After leaving the guild, Orsted headed toward the Hestia Familia's residence.
However, he hadn't gone far when he was blocked.
Three burly men appeared in front of him.
One leaned against the wall of the alley, tossing a dagger in his hand, while the other two mirrored his posture.
Their intentions were far from friendly.
Orsted frowned slightly, his body tilting as he glanced over his shoulder.
Two more men had appeared behind him, their eyes locked on him with clear hostility.
"Kid, we've been watching you for days. Hand over your earnings, and we'll let you go unharmed."
"Otherwise, you'll regret it," the man leaning against the wall said, standing up straight and grinning.
From his tone, it was clear they had been observing Orsted for some time.
Indeed, ever since Orsted became an adventurer and earned 50,000 valis on his first day, he had caught their attention.
To be cautious, they had watched him for several days, confirming that he wasn't someone they couldn't handle.
Now, they had decided to corner him and take his earnings.
Over the past few days, Orsted's income had exceeded 600,000 valis—a sum the five of them couldn't hope to earn together in the same time.
But by robbing him, they could claim it all for themselves.
As they spoke, the five men began closing in on Orsted.
Glancing at their menacing expressions, he sighed softly and slowly drew the sword at his waist.
"You brought this on yourselves."
"Hah! What are you talking about? You think you can take us on?" The leader burst into laughter, amused by Orsted's defiance.
"There are five of us, and you're just a rookie who's been an adventurer for a few days."
"Do you really think you stand a chance?"
The leader couldn't understand where Orsted's confidence came from.
Orsted was a rookie, while they had been adventurers for over a year.
In their eyes, there was no way someone like him could match their experience.
They planned to strip Orsted of his earnings and prevent him from growing stronger.
To them, Orsted was nothing more than a piggy bank, a source of easy money that would allow them to avoid the dangers of the dungeon.
The leader's grin widened as he imagined their future profits.
But in the next moment, his smile vanished.
He saw an arm—his own arm—flying through the air, blood spraying from it.
Pain exploded through his body, so intense it nearly knocked him unconscious.
Yet, he couldn't tear his eyes away from the scene before him.
Orsted stood in front of him, his expression cold and indifferent.
"How… how is this possible?!" the leader stammered, his voice trembling.
He hadn't even seen Orsted move.
One moment, he was standing several feet away; the next, he was right in front of him.
"Wait…!" The leader's voice cracked as he noticed a faint glint in Orsted's eyes—a glint that sent a chill down his spine.
They had messed with the wrong person.
But before he could beg for mercy, he felt a cold sensation at his throat.
Blood gushed from the wound, and his vision darkened.
The last thing he saw was Orsted's calm, unflinching gaze.
"That look… even when killing, it doesn't change. What kind of monster have we provoked?!"
With that final thought, the leader's consciousness faded.
All of this happened in an instant.
The other four adventurers were frozen in shock.
By the time they reacted, their leader was already dead, his body collapsing to the ground.
"You bastard!" one of the adventurers roared, his eyes bloodshot as he swung something at Orsted.
Swish!
Another sound echoed through the alley as the man fell, his body hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Run! Run!"
The remaining three adventurers panicked, their bravado shattered.
One of them screamed, turning to flee the alley.
The other two followed, scattering in different directions.
But they didn't get far.
Three screams pierced the air, echoing through the quiet alley.
Orsted stood amidst the carnage, his expression unchanged.
After sheathing his sword, Orsted gathered the bodies and, with a thought, made them disappear.
***
"Welcome back, Orsted!" As soon as he returned to the abandoned church, a figure rushed toward him, leaping into his arms.
It was Hestia.
"I'm back, Hestia," Orsted said, gently patting her head.
"But you should get down. I'm covered in blood."
"It's fine! We can take a bath together later," Hestia replied cheerfully.
Orsted: "..."
He declined her offer.
For now, he'll try to lay low.
After a quick wash and a meal, Orsted asked Hestia to update his status.
The glow of the Falna illuminated the entire room.
Sacred texts floated in the air before descending onto Orsted's back, completing the update.