Hissing, Cheek could swear he saw black spots in his vision. He didn’t know what was happening anymore.

Forcing himself to bite his tongue, he tried to look at his injured foot.

Looking at it, he could tell it wasn’t good. It had entered right behind his ankle. From what he could see, it wasn’t that deep.

‘Hurts like a bitch, though!’

Quickly revising what he knew about first aid. He instantly figured out that he wasn’t suited to deal with this.

No first-aid kit, no disinfectant and certainly no bandages.

*Tap* *Tap* *Tap*

Hearing footsteps approaching, he reflexively tried standing up.

“Ack!”

Falling back down, he gazed at the person approaching him.

It was the archer, now that she was closer he could distinguish things he hadn’t noticed before. Her blond hair was tied up behind her back, she was still holding her bow. Sweat was dripping sown her brow, showing that she was fatigued from the chase.

“Heh.”

Letting out a bitter chuckle, Cheek couldn’t help but think :

‘For a new start, it sure ended quickly. I didn’t even manage to become a Beyonder, didn’t manage to achieve my goal… Didn’t manage to give Elisia a better life.’

He didn’t think he was rash. He had done the best with what was given to him. Perhaps if he had pushed himself more and continued running…

‘Wouldn’t have changed anything.’

He needed money, he couldn’t do shit without it. Even if he had practised taekwondo in this body, it would have only harmed it. Cheek’s body was malnourished, he didn’t have the luxury to eat a meal every day, much less have a balanced diet.

Feeling something amiss, Cheek opened his eyes to a scene he never expected.

The blond-haired woman laid on the ground, blood pooling around her.

His vision blurring, Cheek looked in front of him. A man was standing there.

“Hey, kid. If I save you, what can you give me?”

Barely able to see anymore, Cheek forced himself to answer. He didn’t want to die!

“…”

“A-a…” He rasped out.

“A pair of helping hands…”

“For whatever… you”

“need…”

And so, his world rapidly faded to black.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Cheek felt like he was submerged in heavy water. Yet, he also felt he didn’t need to breathe, didn’t need to think.

He felt that he should just let himself be lulled away.

A tiny voice within his mind begged him not to succumb. He ignored it, it was merely an annoyance disturbing his sleep.

‘Wait, sleep?’

Panic quickly rose, the water no longer felt safe and comforting. He felt choked, as if something was trying to crush him from all sides.

And as fast as it appeared, it vanished.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Waking up with a start. Cheek’s eyes darted about rapidly, he didn’t know why, but he felt violated. Like all his secrets had been exposed.

Ridding himself of this feeling, he observed his environment, he found himself on a bed.

‘This isn’t my apartment’

He was in a tightly enclosed space, all the walls were made out of bricks.

Feeling lost, he tried to get up. Only to feel a sharp pain in his right foot.

That was the trigger. Everything that he had lived for the past few days came rushing back to him.

Cheek, Elisia, Beyonders, the rind he’d stolen… All up till this very moment.

Checking on his foot, he found it was properly bandaged. Apart from the dried blood, he seemed fine.

Of course, that wasn’t true, his foot had been struck by an arrow, he probably wouldn’t be able to run anytime soon.

‘Walking should be fine if I’m careful…’

At least, after a few days. He didn’t know how much time had passed… ?

‘Shit! Elisia!’

Grabbing the piece of cloth that served as his blanket, he wrapped it around his foot. It should help in keeping it from worsening.

Limping towards the door, he dearly hoped it hadn’t been so long that his sister was starving. He’d only left half a loaf of bread with her. He doubted it would be enough.

With her small physique, it was only natural that she ate less. But that meager amount of bread for a whole day?

Cheek’s entire body felt heavy. Taking a step was a chore, he didn’t feel he could make it far.

Twisting the handle, he was happy to feel that it wasn’t locked.

Taking a step out, his happiness died as quickly as it came.

A grey-haired man stared at him with a raised eyebrow, he had a mean scar running sown his face.

His black eyes seemed to stare straight into his soul.

Yet, the moment Cheek looked at him, all the hairs on his body stood on end.

He felt like he was facing a predator, he only now realized how cold the man’s eyes were.

They contained an obsession barely contained by sheer will.

Biting his tongue to snap out of it. Cheek bowed his head.

“Can I assume you are the one who saved me?” He spoke, unable to control the slight trembling of his voice.

Snorting, the man looked at him evenly.

“What do you think boy? See anyone else?”

Paling, Cheek cursed himself, why had he asked such a dumb question?

“I’ll make this simple, kid. I want you to come by here every day at noon. If you’re not here…”

Flashing away, Cheek felt a finger touch his temple.

