After taking a bite of the apple, Ciel had fallen unconscious.

Seeing that the boy had fallen asleep, without wasting a second the man who had talked with him just then returned and took the boy in his arms. And left the scene.

 

"Hehe...I didn't think it would be this easy." The hooded man said placing the boy into a barrel on the cart that his accomplished had prepared.

 

"He looks like a pampered rich kid. It seems like we've hit the jackpot this time man." The other man said revealing himself. He was the one who was keeping an eye on Ciel.

 

"Yeah...We can threaten his parents to give us a nice sum with this. Boss will be pleased for sure" The hooded man said.

"Hop on. Let's get him out of here now." The other man said getting into the driving seat. And then they left with the boy in the barrel with them.

 

[After some time]

 

The cart went outside the town of Shirotsume and headed towards the north. The north of Shirotsume was the mountain ranges which consisted of the famous Mt.Hokobe, famed for its Hokobe Ice.

 

Parking the cart on the foot of a mountain, they took the boy out and started climbing the mountain. Until they reached an abandoned building on the mountain.

 

Inside the building, a few people were sitting around chitchatting themselves. And the one who seemed like the boss of the place sat on a chair in the middle.

 

"Heya Bora, look what we caught today." the man said showing the sleeping boy on his shoulders.

 

"Idiot. How many times have I told you to not call my name.! Just call me boss. If someone from Titan nose heard it, then it's over for me." The man now named Bora admonished his subordinate and looked at the sleeping boy on his shoulder.

 

"We took him from Shirotsume. The kid was going around the town on his own. But it looks like he may be from a well off family though."

 

"Hmph. Looks like you're not completely useless after all" Bora said throwing a bag full of jewels at the man.

 

"Get the kid branded and wake him up. We'll ask for a ransom from his family. After we get our hands on the money, we'll sell him. There's a huge demand for child slaves recently." Bara said to the man on his side.

 

"I see...It seems like it was a good idea to let him capture me then." A boy's voice was heard all of a sudden.

 

'BHOOM' 

 

And the next second the man who was holding the abducted boy was sent flying towards the wall. With a loud thud, he crashed on to the wall and fell unconscious.

 

Everyone in the room was surprised to see the abducted kid standing there while the one who was holding him was laying on the ground a few feet apart.

 

"What is going on here..?"

 

[One hour before]

 

"I really let my guard down there." After getting away from the crowd Luciel had found an empty area.

 

*Sky Devil's Domain*

 

Quietly casting the magic he sat down on the bench.

That's when he picked up the presence of two people who were watching him. Concentrating on their direction, he heard their conversation.

 

"The target has been spotted. No other people are around. Clear to proceed."

"I see, looks like they are trying to kidnap me." Luciel thought as he continued to listen to their conversation.

 

Getting his accomplice's signal the second guy began moving towards him.

 

"What do I Do...? Should I just defeat them here and now. Judging by their magic level, they must not be mages. So I'll be able to handle them just fine...No that won't do." As he was pondering about the situation suddenly he recalled something his father had taught him.

 

"Listen here, Ciel. When you're dealing with a problem, rather than going for a quick fix, always try to find a permanent solution. So that no one else would have the same problem. Ever again."

 

"That's right. Analyze your situation, find enemies weakness, while the enemy thinks you're dancing in his palm, destroy them from their roots...

.

.

Guess I'll play along for now." He said in a low, resolute voice.

 

And then the man approached him. Acting like startled he began observing the man more carefully.

 

"His face is covered with the hoodie. And that built up body structure must mean that he's a melee fighter."He thought to play along with the act.

 

There was a packet on his laps. "From the smell of it, it must be some kind of fruit. Wait I don't think it's just a fruit. There's another smell on it." he thought staring at the packet.

 

Seeing the boy's gaze on the packet, he took out an apple and offered it to him.

 

"As I thought. It's laced with some kind of poison. Since they want to abduct me, it must be a sleeping agent." It was true that Ciel was a bit hungry. But he denied the fruit although the stranger pushed it onto him.

 

After that, the man said goodbye to him and left. But in reality, he was binding around the corner waiting for the boy to eat the apple.

 

Taking a look at the Apple in his hands Ciel Thought.

"Just like I thought. It's a sleeping poison...

.

Hmm let's do that"

 

*Exsomnis*

 

Casting the spell on himself, he bit into that apple. Chewing the pieces down an intense wave of drowsiness hit him. And the next moment it was gone.

"Looks like the spell worked."

 

Exsomnis or the sleepless curse was a type of curse magic that rendered its target unable to fall asleep or unconscious. Although it wouldn't affect those who are already asleep. According to the magic power used its effects could last from minutes to years. Bit it's drawback is that extended usage will make the person permanently sleepless. Thus earning its name.

 

After the poison was nullified by the curse, he fell down acting to be fallen asleep.

Soon after, the man returned and took the boy with him.

 

So, in other words, Ciel had never fallen asleep in the first place.

 

Looking at the boy who was standing in front of him smiling, Bora stood up and yelled at his men.

"You morons. He's a mage. Take him down before he could cast another spell."

No matter what age or gender they were someone who could use magic had been a threat always.

 

Hearing their Boss's order, all the men rushed toward the boy.

"Hmm..even after learning that I can use magic, they didn't retreat. They are much more coordinated than the highway bandits."

 

What followed next was a brutal beatdown.

 

*Sky Devil's Turbulent Whip* 

Avoiding every single attack that came at him, Ciel took all of them out in a single blow. Using the whip made of wind, he spun a full circle. Breaking off the encirclement and blowing all the thugs away.

 

"You have some nerve to come barging in and beat up my men, brat," Bora said shooting some purple flames at him.

 

"But it's your own men that brought me here" Ciel replied in a childish manner.

 

"Don't give me that bullcrap"

 

*Prominence Whip*

 

He said summoning forth his Magic Seal in front of him. From it, a number of fiery, curved purple beams were fired towards the Ciel.

 

"Not good" He thought while charging up magic at his feet.

 

All of the beams landed at Ciel's position generating a large explosion.

 

"Not so tough now huh, kid" Bora called out to the boy.

 

"I'll admit. That was pretty decent." A voice came from above.

 

"What the hell..?" Looking up, he saw the kid, flying near the roof of the building.

 

"But that's all there to it. "

 

*Sky devil's...*

 

"Shit..!" That was all Bora could think as he saw the kid gathering large amounts of magic power at his mouth.

 

*Rage....*

 

A hurricane-like blast of was fired at Bora destroying the wall behind him causing him to be blown outside.

 

Slowly, Ciel defended to the ground and looked around to see if anyone was left out.

 

"Ah...what's this..? Looks like I was a bit late." Suddenly a new voice was heard from the entrance.

 

"Huuh...there is one left after all" Luciel turned around to look at the newcomer.

It was a tall, muscular man with shoulder-length orange hair and a stubbly beard dressed in a tattered cloak.