Dark Motives

In the pale morning light filtering through the gaps in the awning mounted on the window, Haruto struggled to emerge from his sleep, his head still feeling heavy and foggy. When he finally blinked, Haruto suddenly became aware of the chaos around him. His work surface was covered with a pile of scattered parchment with crumpled edges. The candle lit the night before was, of course, extinguished, but the melted wax had overflowed from the saucer and spread everywhere.

“Damn, another sleepless night?”

Haruto struggled to his feet before raising a hand to his face to rub his still half-sleepy eyes. He then turned around to take stock of the situation. Apart from the wooden desk and chair, the only other piece of furniture in the small room was an old bed with a wooden frame that creaked with every movement. The young man’s few possessions lay in a pile near the door.

He sighed deeply before starting to pick up the documents that had unfortunately ended up on the floor. Haruto couldn’t help thinking back on the events of the past two weeks.

After bidding farewell to Askondal, the engineer set off with the immediate goal of returning to civilization. To this end, the discussions he had had with his mentor and the traumatic experience he had endured with the members of the Church had highlighted another vital need for his survival: the ability to defend himself against any adversary.

“I think designing and building a weapon from my world would be possible, albeit difficult. However, it’s clear that I’ll also need a hiding place in order to carry out my plans,” Haruto had thought at the time.

This notion of a base camp had been at the forefront of Haruto’s mind. Lost in his thoughts, the young man wandered through the forest for hours, like an automaton. He only came to his senses when one of his feet got stuck in thick mud that smelled strongly of soil. Scanning his surroundings, the engineer noticed that he was on the edge of what appeared to be a road.

“At least now I just have to decide which direction to go.”

According to what the old druid silvgest had revealed, the end of the Darkness heralded not only the return of daylight, but also milder temperatures. This explained, among other things, the pitiful state of the road before Haruto’s eyes.

Taking advantage of this brief pause, the engineer took a piece of parchment, faded with age, from one of his pockets and unfolded it. It was a map kindly provided by Askondal. Concentrating hard, Haruto noted the presence of a place known as Nerauskei, not far from his presumed location. The few notes hastily scribbled on the parchment also indicated that it was a border village located halfway between the old hamlet of Pauweik and the town of Tunaust, further south.

“This place should be a good place to start my journey,” Haruto decided before resuming his walk with a confident stride.

The young man reached the outskirts of Nerauskei shortly before dusk. Like the hamlet of Pauweik, the village also seemed to consist of numerous buildings constructed along the roadside. Despite the presence of houses similar in appearance to Aristide’s, there were also more robust and imposing structures, combining wood, stone, and masonry. In addition, a few alleys branched off from the main road, further confirming the size of the settlement.

Haruto then realized that this situation was very similar to the day he arrived in this world. Even though a considerable amount of time had passed since then, the engineer was still just as broke. All he had on him was Askondal’s pendant, the clothes he was wearing, including a gray cape, and a handmade knife.

“Back to square one? It’s ironic when I think about how far I’ve come...”

The young man couldn’t help but sigh as he shrugged his shoulders. A look of resignation was visible on his face.

“I might as well prepare to spend the night outside, knowing that I definitely won’t be able to stay in an inn tonight because I don’t have any money.”

Over the next few days, Haruto set about earning some money by using his engineering skills. The money would be used to find decent accommodation, but also to purchase the tools and materials needed to develop his weapon. Of course, Haruto remained cautious and did not invent anything new, but that did not prevent him from repairing and even improving certain devices found in the city’s workshops and stalls. The engineer thus gained a reputation as a handyman within the working-class community. There was, of course, a certain risk associated with notoriety, but the young man had decided to use a false name to ensure a certain level of anonymity. Tanis, the name of his character in Fantasy Frontiers, was perfect in case the clergy’s henchmen were inclined to snoop around a little too closely.

Back in the present, Haruto finished gathering up the scrolls scattered across the bedroom floor. Some of them featured sketches of various mechanisms, while others were covered with mathematical calculations and notes scribbled here and there. Once he had collected all the documents, the young man piled them on the desk before focusing his attention on a very short list of three components: charcoal, sulfur, and saltpeter.

