As the sun rose in Greyman City, Kuro was already up, seated on his wooden chair, thinking about his next move.
'The king already provided me with some money and food. It will last me about two weeks—three if I sell some of my clothes. But what will I do after?'
His expression then turned to one of annoyance as he thought of the king—his father. After all, he had been sent to Greyman as punishment, so why would the king be so bold as to give him money and food?
'That fool is too soft. Unfit to be a king...'
He was seated a small distance from his door — close enough to hear the footsteps that were getting closer and closer, until he heard a knock.
'Huh?'
Kuro didn't know a single soul in Greyman, and no one should know him either. So why was there someone knocking at his door? Could it be a neighbor trying to befriend him? Or a vendor who wanted to rip him off? He had no idea.
But manners overpowered suspicion, and he opened the door slightly to see a fairly aged man—about his thirties—clad in some kind of cheap uniform, a grey sackish and buttoned cloth under a large black coat.
On his chest was an emblem comprising of an angelic creature carrying a harp.
"Kurokawa Paddington, by order of the Nysderian King, you have been enlisted to join the city's Warden Legion. Your compliance would be appreciated."
'Excuse me?'
He blinked, not believing a word of what he was hearing. One day he arrives in the city, the next, some random stranger is telling him to join this Warden Legion? It was ridiculous.
He looked at the man, studying his attire.
'I see what's going on.
..' Greyman City was popular for having one of the highest affinities and populations of beasts and spirits. Although the city itself was protected by the Great Warden's Barrier—an invisible dome protecting the city—there was only so much the barrier could do, and many spirits and monstrosities still managed to enter.
The government then issued the development of a military force to protect the citizens. It comprised mostly of individuals who had been blessed with a combat-oriented factor. A handful of unblessed humans were still allowed, though their usage was rather... different.
"So sending me here wasn't enough. Now he wants me to join this city's defense?"
He grabbed his chin and looked down, "He's hoping that I die..".
'That bastard. Sending another person to dirty their hands in his stead.'
The man didn't respond, but continued with his introduction.
"You've grown so much, Kurokawa. I barely noticed you."
Kuro was a bit surprised hearing the mention of his name. 'Who are you and how do you know me?' That's what he was just about to ask when the man continued.
"Your father, the king, has enlisted you to join the city's Warden Legion. I cannot refuse since it's a direct order from the king himself. My name is Garrick Slate, Squadron Leader of the Second String Division. You're going to have to follow me."
'Is this man serious?' Kuro thought. Then he glared at the man, scoffed, and shut the door.
The man wasn't surprised. He just looked down in somewhat disappointment. He had expected as much, but he already had a plan.
"Kurokawa," he said, taking a step closer to the closed door, "I would recommend that you come with me. I'd prefer to use the least amount of force possible."
On the other side of the door, Kuro sat quietly on his wooden chair, looking at the door, patiently waiting for the man to leave.
Then his pinky finger started wiggling. He certainly wasn't moving it. It was moving on its own. He looked at it.
'What the hell is going on?'
He heard it before he felt it: a hot, white pop of the bone breaking—his finger bending backwards.
"Gah!" A scream escaped his mouth as he clenched his hand, a hot shock attacking his finger.
'What in the world is happening!?'
Before he could finish that thought, his index finger began to wiggle.
"Hey Kurokawa, I couldn't help but hear that sound you made. Is everything okay in there?" the man said, with a cheeky smile on his face. "Well, it better be—because that's just the beginning."
In that very second, his index finger snapped. The shock was more intense than the last. His mind becoming whiter by the second.
'Blasted!' he thought, clenching his hand tighter and grinding his teeth.
'Is he doing this?'
Then the man spoke again, poking an eye through the keyhole.
"I can make it stop if you want. Just open the door and come with me. If you keep refusing, more of your joints will keep breaking until there are no more joints in your body. Then it will be your bones. Including your skull. All of them will keep shattering."
Kuro was looking at the door intently, still trying to cope with the pain. His eyes could not speak, but if they could, one would assume they said, "I hope you choke right now."
'This must be this man's blessing. Damnit. Does he not know who I am!? How dare he disrespect me in such a manner!' he thought, veins now becoming more vivid in his eyes.
The moment he finished that thought, his thumb began to twitch.
'Shit!... I'll remember this peasant.'
Reluctantly, he finally opened the door, only to see the man smirking—and his thumb stopped wiggling.
The man looked at Kuro's hand, then moved his head closer to it.
'If he dares kiss my hand, I'll cut open his throat,' Kuro thought, glaring at the man venomously.
The man laughed. "Relax," he said cheerfully, as he finally got very close to Kuro's hand. Then he blew with his mouth—and Kuro's broken fingers began to make cracking noises. Slowly, they began bending to their usual direction, until they were completely intact.
'They're... fixed,' Kuro thought, examining his hand.
"Now, as I said, little one..."
The man's facial expression changed from a smirk to a serious one.
"Come with me."
Kuro glared at the man with eyes brimming with hatred. But then again, if he refused, the man would just use his blessing once more. And maybe he wouldn't be so kind as to remove the effects next time. So, as much as he hated it, it seemed he had no choice. And so, though reluctantly, he finally surrendered
"Fine."