person was. It was a girl dressed in a blue sweater and black jeans with a stick of some sort in her hands. Obviously, this was Samira.

This was like a slap on all their faces! The kid might be weak on his own, but if he had such powerful backing then who would dare mock him!

As Samira walked forward, Hands had cold sweat pouring down his forehead. When he has seen her the last time, she had exuded a timid personality. She looked like a weak cat. But no more! As Samira walked forward, it was as if a majestic cold Tigress had been woken up from her sleep only to wreak havoc on everything blocking her path.

"I will be his proxy for this fight," Samira exclaimed, standing beside Rick. "Will you accept the challenge?"

When Hands first challenged Rick to a fight, it was Jay who accepted the barter and stopped him. Now that he wanted to mock him for being weak, another expert came out!
Hands wanted to cry!

"Hmph! I admit you may be stronger than me, but will you be always there to protect the kid's skin?" Hands gestured at Rick, "times are bad. You never know who would end up going what."

"Are you threatening me?" Samira frowned.

"Of course not! But unless you want to open a shop, get the hell out of the way! Otherwise, you will not just be fighting me, but the all of the Arihant Market Leaders" Hands growled. He had successfully turned the tables. He had made the issue about the respect of the Leaders. Now the other Leaders had no way but to take part in the feud. Hands had made up his mind to drive away the siblings out of the bazaar.

Although Samira was strong, she was definitely not strong enough to go after all the Leaders at once.

The others also realised what Hands was doing, but they had no other way to back out either. They had to uphold their authority.

"Not me. I am not on your side on this Hands." Jay suddenly spoke up. He could not go into war with the siblings. They had gone through too much together for him to betray them.

"…"
"…"

The crowd were stupefied at the turn of events.

Hands wanted the Earth to open up and swallow him whole. Just as he was planning to kick the siblings out with the power of the Leadership, one of the Leaders themselves backed out.

But Hands did not give up
"I will go easy on you for Jay's sake then. We don't want people carrying useless baggage. You can leave with your brother. You are usel-" Hands blabbered.

"Enough!" Rick spoke up.

"I am weak now so you can mock me. But do not try to use me as the hammer to hurt my family." Rick harrumphed.

"I do not want a place in your little market. My sister and I will leave this place right now. Isn't that what you wanted?" Rick raised his hand to stare at Hands.

"Jay. We will be leaving. I will wait by the road. If you want to come, you are welcome." Rick turned back to leave.

After taking a few steps, Rick stopped and glanced back.

"And Hands, I will remember your name. I may have nothing now, but remember no establishment of mine, will supply you with anything. I blacklist you for life." Rick announced, "You... Why don't the esteemed Leaders go check on the Trolls. See if they are well."

Then he quietly walked away, with Samira and Jay by him.