----- 10 Years Later -----
The air was damp beneath the full moon. Shadows stretched long across the ground, cast by the towering silhouette of the Silver Fang Bandit Tower.
Somewhere inside, a man on the brink of.. madness gazed at the moonlight as if it were his salvation—or his final glimpse of peace.
While others in the surrounding village slept soundly or drank themselves into oblivion,
a young aspiring warrior crept toward the tower.
His heart pounded with a mix of fear and determination as he made his way through the tall grass, his eyes fixed on his target.
Bandits loitered outside the tower, laughing loudly and throwing knives at the crumbling walls.
They reeked of booze and arrogance, their guard clearly down. Perfect.
The boy crouched in the bushes, preparing to cast one of his favorite capture spells, when—
"Gotcha, brat!"
Rough hands yanked him out of his hiding spot. Startled, the boy looked up to see a group of bandits in scarred, battered armor sneering down at him.
Before he could react, they dragged him toward the tower. The boy shouted, twisted, and kicked, but his captors only laughed.
"Tonight, the little adventurer learns his lesson" one bandit sneered. "Fresh meat for the prison. Maybe we'll even fetch a good price for him later!"
----- In the Basement of the Silver Fang Bandit Tower, Prison -----
Drip. Drip.
Ao stirred as cold water dripped onto his nose. His eyes blinked open reluctantly, and he sighed.
So noisy tonight. Between the prisoners yelling and the constant dripping water, it’s impossible to get any rest.
Still, I can't complain too much.
The prison beds, though moldy and damp, are surprisingly comfortable. Better than the cold ground I usually sleep on.
I've only been here a few days, and I think I'll stay a little longer before setting off again to discover the surrounding kingdoms
But I think it won't be long before I'm contacted for a mission, as I can sense the presence of the Golden Order not far from here
I'm often hired as a mercenary, well, I don't consider myself one
I'm just doing a favour on my journey, without really looking into the whys and wherefores.. Even though I can't help but get involved in things that don't concern me
But hey.. I'm still moving towards the goal of my journey, and I've still got a lot of work to do before I get there
Aaaah.. what a comfortable bed!
Ao stretched, his black, blue and torn poncho hanging loosely off his frame, his stained jeans sticking to his skin in the damp air.
He lay in a small, dilapidated cell at the end of a long corridor lined with iron bars.
The prisoners around him shouted and spat, their voices echoing off the stone walls.
Prisoner #1: ‘AHAHAH Fresh meat's here, boys!’
Prisoner #2: ‘Shut your filthy mouth, you pervert!’
Prisoner #3: ‘Shut up, all of you!’
Spitting noises are heard in the prison, and the body of a young boy is dragged by two bandits into the middle of the prison
Young boy: ‘I swear, if you don't let go of me, you'll be hearing from the KING OF KAMELOTT!!!’
Prisoner #1: ‘AHAHAHAH He's got a mouth on him’
Prisoner #2: ‘We're going to beat the shit out of you, kid! You should have stayed in your warm little kingdom AHAHAH!’
Camelot?.. But that's the name of Arthur's kingdom, with Excalibur and the Grail and the Lady of the Lake and Merlin and..
It's from a book, why the fuck would that kingdom be a real thing ?!
A prison cell gate creaked open with a grating whine, and a guard shoved the young boy inside.
The boy stumbled, his wrists bound by an oversized metal handcuff locked with an electronic mechanism
Young boy: ‘SINCE IT'S LIKE THIS, I'M GOING TO BREAK MY HANDCUFFS WITH MY TEETH’.
He immediately leaned forward and began chomping down on the handcuffs like a rabid dog.
Ao, lying on his bed, cracked open one eye, a mix of disbelief and amusement washing over him.
He can't be serious... with his teeth?
Good luck munching on that Celestial flesh alloy, kid.
I'm curious about this Camelot story, does it really exist?
Young boy: ’GNN GNNNNN!’
The boy kept clacking his teeth against the metal, his determination as unyielding as the cuffs themselves.
Prisoner #3: ‘Garcia, get the screwdriver out!’
Prisoner #1 (Garcia): ‘SHUT UP, I DON'T NEED YOU’
Garcia pulled a screwdriver from under his mattress and crouched by the lock on his cell door. His hands moved quickly, and with a soft click, the door swung open.
Garcia: ‘There it is! AHAHA!’
Prisoner #3: ‘Give it to me! I want to have some fun too!’
Garcia grinned and tossed the screwdriver at his cellmate’s face.
Garcia: ‘Hurry up, there won't be any left for you soon!’
Prisoner #2: ‘FUCK, WAIT FOR ME!!’
The prisoners erupted into chaos, each scrambling to break free and crowding toward the boy’s cell like wolves scenting blood. Beds creaked, metal groaned, and shouts of
‘Me first!’ echoed through the stone corridor.
