Before the sudden emergence of Mana Catalyst, the Land of Niphon was in a constant war. 

In that era, a young man, with the name of Cunningham Estellè, rose to become one of the prominent forces in Burne Province after defeating the Northern Barbarians who has always become a problem for Niphon.

With that achievements, the Emperor of Niphon titled the Estellè Family as the Defender of Niphon and given them the Northern Land. 

The Estellè Family loyally served the Emperor and prospered under the care of the Emperor.

However, one day, the Emperor had been assassinated by enemy forces. It was unknown whether he was poisoned by an ally or an enemy. 

Thus, with the death of Niphon Emperor, the land has once again fall into war. 

The Estellè family wanted to avenge the Emperor and joined forces with the remaining allied forces of the late Emperor. 

But, Cunningham had a different idea. 

Using this distressed time, Cunningham titled himself a King and stationed himself on the Northern Land of Burne Province. He broke off his relations with the Estellè Family and joined forces with the Enemy, the Federation of Sursia.

Immediately, the Late Emperor's forces lose against the mighty Federation in only two years.

The reason it ended so quickly was because of Cunningham, who knew the land of Niphon like on the back of his hand.

After the end of the war, Cunningham promptly became a sight to behold to the Federation. 

Wanting to not lose this man, the Federation decided to give him the Northern Land of Burne to him as an ally treaty. 

Cunningham gratefully accepted the treaty and the Land of Niphon soon finally found peace.

The Northern Land of Burne is a land full of materials, such as bronze, granite, and silver. In addition, it's also one of the hub for trade route due to it being near a coast.

Due to that, Koutakina became a very flourishing town for being the nearest to Prosperus Kingdom.

However, even for a town like Koutakina, it cannot avoid the inevitable.

For every town or city, no matter how small, would always be divided into two. One the city of the poor and the other of the wealthy.

The locals of Koutakina called their city of the poor, the Inner Slums.

Inhabited by the poor and the scums, every kind of tragedy story would start from here. Human trafficking, stealing, murder, and all sorts of thing.

Because of that, the locals would warn you to not associate yourself with the place if you come from out of the town.

However, even with the bad reputation, it is still a part of a flourishing town. 

_____________________________________

In a bustling bar filled with drunkards and entertainment, I placed down a gold coin on the table and pushed it towards the Barkeeper.

The Barkeeper smiled delightfully as he took the gold coin from me.

"Thanks for the information. By the way, where is the direction of the slum?"

I asked as I stood up from the seat.

The Barkeeper answered while cleaning up the table using a dirty rag.

"Just go left after you see a huge building around the corner."

I nodded and thanked him.

"Please come again."

I walked out from the bar and left with nothing but a restless thought.

The information I received from the Barkeeper was quite informative. 

He said that the man with the scar face, gone by the name Leon, provides information that anyone wouldn't have known. He would even knows the deepest secret of you.

I find it quite eerie to meet this sort of guy.

When I asked whether he has met him before, he told me he has once seen him wandering around in the Inner Slums.

However, he has no idea where he could be now. He only knows he's living inside the slums.

I sighed as I continue walking among the crowd.

To think it would be this difficult to find Leon...

Before I even came to the bar, everyone who I asked has said the same thing as the Barkeeper. 

I also asked about the Dancing Kuuda. And yet, nobody has ever heard such a name before.

I hope finding this Leon would be worthwhile or else...

"Iya!"

Suddenly, I bumped into someone yet again but this time, instead of an old man, it's a little girl instead.

The little girl fell on top of her butt and hissed out a painful moan. I could see the teary eyes on her eyes. 

I frowned and decided to crouch down to ask whether she's okay or not.

"Are you okay, little girl?"

"Y-yes!"

She said as she immediately stood up straight as a pole.

"I-I'm sorry for bumping into you."

She keeps bowing down and apologizing to me. I can't help but find her a bit adorable.

Though, looking at her condition, it looks like she lives in the slums. Her ragged clothes, no shoes, and covered in dirts.

I extended my hand to try and pat her head. Suddenly, her body shivers before I even got near.

Sighing, I stood up and tidied my clothes. I already knew this kind of patent before. She's probably a victim of abuse.

I looked at her face, who's closing her eyes tightly, and said.

"Look, I am not going to hurt you. I am no bad guy."

She opened her right eye slowly and whimpered.

"R-really?"

"Yes, really."

I smiled as I tried not to show that I am not intimidating at all.

Looking at me smiling, the little girl also smiled. 

"See? I'm not a bad gu-?!"

While I was in the middle of talking to her, she suddenly swung her right leg and hit my crotch with the might of zeus.

W.h.a.t j.u.s.t h.a.p.p.e.n.e.d 

I kneeled down and felt something cracked. My mind turned blank while trying to find the reason why she would do such a thing to a man's jewels.

"Dumb men, always fall for this kind of trick. Thanks for the gold, kind stranger."

She said as she already grabbed my pouch from my pocket. 

