Chương 125: Chapter 123 – Being Followed.

"Skreee…" A screeching sound echoed through the thick forest as a monstrous spider crashed to the ground, its many limbs twitching erratically, its head missing. The spider-infested forest was a labyrinth of shadows and silk, its air thick with venom scent. Glistening webs stretched between gnawed trees, some draped like curtains shimmering faintly under the slivers of moonlight that pierced the dense canopy.

The ground was littered with the husks of unfortunate prey, picked clean by the forest's eight-legged inhabitants. Amid this eerie stillness, a group of cloaked figures stood still, their dark robes blending seamlessly into the night.

"Is this the right way, brother?" One of the robed figures called out while glancing down at the dead spider. Many similar carcasses lay amidst the twisted underbrush, some that were still falling from the many trees above them. A second figure stepped forward, lowering his hood slightly. The faintest sliver of moonlight illuminated a pale wrist, revealing a tattoo depicting an ornate scythe nestled within the cradle of a crescent moon.

"Yes" The tattooed one murmured, his voice quiet and raspy.

"The target passed through here… of that, I am certain." A third figure crouched down, running gloved fingers over the trampled undergrowth, revealing a faint indentation.

"Another footprint left behind… the weight is still odd…" He remarked, studying the barely visible impression. He traced it lightly, his expression hidden beneath the shadow of his hood.

"Light but still large. A person of this size should weigh much more…" The depth of the footprint suggested that whoever they were tracking was unexpectedly light, despite having a shoe size belonging to a much larger individual.

"Let's go." The robed figures exchanged glances before continuing their trek through the forest. Their movements were eerily silent, their presence blending seamlessly with the dark surroundings. The deeper they ventured, the thicker the webs became. Pale strands clung to their robes, stretching and snapping as they forced their way forward. The chittering of unseen creatures echoed from above, but none dared descend upon the group. Whether out of fear or instinct, the spiders kept their distance.

The group moved on, undeterred. At last, they arrived at a hidden cave, its entrance concealed by overgrown vines and tangled foliage. One of the cultists knelt, tracing a finger over a faint indentation.

"He went through here. No prints are leading out, so he could be still inside…" The others nodded in silent agreement before drawing their weapons - curved daggers that gleamed faintly in the dim light. Without a word, they slipped into the cavern, vanishing into the darkness. Their eyes glowed red as they followed the trail of their prey.

Night had finally draped Ferndale in shadow, the last embers of twilight giving way to a chill that seeped through every crumbling stone. Deep within the basement which was Rusty's newly claimed domain, the sound of metallic footsteps echoed. The large suit of living armor was pacing around the basement looking over every old stone, his guides Aburdon and Alexander in their glowing orb form floating next to his head making him appear as some kind of ghost knight.

"Now that I look at this palace, perhaps we were too hasty…" Alexander examined the rubble and cracked stones, many of which would likely need to be replaced or reinforced to prevent the entire structure from collapsing.

"I told you, but no one ever listens!"

"It's too late now. Just tell me what I need to prepare, and we'll start tomorrow!" Rusty replied, watching as Gleam tugged at the bodies of defeated rats, dragging them toward the hole leading to the chimney. These little creatures spread disease, which could be a problem for his future customers. It was best to burn them, along with any other vermin they found upstairs, before attempting to restore the place.

"You sound quite enthusiastic about this, Rusty" Alexander remarked, floating around and casting a soft glow over the area.

"Why wouldn't I be? I have my own lair, and those people above don't even know I'm a monster!" To Rusty, this was a major victory. Things were progressing much smoother than he had expected. Now that his lair was secured, he just needed to check out the dungeon outside. Perhaps he had been too hasty in purchasing this place without first surveying the surroundings, but he was confident that making more money wouldn't be a problem, thanks to his storage system.