Ao groaned and rolled over in his bed, trying to tune out the noise.
Sigh. Can’t they shut up for once ?!!
But when he heard Garcia’s voice sneering near the boy’s cell, he sat up, stretching lazily.
Garcia: “Hey, you! AHAHA! Want some help getting out of here?”
Young Boy: “Yes! Help me get out of these handcuffs!”
Garcia: “Of course, with pleasure.” Garcia’s grin widened, his voice dripping with mockery.
“But before that… we'll teach you a lesson about your little Kamelottian ways!”
Garcia leaned closer to the bars and licked the cold metal with a malicious sneer. The boy flinched, panic flashing in his eyes.
Ao sighed again and stood, stretching his arms above his head. He could still hear the prisoners gathering around the boy’s cell, their jeers growing louder.
Huh.. They're all standing in front of the little boy's cell
Those animals..
Ao’s cell was directly across from the crowd. He watched the scene for a brief moment before hissing loudly.
Ao: “HEY! DICKHEADS! GET BACK TO YOUR CELLS!”
The prisoners froze, turning to stare at Ao in surprise. Then Garcia snarled, stepping forward.
Garcia: “WHO’S THE DICKHEAD?!”
Ao: “You heard me. I was having a nice nap, and you’re keeping me awake.”
Another prisoner—taller, meaner—picked up the screwdriver and banged it against Ao’s bars, sneering.
Prisoner #3: “YOU HAVE A PROBLEM, YOU LITTLE—”
Before he could finish, Ao’s fist shot out between the bars, smashing into the man’s nose with a sickening crack. Blood poured down his face as he staggered back, clutching his nose and howling in pain.
Ao: “Next time, try using that screwdriver on yourself. Might fix your face.”
Prisoner #3: Still screaming in pain "HE BROKE MY FUCKING NOSE!!"
Garcia sneered, pointing a shaky finger at Ao’s cell.
Garcia: “Okay... SLAUGHTER HIM!”
The prisoners roared as they slammed into the bars of Ao’s cell. With each hit, the rusted metal groaned, bolts popping loose from the wall.
Ao sighed, raising his right fist lazily.
Well, let’s see… 3, 4, 5… 6 of them? And I just woke up. I’m not in the mood for this.
Which means that..
He tightened his fist, a faint blue glow beginning to radiate from it.
It’s clearly not your lucky day.
With a final crash, the bars came free, and the prisoners surged forward like a pack of rabid wolves.
Ao: Launch his right fist on the pack of prisoners and incant “Nova“
The first prisoner’s body froze the moment Ao’s fist connected with his chest. A low hum filled the air as an invisible force erupted from Ao’s hand, pulling the prisoners toward him like iron filings to a magnet. Their bodies contorted, their screams cut short as their organs twisted and compressed toward the glowing point of impact. For a split second, everything went silent, bathed in a flash of blinding blue light.
Then, chaos. The prisoners’ bodies exploded from the inside out, a shockwave of gore splattering the walls, floor, and ceiling. Blood and viscera rained down, staining Ao’s poncho and dripping onto the trembling boy in the corner of the cell.
Ao dusted off his hands, glancing at the aftermath with disinterest.
Ao: “Phew… I used the smallest Nova I could. Don’t want to collapse the whole prison.”
He turned and stretched with a yawn.
Ao: “Well, I’m going back to bed.”
Young Boy: “I… don’t… don’t hurt me!”
The boy dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he stared at Ao in horror. Blood from the explosion had splattered across his clothes and cheeks, and his entire body shook like a leaf.
Ao: “Huh? Oh…” He tilted his head, finally noticing the terrified boy.
I’d completely forgotten there was a kid there. Great. Just what I needed..
Ao walked to the cell’s broken bars and yanked them free with a sharp tug. Stepping inside, he crouched in front of the boy, resting a hand on his shoulder.
Young Boy: “AAAH!”
Ao: “Calm down. I’m not going to hurt you.” He paused, looking the boy over.
His clothes are fancier than most prisoners, is he a civilian?
Ao: “What’s your name? And what are you doing here?”
Young Boy: “My name is Gin, and I must… capture the bandits of the Silver Fang!”
Ao: “Capture? You mean the ones who just captured you?” Ao raised an eyebrow, unimpressed.
Gin: “THEY TOOK ME BY SURPRISE!!!”
Ao: “Right. And you were planning to take them down all by yourself?”
Gin: “Yes… I have to.” He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes burning with determination despite the tears on his cheeks.
Ao studied him for a moment, then sighed.
Ao: “Okay, kid. Listen to me. I’m going to untie you. Then you’re going to go home, train harder, and stop running into situations you can’t handle. Next time, you might not have someone like me to clean up your mess.”
