Revenge pact

Adonis exhaled calmly as the silver colour slowly returned to his eyes, making them full of their usual childish innocence.

{Borrinng!} The Deity exclaimed in disapproval.

After taking a few more moments to fully regain his composure, Adonis tensed the muscles in his legs; preparing to initiate his next attack.

WHIZZ

In a sudden blur of motion, the boy seemed to dissolve from his spot, reappearing in a matter of seconds right before Quin.

With astonishing swiftness, he leapt into the air, hovering just above the knight's head.

Then he executed a swift and precise kick aimed directly at the knight's head, at a velocity that defied the capabilities of an ordinary human.

WHOOSH

"Leave her alone!"

As the boy's lightning-quick attack was unleashed, Quin's heightened reflexes proved their worth.

He effortlessly evaded the oncoming assault, smoothly ducking his head to avoid the strike. With a swift, fluid motion, he looked up to meet the boy's gaze, his expression an intriguing blend of surprise and calculation.

'Strange... I swore I felt something strange coming from him. His demeanor is back to normal? Well, that doesn't even matter. Who does this mongrel think he is, trying to fight me!? I'll put him in his place.'

With his initial attack deftly evaded, Adonis's movements exhibited a remarkable fluidity as he landed gracefully before his opponent.

As he prepared to reposition himself for another attempt, Quin seized the moment.

In a fluid and controlled motion, Quin's left leg swung forward, launching a front kick aimed at Adonis's sternum.

The strike bore only a fraction of his true strength, yet it remained a testament to the Novice knight's mastery of combat.

Miraculously, the boy was just quick enough to use both his arms to block the attack.

THUD

"Argh!"

Though he managed to avert a direct hit, the consequences were far from negligible. The impact took a toll, leaving Adonis with substantial damage.

His arms bore the evidence, displaying dark blue hues from the heavy bruising inflicted. The force of the blow also propelled him backwards, causing him to stumble several meters away.

{I suggest you give up mortal, you're simply too weak.}

'I can't just let him bully an innocent girl...'

Adonis shed a small tear as he felt a sharp throbbing sensation pulsate through both his arms. The boy grit his teeth in pain as he tried to open and close both his hands to regain the feeling in his fingertips.

Seeing that the pain wouldn't subside anytime soon, he decided to simply push through and attack once more.

Adonis dashed toward the Novice knight as he thought about his next strike.

'Punch? No, It'd simply do more damage to me than him... Flying kick? That'll leave me vulnerable to a throw after he dodges... A flying knee to the head should be adequate; if it lands he'll at least be staggered, if he dodges I won't be vulnerable to a counter, if he blocks I can simply attack once more and if he tries to grab my leg I'll have to resort to using Earthly Aura to avoid being killed or heavily injured.' By the time Adonis had decided on a clear-cut plan, he was already upon his opponent and within range.

Executing his strategy, Adonis propelled himself into the air, his left knee extended and aimed at the knight's nose.

However, Quin's response caught Adonis off guard. Instead of attempting to mitigate or evade the impending strike, Quin opted for a different course. He raised his right hand, positioning it just above his chin, and delivered a forceful right hook aimed squarely at the side of the boy's abdomen.

{Idiot...}

CRACK

As soon as Quin made contact with the boy's small body, a loud crack could be heard from the boy's ribs as he was sent flying a few feet backwards.

"AHHHHHHHH!" Adonis' pained scream penetrated the ears of every guard and client in the bank.

"Hehe...Not so tough now, brat!" Quin chuckled as he strolled towards Adonis, preparing to permanently silence the boy.

"Sir Quin, please stop!" Naomi stepped between the two while facing the knight.

"Move...I need to teach this commoner a lesson." He didn't even look at the girl as he swatted her aside.

After the knight swiped her away, Naomi fell to the floor landing flat on her behind.

Just as he was about to throw a punch at the boy who was on the floor, he heard the sound of Naomi calling out to him; which stopped him right in his tracks.

"If you let him go, I'll marry you!" She shrieked desperately, unwilling to let a child get hurt for her sake.

Upon hearing Naomi's words, Quin completely ignored Adonis and turned his attention back to his fiancé.

His twisted enraged smile curved into a large menacing grin after he processed the words of the girl.

***

After witnessing the encounter between the two, a couple of other guards came to escort Adonis out of the bank.

Although the other guards knew of Quin's antics and were aware he was the one at fault, they couldn't do anything about it as he was a noble from a large family.

Despite his reluctance, Adonis found himself compelled to depart, a bitter taste lingering in his mouth. Naomi's declaration had stirred something within him, yet circumstances left him with no other choice but to leave.

***

Using his newfound wealth, the first thing Adonis bought were new garments. These were similar to the ones he was currently wearing; but they fit better, were clean, and most importantly didn't stink. The boy bought multiple sets of these clothes and put them in a small cart he tugged around the cheerful town.

