Chapter 1

Week 0

“Sir, I promise you everything is in order. Seeing as your wife loves it, this gem is definitely the one for you!” A middle-aged man said, grinning and rubbing his hands together deceptively as he waited for the man in front of him to make a decision.

"Stop flattering me and tell me how much it is," the man said with a strong, firm tone that sounded quite annoyed. Beside him, his wife continued to look at the gem with awe in her eyes, clearly wanting it for herself.

"You have wonderful eyes, madam. The price is only 3 million kelts, sir," the merchant said, eyeing the wife, trying to put the man in an uncomfortable position. It wasn't as though the man couldn't afford the jewelry. He wore a robe adorned with scales from Elytrain wings, representing the people of Elytra. The jewels on his neck marked him as a nobleman, while his wife's demeanor was that of a distinguished lady of the household. The merchant had truly struck gold.

"That's a reasonable price for my lady," he said, reaching into his pocket for something—perhaps his wallet? However, to his disappointment, he found nothing. The only item in his pocket was a thin platinum card that gleamed in the bright light.

"Is there a problem, sir?" the merchant asked, noticing the confused look on the noble's face. The noble's expression then became pensive. "Is something the matter, my dear?" his wife inquired, equally puzzled about what was delaying her husband's payment for the jewel she so desired.

"Nothing, dear, I just think I might have left my wallet at home. Did you see it on the shelf?" He spoke to his wife, confusion still evident in his eyes.

"Maybe you left it in the room? On the bed, perhaps?" she suggested.

He looked around, suddenly realizing that they were in unfamiliar territory. They had naively followed the merchant, who had enticed his wife with his heavily praised jewels. Only now did it dawn on him that they had been led to a rather dubious location. It wasn't the sort of place one would expect someone to be selling high-end jewels. The surroundings hinted at an underground market, where half-destroyed shops lay in neglect. This didn't strike him as a venue for a reputable merchant, but rather a haven for swindlers. Moreover, upon closer inspection, even the merchant's store bore signs of decay, with rust visible beneath hastily applied paint. A single thought dominated his mind: the whole situation was deeply suspicious.

"This seems a rather shady place to deal in such high-quality jewelry, don't you think?" the nobleman remarked, voicing his suspicions to the merchant.

"With all the guards you've brought, I'd assume you'd feel somewhat secure," the merchant responded with a chuckle, challenging the nobleman's doubts.

"Will you be paying with a card today?" the merchant asked hurriedly. However, just as the man prepared to make the payment, a stall opposite their shop suddenly collapsed. The merchant and the noble exchanged glances. Without words, each seemed to grasp what the other was contemplating.

"Before I buy this jewel from you, would you mind if we test it out?" the noble suggested, smirking. He subtly signaled one of his guards with a lift of his fingers, prompting the guard to leave.

"Honey, I'm sure there's no need for that," his wife interjected. Her gaze remained fixed on the jewelry, much like a child's in a candy store. Oblivious like a child, she seemed unaware of the mounting tension between her husband and the merchant.

"Okay, sir, I will bring a tester out here to test this jewel," the merchant said as he turned to make his way to the back of the store.

"Wait," the noble commanded.

The merchant, taken aback, looked at him.

"Pardon?" he inquired.

"I said wait. One of my men has been sent to bring our own tester," the noble clarified.

"Oh, sir, I believe the madam is in a hurry. I can fetch mine; it'll only take a few minutes," the merchant said with a persuasive tone.

"Ah, would you look at that? Here he comes."

A man in a black robe approached the store. He silently dropped a case. As the noble lifted the tester from the case, he asked, "Well, are you ready?"

The merchant was nervous; he knew what he had done and to whom. He hadn't expected to be cornered, and now he needed to think of a way out.

"Yes, sir!" he exclaimed, his voice strained in an attempt to mask his nervousness.

The tester was employed, and the jewel was revealed to be fake. A tense pause followed.

"Don't even think about running. You're surrounded; my units already have you encircled," the noble declared confidently.

"To be honest, at first, you did a wonderful job fooling me. But upon closer inspection, I remembered who you were: the No-Face Thief. You should know, if you try to escape, I can't guarantee your safety," the nobleman asserted as he stepped closer, reveling in his perceived triumph.

"Yes, I suppose one could say I've been cornered and exposed. But why would I simply let you apprehend me?" The merchant's gaze darted around as he assessed his surroundings, evaluating potential escape routes.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Do you genuinely believe you can elude me today?"

"Well... we won't know unless we try." With those words, the merchant made his move, leaping over the counter and striking the nobleman in the face with a briefcase that had been resting there.

Sprinting towards the two guards, he raised his hands as if ready to fight, but deftly slid between the legs of the guard on the right. Achieving what seemed impossible, as he neared the exit, he felt as if he was approaching the finish line—or perhaps he was closer to hitting the floor. His body tensed; looking down, he realized he was already bound by a rope thrown by the nobleman. The nobleman seized him, gazing intently into his eyes with a smirk.

"You bit off more than you could chew this time," the nobleman sneered. "I've always wondered what the legendary No-Face Thief looked like, but it seems you were quite exaggerated."

He laughed malevolently, basking in his triumphant moment.

"You might have gotten away with it if I didn't have these scales. Those Elytrains really do come in handy."

He began to drag the thief towards the exit as if discarding a cumbersome piece of trash. Bound by the rope, the merchant's body dangled limply.

"Where are you taking me?" the No-Face Thief managed to say with the little strength he had left.

"To where people like you belong!"

"Good," the thief whispered, a smile forming on his lips.

                                                                            End