A few minutes later, Haruto put on his clothes and went outside. He carried a small backpack he had made himself, hidden under his gray cloak. On his way out, the young engineer did not forget to pay the old carpenter the few copper coins he had asked for renting the room.

The day looked promising for Haruto. The sun was still low, the temperature was pleasant, and the air carried a floral scent. You could even hear birds singing in the distance, a sign that spring had finally arrived.

“I think it would be best to start by getting some sulfur,” he thought before setting off along the main road toward Tunaust.

The engineer recalled the many history books he had read over the years. Apparently, it was quite common in the Middle Ages for men called charcoal burners to be responsible for supplying this product to blacksmiths, as well as to glass workshops.

“Saltpeter is likely to be the most difficult of the three ingredients to obtain. I would typically go to a garden centre to find what I’m looking for. However, I don’t think I’ll have any luck there anytime soon.”

The density of buildings decreased as the young man walked on, a sign that he would soon leave Nerauskei’s main area of influence. Haruto stopped momentarily and looked around, searching for something distinctive.

“I hope the information this man gave me is reliable. This is no time to get swindled by the first scoundrel I meet,” he grumbled.

After a moment, Haruto finally spotted what appeared to be the outline of a road. The intersection was marked by an old post topped with the rusty head of a pickaxe. It was clear that the path had not been used in a long time. Countless weeds grew everywhere, and at first glance, there were no footprints to be seen. The engineer couldn’t help but sigh at the deplorable state of the road he would have to follow.

“This is a great opportunity to put into practice the tracking skills taught by Master Askondal,” Haruto said enthusiastically before setting off on the road.

Several days earlier, while doing odd jobs, Haruto had happened upon the stall of a merchant named Reuvir. Normally, the young engineer had little interest in merchants, but this man in particular had caught his attention.

“Magic stones for sale! Come and discover these unique wonders and surprise your loved ones,” said the merchant in a loud, confident voice.

He held a yellowish stone the size of a tennis ball in one of his hands, which caught the young engineer’s attention. Haruto approached the man’s kiosk to learn more about these supposedly enchanted objects.

“Magical, you say?”

“Absolutely! Tell me, young man, do you know of many stones that produce a beautiful colored flame when exposed to fire? Well, I don’t,” replied Reuvir enthusiastically.

“So what? I don’t see how a mundane chemical reaction proves the existence of any kind of power,” Haruto retorted curtly.

The salesman was not impressed by the young man’s lack of faith in him and even opted for a more serious approach.

“I understand your skepticism. Why don’t we do a little demonstration, at my expense?”

Having nothing in particular to lose, except a little time, the engineer agreed to play along.

Reuvir then took out a mortar and pestle made of stone and placed them on the counter of his stall. He put a tiny sample of the yellowish substance into it and ground it vigorously into a fine powder. Finally, the merchant set fire to the particles, which began to burn with a sparkling blue color.

“Wait a second, is that sulfur?”

“Sul... sulfur? I don’t understand what you’re talking about,” stammered Reuvir.

Haruto didn’t give the merchant a chance to recover, leaning forward quickly to inhale the smoke rising from the burning rock. The smell of rotten eggs immediately assaulted the young engineer’s nostrils, confirming his initial hypothesis.

“There’s no doubt about it, these are rocks containing sulfur,” he whispered in a low voice.

Haruto held his chin, looking thoughtful at this discovery. He was obviously more than satisfied to have found one of the ingredients needed for the recipe. However, the number of minerals Reuvir had seemed rather limited.

“I must find out where this man gets these sulfur stones,” thought the engineer.

He then turned his attention back to Reuvir, who was watching him, his chubby face betraying his incomprehension.

“How much do you want for your entire stock of magic stones?”

“I... I beg your pardon? You want to buy all of my products?”

To prove he was serious, Haruto unfastened the bag from his belt and emptied its contents in front of the still-astonished vendor. The resulting pile of copper and silver coins made Reuvir’s eyes sparkle, and he couldn’t help but reach greedily for the money.

“Wait a moment,” Haruto ordered, slamming his flat hand on the counter.

The shopkeeper blinked before staring at the young man, who continued:

“This money is yours, but on one condition. Be aware, however, that the offer will disappear if you refuse.”

