Chapter 005

July 2020

Champion Association.

Materials Department

Retrieval and Sorting Unit

"Canis! Canis!"

An average-built man wearing a round glass, and a suit shouted in the warehouse.

(This is the guy who is at the top of the list. I need to see him immediately.)

The warehouse contains several items ranging from bones, leather, metal, ores, and crystals that are placed on containers and sorted at different levels.

"Here Sir!"

Canis raises his hand.

The manager walks towards him.

Canis is wearing a white overall with no pockets and white gloves.

"Hey! Hey! Is this true?"

Canis felt confused.

"What is it, Sir?"

"They said you are doing overtime?"

"Yeah! Crystal sorting and managing took a lot of time because we cannot afford to make mistakes."

"Who! Told you to take over time!? I cannot pay your overtime!? Who would…"

The manager angrily said.

"Sir! Sir!"

Canis raises his hand, signaling to stop.

"Don't worry about it, it's free."

"What!? What free?"

The manager is confused.

"Yeah! The load in the morning is very heavy, new items came in together with new requests for a specific guild, there is too much load, and so I took this time to do sorting on different items."

The manager blinked several times.

"Last night, I stayed up late to sort the orange rank materials."

Canis added

"I cannot believe it."

(Is this guy stupid or what? Free work? This guy must be stealing…)

The manager is flabbergasted so he looks at Canis's profile once more.

The most important thing in this document is the Ability section.

He looks at the ability section.

(None… None… I see, so he is one of those guys ah, people with no ability, Classless, well this part of the record is impossible to fake… The people who made this report are people with Scry Ability, one of the top groups in the association. Well the association does that so we would not hire anyone that has an ability that could take advantage of us.)

He looks around the area.

(But something doesn't feel right I… I just knew it. My Intuition ability is telling me that, that guy is up to no good.)

He looks at Canis who is busily working.

Then he inspected the entrance of the warehouse, the walls, the ceiling, and every corner of this place.

(Our Scryers are top-notch… but is it really good to trust the Scryers?)

"Hmmm… I see carry-on…"

Unconvinced.

The manager left Canis and moved towards the CCTV Room.

He looks at the security who is making a report at the desk.

"Hey!"

The security immediately looked at him and stood up.

"Yes, Sir Josh… Is there anything you need?"

"This guy right here? Does he do anything suspicious? Did he have a bag or any items with him during overtime?"

Josh pointed at Canis from the monitor.

"Oh! That guy, I always saw him every night and I watch him too… There is nothing interesting at night so I watch that guy. Aside from standing from time to time and moving around, there was nothing special to report."

"Every night?"

(The report also said that Canis worked overtime, every night, but isn't that too suspicious? He works without pay and to top it off he does it every night.)

"Yes Sir, he works in a different area every night, sometimes we even visited his area but we found nothing suspicious about him."

(But… I still think he is doing something wrong… I trust my Intuition better than these people.)

"Sir? Is this your first time investigating Canis?"

The manager looked at the security with curiosity.

"Yeah, I got transferred from another division… may I ask why did you say that?"

The security covered his mouth, it seemed like he said something that he shouldn't said.

"Every year, Canis went into investigation. Well, he's been working here since 2014, 2015 but it seems like there is always a problem with him and the other veterans."

There's no enthusiasm in his voice, and it seems like there is a hint of regret in his tone.

(Well I cannot tell him this, but there is a suspected thief in this place. We still don't know who is involved or even what department is at fault but, the estimated value is always lower by at least 10%.)

Josh looks at his documents.

(This list is provided by VP Raymond, they already suspect different people who are involved in this case but it seems like they cannot just cut them off easily. I need to investigate this matter too…)

Josh turned the page and looked at the chart of suspected losses per month.

January -12% loss

February -8% loss

March -9% loss

April -11% loss

May -10% loss

June -12% loss

(A 10% loss is a lot of money per month, an average Red Pillar Raid that is limited to 20 Champions will roughly have an income of 30,000 US dollars per raid which took them an average of 15 days to clear.)

