Kael was examining a Treasure Map. He’d received it as a system reward back in the Hidden Realm of Van Tassel.

  Unlike Hidden Realms, which existed in separate instances, treasures were located on the main world map. Theoretically, a player without a map could stumble upon a hoard through sheer luck.

  In practice, however, these locations were protected by mazes, traps, and puzzles. Without the right skills or knowledge, a player couldn't hope to claim the prize. It wasn't uncommon for treasure hunters to make four or five failed expeditions before finally succeeding.

  The map in Kael’s hands was titled [Blackheart's Legacy]. It purported to lead to the accumulated plunder of the legendary sky-pirate, Captain Blackheart. He had vanished centuries ago after one final, epic heist, lost in a storm during his escape, and the location of his secret hoard had died with him.

  In truth, the quest wasn't particularly difficult. It had only one major requirement: an Expert rank or higher in the [Lockpicking] skill.

  Like many crafting and utility abilities, [Lockpicking] had distinct proficiency tiers: Novice, Apprentice, Journeyman, Expert, Master, and Grandmaster. Tiers beyond Grandmaster existed, but they could only be achieved through rare and special opportunities.

  For now, Kael’s attention was fixed on a grimy little boy.

  The boy was standing transfixed before a baker’s stall, his eyes glued to the steam rising from a closed warming cabinet. He swallowed repeatedly, his throat bobbing.

  Just then, an NPC walked up to buy something. As the baker’s apprentice opened the cabinet to serve the customer, a small shadow darted past. It was the boy, who had snatched two savory meat pies and was about to make a run for it.

  Suddenly, a thick, meaty hand shot out, grabbing the back of the boy's collar and hoisting him into the air. The captor was the stall’s owner, a heavy-set man named Barton.

  “You little rat!” Barton roared. “You’re here every day stealing my pies! The money I make barely covers what you take!”

  He reached to grab the stolen goods, but the boy hugged them tightly to his chest. After a few fruitless tugs, Barton’s frustration boiled over. He raised his right hand and smacked the boy hard across the face.

  The boy cried out in pain, his grip instinctively loosening. The two pies fell to the dusty ground.

  He immediately scrambled to pick them up, but a large boot stomped down on them first. Barton ground his heel into the pies, mashing them into an unrecognizable mess of pastry, filling, and dirt.

  Undeterred, the boy reached for the filthy remnants. Barton simply kicked the pulped pies into the gutter. Before the boy could try again, a stray dog darted in, devouring the mess in three quick gulps.

  The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

  The boy watched the dog, his hands clenched into tight fists, his eyes wide with helpless fury.

  Still not satisfied, Barton raised his fist to strike the boy again, but his wrist was caught in an iron grip. It was Kael.

  “Easy there, Barton,” Kael said with a calm smile. “No need to get worked up over a kid. It’s bad for business.”

  Barton looked Kael up and down, then snorted. “This little thief steals from me every single day. If I don’t teach him a lesson, he’ll never learn!”

  “How many pies has he stolen?” Kael asked. “I’ll pay for them.”

  Seeing a chance to profit, Barton’s furious expression instantly melted into a greasy smile. “Well, he’s here every day, so it’s quite a few. It’ll cost you… at least five gold coins!”

  “Whoa,” Kael said, raising an eyebrow. “Five gold? What are these pies made of, dragon meat?”

  Barton’s face soured, and he quickly launched into a justification. “It’s because of him! A lot of my regulars are afraid he’ll pick their pockets, so they go elsewhere! Do you have any idea how much business he’s cost me?”

  Kael nodded, not bothering to argue. He produced five gold coins and handed them over. “Then I don’t suppose throwing in another ten pies is too much to ask.”

  Pocketing the money, Barton beamed. “Of course! Pike, get the gentleman ten of our best meat pies.”

  Barton handed the warm, fragrant bag to Kael. Kael accepted it and turned to offer it to the little boy.

  Instead of taking it gracefully, the boy snatched the bag, and without a single word, turned and fled.

  Two players who had been passing by witnessed the whole scene and burst out laughing.

  “Haha, another sucker got played,” the priest said.

  “Yeah,” the warrior replied, shaking his head. “I tried to warn you last time, but you wouldn't listen. Gave the baker all your starting cash for nothing, didn't you?”

  “Oh, you can talk,” the priest shot back. “How’d you get that ‘valuable experience,’ huh? You think I don’t know you tried the same thing?”

  “Heh, who wouldn’t take a shot at a potential hidden quest?”

  “Too bad this one’s a total noob trap.”

  Kael glanced over at them and gave a small, knowing smile. Then he turned and jogged off in the direction the boy had run.

  “Ha! The guy’s not giving up. He’s actually chasing him,” the priest chuckled.

  “That kid is ridiculously fast,” the warrior said. “There’s no way he can… wait a second.”

  The warrior’s voice trailed off. The priest also stared, his mouth slightly agape. They watched as Kael’s speed effortlessly matched the fleeing boy’s.

  They looked at each other, the same thought flashing in their eyes. Wait, could he actually catch him?

  Of course, Kael could catch him. As long as a player’s movement speed stat was over 20, the boy couldn’t outrun them. Kael’s was 22. It was more than enough.

  However, he didn’t sprint. Instead, he intentionally let the distance between them grow, making it look like he was falling behind.

  The boy ducked into an alley, glanced over his shoulder, and saw that the stranger was no longer keeping up. Letting out a sigh of relief, he took three more turns before arriving at a dilapidated, boarded-up shack. After checking his surroundings one last time to ensure no one was watching, he slipped inside.

  “Master Corin, I’m back! Look what I brought!”

  A man lay on a rickety cot inside, his arms and legs wrapped in so many bandages that he resembled a mummy. He turned his head and smiled weakly at the boy. “Pip. You went back to the baker’s stall, didn’t you?”

  Pip placed the bag of pies on a crate next to the bed and helped the man sit up. “I met a strange man today. He gave that fat baker five gold, and then he gave me ten pies.”

  The man’s eyes widened in alarm. “The man? Where is he? Did he follow you?”

  Pip grinned proudly. “No way. I remembered what you told me. Never bring anyone here.”

  The man let out a relieved breath.

  At that exact moment, a silhouette filled the shack’s crumbling doorway.

  It was Kael.