“…let’s just say, it won’t be fun.”

“For you, or that sister of yours.”

He couldn’t have been any paler.

——————————————————————————————————————————

And so, one week went by.

“Ak!”

Cheek rolled on the floor, he would never get used to this.

The man was a monster. His physical abilities were absurd and his martial arts great.

Cheek had been rebuilding his skills himself, but he had never seen a man fight like that.

‘No, perhaps it’s not skill, more so experience.’

The man always seemed to perfectly read his movements. It was scarier than it was impressive.

Staring at Cheek, the man spoke :

“You’ve been getting better, tell me about it.”

Stiffening, Cheek couldn’t exactly tell he the truth, he wasn’t dumb. He knew his rapid “improvement” with martial arts was odd. And since he couldn’t tell the truth, he had already come up with a believable excuse.

“I- *haaa*, haven’t fought in a while. You can say I’m remembering how to.”

“*Snort* Sure looks like you are.”

Turning away, the man started leaving. From what Cheek had learned, this was a sign of dismissal.

“By the way, name’s Martin. Don’t forget.”

“Be here tomorrow at dawn, it’s time to put you to work.”

Staring at the leaving man’s back Cheek couldn’t help but remember his eyes.

Those weren’t the eyes of a normal person, he was sure he wouldn’t bat an eye at his death.

Sighing, he left, knowing he had no choice but to come back.

Walking in the streets, he couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose. The slums smelled as bad as always.

‘What else did I expect from a medieval world?’

There were no sewers, people shit in a bucket and threw it in the streets. Only the middle-class and above could afford their own “plumbing system.”

It was shitty by his standards, for them thought? It was a luxury.

Hell, he was sure some nobles bragged about it.

Strangely, there weren’t too many diseases going around. At least, not in the high-class, the low-class still suffered.

‘Must be because of Beyonders.’

He wasn’t sure what type of Beyonder could do so, but he sure as hell wanted to know!

‘Speaking of Beyonders, that old man must be one.’

He was sure of it, he was just too exceptional that speed was just…

Something to be envied.

Staring at the sky, he felt that everything he knew was inconsequential. That he could be so much more…

Maybe this was his opportunity, up till now, he wasn’t so sure.

He wasn’t sure whether to believe everything in front of him, you could say he wasn’t fully grounded upon reality. He was floating, levitating, playing a game.

The moment that arrow had struck him, nothing had felt more real.

Oh how he yearned for power.

Power to achieve his goal, to do whatever he wanted.

…For now, though, those dreams were too big.

Starting off small would be good. Perhaps he could improve his and his sister’s life first?

‘There’s also the fact that my foot is already healed.’

Coming out of his thoughts, he was already near the marketplace.

The money he had gotten from selling the ring was all his. Not anyone else’s.

He had expected Martin to take a good part of his gains. Yet he didn’t, and that only made him more suspicious.

He wanted to put Cheek to work too. He didn’t know what he would have to do, he just hoped it wasn’t anything too bad.

Although, what he considered “too bad” would already be pretty bad by other people’s standards.

Strolling over to Nancy’s stall. He didn’t bother with conversation, he simply threw her a coin, took three loaves of bread and left.

Feeling a sharp glare on his back, Cheek looked back and threw her a mocking smirk.

He’d soon be out of this dump.

——————————————————————————————————————————

Lifting the curtain to the place he called home, Cheek couldn’t help but worry.

Elisia had been getting better since he could afford more food, yet just remembering the face she’d made once he came back with an injured foot made his heart ache.

‘I should be more honest with her…’

Extinguishing that thought, he inwardly sighed. He couldn’t do so, not yet.

Stepping into her room, a mischievous thought flashed by his mind.

Carefully walking over, he made sure not a sound was heard.

Leaning down, he put his face directly above hers, and blew some air straight onto it.

Eyes snapping open, Elisia reflexively raised her head. Only for it to slam into Cheek’s own.

““Ah!/Ak!””

Hissing softly, Cheek rubbed his forehead.

‘Why does she have such a hard head!?’

He felt like he slammed his head into a concrete wall.

Blinking he found Elisia glaring at him with tears in her eyes. She was holding her forehead where a red spot could be seen.

Reaching into his coat with a speed he never thought possible. He held a loaf of bread with a trembling hand, giving her an apologetic look and an awkward smile.

“Am I forgiven?”

“Humph!”

Not bothering to speak a word, she quickly snatched the bread from his hand and started nibbling on it.

‘Cute.’

As if sensing his thoughts, Elisia turned her head and started glaring at him.

Still nibbling on the bread, of course.