Money I'm Coming!!

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Ardelt, Exia excused himself upon glancing at the clock's direction and realized it was around 15 o'clock already. Leaving Smith's Blacksmith with a shoulder bag he borrowed from Ardelt, Exia makes his way toward the library.

...

"Are you sure he'll be here? It's been 3 hours, and we didn't spot him for once." Lockey whispered as he stared at the library's entrance from one of the dark alleys that concealed his figure.

"He should be here. From my observation on Exia, I noticed he does often hang out between the library and blacksmith." Luke said thoughtfully.

"Is Exia could actually read? We've been together with him for a quite long time, and I didn't know he could read at all." Lockey mumbled while tilting his head confusedly as if pondering something.

"Stupid! Of course, he can't. He just used the library as his secret hideout or something. My instinct told me that he stored most of the money he got in the library."

"Oh! That sounds reasonable. Wait...Blacksmith? Do you mean Smith's Blacksmith? What's he doing there?" Lockey asked shockingly. Who doesn't know the only blacksmith on Lite City, Smith's Blacksmith? When he first opened his shop, Rumor has it that few gangs attempted to bully him by demanding a protection fee. But instead of receiving the money they expected, they were beaten to the point where they could hardly move. From then onward, many gangs didn't dare to mess with him anymore. With such an amazing feat, Lockey was definitely startled when he heard Exia often goes there.

"I don't know either. You know how that blacksmith's owner despises a gang member like us. If I recklessly barge into his territory, wouldn't I ended up as dead meat?" At the thought of him might gets crippled by the blacksmith's owner due to his spying action, Luke becomes shudder.

Just then, his eyes caught Exia's figure, who was in the middle of walking toward the library while carrying something in his right hand.

"He's here! But what's he holding?" Lockey mumbled and narrowed his eyes to see things clearer but failed because their position only allowed them to see Exia's side figure.

"Probably a sum of money he tried to hide? This is interesting," Luke rubbed his hand in excitement as he assumed he discovered a shred of important evidence.

Oblivious to the scheme waited for him. Exia casually entered the library.

"Welcome...Eh? You again! For someone like you that came from low-area, you're really diligent, huh?" Ruri exclaimed in surprise.

Since he has been visited the library thrice, including now, Exia has been accustomed to Ruri's frankness and didn't get insulted, "Yeah, after all, knowledge is power."

Letting out a little laugh, Ruri said between his laugh, "I never expected to hear such words from a person like you."

Returning his smile, Exia replied, "I'm going first."

"Enjoy your reading."

Since he already paid the fee access yesterday, Exia could freely enter the library without paying a single coin. As he walks, his mind wandered while counting his savings with his fingers, 'Yesterday I was a bit lucky and gained 60 coppers, 7 coppers more than the first-day income. Then with 25 coppers gone to Mister Braun's pocket and 10 coppers for the library's fee. I only got 55 coppers left now. '

'Nevertheless, this should be sufficient,' Exia thought to himself and began to collect all his coppers from each book.

Poured all the coins into his shoulder bag, Exia then chose a random book and walked to the available seats.

...

While studying the book's content to improve his reading skill, he also constantly checked the clock to ensure he'll not be late for the competition. As soon as the clock shows at 16.30 o'clock, Exia immediately closed the book and stood up to put the book back to its original place.

Afterward, he goes to the main lobby and bid his farewell to Ruri. Coming out of the library, Exia paused at his steps for a moment before resuming his pace while being followed by Luke and Lockey secretly.

As Exia walked through a jammed street where many bards were performing their skills, he blended himself with the crowd and lowered his body slightly to avoid being sighted. He deliberately chooses this road to avoid the risk of some people tailed him secretly. Since he didn't have superpower eyesight that could perceive a thousand miles ahead or see in the dark to discern his stalker. He could only resort to this method to successfully execute his plan. Using an opportunity where people stood still watching bards' performance, Exia made use of that chance to slip between the crowd.

"Shit! Where did he go?" Luke cursed as he squeezed his way through the mass of people who were remained like a statue engrossed in bards' performance.

"We lost his track, Luke!" Lockey exclaimed in worry and tried to move forward but kept paused at his tracks because many people were halted their steps at the view of bards' show, which managed attract any passerby's interest by their action.

