The other two men stood cautiously, bringing their knives out from their pockets.
"Bro, I think we got an aura user here."
"No, I can't even feel aura from this man so how did he-"
Ri-hyun grabbed the bald man's head and lifted him up off the ground with one hand.
"Let him down!"
"Hm?"
Ri-hyun became curious as he felt the energy imbued in the knife.
"That's not how you use internal energy."
"What?"
A single flick struck the man to the head like thunder, causing to fly over to the tree behind him with a loud thud.
"Brother!"
The bald man helplessly watched him get knocked out at the tree, his head still at the grasp of Ri-hyun.
"I'll give it, I'll give you guys food, so please spare us."
The bald man pleaded with tears, surrendering to his overwhelming strength.
"But brother!"
"Shut up!"
The remaining one dropped his knife and knelt in defeat.
Ri-hyun then dropped him on the ground.
"I'll return to the carriage, don't even think of running away."
Ri-hyun walked away and returned to the carriage that is left on the road in the forest.
The bald man watched him leave, his hand shaking from the fear.
"What the hell was up with his grip strength, he could've crushed my head!"
He muttered before telling his brothers to prepare the bread to be given to them.
As Ri-hyun returned, the beggars were filled with worried faces.
"What the hell did you do!? We heard banging and loud screaming!"
"I just pleaded for bread, that's all."
He replied to the old beggar.
The others felt sorry, watching him ask for bread for everyone, thinking the screams and noises came from his suffering for their sake.
The men then came with loaves of bread, enough to fill their stomaches for the night.
As they handed the bread, Ri-hyun stared at them, warning them if they dare to try something stupid.
As morning came, they returned to their pace and continued on the to the village.
Ri-hyun then came to ask the others,
"Can I know anything about this village? Everybody seem... in dread."
The old beggar beside him answered,
"It's because of the cartel located there."
"Cartel?"
"You seem new, so I'll explain."
"They are a criminal organization known for selling drugs to the country and filled with great power that they were able to remain hidden from the kingdom's view."
"The place where we are headed is to the Mara Mountains, located between the borders of the Beleville kingdom, the Ciria Kingdom and the Altaria Empire."
"Where the Nyx Cartel is located, inside the village located on top of the mountains."
"I see."
"Thank you, even if it was just for one night, we were able to fill our stomachs."
All of them looked at Ri-hyun with a small smile filled with gratitude.
"I was just repaying a debt from a certain beggar I knew."
He rested his head and closed his eyes for a nap.
"Geoji, I've repayed my debt, maybe."
He said to muttered to himself.
After a long journey, the carriage stopped in front of the mountains.
The men then told them to that they would be now walking by foot.
They had to walk, all the way to the top where the mountains was the closest to the clouds, where a small land and the village can be seen.
"The houses were built poorly, only but the great house in the front was built with effort."
"Keep moving!"
Ri-hyun glared at the bald man.
"Heek!"
As they walked deeper inside the village, an emotion was slowly boiling within Ri-hyun.
"So that's the drug, it's good enough to put the man in ecstasy."
A man clothed in black noble suit, stood in front with a long sword in his right hand.
"You all will now be a part of our workforce, anybody who's thinking of escaping, or causing a mess."
Two men in black masks and suits brought a person with sack covering his head,
"No, please spare me! I was wrong, I was stupid! Give me another-"
The beggars closed their eyes in fear as the man's head fell to the ground.
"My sword is now dirty."
The man dropped his sword.
Ri-hyun turned to the man beside him.
"Who's he?"
"What!?"
The man whispered.
"You don't know him!? He's Kaiser Veredin, the leader of the Nyx Cartel!"
"I see."
Ri-hyun looked at him, observing his features with his honed senses.
"At most, he's energy is of a 2nd rate warrior."
He muttered.
"He's also one of the master swordsman in the continent, a former knight of the Beleville kingdom."
The man added.
"All of you, continue the production, if we fail to meet this month's quota, you all already know!"
Kaiser returned to the great house and the sound of whips filled the mountain.
Ri-hyun looked at the entrance as he watched hunters enter with boars carried on their shoulders.
"Those are the locals of the village, they were once the hunters that provided food for their families but now slaves to provide food for the cartel."
The man added,
"I didn't even ask that..."
"Haha really? I don't really care anymore, there's no way we are escaping this hell."
"I'm Ciro, just Ciro, I don't have a last name."
"Ri-hyun, Baek Ri-hyun, my last name is Baek."
"Woah, your last name is placed first before your name? Now that I look at you, you look like a foreigner."
"Don't mind it, cause this place will soon fall."
"Ciro, how many do you know in this place?"
"Why? I know them all by now but why?"
"Tonight, gather them, gather them all."
"A new rule will soon take place."
"What? What are you-"
Ciro trailed off as he saw Ri-hyun overwhelming energy only visible to him. A color golden, beautiful yet terrifying.
"We will erase the cartel once the night comes."
Ri-hyun's brown eyes glows golden as he smiles excitedly.