"I'll be taking the sword now~" Ryker said with a sing-song voice as he snatched the weapon and its worn leather sheath from the table. His satisfied smile made Greed's eye twitch in annoyance.
She watched him handle the blade like it was already his, testing its weight and balance. The boy was cheap and greedy to his very core - more so than she was, and she literally had 'Greed' as her professional name. It made her wonder who the real greedy one was between them.
"Next time we meet, I'd rather you do it without that fake face," Ryker said over his shoulder as he headed for the door. The casual way he said it made her stomach drop. Not only did he know her secrets, but he was already planning their next encounter.
Greed slumped against the counter after he left, letting out a long, exhausted sigh. She felt like she'd just made a deal with the devil himself.
Outside the shop, Ryker breathed in the crisp air of Seravelle. The floating islands cast moving shadows across the street as they drifted overhead, and he could feel the thick mana in the atmosphere making his skin tingle. His next stop was just as important as the first.
The potion shop was cramped and smelled like herbs and chemicals. Bottles lined every surface, filled with liquids in colors that didn't exist in nature. The shopkeeper, a thin man with stained fingers, looked up from his work grinding some kind of root.
"Mana potions," Ryker said simply. "Your cheapest ones."
The man's eyes lit up at the mention of his most expensive products. "Ah, a young warrior! These beauties will restore your mana completely. Only 800 credits each."
Ryker's face remained blank, but inside he was calculating rapidly. That would eat through his remaining money in no time. "I'll take three for 1,500 credits total."
The shopkeeper's face twisted like he'd been slapped. "That's highway robbery! These potions are worth-"
"1,500 or I walk," Ryker interrupted, already turning toward the door.
"Wait, wait!" The man grabbed three bottles from a lower shelf - not his best quality, but they would do the job. "Fine, but you're bleeding me dry here."
Ryker handed over the credits without comment. The potions were still expensive, but he'd need them in the floating forest. Running out of mana while fighting beasts was a death sentence.
With his purchases complete, he headed west toward the portal station. Seravelle's transportation hub was a massive building with glowing archways that hummed with magical energy. Each portal led to different cities and islands throughout the continent.
"Next!" called the attendant at the desk - a middle-aged man with a permanent scowl. When he saw Ryker approach, his expression soured even more. The boy's simple clothes and lack of obvious wealth marked him as a commoner in the man's mind.
"How can I help you?" The words came out dripping with barely concealed irritation.
Ryker said nothing. Instead, he pulled out his student ID and placed it on the counter. The effect was immediate and dramatic.
The man's eyes went wide as he recognized the Veil Academy seal. In all of Seravelle, it was one of the most prestigious institutions. Only the wealthy and powerful could afford to send their children there.
"Dear sir, please forgive my previous manner!" The man jumped to his feet, sweat beading on his forehead. "Please, head this way immediately!"
The sudden change in treatment was almost comical. The same man who'd been ready to dismiss him was now practically bowing as he led Ryker toward the portal area.
"He's heading for Wryn city," the attendant whispered urgently to the portal operator. "Send him there immediately!"
The operator, a younger man with messy hair, gave him a confused look. "Have you forgotten the rules? We need at least ten people before a transfer can take place. And who is this kid anyway?"
The first man's face went pale. He grabbed his colleague's arm and whispered frantically, "That person is from Veil Academy!"
The operator's expression shifted from confusion to shock to outright fear. Veil Academy students weren't just rich - they were connected to some of the most powerful families in the world. Offending one could mean losing their jobs, or worse.
"You may go through, sir," both men said in unison, their voices shaking slightly. They knew that even a single complaint from someone with Ryker's connections could ruin their careers.
Ryker looked at them both with that same devilish smile that had unsettled Greed earlier. "I'll remember you both."
The words were said casually, but they carried an undertone that made both men's blood run cold. Whether he meant it as a threat or a promise, they couldn't tell.
With a single step, Ryker entered the swirling portal. The sensation was like being turned inside out - his whole body felt nauseous and weak as reality bent around him. Then, with another step, he was standing in a completely different place.
The portal station in Wryn was much smaller and shabbier than Seravelle's grand hub. The operator here was already looking at him with suspicion until Ryker silently showed his ID. The man's attitude changed instantly, nodding respectfully and waving him through.
Stepping outside, Ryker immediately noticed the difference between the 10-star rated capital and this 1-star town. The buildings were shorter, made of cheaper materials. The streets were narrower and not as clean. The people dressed in simpler clothes and moved with the careful efficiency of those who had to work hard for everything they owned.
But this was exactly where he needed to be. The forest east of town held opportunities that the protagonist wouldn't discover for months yet.
The walk through Wryn's streets gave him time to observe the local culture. Street vendors sold simple foods from wooden carts. Children played with toys made from scraps and imagination. It was a world away from the suffocating islands and magical luxuries of Seravelle, here was just a plain floating island.
At the eastern edge of town, the forest began. Ancient trees stretched up toward the sky, their branches thick with leaves that blocked out most of the sunlight. This was where the real work would begin.
But first, he had to get past the guards.
Two men stood at what looked like a checkpoint - a small wooden booth beside a well-worn path leading into the trees. One had a cigarette dangling from his lips, smoke curling up into the air. The other stared at Ryker with obvious hostility.
"Hey kid, get the hell out of here," the second man said. He was the type who enjoyed having power over people weaker than himself - probably because he didn't have power over much else in his life.
Ryker sighed and pulled out his ID again. For a moment, both men stared at it in disbelief. Then their faces hardened with suspicion.
"That's forged!" the second man declared, lunging forward to grab the card. "You think you're clever, don't you!"
But Ryker was faster, pulling the ID back before the man could snatch it. The guard's face turned red with anger and embarrassment.
"I'll have to teach you the hard way!" The man's fist began to glow with a light gray energy as he swung it toward Ryker's head. The punch was aimed to kill, not just hurt.
Ryker barely managed to dodge, feeling the wind from the blow ruffle his hair. His eyes went cold as he stared at the man.
"What the hell are you doing!" His voice dropped to a dangerous tone that made even the cigarette-smoking guard take a step back.
The attacking guard's bloodline was clearly some kind of Stone-type enhancement, making his fists as hard as rocks. But he was sloppy, probably used to intimidating people who couldn't fight back. That was about to be his biggest mistake.
"You think some fake ID makes you special?" the man snarled, preparing another punch. "I'll show you what happens to lying brats in my territory!"
Ryker's hand moved to the sword at his side - Greed's creation, still humming with latent power. The blade would cut through stone-enhanced flesh just as easily as normal skin. But first, he wanted to test something else.
His own bloodline began to stir, responding to the threat. The Bloodbound power that made his family so feared in the original story was still there, waiting to be used. And these guards were about to become his first test subjects.
"Last chance," Ryker said quietly. "Step aside."
The smoking guard dropped his cigarette and reached for a weapon of his own. "Jake, maybe we should-"
"Shut up!" Jake roared, his other fist beginning to glow as well. "This punk needs to learn some respect!"
Ryker's smile returned, but this time it was sharp as a blade. "Fine then. Consider this a learning experience.".