After escaping from the hustling street, Exia still had a hint of worry about being stalked. Hence, he decided to take a few detours to completely eliminated all those negative emotions before going to the Hart District directly.

Arriving at the Hart District, Exia already changed his appearance by coating his clothes with a robe that stretched until his feet. His face was half-covered by using the handkerchief that already folded into a mask by him. Tilting his head upward, Exia saw the sky already lost its blue colour, replaced by an orange with a glint of dark slowly enveloped, as if ready to swallow the whole world.

At that moment, Exia heard a rough-voice sounded beside him, "What a nice robe you got, bro. How much is it?"

Turning his head, Exia saw a brown-haired man with a little scar visible on the side of his face.

Cleared his throat, Exia replied with a deep voice, "This is not for sale."

Hearing Exia's answer, the man only shook his head and said in regret, "That's a pity. I wish I could also have one like you do."

Before Exia able to respond, the man quickly added, "Are you here for the mini-tournament? Because I haven't seen a person with an appearance like you before in this district."

"Yeah. Where should I go to register myself?"

"Come follow me,"

Venturing the Hard's District deeper, Exia saw people start to came by from different alleys and gradually filled the main road.

While walking, the man introduced himself as David, the resident in Hart District. The mini-competition Exia wanted to participate was in fact had been held a few times for years. It was like a routine for them. From David's explanation, Exia also learned that the tournament prizes were rather average with prizes money ranged from 3 silver to 10 silver.

Considering the event was organized by people who came from low-area, Exia understands it was the best they could do. Anyway, David also said that the real money-maker wasn't the tournament prizes. But the betting site. In fact, most people who come here had a goal to gain fortune and stepped out from poverty by gambling. On the betting site, people would be offered to bet on the people who might emerge as winners for each competition.

Of course, being a greedy person like himself, Exia planned to bet for himself based on his ability. With his unlimited stamina, is there anyone who can beat him in terms of endurance?

...

Since most people from the slum-area could hardly read, they asked for a literate person to be in-charge in the registration process.

"State your name and what type of competition you wish to participate in." A man with neat clothes and blond hair asked Exia.

Exia contemplated for a moment before remembering the source of his power, "Scarlet and marathon competition."

Writing Exia's statement, the man then spoke while pointing at the bowl full of copper atop the desk, "Please put the 10 coppers registration fee in this bowl."

Dropping the exact amount of copper as the man ordered, the man then confirmed his coins before handing Exia a one-side sticky circular paper with a number 25 on another side.

"You're participant number 25. Make sure this is attached to your chest the entire time as it was the only thing that could prove your identity as the participants."

Nodding his head, Exia thanked the man before strode toward the betting site after inquiring its location from David.

Plopping the bag full of his money to the desk, Exia grinned, "I bet all of my money for participant number 25 in the marathon as a winner."

...

"Ready, set, go!"

As soon as the referee's voice shouted out, Exia dashed forward like a cheetah, completely leaving behind all the participants in his dust. Obviously, Exia's action drew a laugh from all people. It was a marathon with a track stretched circularly, passing by many districts, with a distance of around 30 kilometers. Simply behaving like it was a short-distance running was bound to be scorned.

'He'll be out of stamina soon,' Everyone thought in unison.

Of course, Exia knows his action was looked foolish in everyone's eyes. However, he got a magical orb that can replenish his stamina forever, so, exhaustion hasn't existed in the first place for him.

Running like the world about to end, Exia's breath becomes ragged, while perspiration beads start to cascade over his face. His legs become weak, almost like he couldn't sense them anymore. But at that moment, before Exia collapsed on the ground, he proceeds to lift his finger and touched the orb. Instantly, his body jolted awake as electric bolts flowing through his body like a snake, making his body shudder. After the pain subsided came forth a feeling of relieves. His previous weariness completely disappeared, replaced by bull-like stamina.

This view doesn't escape from the spectator's eyes, and thus, they couldn't help but wondered whether their eye still functions properly. While the other participants could only gape at this scene as their distance gradually becomes farther.

Even after the finish line within Exia's vision, he still didn't reduce his movement speed. Instead, he increased it. And with that, he emerged as the winner in only more or less two hours by running at full speed.

Staring at the betting site with his eyes blazing in flame, Exia licked his lip greedily, 'Money, I'm coming!!'