I took a long pull from an intricately carved pipe, letting the taste of predators with too many teeth hiding in deep waters rest on my tongue before breathing it in. The world got a bit quieter as the mix of herbs and monster bits did their work, and I felt marginally better. It wasn't anything to the level of an elixir, I wasn't rich enough to where I could waste that much coin, and Iona kept her stock reserved for one of the rare occasions where the gangs would war.

  An occasion that seemed to creep ever closer as the days passed, but brooding on things I couldn't control wasn't worth the effort.

  Besides, sometimes distractions were the healthier option.

  I let out a flow of smoke in one smooth exhale, purple smoke that left my mouth with surprising cohesion wrapped around the form of a boy being forced to kneel.

  He wore the bruises of his beating like they were an aesthetic choice, managing to incite both admiration and pity at his state. It was a surprise to find that a prominent gangster cornering him in an alley wasn't enough to get him talking.

  Even more impressive that the beating didn't deter his disdain.

  He scowled at me something fierce, which generally wasn't a good idea, but I entertained the insolence for a moment. If only because this interaction was quite refreshing compared to most.

  I let out a chuckle. "Still got some spirit, boy?"

  He didn't respond, continuing to eye me with contempt.

  I nodded to one of the gangsters I'd brought with me, towering over his kneeling form like a judge and executioner both. Keth had a gift when it came to being an intimidating bastard. Altogether too tall and bulging with muscle. Coupled with his fierce loyalty to the gang, he made for quite an effective bruiser, one I dealt with often.

  Often enough that he could parse what I wanted from a simple nod, he stepped back to get the space needed to deliver a kick hard enough that I'm pretty sure the boy earned a few broken ribs.

  The boy fell on his side and let out his groans of pain and—

  I didn't really give much of a care, taking another pull from my pipe as I waited for him to get back on his knees. A crying shame that whoever invented the wonder in my hand was lost to time, such genius deserved recognition after all. But recognition was a damned thing indeed, I knew that like I'd known a lover. So maybe it was for the better.

  Would've given me someone to actually pray to if their name got passed down, they did more for me than the pantheon ever bothered, so I figured they were more worthy of my worship.

  The boy struggled back to his knees, grasping his chest and struggling with his breathing as he levelled a glare at the two bruisers I brought to serve as my assistants to teach a lesson this boy sorely needed.

  Eris found the boy's defiance as amusing as I did if her face was anything to go by. She was a better example of what was to be expected of a gangster, where Keth held a love for the Four-Winged-Doves, Eris used it to climb the ladder that was life.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Even if some rungs were covered in blood.

  So much blood.

  But anything worth doing involved some suffering, some level of sacrifice. Blood was the easiest thing a person could give, so when walking the path to greatness you'd find it stained with plenty of crimson. Just how the world worked, my line of work was at least honest about that.

  Everyone knew what happened when you crossed one of the gangs.

  "Come now, you think I take pleasure in beating children? Personally I'd prefer to just kill ya, but I can't do that just yet. So why don't you start talking? We can all get on with our lives...well, not you. Hmmm....I'm not the greatest at these types of pitches am I? Ah well, pain is a wonderful negotiator, and I know plenty of ways to hurt beyond a few bruises." I gave the boy what was surely a charming smile. "So?"

  I could already tell that threat had done a whole lot of nothing, tough nut to crack that one. How exactly could I tell? Well, he so generously donated his blood and spit onto my boots. I couldn't help it when my smile turned just a little feral.

  "Hold him down."

  Both the underlings I'd brought with stepped forward to grab the boy, his eyes flickered to them, then to me as something seemed to crystallize in his mind and he let out a snarl. He charged, and I tilted my head with a raised brow, what exactly did he expect—

  A glow appeared around his palm, alongside the feeling of a mana that was strange. Like if the concept of nothing had a taste, crawling beneath every nerve in my body.

  It was unpleasant.

  He manifested a whole ass sword after an instant, and I had a few moments to let shock race through my veins as the sword came swinging for my neck. Ready to let so much blood flow on the streets with the severance of my arteries. The sword struck true.

  It did nothing.

  The boy's eyes widened at the sight of granite where skin should've been. I smiled, apparently I wasn't the only one who was in for a surprise.

  "Interesting!" I said as I summoned a stone bullet and sent it through his thigh. He let out a pained scream and fell to the floor as all the lovely bleeding painted the cobble in the hue of vitality. "I guess that answers where the pendant is. Though finding a child as young as you capable of spells, isn't that just a delight? Iona will be pleased to hear of this. Very pleased indeed."

  The boy mustered enough strength to give me a scowl, but I ignored him.

  He had nothing now.

  "Oh, don't be like that, little witch. Revealing such esoteric magics like that was practically asking to get blackmailed."

  "You know, he's not wrong."

  A voice that could not be, too smooth, like a caricature of humanity.

  I blinked and turned to find a pale woman with more scars than skin contemplating the boy on the floor. Where had she come from? I...didn't sense anything. Still couldn't even after she showed herself.

  I'd only met one other who could manage that.

  Another witch?

  Why did I think they were witches? Well...the boy couldn't have learned magic so young otherwise. How did I know that? Perhaps he was a prodigy. What? That made no sense—

  Something was fucking with my head, I glared at the woman.

  "Why hello there. Kogan I presume?" The woman gave a pleasant smile. "Apologies for any trouble the little one has caused, but I will have to take him back now. You've had plenty of fun already."

  "I'm fine," the boy grumbled.

  The woman ignored him.

  I scoffed. "You're not the one in a position to be making demands, witch. Whatever your magic is, it has nothing to do with violence, and you came with no weapon. How do you expect to take the boy?"

  "Simple," She said. "Like this."

  Then she snapped her fingers and—

  I blinked, scrunching my brow. Looking around I found no one. What the fuck was I doing in an empty alley alone? Did someone lace my pipe? Fuck, I thought the last vendor was trustworthy too, a shame.

  I walked out of the alley and into the bustle of the gang's territory.

  Iona wasn't going to be pleased to hear I was getting high when I should've been looking for the little thief.

  I let out a sigh.

  Well, better to face the music with pride.