Luca and the man reached the city gate. Parked nearby was an old carriage. Two men stood next to it. One had a long scar running down his cheek. The other was tall and lean, with sharp eyes and a restless posture.
"Here we are," the driver said, motioning toward the carriage.
Luca nodded and climbed in. The other two joined him, and soon, the carriage rolled out of the city.
At first, they followed the main road. But after a while, the carriage turned onto a narrow, unused path leading into the forest. Luca frowned. Something didn't feel right.
"Why are we going this way?" he asked the driver.
The driver replied, "The main road's full of mud. We might get stuck. This path will join back up with the main one later."
Luca didn't say anything, but he closed his eyes and reached out with his perception. He felt the nervousness from all three men. Their heartbeats had quickened, and there was a slight edge of tension in the air. A hint of menace.
But seeing his action, they thought he was sleeping. So they relaxed again.
The path became rougher. Branches brushed against the carriage, and the wheels bumped over stones. Still, Luca stayed calm, meditating silently. He wanted to see what they were planning.
Eventually, the carriage stopped deep in the forest.
The driver got out and signalled the others. The man with the scar stepped forward, glancing at Luca. "Brat, get off."
Luca looked at him for a moment, then stepped out.
"Why are we stopping here?" he asked.
The driver smiled. "End of the path. We have to walk from here."
"Oh?" Luca asked. "Will walking take me to my destination?"
Before the driver could answer, the scarred man growled, pulling out his sword. "Kid, don't ask questions. Just walk. Or else."
Luca raised an eyebrow.
"Throw over your bag and your sword," the man demanded.
Luca smirked. "No thanks. I'll keep them with me."
The man's expression twisted in anger. But before he could act, the lean guy whispered, "Boss, should we kill him?"
Luca's eyes sharpened.
The man with the scar turned and snapped, "Idiot! If we kill him, who's going to scout the ruin?"
"You called me an idiot," the lean guy muttered. "You're the one who mentioned the ancient ruin."
They started arguing.
The driver sighed. "Enough. Just deal with the brat."
Luca had never felt the urge to kill before. But when they talked about killing him so casually, he felt a cold anger stir in his chest. He clenched his fists, then took a deep breath and let it pass.
He unsheathed his sword slowly.
The scarred man laughed. "So, you want to die, huh?"
He stepped forward, swinging his blade. But before he could land a hit, all he felt was a breeze.
A heavy blow landed on his stomach, and before he could react, another hit struck his neck. He crumpled to the ground, unconscious.
The lean man's eyes widened. "Big brother!" he shouted, panicking.
The driver's face darkened. He stepped forward, drawing his sword.
"Kid, this is a misunderstanding," he said, forcing a smile. "Let's talk."
But he didn't look like he wanted to talk.
He lunged at Luca with all his strength, thinking, He's strong, but he should only be at the Essence Flow stage, like me. I just need one clean hit.
But Luca moved before he could blink. A blur of motion.
The driver's sword was knocked from his hand. Then a sharp blow struck his head, dropping him instantly.
The lean man froze.
His legs trembled. Then, with a loud scream, he turned and ran.
He didn't get far.
A thick and heavy log swung hit him in the back of his head. With a thud, he fell flat on the ground, unconscious.
Luca stood in the clearing, breathing steadily. The forest was quiet again.
He glanced down at the men around him.
"So much for triple the fare," he muttered.
The lean man groaned as his eyes fluttered open. His head throbbed, and he quickly realized his hands and legs were tied. Panic started to rise as he struggled against the ropes, trying to wriggle free.
"Ah, you're awake," a calm voice said.
He looked up and froze.
Luca was sitting nearby, smiling slightly, his sword resting casually across his lap.
The lean man screamed, scrambling backward like a crab. But before he could get far, Luca placed the sword gently against his neck.
"Don't kill me! Don't kill me!" the man cried out, trembling.
Luca said nothing, just raised an eyebrow.
The words spilled out of the man's mouth like a flood.
"We found a map! I swear! A real one! It led us to this place in the forest. We thought it was a treasure map or something, you know? When we got there, it turned out to be an ancient ruin."
Luca listened, quiet and still.
"There was a hidden door," the man continued, still gasping. "We only found it because of the map. It looked old, really old. So we figured, it's gotta have traps. Stuff like that, right? Dangerous stuff."
He swallowed hard.
"So… so we decided to find some people. You know, let them go in first. Just in case. Like scouts. Cannon fodder."
Luca blinked slowly.
Do I look like someone you'd use as cannon fodder? he wondered, feeling slightly offended.
The man sniffled, eyes wide. "Please don't kill me like you did the others. I'll do anything. Please!"
Luca stood up and walked over to a nearby bush. With one swift motion, he pulled it aside.
Behind it, the scar-faced man and the driver sat tied up, mouths stuffed with cloth. Both glared at the lean man like he was the dumbest person alive.
The lean man's eyes widened in surprise. "You are not dead?"
They glared harder.
The lean man lowered his head, looking ashamed and terrified at the same time.
Luca sheathed his sword and looked up at the trees above.
"So," he said casually, "where exactly is this ruin?"
The lean man stared at him in surprise. "You… you still want to go?"
Luca gave him a faint smile. "Maybe. I've got some free time."