32 New addition to the gang

Leaving the manor they walked along the street. Saito asked, "What you said there.... Is it all true?" Saito asked.

Minos nodded his head as he answered, "Yes, that was without a doubt a summon stone used by sorcerers! I've seen it many times when I was in the academy". "Then if that's all true and someone is aiming for this town, then that demon attack earlier was nothing but something to weaken our forces".

Vik nodded his head, "I agree, that type of force is not suitable for taking over a city or destroying it if you know the strength of the city, that was definitely a first wave to weaken us and it happened just as they wanted". Saito then indulged in thought, 'If they are weakening us then their goal should be to take over the city which means they want the trade route this city posses!'.

He said, "Guys, I solved the puzzle and I'll tell you guys when we reach the Inn". They all nodded their head.

"Let me go! I told you I don't have any! Why are you troubling me!?".

They heard a voice of a little girl. Saito stopped and looked at the alley way where the voice came from. He then walked towards the alley to see where the sound came from and who said it.

"Saito, I don't think we should mess with others work" Herjar said as he knows about the dark side of humans. If there is a human, then there is always trouble lingering around them or they will be that lingering trouble.

"Still, I can't close an eye when a kid is being bullied by some @$$holes" Saito and entered the alley way. Herjar scratched his head as he said, "*sigh* This guy's sense of justice is gonna get us in trouble someday".

"Isn't it something to be proud of? Helping the ones in need of help is the way of true knights" Vik said and followed in Saito. "*sigh* Swordsmen" Minos said. "Yeah" Herjar agreed and both of them followed Vik.

"I said give me all that money you made today thief! Don't you understand the debt your parents made should be cleared by you? I heard that both your brother and sister left you guys and went on their way, now there's only you who should pay the debt they got" a bald ugly faced guy with a scar on his right eye said. Behind him stood three more guys with short swords hanging on their waist.

The bald guy chocked the little girl who seemed to be on her 14s and she wore a brown tattered robe with a hood on it and a black top and brown leather pants and leather boots. The girl had black hair, black eyes and black tail..... Black ears added. Yep, she's a cat girl. (Author: CAT GIRLS ARE JUSTICE!)

Although she's a little girl, she's quite tall and matured. The bald guy then eyed the girl and said, "If you can't pay back the debt, then how about I sell you over as a slave? You do have a nice figure so you might be sold as a medium or even as a high class slave! How about it?" his face had a lecherous look.

The girl was clearly disgusted by him as she said, "I'll pay my parents debt! But you don't own me! Let me go!" she struggled to release from his grasp. "Ohhhhhhh, now that's now how you should act to your elders, didn't you parents teach you how to act in front of someone older than you? Oh yea, they are dead! Hahahahaha!" the bald guy and his underlings started laughing. The girl closed her eyes like accepting her fate.

"I take back what I said earlier Saito, these guys don't deserve to live".

The thugs gang turned and looked at the source of voice and say Saito and his party. "Hey boss, look at this group of clowns, a monster, a dumb guy, a weak looking mage and an ugly elf! Hahahaha! They look like a funny bunch!" the gang started laughing.

Saito was burning with rage. They can talk about him but if they talk bad about his friends, then these guys don't get to see the sunrise!

The girl tried to look at what's going on and why these group of thugs are laughing. When she saw Saito and his group, she was surprised but she couldn't show it in her face and the bald guy was choking her.

"He...Hel.... Help...me" she tried to say. Saito heard her and asked, "Is that a request?". She girl nodded her head with great difficulty. Saito smiled, "Understood".

He then slowly drew his blade out and stood there with his face showing no emotions. The thugs then got a bit scared and said, "Hey! We are Mercenaries from the guild! We are collecting the debt this girl owes us! We are doing our duty so why are you nosing in our business?" one of the thugs said.

Saito didn't even flinch a bit and took his stance. "Wai- wait! If you kill a Mercenary then the guild won't let you off!" another one blabbed. Saito stopped and stood there with his combat stance.

"The guild will punish them only if you guys are Mercenaries, not thugs" a voice came from above. Everyone looked at the roof and saw a huge guy crouching there with a grin on his face. In his hand there were four cards.

The thugs searched their pockets and found their guild card missing. The bald guy let go of the girl and searched for the card but it was missing. Their face ashened.

"What took you long, Mr.Guild master? " Saito asked. The guild master smiled as he said, "Brat! You found me the moment I got here didn't you? Its been a long time since I was found like this and you waited for me to do something which is why you drew out you weapon right?".

Saito didn't even bother looking at him and said, "If you know the answer then why ask the question?" his eyes were locked on the bald guy. The guild master smirked and said, "Well these guys are not Mercenaries anymore and I informed Sullivan to take care of the cleaning so do as you deem fit" he then crushed the guild cards in his hands and went.

"Now that you all are no more Mercenaries, how about I dispose of you?" Saito said in an ice cold tone. The thugs were scared of out their wits. The bald guy drew out his sword and faced Saito and the rest did the same.

