After reaffirming what had happened, I quickly jumped in the water and scrubbed my body the best I could. I didn’t have whatever cleaning products they used in this world but at least I didn’t feel dirty anymore.

I soaked my body for quite a bit, after I was clean enough, I unfortunately had to put on the dirty clothes I wore before. I thought about jumping in the water with them, but I figured it’d be too much walking around drenched. I’d probably catch a cold or something and die if I did.

Heading back to the slums was quite easy, the guards didn’t care at all and paid no attention to me.

I looked at one of the guards before speaking, “Status” I wanted to see if I could see others status’ and surprisingly it worked.

A blue screen appeared in front of me.

 

John Doe – 27

Skills – Swordsmanship

Talents –

Stats: C+

Strength: C+

Agility: C

Dexterity: C

Stamina: C+

Mana: F

 

“Is that good?” I mumbled before checking the other guards status.

He had very similar stats, none of them going above C+, maybe that was the minimum amount of skill required to becoming a guard? I was really trying to rack my brain, but it was hard to figure anything out with little to no info.

As I continued to walk, the sun started to set, and I had nowhere to sleep. I wasn’t used to the slums, I had no idea whether I was able or even allowed to sleep on the street or in an alley or something. I was used to the scumbags though, minding my own business I looked around without looking at other people.

“Haah…” I sighed before coming to a conclusion, “I’ll just sleep in an alley.” It was getting dark and soon I wouldn’t be able to see almost anything. As I started to head to the closest alleyway, I could start to hear people talking.

“You piece of shit!” I could hear an aggressive, low voice from the alleyway.

“You thought you could get away without paying your dues, HUH?” Another voice could be heard, only this time slightly deeper and raspier.

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry!” A higher-pitched voice could be heard.

As I peaked my head around the corner, I looked into the alleyway. I could see 3 grown men with beards beating someone up. The person they were beating up was huddled in a ball on the ground, protecting their head from being injured whilst the others stomped on them.

It didn’t seem like any of them noticed me, so I quietly mumbled to myself, “Status” and began to check.

 

Adam Soyer – 24

Skills –

Talents –

Stats: D

Strength: D

Agility: F+

Dexterity: F

Stamina: F+

Mana: F-

 

All of the adults had similar statuses to that one. I also checked the status of the person who was being beaten.

 

No Name – 16

Skills -

Talents – Weapon Master

Stats: D-

Strength: F+

Agility: D-

Dexterity: F

Stamina: D-

Mana: F

 

My body twitched as I realized what was happening. Grown men were ganging up on a young teenager. Originally, I was going to mind my business and gone to a different alley but seeing how they were ganging up on a 16-year-old pissed me off.

It reminded me of my past.

Comparing my status to theirs, I was completely out-matched. The only thing I had that was better than an F+ was my stamina, and even that wasn’t good. In a fair fight, there was no possibility that I could win.

I took a deep breath before picking up a nearby brick and quietly snuck up on them.

As I approached them, the sobbing teenager on the ground looked at me, unable to say anything, only continuing to cry.

Soon enough, I was right behind them. They were all too focused on bullying the teenager, they didn’t notice me at all.

I took a deep breath. With all my might, I kicked the strongest of the three in the nuts.

In an instant, he covered his groan before releasing a cry of pain and falling, “AH”

Before the other two could react, I threw the brick at the head of the second strongest and he was out like a light, immediately flopping to the floor.

“Who the fuck are you!” The last one shouted before lunging at me.

I was barely able to dodge it, “The nut reaper, motherfucker!” I shouted before turning around and booking it.

Even though there was only one of them left, there was no way in hell I’d win. I didn’t have a single stat that beat his. But I wasn’t planning on just running away…

Of course, the dumbass followed me out to the street, “You’re fucking dead kid!” He shouted with an aggressive voice, pointing his knife towards me.

I turned towards him, stopping in my tracks before starting to speak, “You’re a dumbass. Did you think I was alone?” Before he had time to think, I immediately shouted, “Get him, boys!”

With a shocked look on his face, he immediately turned to his right to see if there was anyone there. There wasn’t.

With the opportunity I made, I started to rush at him, picking up a rock from the ground as I got closer.

After realizing he was tricked, he turned back towards me, but it was too late.