Gin: “You don’t understand. I have to succeed in this quest!”
Ao: “Then get stronger, and maybe you’ll succeed! Fighting the Silver Fang bandits is one thing, but against their leader? You don’t stand a chance!”
Gin: “BUT—”
Ao: “Okay, okay, stop yelling. Show me your handcuffs.”
Gin held out his bound wrists, the large metal cuffs gleaming faintly in the dim light.
Gin: “That’s Celestial flesh! You won’t be able to untie that easily. It absorbs star power and—”
Ao: “I know what it is.” He sighed, his expression unimpressed. “But this isn’t pure Celestial flesh—it’s Celestial flesh alloy. Much cheaper, much weaker. It’s really very simple to unlock.”
Gin: “Huh?!”
The initiation system for Pendragon warriors is really that bad ?..
Ao shook his head, giving Gin a look of mild disappointment.
With a light touch, Ao placed his hand on the cuffs. Sparks of blue electricity flickered at his fingertips, humming softly as they surged into the lock. A moment later, a faint click echoed through the cell, and the cuffs sprang open, falling to the floor.
Gin: “Wow… How did you do that?”
Ao: “Just a simple electrical spell. The Silver Fang clearly aren’t rich enough to afford pure Celestial flesh cuffs, so the star power slips through.”
He leaned forward, wiping the blood off Gin’s face with his torn poncho.
Gin: “Hmm… I forgot to ask. What’s your name?”
Ao: “Call me Ao.”
Gin: “Thanks, Ao. And uhh…” His eyes darted nervously to the mangled remains of the prisoners.
Ao: “Don’t worry about it. They were scumbags.”
Gin: “Help me capture the Silver Fang, please!” He dropped to his knees, hands clasped in desperation.
Ao: “YOU DIDN’T LISTEN TO ANYTHING I TOLD YOU!”
Ao groaned, running a hand through his messy hair.
It’s none of my business. I’ve got to get out of here.
He turned and started walking away, but froze when Gin shouted:
Gin: “I MUST SAVE MY SISTER, PLEASE!!!”
Ao stopped mid-step, his back still to the boy.
Gin: “She’s very ill… and we have a way to cure her, but I have to complete this mission first!”
What's this strange sensation I sense on this kid ..?!
Ao's body shivers slightly, as if he senses something unpleasant
Ao: “…What exactly will this mission give you?”
Gin: “The title of Warrior Class 3!”
Warrior Class 3? That sounds like a rank… like something out of a video game or a guild system. A guild?
Ao: “Are you in a guild?”
Gin: “Yes, one of the most prestigious in the Kingdom of Kamelott.”
Hmm.. Maybe I could get a private audience with their king..
But... He shook his head no
I've got to stop meddling in things that are none of my business
Ao sat back on his bed and flopped onto his back, closing his eyes and ignoring Gin’s pleading voice.
Gin: “Please! Don’t ignore me!”
Ao let out a loud, exaggerated snore.
The sound of an iron door slamming open echoed through the prison, silencing Gin and Ao both. Heavy, deliberate footsteps followed, growing louder as a man in battle-scarred armor strode into view.
Man in Armor: “Where are the prisoners?!”
The armored man stopped in front of a blood-stained wall, his eyes narrowing at the sight of burnt human organs scattered across the floor.
Man in Armor: “WHAT THE...”
Before he could finish, Gin appeared behind him, his fists clenched tightly.
Gin: “Enhance: Left punch!”
Gin’s fist collided with the man’s armor, sending a faint vibration through the metal, but the punch barely left a dent. Gin stumbled back, his confidence faltering as the armored man turned toward him with a sharp glare.
Man in Armor: “YOU DID THIS?!”
The man unsheathed his sword in one fluid motion and dashed at Gin, swinging lateral blows with brutal speed. Gin barely dodged, his movements clumsy but desperate.
Sparks flew as the sword scraped against the stone floor when a swing went wide. Then, without warning, the armored man hurled his sword directly at Gin.
Gin’s Thoughts:
He’s throwing his sword at me?!
Gin ducked just in time, the blade whizzing past his head and embedding itself in the wall behind him. Before Gin could recover, the man closed the distance with shocking speed, grabbing him by the shoulders and slamming him to the ground. The impact left Gin dazed, and the man loomed over him, his fists already coming down like hammers.
Argh... AAARGH... I need... to... get off him!
The sound of fists meeting flesh echoed through the prison. Cracking bones, spurting blood, the man’s grunts of exertion, and Gin’s cries of pain created a horrific symphony.
Ao’s Thoughts:
Sigh
He’s being beaten to a pulp
The noises continued, growing more brutal with every second
...
...
...
What the hell, is he still hitting him? If he keeps going, he’s going to kill him
...
...
...