If things took a turn for the worse, he could always leave and search for other opportunities in this vast world. However, before making any big moves, he needed to keep learning. From what he understood, much of this world was ruled by kingdoms and empires. It was home to various races, with humans, elves, and dwarves being the most prominent. The fourth major race consisted of beastmen, like the young woman who had sold him the deed. If this was to be his true lair, he needed to be aware of potential enemies.

Many powerful organizations existed in this world, and he had to determine whether any of them operated within this settlement. While the town was not particularly large, it had been around for many years, meaning there was a chance a thieves' guild had already formed. It would be wise to investigate, and with the right amount of coin, he might be able to protect his new home. Apparently, it was possible to pay a small fee to safeguard a building from being targeted by the guild's members.

While it would cost him, it was better to pay protection money than constantly worry about being robbed. After all, he was still in the slums, where the rules were more relaxed. Just like in the previous town, the guards did not patrol here often, meaning most disputes were settled by the residents themselves, which could easily lead to fights.

"Maybe we should first get some logs to act as support pillars so it doesn't collapse on us. There might even be some outside, why don't we…" The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Alexander was in the middle of his sentence when they heard the upper floor creaking. Someone had entered the building in the middle of the night. Rusty froze and glanced at Gleam, who skittered to his side, trying to remain silent.

Both of his guides quickly floated back into his helmet to avoid being discovered. After casting a silencing spell, they made their way toward the stairs leading up.

'Who are those? Goblins perhaps?' He asked while peeking through one of the holes of the door leading to the basement he was currently in. Rusty could easily see in the dark and he spotted a group of small creatures creeping into his home. They were the size of goblins but after further inspection, turned out to just be four children dressed in tattered clothes.

'Those are just children Rusty, probably homeless orphans trying to find shelter, put your sword away.' Alexander informed him as the small group of street urchins gathered beneath a collapsed window, seeking refuge from the bitter night. Their eyes, wide with both fear and hope. They followed one another as they huddled together among dusty remnants of what had once been a home. It was clear that they believed the place to be abandoned, unaware of the metallic master who now claimed it.

"Are you sure we are safe? What if they find us? We didn't meet the weekly quota…"

"It's going to be alright, they won't find us here." Rusty listened as the kids started talking. The leader seemed to be a lanky boy, no older than eleven or twelve, with a scarred cheek and dirty hair matted to his forehead. His ears were a bit strange, pointier than human ears but lacking the length of elven ears. The other children were smaller, two of them clinging to each other while a younger girl, no older than seven, pressed against the cold stone wall, looking for reassurance.

'Who do these brats think they are, let's chase them out before they get the wrong idea!' Aburdon quickly commented, not liking the fact that some random orphans entered what was supposed to be their new base of operations.

'What are you even saying, they are just children.'

'So what? We aren't responsible for them they need to learn to survive by themselves, this is such a world and you know it, hero!' Alexander was a lot more kind-hearted, so it was obvious that he wished to help them. However, in the end, it was up to Rusty to decide what to do with them. If Rusty had a face then his brows would be furrowing. He had no interest in taking on responsibility for a group of ragtag orphans, but they were here now, and they had likely nowhere else to go.

They were in his space, and he didn't want to scare them, at least not until he figured out if they could be useful or if they would cause him trouble if he showed himself.

'Perhaps they will go away once it's morning?' He asked his guides while wondering if he should confront them. Before he could make a decision, the situation took an unexpected turn. A rough voice suddenly echoed from outside the building.

"Oi! Where are you lot hiding?" Rusty turned toward the source of the voice and immediately activated his life detection skill. The ability revealed two people standing outside. While their signals were not exceptionally strong, they still belonged to individuals with combat classes, similar to adventurers. From the way they spoke, it was clear they were looking for the children, who quickly began to panic. The children huddled closer together, their breaths shallow as fear took hold.

