Shadows and Spoils

If Muse's current Arcanist level were converted to a Mage's scale, he'd roughly equate to a 5th-level Mage. Yet, as an Arcanist, his actual combat prowess far exceeded that of a Mage of the same level. This strength was more than sufficient to deal with a small gang entrenched in the slums, one that controlled a mere sliver of a street and survived by extorting protection fees and exploiting streetwalkers. After all, the gang's strongest member was only a 3rd-level Fighter.

Using Minor Invisibility, Muse slipped into the gang's hideout—a decent two-story building by slum standards—with the ease of a leisurely stroll. He bypassed three or four burly men guarding the ground floor. Their lack of vigilance was evident: they leaned casually against the walls, weapons set aside, occasionally swigging from bottles of ale. Clearly, they didn't expect anyone to stir trouble in broad daylight.

This suited Muse just fine—who wouldn't prefer an easy path to their goal?

He ascended to the second floor, deftly avoiding a few traps so crude they barely warranted the name. The modest upper level had several rooms, but faint moans and heavy panting from one of them gave Muse a clear target.

Whoever was still in bed at this hour was either the gang's boss or someone important. Muse figured they'd have something useful on them.

He approached the door emitting the sounds, casually dispelling Minor Invisibility. With a low chant, he cast a small soundproof barrier over the door. Then, a faint magical glow flickered in his hand as he unleashed a Knock spell. With a sharp crack, the flimsy door swung open. The soundproof barrier perfectly muffled the noise from the outside, leaving the two naked figures inside oblivious, still lost in their rhythmic exertions.

Ignoring the live display before him, Muse strode in. Only then did the man, sensing an intruder, lift his head from the woman's body in confusion. Before he could turn, Muse instantly fired two Knock spells, striking both of the daytime revelers square on the head.

The condensed force energy slammed into them like heavy clubs. Their eyes rolled back, and without a sound, they crumpled into unconsciousness.

"Aha, one-shot takedown," Muse said, pleased with his spellwork. He promptly shoved the pair off the bed.

Disregarding the streetwalker, Muse sized up the burly, scarred man now sprawled on the floor. A longsword and a set of fine leather armor peeked out from the pile of clothes by the bed—clear signs this was the gang's boss.

That meant the gang's loot was likely stashed in this room. Muse scanned the area, tapping and prodding around, but found no obvious hiding spots.

As for the surface-level cabinets? Muse doubted these thugs would leave their valuables in plain sight.

Since small gangs like this wouldn't have access to advanced magic to conceal their stash, Muse relied on his experience to deduce its location.

Soon, his gaze settled on the bed where the pair had been entangled. Made of sturdy, cheap blackwood, it was a common sight in commoner homes—durable and affordable.

Approaching the bed, Muse chanted softly, casting Mage Hand. When he tried to shift it, the abnormal weight confirmed his hunch.

Too lazy to figure out how the gang accessed their stash, Muse unleashed a Knock spell enhanced with metamagic, shattering the entire bed into pieces. He then rummaged through the wreckage.

Ignoring the scattered silver shields, copper bits, and a hefty sack of gold coins, Muse picked up a small pouch. Opening it, he grinned. Compared to the bulky, inconvenient coins, these compact, high-value gems were exactly what he wanted.

He fired two more Knock spells at the unconscious pair to keep them out, then recast Minor Invisibility and slipped away.

After putting some distance between himself and the hideout, Muse weighed his haul, leading to the earlier scene…

The flawless ruby was something Muse intended to keep for himself, not sell. He roughly estimated, "If I sell the rest of the gems, I could get about 500 gold coins?"

"Not quite enough. Should I hit another spot?" Muse mused with a touch of mischief, but ultimately decided against it. Without spellcasting materials, he couldn't use spell slots, and his arcane energy was already depleted from earlier exertions. Though his advanced meditation technique, Myriad Attractions, drew elements to restore arcane energy automatically, its first-layer effect only recovered 1 point per hour.

Muse needed to conserve some energy for emergencies. To him, safety came first.

Sensing faint, prying eyes, Muse sprang into action. After weaving through several alleys, his figure vanished into their depths.

Soon, he emerged near the outer district's city gate. Unlike the neglected slums, this area was guarded by a small squad of city watch—most at 2nd or 3rd-level Fighter status, with their captain, a 7th-level Fighter, clad in leather armor and wielding a sharp sword. Their combined combat strength was considerable.

Of course, beyond guarding, they were also here to collect entry and exit fees.

Slipping past unnoticed wasn't as easy here, but the exalted status of Mages on the Nolanda continent smoothed Muse's way. When a skeptical guard questioned his hooded, concealed appearance, Muse casually tossed out a spell. The guard's attitude shifted to deference, even waiving the entry fee.