To Be a Power in the Shadows! Chapter 154

5 men were gathered around the low light of a lamp in the underground cellar .

“You think he'll pull through?”

“Kid didn't look too bright to me . Whatever, he fails, we kill 'im . The end . ”

“At any rate, tonight's the big night . It's almost time . Where'd Zack go?”

“In 'is room . Stomach pains, he says . ”

“The hell? Bastard's been acting strange lately . You don't think, he's leaking intel to those Royalists—”

“Oi, it's time . ”

Signalled one of them as the door to the cellar opened .

In the dark, decrepit room, a single figure approached the five .

The figure's identity was slowly revealed as he approached the light .

“You're alone . Where's the girl?”

“Tsk . Didn't pull through after all . ”

The men were badly disappointed .

The black haired boy standing before these intimidating prisoners looked the definition of ordinary .

His dark eyes were looking down, staring at the shadows extending across the floor .

“Hey, you better not say you got cold feet . ”

One of the men pulled out a knife .

“Hey! Talk! Where's the princess!?”

He threatened, holding the knife at the boy's throat .

The boy began trembling like the weakling he was— or so the men had imagined .

The boy didn't do that . He didn't shake, he didn't even move . He simply kept staring at the shadows below .

“The princess, Clara…”

He muttered softly .

His voice wasn't loud but everyone could hear it clearly .

“Isn't coming…”

His eyes were yet glued to the floor .

However, his lips held a tiny grin now .

“The fuck are you talkin' about, huh!? Ya got cold feet and came here alone, that it!?”

The boy was silent .

“What now? We kill 'im?”

“Gotta at least show him not to mess with us . ”

“Yeah . We beat him up and try again . ”

The men all stood up and surrounded the boy .

“Messin' with us, eh dipshit?”

The man who had the knife at the boy's neck grabbed a fistful of his hair with his other hand and pulled his face up .

What the man saw there was the boy's eyes, pitch dark eyes lacking in emotion .

“I don't like that look . ”

Looking annoyed, the man grazed his knife along the boy's neck .

A line of blood escaped the shallow cut .

“I said, I don't like that look . ”

But the boy didn't comply . He just kept staring blankly .

No, not quite . The small smile on the boy's lips had grown into a visible grin .

“What're you laughin' at!!”

The man smacked the boy's face with the butt of his knife .

But the boy's smile didn't falter, not in the least .

“You don't seem to realize you're in deep shit, brat . ”

Another smack .

Stronger this time . Enough to break the cheekbone, maybe even knock loose a tooth .

Still no reaction from the boy .

The boy simply kept on looking at the man with a grin across his face .

“Oi, you goin' easy on 'im or what?”

From the side, one of the man's comrades came up and punched the boy in the face .

“That's how ya punch a face . Leave 'em half dead and they'll never— Huh!?”

That punch was meant to knock the boy out cold .

But the boy just stood there as if he felt nothing . The spot where he'd been battered had remained spotless .

Those emotionless eyes still peered at the 5 men .

It was freaking them out .

“— Is that it?” Finally said the boy .

“—!! You'll regret that!!”

Furious, the man began pummeling the boy with ferocious fists .

He punched like no tomorrow, until his breathing became rough .

“See, this is what happens when you— HUH?”

“— Are you done?” Said the boy, ever smiling .

His face revealed not one bruise .

“This kid's fucking strange . ”

“Tsk . Gimme the knife . ”

The man from the side took the knife and stabbed the boy in the ribs .

— But,

“What, how—!?”

The knife, penetrating only the boy's clothes, stopped there . Even putting more strength into his arm, the man couldn't cut the boy's skin .

“O-oi, what're ya playin' around for?”

“Stab him, do it!”

“Sh-shaddap! Knife ain't going in!!”

The man tried stabbing again and again .

The knife never penetrated even skin deep .

His breathing had gone arid as the man stepped away . His eyes couldn't believe what he'd just witnessed .

“W-what, the hell are y—”

“— So you're done?”

That's when the boy swung his fist .

Yet, no one saw it move . Such was its speed .

What they saw was the result only .

The boy's fist had punched through the man's chest and come out the other side .

“Ah… ahyauu…”

The man dropped to the ground, creating a large pool of blood .

“Wha!?”

“N-no, fuckin…”

“D-did this guy just punch a hole through…”

“Hyai…!”

Splich, splich .

The boy walked on the the bloody floor .

“— Done?”

He taunted the men, still grinning .

The remaining mens' faces stiffened .

“Goddamn… w-we'll take 'im down with all of us!!”

“D-don't mess with me!!”

“D-Die, fucker, dieeee!!!”

“H-hyi-hyeeeeeeee!!”

Four shadows converged on the boy . The flame in the lamp flickered .

— Dancing shadows .

Once the flame regained its calm, on the floor of the cellar lay 5 corpses with holes for a chest .

“— looks like we're done . ”

No one answered now .

Splich, splich . The boy stepped over the blood as he walked away .

Chapter end