Making charisma checks in a city of bandits

Nicholas was dragged away from his friends by a blond man in humble clothing who presented himself as Gadreas, a tavern owner seeking the help of a few strong gentlemen to clean his establishment. Despite sounding suspicious, Nicholas accepted the offer because it promised payment.

- You said we would be cleaning! - Nicholas exclaims, dodging a punch.

- We are taking away the trash, no? - Gadreas replies, smirking.

- I don’t fight!

- We are just having fun. Welcome to Vatogus, kid!

A frantic bar fight breaks out between two groups. A gang of pirates that dominated a tavern and a bunch of lowlifes hired by Gadreas to take it back.

- Bubble!

- Aaa-

Using a smaller dark orb, Asai ceases the existence of a poor, rascal soul.

- He is okay, right, Asai? - Nicholas asks, worried.

His answer was the silent stare of the void in her innocent eyes.

On the other side of the bar, a large, shirtless man runs and leaps into the fray, aiming to land in the middle of the fight. As he crashes down, he breaks the floor beneath him, taking down some allies and foes in the process. Meanwhile, a thin guy with a pointy nose darts around, grabbing every bottle and chair he can find and smashing them over the heads of the nearest combatants.

- Blobfish, Mosquito! Stop breaking my property! - Gradeas scolds them.

- Sorry, Boss - they say in unison.

This continues for a while until the leader of the pirates arrives. He stands nearly 6.5 feet tall, has a muscular build, and numerous scars. His presence makes the battle take a turn as he defeats his enemies one by one. Blobfish is sent rolling like a bowling ball, crashing into Gadreas, who is trying to flee. Right after, Mosquito is used as a makeshift baseball bat to beat him.

Nicholas, feeling pity for them all, rushes to Gadreas and holds him in his arms.

- Wait! Please, stop. You've already won!

- If you knew this cowardly narcissist, you wouldn’t be protecting him. If I know him well, and I do, he was going to let you be my punching bag as he prepared an unnecessary showy way to defeat me - he growls in a deep, grumpy voice.

Nicholas glances at Gadreas.

- My face… Is my face still good…? - Gadreas asks anxiously.

It is not good at all.

- Uuh… Of course, man. The ladies won’t notice the difference.

- I can see you are fresh meat. I will make an exception to you and your little girl if you step aside and let me finish the job - the pirate says, looming over them menacingly.

The offer is quite tempting, but Nicholas decides to try to reason with him. He stands up, still holding Gadreas in his right arm, and places his left hand on the pirate's shoulder.

- Look, sir. I don’t know your grudges with him, but he is done for. Let him go and I-

Before he could finish speaking, or Asai could finish the bubble she is preparing behind them, the big thug suddenly collapses to the ground like a fallen tree.

Confused about what just happened, Nicholas releases Gadreas and rushes toward the fallen man. He notices that, inexplicably, the thug now bears the same wounds that had been on Gadreas's face, while Gadreas himself looks clean and healthy.

- Did I do that? Is he…?

- Hahaha! I don’t know what you did, but that was amazing, my friend! I feel extraordinary! - Gadreas compliments Nicholas as he regains his senses.

- You know, we should work together. What do you-

He is suddenly hit by a frying pan on his head, getting knocked out. A familiar figure seems to be responsible.

- Pia? How did you find us? - Nicholas asks, surprised.

- Even if we are far from each other, I can still see the strings connecting us.

- Cool.

- C’mon, let’s find Kai before he does something stupid.

- Okay~

- Asai!

The scoundrels from both sides of the fight, seeing Nicholas standing while both Gadreas and the pirate leader are down, cheer his name.

- Ni-cho-las! Ni-cho-las! Ni-cho-las!

- Look, Pia. I made some friends!

- Of course you did… 

----------/////----------

Upon entering Vatogus, Kai glimpses something moving among the crowd. A small detail that a person like him would never miss. Leaving his friends behind, he promptly pursued it, determined not to lose sight of his target. He followed the figure deep into the upper floors of Vatogus, careful not to draw any attention. When he finally had a clear view, Kai confirmed that the real thing was as beautiful and charming as any prophet could have ever described. He awaits the perfect moment to act, and when the figure seemed to be alone, Kai exclaims, doing a bizarre pose:

- You there! - he points his finger at her.

The figure in question, realizing he was speaking to her, asked suspiciously.

- Do I know you?

Wearing clothes that let most of her tanned skin exposed, she confidently showcases her beauty. However, Kai is indifferent to her physical appearance, focusing instead on two notable features: The cat-like ears on top of her short brown hair, and her long feline tail.

- Miss, can you please say, "Perhaps the perfect moment is forever imaginary”?

Kai awaits in anticipation, expecting her to make cat puns while striking a cute pose.

- No.

- Disgraceful.

She takes out a knife.

- Okay, I was hasty in my approach, but we don’t need to do this.

- I’ll think about it after you give me all your money.

- Bold of you to think I have any.

Tired of his nonsense, the catgirl delivers a dropkick to Kai, propelling him into the wooden wall of a nearby building and breaking through it upon impact.

- Urgh. I guess it is too much to ask for the love of your life in a city like this…

Getting back to his senses, he finds himself in a warehouse, seemingly abandoned. Before leaving through the same hole he made, Kai hears a heated argument down some stairs.

- What do you mean he is not coming?!

- There was a subtle change in plans.

It seems they didn’t hear his scandalous entrance, but their business was not his, so it's better to leave now.

- I was promised the corrupter would be here. I will only negotiate directly with him!

- Don’t worry, sweetie. We will take the deal.

Or maybe not. Learning more about the corrupters can be beneficial. Kai carefully walks down the stairs to get a better look at the situation, stopping at the open door where the voices are coming from.

Taking a peek inside the room, he can see two men, obvious thugs up to no good, on one side of a table, and a woman on the other. The lady appears to be around Kai’s age, has few curves, long blue hair, yellow-toned eyes, and fair skin. She was dressed almost entirely in black, wearing a long naval coat, a short shirt that exposed her midriff, and fitted trousers tucked into knee-high leather boots.

- Screw that. I’m leaving!

- Is that so?

The man leading the negotiation makes a small signal to his partner. The woman doesn’t notice, but Kai does. He looks at him and realizes he is about to strike her with his sword. Motivated by his urge to be a main character, Kai rushes forward and pulls the blue-haired lady. Although he isn't fast enough to prevent a horizontal cut across her face, which will leave a scar, he manages to save her life. The bandit swings his weapon again, but Kai quickly parries with his sword and disarms him, surprising everyone in the room, including himself.

- Is this… My powers?

- Who is this idiot?!

- Doesn’t matter. Get rid of him, too!

Positioning himself in front of the hurt woman, who is groaning in pain on her knees, Kai heroically declares.

- Bring it on. I have the blessings and powers conceded by the mighty goddess Rasnati on my side. Nothing will stop me!

One of them pulls out a gun.

- I admit I wasn’t expecting something like that at all.