Smoke curled up from the skewers. The scent of roasted meat—fatty, spiced, a little burnt—filled the alley like a warm fog. Kane sat cross-legged on a stack of crates behind a food stall, chomping down on a greasy stick of stolen meat like it owed him money.
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, eyes half-lidded in satisfaction. "Hot. Salty. Slightly undercooked. God-tier compared to military rations."
A small pouch sat at his feet, overflowing with shiny gold coins. He'd snagged it off the throne room floor in the chaos. Nobles never noticed when a fistfight broke out and a stranger kicked their king's face in. Kane grinned to himself.
"Royal pantry's closed, so I'm charging the kingdom interest."
The stall owner—a tired old man with a missing eyebrow—peeked around the side of his stall, spotted Kane with two more meat skewers already in hand, and opened his mouth to yell.
Kane flicked a coin at him.
It hit the wall next to the man's face with a clink.
"Relax, pops. I pay in advance. Sometimes." He took a bite and gave a smug thumbs-up.
The old man hesitated… then shrugged and went back to roasting, muttering about "foreigners and their weird muscles."
Kane leaned back, letting the smoke blend with the cool night air. His system interface flickered faintly in the corner of his vision.
[Temporary Buffs Expired]
[Skill Tree Available – Locked Until Trigger Condition Met]
[Hidden Quest Active: "Blend or Break"]
Objective: Survive the first 24 hours in Virellia without capture.
Time Remaining: 13:27:55
"Blend or break, huh?" Kane muttered. "They clearly haven't seen me do both."
He stared up at the stars. No satellites. No towers. Just open sky and quiet tension. This world was too calm… for now.
His stomach growled again. He picked up another skewer.
"First rule of strange worlds—always eat first. Carnage comes later."
Kane leaned back, savoring his stolen meal, when the sound of clanking armor broke his momentary peace.
Ten armored knights—women, all of them—stormed into the alley, their swords raised, their eyes locked on Kane. They were a solid wall of steel, their breastplates gleaming in the moonlight, and their faces hard with purpose.
Kane squinted at them and gave a slow, exaggerated whistle. "Oh, look at this! The royal fan club. Must've pulled out all the stops for me, huh?"
One of the knights snarled, "You're coming with us, rogue!"
Kane scratched his chin, feigning deep thought. "Hmm... Let me think... Nope. Not in the mood for a royal escort. But hey, tell the king I said thanks for the generous invitation to his crown-smashing party."
The leader of the knights stepped forward, shaking her sword threateningly. "You insult the king's honor, and you'll pay for it!"
Kane casually flipped a coin in his hand and caught it. "Yeah, the king... real fun guy. Got a great sense of humor, too, especially after I kicked his face in. Poor bastard probably thinks I'll come back and apologize. I'll be honest with you, sweetheart—I don't do apologies. I'm more of a break stuff and run kind of guy."
The knights narrowed their eyes as they began to charge. Kane stretched, taking a long, leisurely sip from his water skin as if he had all the time in the world.
"Seriously, you really think you're gonna catch me after that legendary performance? Come on, even I'm impressed with me." He smiled wickedly. "Can't say the same for the king, though. He's probably still seeing stars... or maybe it was the moon after I kicked his ass across the floor. Poor guy never knew what hit him."
The leader knight growled, "You won't escape this time!"
Kane took a few steps back, smirking as he looked them over. "You know, if I wasn't in such a rush, I'd love to stick around and play tag with all of you. But sadly, I'm busy—breaking hearts, stealing gold, and making kings wish they never got out of bed."
And with that, he was off, sprinting down the alley as the sound of knights clattering behind him echoed in the distance.
Kane dashed through the streets, weaving in and out of alleys until he found a tall, thick tree near the palace walls. He scaled it with ease, his boots finding purchase on the bark as he climbed higher, settling on a sturdy branch. From here, he had a perfect vantage point to watch the knights below.
A few minutes passed, and Kane could hear the sound of the knights scrambling around. Their heavy armor clanged loudly as they argued, still on high alert.
The commander, a woman with a no-nonsense expression, paced at the front of the group. "You there! Go left! You, take the right side! Don't let him escape!" she barked, sending the rest of the knights scattering.
Kane smirked, his eyes narrowing as he peered down through the branches. He could see the commander's legs—tightly fitted armor, perfectly polished boots, and… well, he wasn't complaining about the view.
He grinned devilishly, knowing exactly what he was doing.
A few more seconds passed before the other knights, still confused and frantic, scattered even further. It was clear they were losing their focus. The commander remained, her back turned as she reviewed a map in her hands, trying to make sense of their failed search. Kane waited.
Then, slowly, as silently as a shadow, he slid down the tree. His boots hit the ground with a soft thud, and he carefully crept toward her.
His eyes flickered mischievously as he approached. He leaned in just a little closer, his voice low and teasing. "Not bad, commander... You got legs that could make any man stop dead in his tracks."
She froze, hearing him too late. Kane was already gone, darting behind the nearby corner with his usual grin.
The commander's face flushed deep red as she quickly turned to look, but there was no sign of him. She clenched her fists, flustered, muttering under her breath. "Damned rogue...!"
Kane's taunting laugh echoed from around the corner. "You know, I usually go for a more memorable first impression. But I guess you're used to that royal stiffness, huh?"
Kane's laughter echoed in the distance as he dashed around the corner. He didn't stop running but felt the commander's gaze burning into him. She wasn't backing down. In fact, it seemed like she was getting more determined by the second.
Sure enough, he heard the soft clink of armor getting closer. He smirked to himself and glanced over his shoulder. There she was—the commander, sword in hand, eyes narrowed, and lips pressed into a thin line. She wasn't going to let him get away this time.
Kane slowed down just enough to let her catch up, then he stopped and turned, leaning against the stone wall of the alley. His expression was pure mischief.
"Commander, right? You really shouldn't chase a man who's this much trouble. It's only going to end one way," Kane called, his voice smooth like honey.
She gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on her sword. "You're not getting away again, rogue!"
Kane chuckled, watching her approach with a confident, almost casual air. "I don't know, you look like you're enjoying the chase." He tilted his head, looking her up and down in an exaggerated manner, before his gaze lingered on her legs. "Those boots are really nice—bet they're built for speed."
Her cheeks flushed, but she kept her focus, stepping forward, her blade raised.
Kane didn't move immediately, letting her close the distance. He saw the flicker of hesitation in her eyes—a momentary pause, a shift in her stance. She was more than just a knight; she was trying to control the situation. Kane wasn't going to make it easy for her.
As she swung her sword toward him, he moved—fast and smooth, like a predator toying with its prey.
With one fluid motion, Kane slid past her and grazed his fingers along her armored leg, making sure to lightly brush against the exposed gap in her armor as he passed.
Her entire body stiffened, and her strike missed by inches. She turned quickly, eyes wide, a flush creeping up her neck to her face.
"What the hell—?!"
Kane smirked, winking as he danced away. "You've got to be quicker than that, commander. Or maybe you've got too much on your mind to fight properly?"
The commander's grip on her sword tightened. Her face was a shade of red that rivaled a setting sun. She growled, clearly flustered. "Stop!"
Kane was already retreating, laughing under his breath. "Oh, I'll stop alright—when I feel like it."