SHIT!
Ao sprang from his bed and ran down the corridor, his frustration boiling over.
Without hesitation, he leaped forward, sending a powerful kick into the armored man’s back. The impact shattered the armor, sending the man flying several meters before he crashed into a wall and slumped to the floor, unconscious
Ao knelt by Gin, assessing the damage.
The boy’s face was a bloody mess—his nose was crooked, both arches were swollen and bleeding, and his jaw looked completely out of alignment. Yet, despite all that, Gin was still breathing.
Ao: “You’re really too weak to capture them, aren’t you?”
Gin: “My… sister…” He choked out the words, his voice barely audible
Ao: “Yeah, yeah...” He sighed, exasperated “Okay, don’t move”
Standing up, Ao dug into his front jeans pocket, his hand disappearing into the oversized fabric
Hmm… I think I’ve got a light power pearl in here somewhere.
Feels like he’s slowly dying…
After a moment of rummaging, Ao pulled out a small pouch filled with glowing white pearls. He took one out and crouched beside Gin
Ao: “Here, eat this”
Gin: “Wha... What is it?”
Ao: “A senzu”
Gin: “A what?”
... Another one who doesn't know their classics..
Ao: “It’s a pearl of light power. Let it do its thing”
Gin hesitated before swallowing the pearl. Almost immediately, a soft glow surrounded his face. Cracking sounds filled the air as his broken bones began to realign and his wounds closed. Within seconds, his face was fully healed
Gin: “What the...” He touched his face, stunned. “BUT... THIS IS AMAZING!”
Ao: “Yeah, yeah, it’s working fine. You’re lucky to have run into me”
Gin: “Thank you so much, Ao!” He saluted several times, his face beaming with gratitude
At least this kid knows respect
Gin: “Now help me capture the Silver Fang!”
Ao: “THE NERVES ON THIS KID!” He lightly smacked the top of Gin’s head with his hand
Gin: “Please, Ao, I’m begging you!” Gin dropped to his knees, his tone turning desperate again
Ao: “Don’t you just want to go home?”
Gin: “I can’t... I can’t fail. My—”
Ao: “YES, YES, YOUR SISTER, I KNOW!!!”
Ao clenched his fists, his frustration mounting as he glared at Gin.
This kid is seriously getting on my nerves!
But then, something shifted. Ao’s sharp eyes caught a flicker in Gin’s natural aura—something strange, something.. Ø₮ⱧɆⱤ₩ØⱤⱠĐⱠɎ.
His expression froze, his anger melting into a mixture of fear and exhilaration.
For the first time in a long while, Ao took a step back, his heart pounding.
What… is this?
The faint shimmer around Gin’s body pulsed faintly, like the heartbeat of a hidden star.
To Ao, it looked like a subtle glow of raw, untapped potential, swirling with faint colors he hadn’t seen in years.
It wasn’t just energy—it was something primal, something ancient. Something… very dangerous.
Ao’s breath hitched. His eyes darted back to Gin, who was still kneeling on the ground, completely oblivious to what Ao had just witnessed.
If what I just saw is ⱤɆ₳Ⱡ… then maybe… just maybe… I could reach one of my goals after all
An unsettling smile began to spread across Ao’s face, his sharp teeth glinting in the dim prison light.
Gin: “Ao?”
Ao blinked, rubbing his eyes as if to clear them of a hallucination.
Ao: “Hmm...”
Gin: “What is it?”
Gin’s voice pulled Ao back to the present. The unsettling smile disappeared, replaced by a mask of calmness. Ao straightened his posture, folding his arms across his chest.
Ao: “Ahem…” He cleared his throat, fully composing himself. Then, with a serious tone:
“Alright, Gin. I’ll help you!”
Gin: “REALLY?!”
Gin’s face lit up, a spark of hope shining through the fear and exhaustion.
But Ao raised a finger, cutting through his excitement.
Ao: “But on one condition”
Gin: “Oh… What do you want?”
Ao leaned forward slightly, locking eyes with Gin. His tone was calm, but there was a hint of authority in his voice.
Ao: “You’re going to tell your superiors about me.
Tell them I helped you capture the Silver Fang bandits. That’s all I want.”
Gin: “Hmm…” He scratched the back of his head, considering the request.
“I don’t see any problem with that. Yes, I can do that.”
Ao: “Good. Keep your promise, okay?”
Ao extended his hand, and Gin quickly clasped it in a firm handshake.
Gin: “I promise!”
The two of them stood in the center of the prison, surrounded by the remnants of chaos. The dim light flickered overhead, illuminating the blood-streaked walls and the heavy iron doors that loomed ahead. For a moment, the silence between them felt heavy, like the calm before a storm..
But is Gin prepared to do what's necessary?
Gin, Warrior Apprentice
