#012. *Street Kids (2)*
Seeing an object imbued with mana wasn’t an entirely new experience.
Even among heaps of junk, there were occasional scraps carrying traces of mana.
*“But I’ve never seen an item with this much mana.”*
It was clear that this item had a deep connection to magic.
Finally, a tangible clue.
Ray couldn’t take his eyes off the ring.
“Sit. You’re here as a guest, not an enemy.”
The leader of the boys, Kedrick, gestured to the sofa opposite him with a nod.
When Ray sat down, Phylos and the other boys crowded around, standing at his sides and behind him.
Hostile and oppressive gazes bore down on Ray from every angle, making it unmistakable which side held the upper hand in this encounter.
Kedrick didn’t stop them, seemingly accustomed to such situations, but Ray remained calm, unperturbed by the intimidation tactics.
When Ray showed no sign of being cowed, Kedrick’s curiosity piqued.
“Meeting you in person makes me like you even more. You’ve got guts.”
“……”
Ray tore his gaze from the ring and locked eyes with Kedrick, who appeared to be around the same age.
He was a composed-looking boy. Though his wiry frame was evident even under a worn jumper, his physique was average for his age—a match for Ray’s own.
It was unlikely his fighting skills were ordinary. To lead a gang of boys, many of whom were physically larger, there had to be a reason.
“I got your message loud and clear. You’re not the only one watching. It was amusing—there’s never been prey that fought back like that before.”
“That’s a relief. I won’t have to kill anyone. I did warn you, though—I’d hunt you down to the ends of hell if you didn’t deliver the message properly.”
Ray’s tone was steady, showing no sign of backing down. This wasn’t bravado—it was a calculated approach honed through countless similar encounters.
“Where are you from? The boys said you came with a car.”
“Sector 50.”
The surrounding boys murmured in disbelief.
Though they had guessed as much from the car, they hadn’t truly believed someone from another sector had arrived.
“No way. Nobody’s ever come up from Sector 50 before. People come down from above, sure, but never from there.”
“Yeah, it’s supposed to be really far. Are you saying you drove here alone?”
These boys, who had never left Sector 49 nor dreamed of doing so, found Ray’s statement shocking.
“That’s enough.”
Kedrick raised a hand to silence the murmurs and turned back to Ray.
“If that’s true, it’s impressive. You’re more than qualified to join our organization.”
**Organization.**
Ray recalled how the boys referred to Kedrick as “boss” rather than merely their leader.
“Organization?”
“Yeah. We’re not just some band of orphans.”
When Ray didn’t react, Kedrick chuckled.
“It’s just a game for now, but soon it’ll be real. We’re about to be absorbed into a proper gang.”
Excitement, exhilaration, and expectation swirled in Kedrick like mana.
Ray understood why Kedrick had sent the written note.
It wasn’t unheard of for gangs to recruit street kids.
Kedrick, anticipating an elevation in status, likely wanted to practice projecting an image befitting his new role.
“So, it’s not just you joining, then.”
“Correct. All of us will be taken in as a group. We need 66 members to meet the requirement.”
Kedrick’s calm demeanor was betrayed by the growing intensity of his excitement.
“This is more than enough reason for you to join us, isn’t it? You don’t seem to have anywhere else to go. This is your chance for a better status.”
Kedrick pointed to his forearm, tracing a feather shape where the gang’s tattoo would soon be etched.
“The gang is called Murcred. They’re huge in Sector 45.”
“You talk like you’ve been there.”
“You pick up a lot when you eavesdrop on adults in the streets.”
Kedrick claimed that Murcred’s officers visited regularly and had promised to bring the group to Sector 45 once they met the recruitment target.
“Interesting story.”
Ray’s tone was indifferent.
“It is, isn’t it? This is an opportunity, and I’m giving it to you because I like your skills. Let’s be honest—what future do we have otherwise? We either end up junkies or, more likely…”
Kedrick leaned in, lowering his voice.
“…die from a stray blade before we even grow up.”
“……”
It wasn’t wrong.
The difference was that Ray was far from an average street kid.
Ray remained silent.
Taking his silence as a sign of interest, Kedrick leaned back into the sofa with a satisfied grin.
The other boys seemed to share his confidence.
“No one’s ever turned this down before.”
“Exactly. This is a rare chance.”
Every recruit so far had accepted. They expected this fighter from another sector to do the same.
Finally, Ray spoke.
“Joining isn’t the problem.”
“Good choice. Once you’re part of us—”
“But I don’t follow someone weaker than me.”
The atmosphere froze.
Everyone except Ray went stiff with shock.
Kedrick took a moment to process Ray’s words.
“…Are you saying I’m weaker than you?”
“In Sector 50, leaders are decided by strength—not their silver tongues.”
Ray’s provocations, polished in countless brawls, hit their mark.
“You little—!”
One of the boys, his face flushed with anger, lunged for Ray’s hair.
Before he could reach him, Kedrick sprang from the sofa like lightning.
“Ggh… Gahk! Gghk!”
The boy was hoisted into the air by his neck, Kedrick’s grip like a vice.
“Milo, did I tell you to interrupt our conversation?”
The atmosphere shifted dramatically.
Kedrick’s face twisted into a frightening snarl, exuding a bloodthirsty aura.
The calm boy from moments ago was unrecognizable.