The merchant clenched his fists, and his face turned scarlet. It was obvious that the man did not like this kind of blackmail, but that did not stop Haruto from smiling slightly. He was betting on the triumph of greed over commercial logic.

“All right, I accept,” Reuvir finally said after several long minutes.

“Just tell me where these rocks come from.”

That was how the young man learned that the yellowish stones came from an old mine a few hours’ walk from Nerauskei. Before the place was abandoned at the beginning of the Darkness, various groups had been mining in the tunnels. The resource was mainly used in the preparation of dyes for clothing, but also for certain ointments. The arrival of the Church in the kingdom and later in the region had suddenly put an end to sulfur mining. The impact of the ban decreed by the clergy was all too visible to Haruto, as evidenced by the few empty and damaged buildings he came across during his escapade on the old road.

“I wonder what those bastards have to gain by banning sulfur. Could they know the various uses of the resource?”

The growing number of unanswered questions did not prevent him from continuing onward.

The coolness and morning dew had given way to the blinding midday sun when the engineer finally reached the edge of a wooded hill. The walk had been exhausting for Haruto, who had to constantly check the position of the road because it was in such poor condition.

“There’s no question of claiming victory until I’ve located the entrance to the mine,” he decided.

Fifteen minutes later, the young man breathed a sigh of relief. The entrance was largely hidden by large blocks of stone covered with brambles. Through the obstacles, Haruto could see some of the wooden beams that would be used to support the walls.

“The structural elements still seem sound. At least I won’t have to worry about being buried alive by a landslide.”

As satisfied as he was relieved, Haruto drew his knife and began cutting away the branches blocking his path. Once his work was done, he rummaged through his backpack and pulled out an old, dirty, greasy rag. Haruto then wrapped the cloth around the end of a large branch lying on the ground. Once lit, this makeshift torch would be very useful in the tunnels.

Summoning his courage, Haruto took a deep breath before cautiously venturing into the dark tunnels of the mine. A faint smell of rotten eggs confirmed that he was in the right place. The engineer had not even traveled ten meters when the cold, damp air piercing his body made him shiver.

“This is a really creepy place. I really mustn’t hurt myself here, or I might die,” thought the young man, pulling his cape tighter around him.

Haruto continued his exploration for a long time, losing all sense of time in the absence of sunlight. However, this allowed him to come across the remains of tools that had simply been abandoned by the miners. There were rotten wooden handles, but also leather helmets. A subtle aroma reminiscent of overheated metal wafted from the objects he came across.

“Something’s wrong here, but I can’t put my finger on it.”

The engineer hesitated before finally continuing his dangerous quest, realizing that the cloth composing his makeshift lantern would not last forever. After all, if it went out, he would be plunged into complete darkness.

A few minutes later, Haruto finally found the coveted resource at the end of a dead-end cave. He was tired and somewhat disoriented, but the result still made him smile. The sulfur in front of him was in the form of small, yellowish crystalline stones. Using his knife as a lever, the young man managed to extract a few from the rock face without too much trouble.

He had filled half of his backpack when the echo of a noise coming from the corridor behind him disturbed the silence.

“It sounded like a rock hitting the ground with a crash,” Haruto said nervously.

The young engineer stood up, put on his backpack, and turned toward the dark gallery. He still held the torch in his left hand and the knife in the other. Haruto squinted, trying to peer into the darkness for answers, but to no avail.

The metallic scent he had noticed earlier tickled his nostrils with intense vigor. At the same time, the outline of a strange creature loomed in the dim light of the torch.

“Shit! What the hell is that thing?!”

The monster appeared to be a mass of gelatin about the size of a large dog. The surface of its charcoal-gray body was perfectly smooth and animated by tiny vibrations, like ripples disturbing the surface of a lake. Reflexively, Haruto brandished the torch flame in front of him, causing the horrible creature to retreat a meter.

“So this thing is afraid of fire?”

The addition of this new variable gave the young man a boost in confidence. His chances of getting out of this predicament unscathed would increase significantly if he could make the creature currently blocking the exit to retreat and thus avoid a confrontation.

Haruto moved even closer to the monster, but it didn’t budge an inch. On the contrary, a kind of bulge began to form on its surface; then a ball of jelly was ejected at high speed. It grazed the knife held by the engineer, and the shiny metal of the blade began to corrode at a supernatural rate. Surprised, Haruto dropped the knife, which shattered into the ground.

