After he finished his inner monologue, he started walking throughout the impoverished part of the first stronghold.
If he would be asked about his destination, he wouldn't be able to answer for his walk was aimless.
It served merely to ease his mind as he thought about important matters.
"In order to become an Enlightened, it would be best to simply search for one of those stones myself. Of course, this would be plenty risky and extremely time and energy consuming but it would be the safest and easiest option by far."
"In order to be allowed to leave the first stronghold, I would have to be at least an Enlightened rank 1 and so this option isn't available to me either."
"It could be possible to manipulate my friend into buying me the next stone that appears on the market. He is wealthy after all. Seeing how his family despises me with a passion, they would forbid him from doing so. Therefore doing that would be hard in the best case scenario and impossible in the worst."
"The strongest Enlightened are the ones with the most economical power in this city and they all naturally want the best for the first stronghold. If I were to impress them somehow, they may take me under their wing and clear the path for my ascension!"
"Hehe, they're just like ant soldiers living merely to protect the colony, not living for themselves at all. How pathetic."
"It may be easier compared to the other possible ways but it still is a very difficult path to ascension nonetheless. How shall I do it?"
Noboru's peaceful walk as well as his train of thought were quickly interrupted as he crossed a dark alley. Suddenly a hand grabbed him roughly and pulled him into the alley.
He was held hostage tightly, his captor standing behind him and pressing a knife against his throat.
Noboru could immediately tell that it was the shopkeeper he robbed yesterday. The way his fat stomach pressed against Noboru's back and the heavy breathing, it was all familiar to him.
"Ha…haha…hahaha! I'll make sure you worthless bastard…won't be able to steal anymore from my…precious shop! Common now…show me your panic! Squirm for me and beg for your life~"
His voice was sickening and rid of reason as well as sanity.
Despite how crazy the man may seem, Noboru couldn't get himself to show any panic. Not even if he wanted to. It would be nothing but a lie if he were to show such emotions. After all, he is merely a middle aged fat man who can't even pull a 16 year old into a dark alley without panting in exhaustion.
He knew that sadists such as him enjoy taking their sweet time and only hurt their victim after talking about hurting them and psychologically torturing them. After he assessed the situation properly, he relaxed in the man's grip, giving him a false sense of security and letting him think that Noboru gave up on his life. That way the man subconsciously eased his grip just a bit.
A sickening crunch could be heard all of a sudden.
Noboru, knowing the shopkeeper's reaction time is pathetic to say the least, slapped the knife away before spinning around and breaking the man's nose with his elbow. The hold he had on Noboru was so weak that he could spin around freely and ignore it fully.
The anguished and pained screams echoed throughout the alley as the man tumbled back, holding his nose.
"Dammit boy! Come here, you deserve nothing but a slow death!"
Remaining calm, Noboru quickly picked up the knife and as the shopkeeper was charging at him, he ducked down and skillfully severed his left Achilles tendon. The shopkeeper collapsed and grunted in pain, his body trembling slightly.
A sickening smile appeared on Noboru's face as he leaned down.
"How weak! You disgust me old man. You merely prey on the pathetic to please your disgusting and monstrous desires, is that it? You don't want to end me merely because I stole two rats on a stick. You are just trying to justify your sick mind!"
"Hehe. I understand you. I'm the same. No. Actually, I'm not. I don't target the ones weaker than me. How boring is that?!"
The shopkeeper squirmed and tried to crawl away. Noboru grabbed his leg and dragged him back upon which the man started begging for mercy. His face contorting in fear, pain, anguish and sheer panic.
"P-please have mercy! I'm begging you! I-I'll become a slave to you! I'll give you all that I have. I'll do whatever it takes!!"
In Noboru's mind he was like a dog with his tail tugged between his legs and his head bowed low. Noboru refused to let someone worthless like him keep living in this city. Or at all for that matter.
Stab. Stab. Stab. Stab. Slice.
Noboru's smile turned even more wicked as the man's head came loose with a sickening crunch and rolled a few feet away from his body, fresh blood spurting out from the open wound.
Shortly after, Noboru dropped the knife, found a nearby puddle of water and washed himself clean before anyone could see him like this.
He left the scene with his usual icy gaze as if nothing happened.
"He deserved that either way. He would have done nothing of value with his useless life."
Noboru thought as he started walking throughout the impoverished part of the first stronghold once more. This time around, heading for his home.
On his way there, he kept on wondering how it would be possible for him to ever impress and get the attention of important Enlightened.
Upon arriving at his small and plain house, he noticed a boy leaning against his front door. He was 18 years old, had a moderate amount of muscle on his body, had heterochromia, one eye being hazel and the other sky blue, he had blonde and short hair and most importantly, he was a rank 1 Enlightened, his primary element being metal.
It was Kei Fujiwara. The man who helped Noboru afford his house.
"Yo! Ogawa! We haven't seen each other in a while have we? How're you doing?"
Kei spoke excitedly upon seeing his old friend.
"Just fine. If hunger and poverty wasn't plaguing me that is. You must be doing well as always, living your rich life without a single worry."
Noboru's voice was vacant of any excitement. It sounded tired and miserable.
"Oh…I-I see. Well I'm sorry to hear that, friend."
Sigh
"Don't be like that. It's not your life that's miserable, is it? You have no reason to show sorrow."
"Oh common don't say that. Don't you remember that our families go way back? I don't care that my family doesn't care about you no more. I'll keep helping you out. I hate to see you in poverty and miserable."
"You'll help me again? What do you mean by that, Fujiwara?"
Noboru's eyes widened and his voice showed a hint of surprise.
Determined to help, Kei pulled out quite a few gold coins. 50 to be exact which is five times the average household's monthly expenses in the first stronghold.
Noboru took the money without hesitation and hugged Kei tightly who embraced Noboru back just as passionately.
"Thank you…"
Kei's reply was merely a humble smile.
After this short exchange, they caught up with one another and had a pleasant but short conversation before Kei headed off and Noboru went inside his house. Once Kei was gone, Noboru put down the money and heaved a sigh, he stopped acting overly dramatic and became himself again.
"It is so easy. I simply must act as if I was suffering and bring up how amazing his life is and shortly after he'll give me money to help out. People with a saviour complex are so easy to control."
"He's the perfect pawn."
"He is just an idiot with a perfect life. If I was born in his body, I would be at least a rank 4 Enlightened by now! He would be useless if it weren't for his money."
His voice turned spiteful as he talked about Kei's sheer luck in life.