Anor's Awakening (Part 1)

After leaving Wanderer's Inn, Anor headed toward the Nineteenth District with light steps. The inn was close to the city center, while the orphanage was in the slums. He still had about an hour's walk ahead of him.

But with excitement filling his heart, his steps were light and his pace exceptionally fast.

Today's experience had been like a dream. He had originally planned to follow an adventurer team outside the city to hunt Magic Beasts, but an important member of the team had suddenly been unable to come, leaving him no choice but to return.

But no matter how he calculated it, he had never expected to run into Loren on his way back.

What followed had been a series of dreamlike events.

He had now changed into a Rare Profession. Though he was only a Bronze Beginner, he was confident that his combat strength was at least 50% greater than before!

That was a Rare Profession. Great Lord Loren had simply bestowed it upon him. That trust filled him with unwavering resolve. Even if he had to give his life for Lord Loren in the future, he would never hesitate!

"By following Lord Loren, I'll definitely earn more money. Then the orphanage can take in more children. It definitely can."

Grinning foolishly, Anor looked forward to tomorrow. He knew that man had changed his fate.

He had even changed the fates of the dozens of orphans at the orphanage.

"Tomorrow will definitely be better. Keep it up, Anor!"

Carried by his excitement, Anor walked far faster than usual.

One in the morning.

When Anor returned to the Nineteenth District, he suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

More than a dozen hoodlums had gathered outside the orphanage, a place that rarely saw passersby, shouting loudly about something.

The orphanage's crumbling wall was roughly twice a person's height. Huge patches of plaster had fallen away, and it looked as though it could collapse at any moment.

The gate was made of iron bars, allowing anyone to see straight into the orphanage.

As Anor drew closer, he saw several strangers brazenly seizing children inside the orphanage. The whole yard was filled with the crying and wailing of children.

One of them even laughed as he kicked a five- or six-year-old girl to the ground. Her palm had been scraped bloody against the floor.

The sight made Anor's eyes split with rage!!

Damn bastards!!

He strode forward and roared furiously.

"What are you doing?!"

The sudden roar silenced the scene. The dozen or so hoodlums by the gate abruptly turned around. Once they saw that the slight Anor was alone, they not only felt no fear but burst into laughter.

At that moment, a brawny man covered in tattoos emerged from the orphanage. Two conspicuous scars marked his face.

He carried a little girl whose hands and feet had been tied, with a rag stuffed into her mouth. Tears of grievance slid down her cheeks like raindrops, leaving streak after streak.

When the little girl saw Anor, she began crying even harder. But with her mouth stuffed, all she could make were muffled whimpering sounds, wrenching at the heart.

The tattooed brute casually threw the little girl to the ground, then stepped forward and looked down at Anor with an air of superiority, his face full of mockery.

"Look, look who this is. Isn't this the famous Lord Anor?

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What, didn't you go dig through the garbage bins for food today?"

The other hoodlums laughed loudly.

"Lord Kel, this is the thief you wanted to recruit back then? With that body, could he even take one punch from me?"

"Hahaha, I'd bet he might manage two!"

"Get lost, kid. This isn't somewhere you can meddle!!"

Seeing the little girl on the ground crying in helpless silence, the fury in Anor's heart surged to the brink of losing control.

But the more than ten men before him seemed like an impassable chasm, preventing him from protecting the orphanage into which he had poured everything.

He forcibly suppressed his rage and recalled the inherited memories he had received when changing professions today.

Anor then bent slightly, like a drawn bow. The dagger at his thigh was already unsheathed, its cold blade gleaming with a chilling light.

He stared fixedly at the brawny tattooed man before him, his voice icy.

"Kel, the orphanage is not a place for your Wild Dog Gang to run wild!

"Do you think Decker City has no city guards?!"

Brazenly snatching children from an orphanage was something Decker City's City Hall would never permit. He refused to believe the army would turn a blind eye to it.

Yet the dozen or so hoodlums only laughed more wantonly at his words.

Kel, his body covered in tattoos, sneered and glared at Anor.

A single sentence made Anor's expression change drastically.

"Do you think I'd dare come here without permission from the military lords?"

"They're just children!! What are you taking them for?!"

Anor could not help roaring. Seeing those little ones, usually so obedient and well-behaved, tied up and staring at him tearfully in despair felt like knives carving through his heart.

"What for? You talk too much nonsense!"

Tattoo-covered Kel gave a savage grin and waved his hand. The dozen or so men behind him immediately laughed as they raised wooden clubs and charged at Anor.

One child was worth ten thousand Puke. Tsk, tsk, tsk. There were thirty-two orphans in the orphanage. That was three hundred and twenty thousand!!

With that money, he could develop his business in the commoner districts. He would never have to come back to this damned slum again. This place had nothing but stench and garbage everywhere, utterly worthless.

And this lowly thief wanted to ruin his future? He was courting death!!

"Kill him! Cut off his head and hang it from the gate!!"

Anor's heart trembled as he faced the dozen or so murderous hoodlums. His survival instinct urged him to run.

He was only a Bronze Beginner. Kel, the leader of the Wild Dog Gang, was already Bronze Grade and had even touched the threshold of Silver. Not to mention the ten or so Black Iron Grade and three or four Bronze Beginners under him.

If he fought head-on, he would definitely die today.

But when he saw the bound little girl on the ground looking at him through tear-filled eyes, his heart clenched.

His hands suddenly tightened, as if he wanted to squeeze blood from them. Veins bulged across his face.

His wide eyes were filled with pain, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

The flames of fury completely ignited within him.

"Lord Loren, I'm sorry. I won't be able to follow your orders anymore."

Pair after pair of tearful eyes stopped his retreat. With a resolute bearing, he cast aside the weakness in his heart, gritted his teeth, and charged straight at the crowd.

After taking two steps, his body swiftly blurred and vanished from the hoodlums' sight.

Shadow Thief B-class skill, Stealth Technique.

Hm?

The hoodlums charging forward in fury froze. Since when could a Bronze Grade thief completely conceal his body? Was this a joke?

Splat~

In the instant they were stunned, a scream suddenly rang out. Blood erupted from the neck of the hoodlum at the very front, spraying several meters into the air.

He fell to the ground dead.

After killing one enemy, Anor suddenly felt a strange surge of energy flow into his body. It seemed his strength had increased considerably.

What was this?? Anor was uncertain, but clearly no one would answer his question at this moment.

After the first hoodlum died, everyone saw a faint shadow retreating backward.

That was the limitation of Stealth Technique. Once he made any major movement, his form would be revealed.

The hoodlums immediately flew into a rage at their companion's death.

How did this damned thief dare?!!

"Get him!! He can't stay invisible for long!"

"I'm going to stomp his head to pieces!!"