“Great... Now I’m defenseless and at the mercy of this grotesque thing,” hissed the engineer between clenched teeth, beginning to panic.

He scanned the interior of the rock alcove where he stood, frantically searching for anything he could use as a weapon. Haruto spotted and grabbed a sulfuric rock before throwing it with all his might at his opponent. The creature didn’t even flinch when the projectile hit it, embedding itself in its flesh. In fact, it was absorbed before quickly dissolving into the gelatinous mass. However, Haruto noticed that the gases released during absorption had a corrosive effect on the monster.

“Maybe...”

Without wasting another second, the young man took the largest yellow fragments out of his bag, keeping a close eye on the creature, which remained motionless. A hole was clearly visible where the sulfur had been swallowed. Haruto then threw the four rocks, one by one, at the gelatinous monster before approaching it, torch in hand. Strangely, the gelatinous creature did not even react to the fire approaching it. In fact, it behaved in much the same way as it had with the first rock, stubbornly absorbing the crystalline pieces.

Once he was less than a meter away from his target, Haruto lowered the torch until it touched the smooth surface of the monster’s body. The effect was instantaneous, and the fire engulfed the gelatin, producing thick smoke that made the engineer cough.

“Damn it! The... The smoke definitely seems toxic,” gasped the man, who took an involuntary step backward.

Haruto hadn’t even taken two steps when the creature suddenly exploded like a bomb. The blast violently shook the rocky walls of the mine and sent the engineer flying to the ground, knocking the torch he was holding out of his hand.

After what seemed like an eternity, Haruto began to regain his senses. He was still disoriented, and a horrible headache was pounding through his skull, while his eardrums throbbed with a shrill sound.

“That was close this time,” he sighed as he struggled to his feet, his body covered in bruises.

The ground and stone walls surrounding the creature had partially melted. This vitrified layer was reminiscent of obsidian. Also, a myriad of finger-sized fragments of sulfur were embedded in the rock wall at the edge of the area.

“I finally got some sulfur, so my mission here is accomplished. I’d better get out of here before another one of those things shows up,” Haruto decided, grabbing his torch and turning back.

                                                                            ***

A few days had passed, and the young engineer had finally recovered from his perilous adventure in the old mine. Apart from the coal he could buy when necessary, the last step was to acquire saltpeter. Once he had these three ingredients in hand, Haruto could move on to the next phase of manufacturing his weapon. Better known as potassium nitrate, saltpeter would be difficult to obtain in this world, however.

“Crap! There’s no way around it... If I don’t want to waste a lot of time, I’ll have to accept wading through shit,” Haruto complained.

He was lying on the straw mattress in the room he continued to rent, deep in thought. Without the tools of modern technology, the engineer had to use methods from the past to achieve his goal. The quickest way was to scrape the saltpeter sediment that formed on the walls and floors of barns, stables, and latrines. Haruto could then obtain the precious resource with a few basic chemical processes.

Over the following week, Haruto scoured the farm buildings of all the farmers in Nerauskei to collect saltpeter residue. To gain their trust, he offered to clean the stables or barns of animal owners for free, which delighted many of them. The work was as exhausting as it was disgusting, but the young man remained motivated.

“At least it’s animal waste rather than human waste,” he told himself.

Nevertheless, the amount of sediment collected was not sufficient according to Haruto’s estimates. Although the idea deeply troubled him, the engineer then turned his attention to the toilets in the city’s taverns and inns. He decided it would be best to visit these places under the cover of the night for fear of attracting the attention of the locals.

“Tanis the dung beetle... not a very flattering reputation,” he thought, laughing.

One night, Haruto went to explore the latrines of a popular tavern known as the Ivory Apple. To relieve themselves, customers had to go outside and head to the back of the establishment and into a dark alley. Fortunately for the young man, the debris from the stellar body in the sky provided just enough ambient light that he didn’t need a lantern. This made it much easier for him to find his way, at least until he noticed someone rummaging through the brewery’s trash. Haruto focused on the individual in front of him and noted with horror that it was a boy, apparently around ten years old. He was wearing a loose loincloth, and his dirty skin seemed stretched over his frail body, apparently due to a lack of nutrition. His long, oily black hair hid his facial features as he sorted through the remains of spoiled food, oblivious to the engineer’s presence.

