#017. Street Kids (7)
“Huh?”
Veronica was startled as she came down the stairs.
The boy was nowhere to be seen.
Had he left because it took too long?
Just as disappointment and regret began to rise in her mind—
“I’m here.”
“Eek!”
Veronica jumped in surprise and turned to see Ray emerging from behind the stairs.
“Oh… You were looking around the store.”
“Are there no books about magic? I looked but couldn’t find any.”
Veronica’s eyes widened.
“You know how to read? Did you check all the titles?”
“A little.”
“That’s unusual. Oh! Not that it’s strange, but… most people here can’t. I didn’t know how either until I met my grandfather.”
Veronica fumbled over her words, but Ray showed no reaction.
“Your grandfather?”
“Ah, right. It might be hard to meet him now. He’s in a deep sleep.”
Veronica watched Ray’s expression carefully.
“Can you come back tomorrow morning? I’ll tell him about you in advance.”
Ray nodded.
There was no rush.
The bookstore wouldn’t vanish overnight.
Besides, he had another place to visit today.
“Alright. I’ll come back tomorrow.”
Ray turned and headed straight for the door without hesitation.
“Wait—”
The girl’s voice halted his steps.
Ray turned to face Veronica.
“Why do you want to meet my grandfather? You’ve been acting like that was your goal from the start.”
“…….”
A moment of silence passed.
Finally, the boy’s lips parted.
“A rainbow…”
“Huh?”
“I’m looking for a rainbow.”
Ray entered 2nd Street.
Like 8th Street, where the bookstore stood, this was territory controlled by the Zephyr Gang.
Big Zephyr.
Ray had never seen him, but rumors painted him as a hulking brute strong enough to topple grown men.
Zephyr would likely show up soon—no gang leader tolerates outsiders thrashing their underlings.
Ray stayed alert as he walked.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His hurried footsteps echoed through the alley.
His destination: a street on the sector’s outskirts, lined with buildings numbered in the 30s.
He checked the note again:
「2nd Street.
32-1 Building. Vacant commercial space.
Name unknown. Male.
30-40 years old.
……」
The street was quiet but not deserted.
Ray blended into the sparse crowd, side-eyeing buildings until he spotted 32-1—a structure with a weathered sign.
The note continued:
「Leaves daily at 7-8 AM and 6-7 PM. Returns with groceries, descends to basement. Purpose unknown.
Source: Johnny, Messy Food Restaurant staff.」
Across the street sat the restaurant itself:
Messy Food Restaurant
Outstanding Taste! Convenient Meals!
The peeling hotdog-shaped sign and grimy exterior made Ray’s stomach churn.
Not that it mattered.
His goal wasn’t dining.
Ding—
Ray entered and took a window seat overlooking 32-1’s entrance.
The staff eyed his ragged clothes and odor but didn’t intervene—this place catered to vagrants anyway.
“I’ll handle this!”
A freckled boy with messy orange hair burst from the kitchen, name tag reading Johnny.
“You’re the Hunter, right?” he whispered, eyes sparkling. “Honor to meet you! Heard everything from Philip. I’m Johnny!”
“…What honor?”
“You don’t know? You’re a hero!” Johnny grinned. “Taking down bullies left and right? No gang spared? The weak kids at Philip Hotel worship you. Before coming here, they all got beaten—some crippled, some dead.”
Ray understood now—the sector’s underdogs lived vicariously through his fights.
“Order anything! My treat. No tipping!”
“Unnecessary.”
“Please.”
Johnny’s intense stare wore him down.
“Fine. Any meal. But I have questions.”
“Anything! I’ll even give you the safe combo!”
Probably shouldn’t.
“The man across the street—is the note’s info all you know?”
Ray spread the note on the table.
“Yeah… that’s everything. But I see him every day…” Johnny trailed off guiltily.
“How reliable’s his schedule?”
“100%. Three months here, same routine. Don’t even need a clock.”
“Only groceries?”
“Hmm… Oh! Notebooks and pens too. Lots of ’em.”
After more questions, Johnny vanished with a grin: “Wait—I’ll get our priciest steak!”
Ray stared out the window.
6 PM. An hour left.
Five minutes later—
Thud!
“Here! Best steak!”
“Already?”
“Fast service’s our thing!”
The sauced steak with garnish looked decent.
Ray chewed slowly—five minutes per bite—to stretch his time.
Halfway through, movement caught his eye.
“……!”
A man in a faded coat and fedora exited 32-1.
Two rings glowed on his chest.
…Same as the one-eyed mage.
But these held more crimson mana, trailing red streaks from his fingers.
…A ring.
The man disappeared down the street.
Ray stood abruptly.
“Done already?”
“Thanks for the meal.”
“Honor serving you!”
Ding—
“Looking forward to your fight with Cedric!”
Ray ignored the shout, darting to 32-1’s basement stairs.
Thud—clack! Thud!
The coat-clad man’s aura seethed with malice—thick despair and rage.
The strongest darkness Ray had ever felt.
Kill someone over a shoulder bump? Plausible.
Same rings. Cedric’s words resurfaced:
「The Mercrad gang in Sector 45. Famous. They’ll recruit us all if we gather enough people.」
66 orphans? Unheard of.
Gangs only took elites.
Ray suspected ulterior motives.
Rings from higher-ups.
Cedric’s emotions had flared similarly when mentioning them.
Mercrad member? Or a leader?
Instinct screamed danger—this went deeper than it seemed.
But retreating wasn’t an option.
Sector 49 was just a stepping stone.
He’d remain leader briefly, keeping Cedric as the face post-victory.
Opportunity’s here.
Niles’ advice echoed:
「Life unblocks paths suddenly. Grab those chances. Ride the flow.」
Finding two mages in one day?
This was the flow.
Ray reached the basement’s end—a heavy iron door.
Creak. Creak.
Locked tight.
Who are you? Mercrad? Do all mages have rings?
No visible entry points.
“…….”
Ray raised his hand instinctively.
Hum—
Gray mana coalesced—concrete-colored swirls.
Open. Let me in.
The keyhole absorbed the mana.
Creak—clank!
The handle turned.
