Chapter 107: One Word

Kwan was perplexed about choosing a bow.

Ned stood behind him, unmoving, and hands behind his back. From time to time, Hunters throw a gaze at Ned's cloak. Which made Ned came to the conclusion of buying himself a bag-pack—giving the onlookers an illusion of putting an item inside his bag, while it went inside his spatial inventory.

After pondering for quite some time. Kwan chose a bow. The recurve bow was tillered inward, and then its limbs were tillered outward to disperse tension in a mustache like shape. Good for shooting with strength for the cost of range.

Kwan said the Chance Arrow was played inside a ruin, which was a good choice for a recurve bow. He then added it with two hundred iron-tipped arrows, and leather made quiver that can be strap running from his back to its chest. Which cost him eighty silver in total. Sixty for the bow—thirty silver from Ned. Twenty from the arrows and quiver.

Which left Ned with twenty-three silver. After a bit of strolling, Ned found a burnish brown leather bag pack which he bought for three silver.

Before leaving the market. Ned strode along the dimly lit alleys until he found an empty one. Which gave him the chance to hide his cloak inside his bag pack, but, used the bag as cover to hide the cloak inside his inventory.

Kwan stood at the mouth of the alley, peeking a gaze at Ned with his prying eyes.

He didn't run. Ned thought, throwing a gaze at Kwan while he slung the bag on his back.

Ned deliberately gave Kwan the chance to run when he went inside the alley. Yet, the tall kid didn't budge an inch even after he got the bow.

Its either he was telling the truth, or he needed more of me. Ned pondered. He can't seem to trust someone that easy. But, he can't let go of the fact that he might make a dozen or so of silver if he joins the Chance Arrow game.

Good chance, since he got the time before leaving the city. Ned could only leave after Dey handed him the recommendation letter to their main branch—and hope to find the man he was looking for.

"Where to?" Ned said, approaching Kwan.

Kwan almost jumped hearing Ned's sharp voice, the tall kid seemed to be anxious. His eyes panned left and right. Eyeing the dark alleys as if he was running away from someone, or was afraid that someone might pounce him from behind.

"We're going outside the city," Kwan said. Scratching behind his head. "We're going through the East Slum."

"Why not the Gate?" Ned said. Questioning the uncertain Kwan. "It would be much faster that way."

"Yes, yes," Kwan said. "But, the gates, requires a lot of questioning. And we're in hurry, the game's almost starting ."

Ned gestured Kwan to lead the way. Which, the latter moved with haste, cramming dark alleys with care.

Aside from occasional taverns. The slum was filled with different people, and shops. The night was a good chance for the people of the east slum to celebrate their hard-earned bronze with booze.

A man lying on the ground looking dead, not long after he was pulled by one of his drunk mates and he started to moved with wobbly feet.

People of Bogaressi could be identified easily, for one, no noble would run inside the mazes of the slum—if ever they would, they would just ask someone of the slum to carry the task for them. Next, merchants wore a finer garment than the people of the slum, since nothing of the slum would wear a dangling and glittering garment. They'd rather use their bronze to buy food, than making them look outstanding.

Cracked structures plastered with different papers, some were recruiting some were bounties, made the slum looked like a paper house.

Under the dimming torch, Kwan broke into an empty alley seeing the two guards doing their rounds.

The sun waved goodbye almost an hour ago, Ned and Kwan mazed the alleys for an additional hour without speaking a thing or two.

For once, Kwan said at least one truth, he moved the alley with ease. It's either he was born inside the eastern slum or, was born by the slum. Either way, Ned would find out soon as they slipped inside the crack of the eastern wall.

The crack was hidden with vines that grew near the shallow canal. Almost five feet wide, enough for two people to pass by side by side, and enough for giant Hocoff to move bending.

Bogaressi's walls were thick, it would take over an hour before a catapult could break it to pieces. This proves since Ned and Kwan took their time to exit the wall.

Not far from the hidden crack were the hills, and passing these hills was the forest Pillowgrass as Kwan claimed to be.

Forest with soft soil, and wet trees that were used by the vines to creep and moved from tree to the other. It was a forest of vines rather than a forest of trees. Trees were fat, the grass was fat, and some creatures lurk the forest, but only to feed on the abundant grasses rather than the travelers.

"It seemed off," Kwan spoke. "But not far from here we will see trails. Only people of the common and some struggling hunters join the game. But entering won't be easy if you're new here. That's why Ned you...