“Damn rotten world... and this poor kid who has to feed himself this way to survive. Shit, it could have been me too if Aristide and Norea hadn’t taken me in,” Haruto grumbled, thinking back on the painful memory of his lost friends.

For the time being, there was absolutely nothing the young man could do to help this child. Haruto decided to silence his conscience and continue to ignore the boy so that he could carry on with his repugnant task.

After several more nighttime escapades, the young man had managed to accumulate a surprising amount of raw material. He had amassed so much that the foul smell coming from his room was now bothering the carpenter, who had threatened to throw Haruto out onto the street.

“There’s no way I’m going back to square one when I’m so close to my goal. I might as well pick up the pace and finish as quickly as possible to calm the old goat down,” thought the engineer.

He had built a contraption in the room that resembled a large coffee filter. The rudimentary assembly consisted of pieces of sheet stretched over a wooden bucket salvaged from a barn. The precious residue was found at the heart of this primitive filter. Haruto then used a kettle he had stolen from one of the inns in Nerauskei to boil water. The water was poured over the sediment to obtain a liquid that reeked of ammonia. The young man repeated this process of boiling and filtering the odorous liquid at least two more times before evaporating the remaining water from the mixture. Haruto obtained only a tiny number of saltpeter crystals for all his hard work, but he was nevertheless satisfied with the result.

“No matter the quantity, this resource will finally allow me to move forward. The Church had better watch out if it dares to stand in my way,” thought the engineer, smiling sadistically.

The next morning, Haruto stuffed a few things into his backpack before setting off for the abandoned mine. This included some of his scrolls of notes, but also all the components required to prepare the black powder mixture. Apprehension had, of course, disturbed his sleep, but he was nevertheless motivated to carry out the upcoming tests.

“If my memory serves me correctly, history books regularly mentioned mixture ratios. It would be about seventy-five percent saltpeter, fifteen percent charcoal, and the rest sulfur,” the engineer said to himself as he walked.

Halfway to the entrance of the sulfurous tunnels, the young man turned off the road and headed into the dense forest. Thanks to the experience he had gained in the woods during the Darkness, Haruto managed to locate a small clearing without too much difficulty. The opening in the woods was a rather modest, circular shape. Its diameter was close to six meters, and the ground was dotted with large rocks the size of a man.

“This place should be suitable for experimenting quietly... or dying stupidly with my face blown off...”

The engineer approached the nearest rock, then removed his backpack and placed it on the ground. He then took out the powder components and a strange metal device. The latter looked like a cylinder two centimeters wide and eight centimeters long, reminiscent of a shotgun shell, with a tiny hole at the base. Haruto had first carved the mysterious object from a piece of wood before commissioning an ambitious blacksmith in Nerauskei to manufacture it. The result was crude, but it suited the young man’s needs perfectly.

He began by inserting a long string into the hole at the bottom of the metal pipe. Haruto then roughly measured out the ingredients, mixed them, and poured them into the mouth of the tube. Next came a piece of cloth cut to fit snugly inside the opening once inserted. The engineer gently placed the armed device on the ground. The closed end with the string protruding from it was pressed against a rock, and the opening pointed partly toward the sky, supported by stones of various sizes.

“Well... it’s showtime,” Haruto said nervously, his forehead covered in sweat.

He lit the fuse before darting away like a rabbit to take refuge behind a large rock sitting nearby. The young engineer then waited for what seemed like an eternity, counting each second as if his life depended on it, but nothing happened. There was no sound except for the slight rustling of leaves.

Venturing to take a peek, Haruto immediately noticed that the string had burned all the way to the metal tube.

“The mixture doesn’t seem to have worked, but why?”

Haruto took three steps forward before stopping, wary.

“No, no, no! What if the powder ignites with a delay while I’m holding this thing, or worse...”

The young man decided it would be safer to return to shelter. It was only after about ten minutes that he resigned himself to open the device. Haruto then discovered that the powder had simply settled at the bottom of the container.

“So the consistency of the mixture has a role to play in addition to the ratio of ingredients... Great, just what I needed.”