My pouch...

"By the way, welcome to the inner slums."

She waved her tiny arm at me while leaving me whitewashed by the pain.

I, alone, kneeled for a very long time before I even thought of using healing magic on me. However, using healing magic required a clear mind as said by the Sage. 

It's nearly impossible for me to even cast healing magic on myself when my mind is filled with deers prancing on my brain while pissing all over the place.

Damn it, that little runt's kick certainly has power behind it. I could feel my soul flying at that moment.

"Happy thoughts... Happy thoughts..."

I try to calm myself down and clear my head. Not that's going to help...

Sooner or later, a warm feeling surges through me. Thankfully, I successfully casted a healing spell towards myself.

The pain hasn't subsided yet from my crotch but at least it's not painful as before.

Out of nowhere, I heard a voice belongs to a man, pitying me.

"Sucks to be you, mate, for getting aimed by none other than the Little Devil Lola."

I looked at the owner of the voice. His long tied hair and brown skin showed me that he came from the Southern part of Niphon. 

He's probably from Xexicsco, Talin Province.

Though, I couldn't help but frowned when he spoke about that little runt.

"Little Devil Lola? She's a devil all right... Runt kicked me like I don't have one."

The man laughed when he heard that. After that, he extended his hand and said.

"The name is Zion. We are the victims of the same person."

I furrowed my brows but still accepted the hand. 

I don't know why this guy suddenly became friendly with me but...

"Sean... My name is Sean."

The man with the long hair, Zion, smiled and pulled me up.

I never would have thought that in the future, this moment would be known as the meeting between two genius of the Niphon.

But that story would be for another time.

Zion brought me to a nearby bar and we sat down after ordering only water.

The waitress gave us a confused look when we ordered that but she still went to take our order.

After the waitress left the table, Zion said remorsefully as he sprawled on the table.

"Too bad I ain't got my money with me or else I would have ordered an ale. That little devil stole mine while I was drunk as a skunk."

The waitress came back to our table with our two glasses of water. She gave us a sideways glance first before leaving.

I couldn't help but laughed when I saw that. She's probably thinking that we are just a nuisance and halting their business.

After drinking the glass of water, I immediately thought of of something.

"Zion, how did you know that little runt's name?"

Zion took a sip of the water and then sighed.

"I known of her name from a local around here. He said a lot of people has been done by her all the time. So, she's pretty renowned here in this part of town."

Hearing this, I also sighed.

"At least, you didn't get hit down there."

I hope the healing spell made by the Sage can cure ball breaking incident...

Zion laughed at my demise and couldn't help but said.

"It was surely a treat watching you get kicked! That little girl really knows how to hit one."

I frowned when he said that.

"Try getting kick down there and see whether you will be laughing after that."

Zion choked as he imagine himself getting kicked.

"Haha... I have to refuse."

Then, don't laugh at someone's demise. This pain cannot be cope with laughter from another guy. 

He who knows the pain of a soul crushing incident can be the only one who can joke about it.

That's what the Sage's said.

I think...

Anyway, there's something bothering me since before. I looked at Zion and asked.

"By the way... Why did you suddenly help me out?"

"Huh?"

Although it was a good gesture on his part, there's no reason help me at all.

Nobody even bothered to help me except this guy. 

Zion scratched his head at my question and said.

"Why you asked? Well, it's because I found us to be pitiful."

Huh? What does he mean by that?

"Look at us. What do we wear?"

Zion said as he continue.

"Silk clothes. Both of us look like a pair of wealthy characters wearing this. So, wearing this kind of clothes already make us a target to them."

That's indeed true. To others, we look like someone with deep pockets.

"But that's not a reason to not help us though."

As I said that, Zion suddenly goes near me and said.

"In this part of town, there's a tacit agreement between the locals that crime is perfectly fine as long you don't interfere them."

He goes back to his seat and shrugs.

"So it's inevitable that anyone wouldn't help you."

"I see..."

He suddenly grabbed the glass of water and drank all of it at once. Then, Zion placed down the glass and suggested.

"And so, as a pair of victims, I need your help."

Hearing this, I couldn't help but hesitate. I don't really care about losing money. 

Because, as long as I have this pin...

"Eh?"

"?"

My pin... The pin where I hid in my secret pocket. 

Did that girl stole it?

Damn it... That's my only gateway to freedom. 

To find that girl... it's probably impossible. 

If that girl could steal my pin from my hidden pocket, that means she's sleazy also.

It seems I have no other choice other than to accept Zion's invitation.

Zion, who was waiting for me, said regretfully.

"Well, if you don't want to, just say no. I don't really force you to join me."

"No. I will help you."

Zion grinned as he heard me.

"Really?!"

"Yes. She stole something very important to me..."

"Alright!! Let's go hunt us some little girl!"

Hearing this, I felt like I joined something wrong...

Oh well, as long as I got that pin back, I don't really care whether I enter a cult or not.