Their lunch ended with a loud, unapologetic burp from Suri.

  “Classy,” Kana muttered, though she couldn’t help but chuckle.

  “It’s a perfect time to nap,” Suri declared, patting her now full stomach.

  Despite the delicious feast, the price tag left a sting. Kana tried not to think about how many meals in the village they could’ve bought with what they’d just spent. Still, the experience was worth it—especially the taste of something new. She hadn’t even known some of those spices existed.

  After a bit of wandering, they arrived at their next destination—a shop specializing in enchanted clothing.

  “Welcome!” a cheerful voice greeted as they stepped inside.

  The shop was filled wall-to-wall with garments that weren’t meant for fashion statements, but survival—fire-resistant robes, cloaks that repelled water, gloves that dulled a blade’s edge, and more. It was like a treasure chest for practical adventurers.

  “We need cloaks that can hide our faces. Water-resistant, if possible,” Kana said.

  The shopkeeper nodded enthusiastically. “Absolutely! We’ve got some in stock, but they’re made for general sizes. If you want a proper fit, we can adjust them—it’ll just cost a bit extra.”

  “How much?” Boris asked, arms crossed, already calculating the cost.

  “Five silver coins each.”

  The trio exchanged a look. It was steep—but manageable, thanks to the Duke’s generous silver. One by one, they paid.

  As the shopkeeper took their measurements and began adjustments, Kana’s [High Awareness] kicked in. She sensed someone nearby—not in the store, but close. Between the walls?

  She didn't react outwardly. The presence wasn’t threatening. Just watching.

  Ten minutes later, their cloaks were ready—crudely adjusted, but effective. They folded them neatly and handed the bundle to Boris, who stuffed them into his bag for now. Once outside, they ducked into a quiet alleyway so Kana could store the items safely into her [Inventory].

  As she closed the pocket of space, she frowned.

  “They’re tailing us. More than one now,” she whispered.

  “Seriously?” Boris tensed. “Adam warned me about this. Said people around here target newcomers. It’s normal in the Butcher District. Their job is to rob people.”

  Kana nodded. “I noticed the first one inside the shop—between the walls. Thought it was just curiosity. But now… we’ve got more eyes.”

  Boris blinked. “Wait… aren’t we looking poor?”

  Kana and Boris turned to glare at Suri, who twirled in her flowy, sleepwear-like skirt, completely unbothered.

  “What?” she said, flipping her hair. “Just because you two dress like outdated folks doesn’t mean I have to.”

  “You’re the reason we’re getting tailed,” Boris grumbled.

  “Correction—you’re the reason we’re unprotected from fashion roasts,” Suri said, wagging a finger.

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  Kana pinched the bridge of her nose. “Enough. Stay sharp.”

  ….

  A lanky man with several missing teeth stood beside a grizzled adult, likely in his thirties—the leader of the thieves. Kana could tell this wasn’t their first time doing this. Her [High Awareness] picked up two lookouts stationed on nearby rooftops, and over a dozen more men surrounding them, each armed with worn out but deadly-looking weapons.

  “Yeah, boss. It's them,” the lanky man grinned, revealing the gaps in his smile. “Saw ‘em earlier with my [Phase] skill. Each of 'em's carrying fat stacks of silver.”

  The boss eyed them skeptically, his grip tightening around a scarred mace. “Those two look like country bumpkins. You sure?”

  “Dead sure. We scored big today.”

  The boss stepped forward, his heavy boots thudding against the ground. “Let’s not make this messy, kids. Hand over your coins… or you won’t see another sunrise.”

  Kana didn’t flinch. She could feel the intent behind their eyes—these weren’t amateurs. They were used to drawing blood.

  “Just be careful,” Kana said aloud, her tone calm, cold, and clear enough for the thieves to hear. “If you kill them, we might get kicked out of the school.”

  The gang hesitated. Even the boldest of them flinched at the authority in her voice.

  “They’re bluffing,” the boss snarled. “Let’s show ’em how we deal with brats who act tough.”

  But they weren't ready for Boris.

  The big teen suddenly surged forward, his bulk growing with every step. Two of the thieves tried to cut him down with rusted axes—but Boris was faster than he looked. He sidestepped effortlessly, then drove a punch into one man’s gut. The other caught a brutal front kick and crumpled like a sack of grain.

  The rest, learning quickly, split off and rushed toward Kana and Suri.

  Big mistake.

  With a casual wave of her hand, Suri summoned a construct—water swirled unnaturally into the massive form of an orc, shifting with hues of violet and green. It roared and charged the oncoming thugs.

  Their weapons slashed into it, but the blows passed through harmlessly as the creature reformed, untouched. Several attackers turned and fled immediately, fear overwhelmed greed.

  Kana didn’t move. She was watching the boss, eyes narrowed.

  Should I kill him?

  He activated a skill [Dash]—his form blurred, lunging forward in a burst of speed. But to Kana’s heightened senses, he was slow—so slow.

  Her hand moved before thought. She unsheathed her dagger, aiming for his throat. She could already see the clean arc, her blade would follow—

  Kill them!

  The voice wasn’t hers. It slammed into her mind.

  Startled, she shifted at the last second. Her blade flashed downward. What was that?

  The thief boss screamed, stumbling past her.

  “AAAHH—MY HAND!”

  Blood sprayed across the alley as his severed hand, still clutching the mace, hit the dirt. The boss tumbled, clutching the stump in agony.

  “That was brutal,” Suri whistled, impressed.

  Kana blinked, regaining her calm. “Ah… accident,” she muttered.

  Boris doubled over laughing as the rest of the thieves turned tail in full panic. A dozen of them scrambled after their leader, snatching up his dismembered hand before bolting out of the alley like scared rats.

  “They’ll probably beg a [Healer] to reattach it,” Kana said, sheathing her dagger. “Though I doubt it’ll be cheap.”

  “Ah… we should’ve looted them,” Boris muttered as he spotted two silver coins glinting on the ground—dropped by one of the fleeing thieves.

  “We can get them later,” Suri said, brushing her hair back with a smirk. “They wasted our precious time… so they’ll pay for it.”

  Kana turned to look at her. “What do you mean?”

  “I already planted a tracker,” Suri replied, her grin widening. “In their boss’s shadow.”

  Kana all of a sudden had a goosebump. When did she think of that?

  From their dungeon raids, the trio didn’t just gain levels—their instincts sharpened, forged by real battle. After facing monsters far deadlier than common thugs, especially dungeon bosses, they could now tell at a glance: these thieves were nothing in comparison.