The lanky boy with the scarred cheek clenched his fists, his expression that of dread. He took a step toward the broken window, as if debating whether to make a run for it. The younger ones clung to his ragged clothes and would probably need to be abandoned if he decided to escape. Rusty remained silent, watching from his concealed position in the basement's entrance. His mind worked quickly, analyzing the situation. These children were clearly being hunted, and the ones outside were no ordinary street thugs.

Combat classes meant they were either trained fighters or enforcers working for someone more powerful. That meant whoever these children owed their "weekly quota" to was more than just a petty gang leader.

"You brats think you can run? We know you ain't paid up this week. Boss don't like that." A second voice, gruffer than the first, chuckled darkly.

"Maybe we take a finger or two this time, make sure they learn their lesson. The children whimpered, the youngest girl burying her face in the fabric of the lanky boy's shirt. Rusty felt something stir inside him. It wasn't pity, nor was it anger. It was irritation. He had claimed this place as his lair but for some reason, they brought their squabbles into his territory.

"Shhh… be quiet, they are going to…" Just as he was considering whether to step out and scare both the children and the men outside, the youngest child began to cry. This, of course, instantly alerted the two men outside to their whereabouts. The moment the cry escaped the youngest child's lips, the men outside turned their heads toward the broken window. The first thug grinned, a twisted expression of amusement spreading across his scarred face.

Without hesitation, he strode forward and slammed his boot against the already weak entrance door. The old wood cracked under the force, splintering apart as the entrance gave way. The children shrieked and tried to scramble back, but the two thugs stepped inside, their heavy boots echoing against the cold stone floor. Dust swirled in the dim moonlight as they towered over the frightened orphans.

"Heh, look at 'em" The first thug sneered, crossing his arms.

"Like little rats caught in a trap." The second man chuckled darkly and reached out, grabbing the lanky boy by the collar as he tried to shield the others.

"Thought you could hide from us, huh? Bad move, kid." Kicking and clawing, the boy struggled, but the man's grip was firm. The younger children whimpered, pressing themselves against the wall, too scared to move. The second thug turned his gaze toward them and leaned in, his grin widening.

"No running, little ones. We got business to…" The man stopped himself as he felt that something was off, there was a strange presence looming behind him. Before he could react, a massive metal fist crashed into his face. The impact sent a sickening crack through the air, and his body was flung across the room like a ragdoll. He slammed into the far wall, his head snapping back against the stone before he crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

"Huh? Who goes there?" In a panicked tone the remaining thug shouted at the figure that emerged from behind his ally. Rusty walked forward his steps slow and deliberate. His body gleamed faintly in the dim moonlight and Gleam occupied his shoulder, her antennae pointing at the man before them in a meanacining fashion.

"(•̀ - •́)""You broke my door." Rusty cracked his knuckles, the metal grinding ominously as he took a step forward. His voice was deep and devoid of emotion. The thug holding the lanky boy gulped, his grip loosening as he tried to process what he was seeing. His partner lay motionless on the ground, his face twisted in pain. The children, now forgotten by the remaining thug, huddled together, their wide eyes fixed on Rusty as he approached.

"W-what the hell are you?" The thug stammered, instinctively reaching for the dagger at his belt. Rusty tilted his head slightly, his gaze falling on the short blade before he lunged forward without a warning. This was his lair, his territory, and he would not allow some thugs to set the rules. He knew how the laws worked here, and now that he owned this home, the law was on his side. Even if these men were part of the thieves' guild, so was he.

As the thug pulled his weapon, Rusty caught the incoming blade between his steel gauntlet, locking it in place before the man could react. While he had every right to defend his lair, killing them was unnecessary. Instead, he chose to disable them. His gauntlet shot forward, slamming into the man's solar plexus and dropping him to his knees. A swift knee to the jaw followed, knocking him out instantly. The fight was over as quickly as it had begun.

"Now, what should I do with you…" Though the attackers were down, four others remained in his house. The children huddled together, their fear evident. The lanky boy grasped his own dagger and pointed it at Rusty, his hands trembling and terror clear on his face.

"S-stay back!"

"..."