The engineer continued his experiments for hours on end. Most of the time, the results were unsatisfactory, just like the very first attempt. However, when the young man got it right, he was rewarded with smoke or even a faint detonation coming from the tube.

“I’m almost there,” he kept telling himself.

The sun was beginning to set when Haruto finally found a suitable recipe. Through a series of unsuccessful attempts, he had finally realized that the powder grains had to be small but uniform so that the air could easily spread the flames and thus produce better combustion. In addition, the composition of the mixture of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur had also changed.

Haruto was about to launch one last test of his winning formula when a branch cracking in the undergrowth caught his attention. He cursed before looking around for the intruder.

“Who goes there?”

A small figure was visible for a split second before disappearing into the darkness of the forest.

“Don’t tell me... But that wouldn’t make any sense,” stammered Haruto, who was beginning to feel afraid.

He hurriedly gathered his belongings, including the test device, still armed, and put them safely in his backpack.

“What bad luck! I have to get out of here as soon as possible, or I’ll be in trouble.”

                                                                              ***

Back in town, Haruto paced around his room. His clothes were dirty, covered in soot, and he reeked of ammonia and rotten eggs. To the average observer, the young man’s appearance and mutterings could easily have made him look like a madman. In this world where the Church lurked, mistrust or the slightest difference in the inhabitants could easily lead to disaster.

“Who could possibly be interested in me?”

Questions of a similar nature raced through the young man’s confused and frightened mind, but remained unanswered. Exhaustion finally got the better of the engineer, who collapsed onto his straw mattress.

Plagued by paranoia and convinced that the identity and reputation of his alias, Tanis, could be compromised, Haruto decided to test the waters to be sure. He spent the next few days prowling the city, scouring public places, such as taverns and inns, hoping to pick up snippets of conversation about himself or any other topic of interest. Unfortunately for him, the young man failed to find anything conclusive. In this regard, the citizens of Nerauskei continued to see him as a helpful, but sometimes eccentric, individual.

“I don’t understand anything anymore,” sighed Haruto.

He finished sipping the drink he had ordered from the tavern keeper. The engineer was wearing his gray cape and had pulled it over his head to hide his features.

“At one time, when someone was perceived to be practicing witchcraft, they were quickly ostracized, then caught and executed. I don’t want to die, but why doesn’t anyone know about my experiments?”

Haruto continued to procrastinate until a waitress approached his table.

“Sir?”

“Uh? Yes, sorry?”

“I’m sorry, but we have to close for the night,” said the waitress with a worried look on her face.

The engineer noticed that it was already dark outside when he glanced at the windows of the establishment.

“I... I see,” he said absently as he stood up.

Haruto then took his purse and randomly pulled out a few coins, which he clumsily placed on the table.

“My apologies,” he said before leaving the premises.

After yet another sleepless night, Haruto decided that it was imperative for his survival to leave and flee the city at all costs. He believed that time would eventually work against him and that sooner or later someone would talk and bring the wrath of the authorities and the clergy down upon him. The young man gathered all his meager possessions from the room, including his sketches and notes. He paid the old carpenter one last time before setting off for his next destination.

“I think Tunaust will do. The city is many times larger than Nerauskei.”

To that end, the place was known for its status as a key hub in the region. According to rumors, the crossroads in the center of town saw an almost incessant flow of merchants, mercenaries, and other individuals. In short, it was the ideal setting for anyone seeking information or wanting to take refuge there in the utmost discretion.

Haruto was walking at a brisk pace when he spotted a familiar landmark on the horizon. It was the pole topped with a pickaxe head that marked the start of the road to the mine. A group of men then emerged from behind a farm building and quickly formed a circle around the engineer.

“Just what I needed to brighten up my day,” he muttered under his breath.

There were three burly men and a fourth, smaller man who stepped forward toward Haruto.

“What do we have here?”

“Someone who wants to continue on his way and avoid trouble,” replied the young man, watching his interlocutor closely.

The man had messy hair, was unshaven, and wore clothes that smelled of grime and sweat. The appearance of the henchmen accompanying him suggested that they were more skilled with their fists than with their intellect, the very definition of muscleheads.

“But yes, of course, Tanis... I suspected you’d end up leaving town one day,” replied the leader of the group with a sneer.