With all the strength I could muster, I smashed the rock against his head, causing him to stagger and immediately starting to bleed.

“Ugh…” He groaned, squinting his eyes before looking towards me, “W-wait!” He shouted, putting his hands up as if he was surrendering.

But I didn’t stop.

Twisting my body, I put my weight behind my punch as I hit his chin. He didn’t fall from that though, so I kicked him in the nuts until he fell to the ground.

“Piece of shit…” I kicked his body before spitting on him and heading back to the alley.

As I looked down the alleyway, the first guy that I had knocked down was back up.

“Ah…Shit…” I mumbled as he looked towards me, “YOU’RE FUCKING DEAD, MOTHERFUCKER!” He shouted before charging at me.

Do all dumbasses just not learn?

Though I thought that, I was probably screwed. I was tired, fighting that other dude had too a lot of energy from me. Pair that with my food-deprived body, I was almost completely out of order.

I thought about running, but that was a useless thought. There was no way I’d have escaped. Though I never learned how to box, it was the only thing I could think to do. I took a boxing stance as he lunged at me.

Just barely I was able to block his first hit; but it hurt like hell. My arms felt like they were going to shatter. I felt weak.

“Fucking hell…” I mumbled as he stopped moving and pointed at me.

“Do you know who you’re fucking with!?” He shouted.

The dumbass really started talking instead of immediately rushing at me, this really was a novel.

“Sorry, I don’t know any dumbasses.” I responded, trying to regain my stamina. My arms were shaking, and they felt like they would break.

“I’m Adam Soyer! Of the Hundred Lives guild!”

Hundred Lives guild? Why does that sound so familiar…

“What a dumbass name.” I replied and I could see his eyebrows twitch.

“You’re fucking DEAD!”

He charged at me, continuously throwing strong hooks. I felt like shit, I could barely keep my arms up and protect my chin. My bones felt like they were creaking, and I thought my arms would fall off at any moment.

Only a few moments later, he suddenly stopped and stared at me. He was probably about to make some dumbass speech again, ‘something something, you see what happens when you fuck with me, something something’ I don’t know.

“Behind you, dumbass.” I let out as I dropped my arms.

“You think I’d fall for that!?” He shouted.

But there really was someone behind him. The teenager who was getting beat.

As he was getting ready to reply, he suddenly let out a gasp of air before falling to the ground, holding his groin.

The teenager had kicked him, just as I did before. He probably wasn’t having children any time soon.

“Haah…” I let out a sigh of relief before stumbling towards the teenager, “Good job.” He didn’t reply and only stood there, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, I continued to speak, “Hey, come with me.” I took his hand and he followed quietly.

---

I took him to the river. I don’t know whether it was because he felt embarrassed, awkward, or something completely different, but we didn’t exchange any words on the way here.

“Come on, wash up. You stink and you’re bloody.”

“...” He looked up towards my eyes for the first time before starting to speak, “Why…Why did you save me?” He asked with a quiet, confused voice.

…Why did I save him? Because I got ticked off? Because he’s just a young teenager? Is it pity? No, it’s not…Mm…It’s none of those…

“Haah…” I sighed before continuing to speak, “Looking at you, reminds me of me. And that’d be awful if someone became like me.” That was the only thing I could think of at the moment, I continued, “Now wash up.”

His eyes widened for a moment before quietly washing up.

As he soaked in the water, I started to speak, “What’s your name?”

“…I don’t have one.” He replied after a moment of silence.

“Where do you live?”

“…Nowhere.”

“Age?”

“…16.”

“Any dreams? Aspirations? Ambitions?”

“…I don’t know.”

“Any family?”

“…No.”

“Do you like life as it is now? Do you have thoughts of ending it?”

“…” He didn’t reply.

Mm…I see. He really is like how I was when I was younger. He needs someone…

“Do you like music?”

“…Yes.”

I didn’t know the music of this world, but that had always helped me when I was down. I took a deep breath before starting to sing.

“Alright, alright, give it some time, you’ll be alright~” I sang one of the songs that helped me when I was down, quite a simple song, but it meant a lot to me. Surprisingly, my voice sounded way cleared and even good in my ears, was it because of my ‘Music’ talent?

After I finished singing, he looked at me blankly before starting to cry.

Huh…?

---