(The suspected losses in the association are roughly 90,000 US dollars per month. That is a lot of money. And I, Josh, will swear to fix this and find out the source of the problem.)

He then glances at the monitor and looks at Canis working diligently.

Josh immediately exited the room and moved towards the corridor.

He dialed a number.

Ring! Ring! Tack!

"Hey!"

"Hey! I wanted you to rough up someone."

"Oh? What did he do?"

"Nothing…"

"Huh???"

"He did nothing but my Intuition is telling me he's not a good guy, I just wanted to send a message. 'If you will not stop then this will continue'."

"Alright, this seems like an easy request. Who is the target?"

"Pretty easy… Canis Gaudin, Level 1, No Ability. I will send you the rest of the details later."

"Level 1, you're much more like a demon than we are, that is similar to a regular human. Are you sure you want us to rough him up? That guy might die with a simple punch."

"I don't care if I am a demon or not, if this will help the company I will rough up anyone."

(Anyone who will stand in the way of my promotion, should be dealt with. I don't care if this is a witch hunt or not, if hurting or killing those people will lead to my promotion I don't care who I hurt.)

He then looks at several of the papers that he is carrying.

Those are the suspicious people in the company but unknown to his knowledge those people are also veterans of the Sorting Department.

"I will add another name to my request."

"Good, the more the merrier."

Josh nodded.

"Then call me back when you've captured him, and I'll join you."

"Alright."

Clack.

Without a shred of regret in his face.

He closes his phone and flips to the next page, and moves to the next 'employee'.

*****

"Canis… here please take this."

An old man gave Canis a snack.

Canis just walked out the door of a dilapidated building.

"Thank-"

Step! Step! Step!

Canis notices three guys walking towards them.

Canis reacted by shielding the old man from these guys.

Most of them have bulky bodies and tattoos covering their arms.

"Canis come with us!" 

With a deep voice, the guy in the middle ordered Canis.

The old man immediately held my arm, I felt the concern coming from him.

"Please get out of here, Canis will not come with you."

The old man replied, even with a hoarse voice he tried to be intimidating as much as possible.

Booooo!

A flame appears on the fist of the person on the left side.

"Cha- Champions."

The old man's voice seems to be filled with fear.

(Understandably, violence against civilians by champions increased every year.)

Canis looks at the old man.

"Senior Ramon, it's alright, they just want to talk to me."

(Talk, No, whoever brought these guys, it will not end up with just talking.)

Senior Ramon, grip increased and his eyes pleaded that I should not go.

"Canis, please return to us… the kids, the elderly, they don't have anyone now. You are the only one who cares about us."

Canis smiled at Ramon.

"Don't worry Senior, I plan to return."

He gently taps the hand of the old man and walks away.

Canis followed the guys to their car.

*****

Bam! Bam! Bam!

After several punches and kicks.

Canis fall down on the ground.

"A level 1, didn't even stand a chance. Broken bones, immediate bruises from a simple attack, and to make it worse your skin easily burns."

A man with a fire fist said.

"Arl, that is the fifth time the guy fell down."

Woossssh!

That guy splashes two red-colored potions on Canis.

"Let's wait for him, or the expenditures of potions will increase."

"Neru, it's ok to spend that much potion on this guy, didn't he say we need to rough him up."

"Idiot! Roughing him up is different from killing him."

"I think killing him is much better."

Arl responds to Neru.

"Idiot!"

Someone shouted.

Canis' eyes widened when he saw who entered this abandoned warehouse.

(Jo-josh…)

"Because of the increasing violence to Civilians, the investigation into employees' deaths is very thorough, especially if the one who died is a member of the Association."

Step! Step!

Josh slowly walks towards Canis.

He touches his chin raises it and looks Canis directly in his eyes.

"How did you do it!?"

Canis frown.

"What do you mean Sir? Why am I here? Why are you doing this to me?"

Josh didn't reply instead he asked a question again.