“I’m flattered. However, I don’t remember ever crossing paths with you before today, sir...”

“Skotto,” the man finished, before continuing in an accusatory tone:

“Don’t waste your breath, kid! I know very well that you’re in cahoots with that fucking bitch!”

“And I think you’ve got the wrong person,” replied Haruto, who was concerned about the direction this encounter was taking.

“Oh, really?”

Skotto then turned his head toward the structure behind which he and his men had been waiting before whistling loudly. After a few seconds, a rather battered young boy staggered toward them.

“Bunch of bastards,” thought Haruto.

He immediately recognized the child he had encountered in the alley nearly a week earlier. Between the strands of greasy hair covering his face, the engineer could see a glassy, soulless stare. The boy stood obediently in front of Skotto, who then placed his hands on each of his frail shoulders, as if he were about to strangle him at any moment.

“I’ve been doing business in this city for many years, and I’ve never seen so many new faces in such a short time,” Skotto began.

“What does that have to do with me?”

“That damn foreigner dared to rob me of something priceless almost a month ago! And, as luck would have it, just as you arrived in town,” the man shouted.

“That proves absolutely nothing,” retorted Haruto, who was already looking for a way out, glancing furtively around him.

“Shut up! That little punk swore he saw you prowling around the toilets and even performing magic in the forest. Do you know what that means?”

“And you, Skotto? Do you think it’s wise to pick on someone who may be skilled in the use of magic?”

The man in question said nothing, instead gritting his teeth and glaring meaningfully at the engineer. Believing that his bluff had created doubts in the man’s mind, Haruto pushed his audacity a step further.

“Why don’t you tell me more about this person and the object they stole from you? I might even be inclined to help you...”

“Are you taking me for an idiot? As if I’m going to swallow a story like that, and there are four of us against one,” Skotto growled, spitting on the ground.

Brimming with confidence, the man then advanced toward Haruto before stopping less than a meter away from him. He drew a short blade and pointed it at the engineer.

“I risked my life to find this weird thing in the rubble of that damn destroyed village. There’s no way I’m letting this woman get away after such an affront,” he hissed angrily.

“A burned village? Could it be Pauweik? What could this weird thing be? And who is this mysterious woman? No, I need to buy some time to find out more,” thought Haruto, his mind racing with all this new information.

The sight of the knife pointed at him paralyzed him with fear, but the young man tried to remain stoic in the face of his attacker. It was because he was so focused on the weapon that a rough escape plan suddenly came to mind.

“You’re talking about Pauweik, aren’t you? I found something special there too. Would you like me to show you? It’s worth it,” said Haruto, quickly removing his backpack.

This surprised Skotto a little, and he unconsciously took a few steps back before regaining his composure.

“Uh, yes... No! Careful, kid! If you dare to mess with me, you’ll pay dearly. Just like that mercenary slut and her clueless partner,” the little man grumbled.

The young engineer ignored the verbal threat and knelt down. He then rummaged through his belongings, looking for the metal device used to test black powder mixtures. Haruto was delighted when he found it in the same condition as last time.

“So, is this damn thing going to work?”

“Yes, yes...”

Haruto broke the long fuse before lighting it with a flint. The young man wasted no time and grabbed the tube, finally throwing it nonchalantly toward Skotto.

“There you go. What do you think?”

The latter had received the object without saying a word. Instead, he simply turned it over in his hands while observing it with interest. Whether by chance or pure misfortune, Skotto was looking inside the pipe when the string finally burned out. The powder detonated with a deafening bang that startled the gangster’s henchmen. Their reactions varied, including confusion, incomprehension, and terror.

“Where did that thunderclap come from?”

“This guy’s a wizard!”

In less than a second, the device had first spewed out the fabric wadding, followed by a myriad of fragments of burning mixture. The latter had embedded themselves in Skotto’s skin, who then fell backward. The man screamed in pain as he rolled on the ground, one eye gouged out and his face torn to shreds.

“Aaahhhh! You... you son of a bitch! Aaarghh!”

Seeing their leader in such agony, the henchmen feared for their own lives and opted to flee, abandoning Skotto to his sad fate. Haruto also took advantage of the momentary chaos to retrieve the still-smoking metal tube from the ground before running with all his might onto the road.