Chapter 18: Twisted Pleasure

Adrian's injuries took a little time to heal under the tree, and he left the place as soon as his hand had recovered. While the system didn't leave any stone unturned to deal a blow to his self-esteem, he couldn't let the revelations hold him down.

'I have more important things to worry about.'

After what happened in the dungeon, things would take a while to calm down. In the meantime, Adrian would have to look for another hunting ground. The obvious solution to his problem was visiting another floating island connected to Mainland Nexaria.

Nexaria was a group of several floating islands bound by a mysterious force called the Veil. Each island had a role to play in the bigger scheme of things. However, the island optimal for monster hunting was Verdantia.

Compared to the other island, it was a small but primarily uninhabitable island full of forests and monsters. The presence of Nexarian there was limited to only the access points.

However, it would only be possible for Adrian to go there with a permit and gaining a permit required an ID, which Adrian didn't have.

"Looks like I only have two ways now..." Adrian mumbled as he headed towards the slums to spend his night in a cheap motel who wouldn't care about things like an ID.

Adrian had two options to get into Verdantia, but both were against the law. If the Army caught him, he could be executed. However, there wasn't another way for Adrian to become stronger without the constant worry of being discovered.

The first option was to pay a smuggler to take him there. But this choice was very risky. First, it needed a lot of money to pay the smuggler, and second, there was a greater chance of getting caught compared to other ways.

That's why Adrian was left with one choice. He wouldn't go directly to Verdantia but to some other island first. That way, he could get away from the Mainland and live peacefully until he was strong enough to take his revenge on the assassins and gain information.

If he played his cards right, he could start a new life altogether. In any case, Adrian knew he had to get out of the Mainland as soon as possible.

But Adrian's plans changed when he reached the slums. Even though it was usually chaotic, there was something different in the air. People were running towards a specific spot, and judging by the direction they were headed, it was a place Adrian knew very well.

"That workshop..." Adrian whispered and blended into the crowd before heading towards the workshop.

Even though he didn't want to be near that place, he had no other option. The slums didn't usually get loud to attract everyone's attention, and if he ignored what was happening, he'd stand out even more than if he joined the crowd. Which could potentially blow his cover, and the rest would be history.

As Adrian approached the workshop, hidden behind the bustling crowd, he noticed an unusual scene. The Ravens, the notorious Assassin guild responsible for his death, had set up a perimeter around the workshop, preventing anyone from getting close.

The presence of Ravens there was a common. Just like the Army ruled much of the city, the Ravens were in charge of keeping order in the slums.

Someone may ask why anyone would trust assassins, known for notorious crimes, to be authorised by the people of the slum. Well, the answer was pretty straightforward.

The slum-dwellers were treated less than filth in the central city. As such, enmity was bound to be raised between the two sections of society.

The hostility between the slums and the central city, and by extension, the Army, was evident. Safe passage for the Army was a luxury the slums refused to grant, even for matters such as crime.

That's where Ravens came swooping in to establish control over a section of the city. While those living in the slums might treat the Ravens as heroes, the assassin guild did not think of them as 'friends'.

For the Ravens, the slum was a shield. A shield that would protect them from the Nexarian Army and the other factions of Nexaria. However, the people of the slums refused to see reason, and for them, the word of the Raven's guild was the word of the Messiah.

'...It looks like they found out about Victor.' Adrian mused while looking at the workshop's front door.

Adrian wanted to leave the place but didn't want attention on himself by leaving first and being spotted by a Raven. Thankfully, he didn't have to wait long as the crowd quickly dispersed when the Ravens instructed them to.

However, as Adrian started to leave the site, something caught his attention. There, among the Ravens, were the three assassins who had killed him. Anger surged within Adrian, a natural response to the sight of those who had taken his life.

'No... not yet...'

Adrian calmed himself as he knew better than to act impulsively. Engaging in a fight here could lead to his second death, something he desperately wanted to avoid.

Suppressing his anger, Adrian decided to stick around and observe his killers from a distance. Also, it made him wonder why his assassins looked distraught, unlike the rest of them.

The one called Chubby was visibly distraught, crying, while the one referred to as Red had a comforting arm on Chubby's back. As for the man, Adrian knew as their boss was reading a prayer for the departed.

'Were they related to Victor somehow?'

Adrian thought, his curiosity peaked. Suddenly, it dawned on him that Victor, who had turned him into a chimaera, might be connected to assassins in more ways than that of consumers and providers.

'It won't make any sense to be this saddened if that wasn't the case.'

However, Adrian wasn't worried about anyone finding out about him. After all, he had gotten rid of Victor's corpse already and turned the place upside down to cover his tracks.

With nothing more to do there, Adrian turned and left the place with a smile. After all, seeing the mourning faces of his killers brought him all the joy to forget about everything that happened earlier with the system.