The reason he was nonchalant about walking around with such a large amount of goods, was simple.

The crime rate in the major cities was minuscule during the day.

Continuing his shopping, Adonis entered the tools store and purchased an expensive storage ring eliminating the need for his cart.

After storing all his items He went to go rent a room at an inexpensive inn, which he reserved for the next few months.

***

At Night.

When Adonis arrived at the inn, he bathed himself properly for the first time since...

He died?

The boy sat on the average-sized bed as he calculated how much money he had left after his shopping spree.

"Fifteen million, One hundred and fifty-three thousand one hundred and forty-four gold coins."

{Is that a lot?}

"It's just about the yearly income of a smaller Dukedom family."

{Kukuku...So no more eating mushrooms and dirty water?}

"Yep!"

{Then why didn't you do this sooner?}

"The assassins sent to kill the Hermes family heard Papa tell me to use Code Red. So If I withdrew a substantial amount of money even from an anonymous account a few months after the Hermes massacre it'd be suspicious. It should be safe now ."

{Kukuku...Don't you think that's a bit too cautious?}

"Caution breeds success..." Adonis said as he grinned cheerfully

Rising from the bed, Adonis initiated a series of stretches, working through each limb, although his arms were occasionally disrupted by sharp throbs of pain.

Emitting a sigh, he retrieved his dependable staff, utilizing it as a means of support for his body's movements.

"Let's go."

{Go? Do you want to train now?}

"Ha, of course not." The boy giggled as he heard the outrageous question.

{Then what else would you want to do...Aren't the stores all closed?)

"Not the black market... That's where we buy what we really came for."

***

Adonis strolled along the empty city streets, his grip firm on the obsidian staff in his right hand.

His attire had undergone a transformation, now featuring a long black tunic paired with a matching black cloak.

As for accessories, he sported a modest silver spatial ring adorned with a red gem.

Completing the ensemble were well-fitted brown leather Roman sandals, securely fastened to his feet.

Adding to his enigmatic appearance, Adonis donned a peculiar black half-mask with a beak-like design. This unconventional accessory held a particular purpose—it was a requirement for venturing into the black market, a distinctive symbol of participation.

After a two-hour journey, Adonis arrived at an empty plaza dominated by a stone statue of the Roman God Mercury.

Recognizing his location, he veered into a nearby alleyway, proceeding until he faced a dead end marked by a towering stone wall. Placing his slender, calloused hand upon the surface, he murmured a phrase under his breath.

The boy's words were so quiet that it was almost inaudible.

"Ni em tel, swodahs eht ni llam."

[Esoprup ruoy si tahw] A sharp distorted voice replied as the wall vibrated slightly.

"Tools, weapons and information."

[Everything under the sun, belongs to who?]

"No one." The boy gave the password with a flat tone as he looked at the brick wall.

Immediately after he uttered the words, the individual stones parted, forming a circular opening roughly the size of two human heads. What lay beyond was a mysterious void, an inky expanse that absorbed all light. Its darkness was tinged with an aura of potent mana, casting an eerie and intense presence.

{This isn't a portal, but the mana it radiates is similar?}

"It's a trans-tube, it turns someone intangible and invisible, and lets them travel to a predetermined destination at high speeds."

{Interesting, this must be the product of a powerful special affinity.}

"It is..."

With his staff strapped to his back, Adonis started by placing his arm into the dark hole was immediately seized by a sensation beyond description.

Every single cell in his body began to vibrate with a ferocity that seemed to resonate with the very fabric of his being.

Every particle comprising his flesh and bones dissolved, transmuting into vibrant, shimmering specks of mana. Despite the searing agony that gripped him, he clenched his teeth, bearing witness to the metamorphosis of his once-small limb.

"Arghh!"

Adonis placed his other arm into the space and the same thing occurred. This time he bit into his lip as he endured the pain. After he mentally prepared himself for more excruciating pain, he dived into the hole, turning his whole body into yellow mana particles. He felt his whole sense of direction become disorientated and his head started spinning.

TSU

The particles of mana that Adonis had become, travelled at a frightening speed through empty darkness in a straight line never turning once nor slowing down. The particles continued at this speed for 5 minutes straight till they suddenly stopped abruptly.

The next second, the boy's head emerged out of a dark pool of water.

Immediately after he was free he greedily inhaled as much air as his little lungs could hold.

{Where are we mortal?}

As his silver pupils adjusted to the darkness, Adonis's eyes dilated, allowing him to navigate his new environment.

He swivelled his head a few times, meticulously surveying his surroundings to gain a sense of orientation. Focusing intently, he narrowed his eyes upon detecting a distant, faint light that beckoned from a few hundred yards away.

'In the great lake outside the international black market, in other words, the entrance.'