“S-sorry! I-I…”
“You know I hate interruptions, don’t you?”
Kedrick’s fingers tightened, choking the boy.
The other boys backed away in fear.
Ray watched impassively, his focus on the crimson thread of mana connecting Kedrick’s ring to his heart.
It pulsed like a fuel line.
In that moment, Ray understood how Kedrick, despite his small stature, maintained control.
*“…Magic.”*
It was strength-enhancing magic, similar to what Ray had once used.
But Kedrick didn’t seem to wield the magic directly.
What was that ring? Where had it come from?
Ray considered probing, but Kedrick’s menace showed no sign of subsiding.
The boy in his grip turned pale, his face losing all color.
Ray leaned toward one of the boys nearby and asked quietly.
“When does this end?”
“W-wrong question. It doesn’t. Not until someone dies.”
“You’ve made a mistake. You angered Kedrick.”
Their overwhelming fear made Kedrick’s position clear.
Ray’s gaze returned to the crimson mana thread.
*What if I sever it?*
The thought led to immediate action.
He focused his mind, drawing the mana toward himself.
*Woong—*
The thread stretched like a rubber band, then snapped.
*Thunk!*
The boy fell to the floor, clutching his freed neck and gasping for air, tears streaming down his face.
“Sorry. Got a little carried away.”
Kedrick returned to the sofa, his expression calm again.
The sudden emotional shift made Ray tilt his head in confusion. Something about it felt unnatural.
For now, it seemed that Kedrick wasn’t aware of the ring’s true function. If he had been, he likely would’ve reacted differently when the mana was cut off and the spell was broken.
His voice carried a subtle undercurrent of anger.
The red mana that had been supplied by the ring still lingered within Kedrick. Watching the mana’s movements carefully, Ray decided to press the issue, as if testing a hypothesis.
“So, back to our discussion. You think I’m weaker than you, huh?”
Ray smiled slightly, watching the remnants of crimson mana dissipate.
“Yeah. You seem weaker.”
The red mana swelled abruptly.
Boom!
Kedrick sprang to his feet and kicked a metal drum.
Clatter! Crash!
The firewood inside spilled out, and flames began to spread, jumping from chairs to the sofa, then to the table and nearby furniture.
Crackle! Pop!
A stray ember brushed against Ray’s cheek, and the heat from the surrounding flames made his skin sting. Though the fire couldn’t grow much larger due to limited fuel, the situation was still threatening.
Kedrick snarled at his subordinates.
“Well? Say it! Do you all think I’m weaker than this guy?”
The boys, caught in the glare of Kedrick’s frenzied eyes, hesitated, stammering.
It was then that the ballooning red mana exploded.
“You bastards! Speak up! Do you think I’m weaker than this punk?!”
Kedrick’s furious roar echoed through the factory. Only after the reverberations faded did the boys, on the verge of tears, finally respond.
“O-of course, you’re stronger.”
“Y-yeah! You’re the strongest.”
“There’s no one… you can’t beat.”
Kedrick slumped back onto the sofa. The red mana that had filled his vessel was now completely depleted.
His ragged breathing gradually steadied, and he murmured in a drowsy, weary tone.
“…Yeah. There’s no one in Sector 49 stronger than me.”
Snap!
With a snap of his fingers, Kedrick’s underlings scrambled to extinguish the flames.
Turning his gaze back to Ray, Kedrick spoke again.
“In Sector 50, you said the boss is decided through fights, right? Same here. The strongest one makes all the rules.”
“Well, that’s convenient. I’m not much for talking, so I was worried,” Ray replied.
This time, Kedric didn’t react to the provocation.
“You want to fight me, don’t you? Fine. I’ll give you what you want. We just need to set up a proper match.”
A duel with Kedric was exactly what Ray had been aiming for. Winning would grant him the position of leader, along with significant benefits.
As the boss, he could deploy subordinates to gather information more efficiently and collect taxes without wasting time on manual labor.
“We’ll fight for the leadership. If I lose, I’ll serve under you, Kedric.”
“Good. I like that. But just fighting like this would be boring.”
Kedric rose from the sofa, spreading his arms wide as he strolled leisurely through the still-smoldering remains of the fire.
“We’ll do it in front of everyone. A week from now. My crew, other groups’ kids, everyone will be there.”
He abruptly turned to Ray, his voice sharp.
“That way, everyone will know for sure who’s the strongest in this area. How about it? Huh? What do you say?”
“……”
Something about Kedric’s excessive reaction felt off. Even in Sector 50, where prideful fighters were common, none of them had gone this far.
Ray considered his options. The sooner the duel happened, the better. However, he needed to weigh the pros and cons of allowing Kedric to expand the scope of the event.
After a brief pause, Ray spoke.
“Do you guys do wagers here?”
“What kind of wager? Betting money on fights? Isn’t that obvious?” Kedric chuckled.
Ray nodded.
“Fine. One week from now.”
“Gutsy. I like that. Most kids these days flinch at every little thing I do. It’s a problem.”
“And I’ve got one question.”
“What is it?”
Ray gestured toward Kedric’s hand.
“That ring.”
“Oh, this?”
“I’d like to know where you got it.”
Kedric examined his ring before smirking meaningfully.
“You’ll find out naturally if you beat me. Not that it’s going to happen, of course.”