Ned eyed Kwan. Under the reflecting moon, the iron-grip of the bow glimmered with light behind Kwan's back together with the quiver. Below the bow was the bag strapped with a dagger. The only advantage Ned has was that Kwan wore a sandal, which made him move slow on the wet and sticky ground. Yet.

I'm at a disadvantage here. Kwan got the bow and a dagger, he's also Magic Capable. With all that leak I could smell. Smell? Ned thought, since when can I smell mana? Ned frowned and paused.

He focused, he chose to hear only what was necessary. The birds cooing; gone. The leaves rustling; gone. Even the sound of the cold breeze; gone.

Inside his thoughts, Ned could sense Kwan's Mana Leak. Struggling ripples of waves hit Ned's senses. It was as if Ned was bathing in the deep ocean against the waves. Ned felt that Kwan's leak was almost a struggle getting out, it was weak.

Ned smirked.

but don't worry, stick with me and I'll take care of you. Also—"

Kwan frowned, he stopped on his tracks, looking behind him, he saw Ned unmoving, under the lively tree. "Ned," he said. Scratching behind his head. "Something wrong?"

"There is," Ned said. Walking near Kwan, the mud puddled under his boots. "Kwan, you see—"

Ned dashed. It was a head-on attack. He could dash five meters in a matter of a second, it was three meters between him and Kwan.

Seeing Ned flashed across him, Kwan was startled, he chose to grab his dagger yet he also chose to aim with the bow. He chose to aim. Wrong move.

Ned appeared to his left, stopping Kwan from aiming the bow by grabbing his wrist. Blood clogged on Kwan's wrist as Ned gripped it with force.

Ned twisted the wrist and spun behind Kwan. Making the latter gasped an air while Ned locked his neck. He kicked his knees. And Kwan fell on both. Once again, Ned grabbed Kwan's dagger. "One word," he said. Behind Kwan's ear. Soft and straightforward. But this time the dagger aimed at his neck. The bow and arrows clipped between them. "Tell me one word to trust you."

"Ned," he said. Struggling with his neck. "What are you doing? You can't do that, you can't kill someone near the city. City guards and Hu—Ah!"

Ned pushed his arms on Kwan's neck, making him scream.

"One word, Kwan."

Kwan lowered his shoulder as he lowered his arm. He wheezed. "Hollow," he said, giving up. "All my life, I'm struggling because I'm a Hollow."

Ned raised an eyebrow. He doesn't know. Ned thought. His mana is too thin he doesn't know he got it in him.

"I trained with a bow," he explained. "Enlist as Companion for the Hunters, worked as a Porter for them. Eventually, they kicked me out of their party. Ever since I've been hopping different parties. My last job kicked me out from the capital, no one wanted me ever since. So I came back here a year ago. And six months ago—I don't know, maybe I'm struggling, I lost my touch with the bow. Lost a lot of bets, and lost my only bow in a bet last month. Saw you from the House of Woods, and here we are. And... Maybe, I could befriend you, and... "

"And what?" Groping Kwan's neck.

"And, and," Kwan said. Struggling with his words. "Sold you out."

"I'll make my self clear," Ned said sighing. Pushing deep the dagger. "I can do it, I may not look like it, but, I can do it. So, what will happen now is, you'll lead the way, I'll be making the deal." Slowly easing his arms, he asked. "Have you tried testing your mana?"

"No, no," Kwan said. Perplexed and nodding. "Why would I, Nana and Papa were Hollow, and only nobles, hunters sons, and merchants could afford an academy."

Ned eased his hands, letting go of Kwan. Ned moved backward and Kwan stood.

"I'm, I'm sorry Ned."

"I won't," Ned said, giving the dagger back. "I have my own reason why I don't trust people. We join the game, tell me about the game. Then, you listen to me, we win, you get yours, I'll get mine, we separate, and that's it."

"Kid," Kwan said. Putting the dagger back his straps. "Are you magic capable?"

Ned raised a hand, with a thought, the dark forest blazed with light from fire as Ned conjured it on his hands. "And don't call me kid."

"We might stand a chance at the later stages," Kwan muttered.

The two walked the forest with a deep understanding between them. The clock struck nine in the night. And they arrived at a rock big enough that would make the city wall a joke. Under the rock were a number of people struggling to go inside the crack. Beneath the rock that was lit with different shabby torches.

Along the crack were people standing and accepting silver as a fee to join the game. The crack-guard smiled at the people giving them silver. It seemed that they knew each of them.

For almost thirty minutes, Ned and Kwan waited to join the prey of lining people.

"Kwan of the east," a voice rung behind their ears. "Ready to lose, again?"