Saito's team didn't even move an inch or react, if they did then it will be over kill. Saito said, "Minos, the small fries are yours". "Kekeke, understood" Minos smiled wickedly.

The three underlings were scared af! Minos wrist was covered by a black flame and the next moment his skeleton soldiers rise from the ground behind the three of them. Without them knowing, the three skeletons stabbed their swords at their back.

The three looked behind them and died not by injury, but by fear. The skeletons then went back to the ground. The bald guy was distracted and didn't notice Saito.

Saito just came at him and cut him into ten pieces under one second. He then put his blade back into its saya and looked at the girl. She was scared out of her wits and closed her eyes. Saito's face restored of emotions and he approached the girl with a caring smile on his face.

"It's alright now, you don't have to be afraid of us" Saito said in the smoothest tone possible as he crouched down. The girl then slowly opened her eyes and saw Saito's smile which calmed her down.

"My name is Saito and these guys are my friends, Herjar, Minos and Vikkendi or you can call him Vik, what's yours?" Saito asked as he introduced themselves. The girl opened her mouth and said, "Lily, my name is Lily".

Saito smiled, "Its alright Lily, they won't trouble you anymore" he said as he pat her (*knock* *knock* *knock* FBI OPEN UP!). She then seemed to smoothen up and then she collapsed.

"Oii Saito what did you do to her!?" Herjar asked with a weird look on her face. Minos and Vik took a step back and looked at him weirdly.

"Oii! Stop looking at me like I'm a pedophile!" Saito said. He looked at the girl and saw that she was sleeping. "She's just exhausted, nothing else" Saito said.

"We can't leave her like this" Vik said. "The city guards will be coming according to guild master" Herjar said. "What's your call Saito?" Minos asked and the two of them looked at him.

"We'll take her to the Inn since we can't leave her here in this state" Saito said. All of them agreed with his suggestion and Saito took her on his back as they walked towards the Inn.

Everyone on their way gave them a weird look. Well if you were carrying a little girl on your back and looked suspicious then its only normal for others to look at you like that.

When they reached the Inn, even Dory gave them a weird look but she understood the situation after hearing Saito's explanation. "Dory, if you don't mind, can you bring some good food to my room?". Dory nodded her head and said, "Wait for a few minutes and I'll bring it" she then went off to the kitchen.

The four of them went to the room Saito and Herjar are staying and closed the door behind them and put the girl on the bed. The four of them then took a spot and stood there. Saito sat on the chair and Minos sat was beside him on an other chair. Vik and Herjar stood at each corner. All four of them stared at the sleeping girl. "Now what?" Minos asked. "We wait" Herjar replied.

After a few minutes later.

*knock* knock* *knock*

. "It's me Dory, open the door" Dory said from the other side. Saito opened the door and received the tray containing four different type of food, all are fish dishes.

"I told mom about the situation and she prepared this" Dory said. "Wow that's pretty fast" Saito said.

Dory then asked, "How is the girl?". Saito moved aside and showed her, "She's sleeping sound" he said. Dory heaved a *sigh* and said, "For a second I thought you were gonna do something weird to her". "What do you think I am!?" Saito asked.

Dory giggled, "Well I know you are not that type of guy anyway" she then left. Saito returned and put the tray on the table.

They waited for her to wake up and time passed as they waited. Finally she opened her eyes slowly and sat up. She then looked around and looked at the window. It was already evening.

She then turned around and looked at Saito and his group, who were bored to death. Saito then asked, "How are you feeling now? Don't push yourself". Lily nodded her head and said, "Thank you for helping me, I don't know how I'm going to repay you since I don't have any money...." she looked a bit worried that something like the previous time would happen again.

Saito know her concern and he said, "Your a rogue right? If you want to repay us that badly, then why don't you join our party?" his words shocked everyone in the room. 'Ah, so this was your motive from the start huh? Not bad' Herjar said in his mind.

"Saito are you sure about this?" Minos asked. Vik just stood still and observed the situation. Lily's eyes were wide in shock. She asked, "Why.....? Are you fine with someone like me join you?" she was on the edge of crying.

"Why? What's so wrong about that? If you want to, then you can join us and we are not going to force you to join us or anything" Saito said. "Black cats are considered as bad luck and that's why no party will accept a black cat as their companion" Herjar said.

Saito asked him, "Then what do you think?". "Those people are utterly useless, if they depend on luck then why the hell are they Mercenaries in the first place? For show? If they can't bet on their skills and blame others for their fault then they are idiots" Herjar said with his eyes closed and hands folded as he leaned against the wall.

"Well, there's your answer! We are not idiots so we don't give a f*ck about what others think" Saito said. He turned towards Lily and asked, "I'll ask once more, Lily, will you join us?".

This time Lily really started crying. "Oii! Why are you crying? Did I ask something weird?" Saito hurriedly asked. "No *sniff* its just that *sniff* no one has ever been this good with me before" she said while crying.

The group smiled and Saito asked, "Then what is your answer Lily?". She wiped her tears and happily said with a beautiful smile, "Yes! I'll gladly join you brothers!". Their hearts melted at witnessing such scene.