"How did you steal from the Association?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The previous investigator didn't find anything, but I have an ability… and I knew… I knew you committed the crime."

Canis tried to shake his head but he couldn't move because of the grip of Josh.

"I don't know what you mean."

Fuuu!

Josh sighed, stood up, and walked in the distance.

He looked at Arl and Neru and nodded to signal them.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

"Arghhh!"

Arl and Neru kick him down.

"Until you confess your crime, I will not tell them to stop."

Bam! Bam! Bam!

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The torture was repeated several times.

Then they are using potions to heal up his body.

But the pain he felt did not disappear.

Bam! Bam!

"Canis… Are you still not going to talk?"

Bam! Bam! Bam!

"Arghh… Do you want me to confess to a crime I didn't commit!"

Angrily, Canis looks at Josh.

Josh didn't reply but signaled the two to continue.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

The process continues to repeat.

"I will not stop… every week you will suffer like this unless you leave or… confess your crime."

Bam! Bam!

Argh!!!

This time Josh didn't even give Canis a chance to reply.

After a long and despicable night.

Canis is lying on the ground and out of breath.

While Naru and Arl are tired.

"I didn't think this guy would be a good punching bag."

Arl said.

Josh walks towards Canis and kneels down.

"If you admit your crime, tell me how you took those items and surrender them back. I will let it go…"

"But I did not…"

Sshhh!

Josh made a 'silence' pose.

"What is the thing that keeps you going?"

Josh's question is quite sincere.

"Money…"

"Money?"

"Yeah, it is hard to find a job for a level 1 Champion… I don't want to lose this job."

(This is somewhat true…)

Josh's face distorted.

"Liar!!!"

Bam! 

Josh punches Canis in the face.

(This guy, how did he know… does he have an ability to detect lies?)

Josh stood up and walked towards a guy located at the back.

"Croc, here is your payment… do this every week?"

The big man with the tattoo took the money and small pouch from Josh.

"Oh!!! Before that…"

Josh seems to have forgotten something.

"Don't even try to tattle, I'll order them to kill you instead."

Josh adjusts his glass and walks out of the warehouse.

Arl started to move toward Canis while licking his lips.

He looked like he was excited.

"Stop!"

Arl stops moving and looks at Croc.

"If we kill that guy, we will lose our source of income, at the same time…"

Croc looked at Canis and smirked.

"You will lose your weekly punching bag."

Arl smiled widely.

"Hahaha Yes! Yes! Boss, that's right."

Croc, Arl, and Neru started to walk out of the warehouse.

Vroom!

Vroooom!

After a while, Canis heard two vehicles moving away.

Canis was alone in the warehouse.

Silence covers the area at night.

The bruises, cuts, and burns already healed but there was a psychological pain he felt in his body.

"Puuu-"

He was just lying down on the ground soaking in his blood.

And numerous vials are scattered around him.

"Puhahahahaha!"

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahahahaahah!"

"Idiots!… Do you think those kinds of torture can inflict more pain? than whats I've been going through!"

"Waaaaa!!!"

You can feel the anger in his voice.

"Years! And years! I've been collecting crystals over and over again! I've been hoarding them non-stop! And through my desperation!"

"I! I! Committed a crime!"

"I crossed the line!"

"I stole materials, crystals, and more in the hope that I would level up."

(I thought I needed several crystals before I absorbed it. Then I thought maybe I needed a certain item to level up and the conditions I thought of became drastic after a while.)

Canis covers his face with a right hand.

"Damn… Level 2… Even with the amount of money… Amount of materials… amount of crystal… I still didn't level up."

His voice became low.

"I don't care about my morals anymore… as long as I become strong and powerful… I don't care."

The flashback of those thugs beating him up and the powerlessness, that he cannot do anything about it.

Truth be told it's not that he didn't fight.

He did, but as soon as he threw a punch those thugs punched him already.

They are much stronger and faster than civilians.

Tears began to flow in his eyes but Canis' face didn't show any hint of sadness but determination.