Descendant of Sloth
Chapter 66: Back Alley Showdown

Chapter 66: Back Alley Showdown

I sat by the window, lazily stirring my coffee as my gaze wandered beyond the glass. My eyes fixated on the footpath outside where two men clad in black walked briskly, their hands over the shoulder of a small green-skinned woman. Something about her expression felt... off. Her body language was stiff, tense, and as the trio moved, I noticed how she kept her head low, her glowing ember-like hair flickering in the wind like a dying flame.

My fingers tapped against the wooden table. Something about the scene unsettled me.

"Oii, Esther! Where are you looking?" Hina’s voice snapped me out of my daze. She waved a hand in front of my face, her brows raised in confusion.

I blinked and turned to her, but just as she followed my gaze outside, the three figures disappeared into a back alley, swallowed by the shadows.

Hina frowned. "What are you looking so suspiciously at?"

I hesitated for a moment before finally asking, "You guys..."

"Yes?" Both Hina and Serina responded in unison, their heads tilting slightly.

I exhaled, my voice steady yet laced with curiosity. "Are demi-humans loved by humans?"

Serina was the first to answer, her lips curving into a small, knowing smile. "Yeah, I mean, just like elves and other species, everyone has the right to live together peacefully. It’s been like this for a long time now."

Hina nodded in agreement, swirling her spoon in her cup. "Sure, there are still some people with old-school mindsets, but in a city like this? No one cares. It’s all about co-existing."

I let out a slow, drawn-out sigh, my fingers tightening slightly around the edge of my cup.

"Why? What happened?" Hina asked, narrowing her eyes at me.

"No, nothing. Nevermind." I shook my head and pushed my chair back, standing up abruptly. "I’ll be back in a minute. Wait here."

"Your coffee will get cold," Hina called out, raising an eyebrow at my sudden movement.

I gave her a lazy shrug. "Drink it, then. I’ll buy another one later."

Before she could question me further, I slid my hands into the pockets of my black pants and strode out of the cafe. The air outside was cold, the faint scent of snow with perfumes lingering in the atmosphere as I crossed the road. My eyes scanned the alleyway where I last saw them.

Back inside, Serina rested her cheek on her palm, watching me disappear into the crowd. "Where do you think he’s going?" she asked absentmindedly.

Hina exhaled, leaning back against her chair. "No idea."

Hina lazily reached for my cake and coffee, pulling them toward her. "I’ll enjoy this till then."

Serina shot her a deadpan look before laughing. "You..."

"Come on, he literally said I could." Hina smirked, already taking a sip of my coffee.

Serina just shook her head, a small chuckle escaping her lips. "You’re unbelievable."

Outside, I moved casually, weaving past pedestrians as I made my way toward the alley, an odd feeling settling in my gut. Something about that woman’s expression didn’t sit right with me. And I was about to find out why.

The dimly lit alley reeked of damp concrete and little trash around, opposite to the bustling neon-lit city just a few steps away. The green-skinned woman was walking in between of those two men, her fiery hair flowing, her small frame trembling under the grip of two men.

The bald man clicked his tongue, his thick fingers digging into her shoulder. "You shouldn’t leave like that on your own... Come on, have we ever treated you badly?"

She swallowed hard, her glowing eyes darting between the two men. "I-I’m sorry..."

The second man smirked, his grip tightening around her arm. "It’s okay. Just be careful next time, okay?"

"Yes..." The woman replied.

The Bald man’s voice was deceptively sweet before his lips twisted into something far more sinister. "Or else..."

His hand slithered down her back before roughly grabbing her ass, his fingers pressing into her soft flesh hard enough to make her wince.

"Ahh...! I won’t go anywhere—I’m sorry...!" she whimpered, her voice cracking.

"Good girl," he chuckled, giving her another sharp squeeze before tapping her ass in mock praise. Then, as if nothing happened, he casually draped his arm over her shoulders again.

"But still..." The other man, the one with a long scar running down his cheek, narrowed his eyes. "How the hell did she manage to slip past security?"

The bald one scoffed. "Who knows what those useless knights are even capable of? Lazy bastards probably—"

*Step.*

The sound of a boot crunching against the ground cut through the air like a blade.

The two men stiffened. The woman’s trembling lips parted slightly, her gaze shifting past them.

They turned around, their eyes landing on the shadow stretching beneath the neon glow. The alleyway was swallowed in the deep, lively darkness of 8 PM, but under the electric light, my silhouette stood tall and unwavering.

I let the silence linger, the hum of the city muffled behind us, and in that pause, the air grew thick with unspoken tension.

"Where are you taking her?" I asked, my voice calm yet firm.

The bald man’s head snapped toward me, his brows furrowing in irritation. "Huh? Who the fuck are you?"

The other man remained still, his grip on the trembling woman tightening slightly as he studied me with wary eyes. The woman herself shifted subtly, her glowing eyes filled with a mix of fear and something else—hope, maybe.

"That doesn’t matter," I said, tilting my head slightly. "Just answer the question."

The bald man scoffed, a smug smirk creeping onto his face. "Tch. Don’t get cocky, young boy." His fingers trailed over the woman’s bare shoulders, a possessive touch. "Go enjoy your night. There are plenty of girls out there. You don’t need this one... She’s special to us."

I sighed. A long, drawn-out breath that carried nothing but disappointment.

"Let her go," I said, my gaze flicking toward her. "She doesn’t look comfortable to me."

The woman’s breath hitched. Her lips parted slightly, and her eyes widened ever so faintly as if she couldn’t believe I had noticed.

The bald man chuckled, shaking his head. "Kids these days... always wanting to play hero." He rolled his shoulders before stepping forward, his expression twisting into something cruel. "But that just makes things more fun for me."

A dark aura pulsed around him as he advanced, his presence pressing into the space between us. His smirk widened as he towered over me, fists clenching.

I didn’t move.

Didn’t even take my hands out of my pockets.

He took one more step, raising his fist. "You should’ve stayed away from us, you little punk!! Now—"

His arm swung forward in a blur, aiming straight for my face.

*SLAP.*

*THUD.*

A dull echo rang through the alley as his body slammed into the brick wall with a violent crash. The neon lights flickered at the impact.

A gust of wind followed my kick, sweeping through the narrow space as I slowly lowered my leg, placing my foot back on the ground with a soft tap.

Silence.

The other man stiffened. The woman sucked in a sharp breath.

I exhaled, shaking my head. "Sigh..."