Dreamstone dust truly is a dangerous poison. The airborne dust has disabled the trio within moments, before they had a chance to react in any meaningful way. It's a good thing that the momentum of my attack carries it away from me. I really wouldn't want to find out how exactly it works like this. Especially as the dosage probably is well beyond lethal.

I keep retreating and not just because I don't want to be caught up in the glittering floating cloud either. No, I'm not quite done here. The bad state of the building has given me an idea how to cover up this incident. Drug dealers succumbing to their own wares as the decrepit house they have been squatting in comes crashing down around them? It could happen, right? It certainly doesn't sound too far fetched. And even if one of them should survive, which I actually wouldn't mind, they would only be able to describe the face I have presented them.

That's all neither here nor now though. The building may be in a bad state, but it won't be coming down on its own. Not just yet anyway. I'll need to help it along a little. The real tricky part will be to make sure I get out before it comes crashing down atop of me. That sounds like a fun experience that I'd rather not make any time soon. I have to act both decisive and careful. And of course there is little room for errors.

And, of course I have to mind my looks. As I head back downstairs I focus on my appearance once more and trigger my [Change Shape] racial skill again to return to my usual look. It's better like this should I have to get out real fast, considering what else I have planned for the building. As before a considerable chunk of my Mana reserves drains away and the skill improves a little, as I revert to my usual look. So far, so good.

I check the other rooms for squatters too, on my way down, but I don't find anyone else, which is good.

It's to be expected too. The trio above probably made everyone else leave after taking up residence here. They didn't strike me as the kind of people keen on company. No, in all likelihood and judging by their reaction to my surprise visit, they probably valued their privacy very high. Not that it did them any good. They should have been more careful when pursuing their illicit business dealings. Sell that stuff out in the open like they did? Of course someone will take note eventually. Really, how else could this end?

Either they never had a proper teacher, or they never bothered to learn their lessons. Otherwise they should have known that the only thing you get real quick, when you try to get real rich real quick is, real dead. Well, nothing to be done about it now. Not anymore. For these three it's pretty much too late.

Back on the ground floor I get to work. First I study the load bearing beams a little more closely. Judging by the way the building reacted to my every move while upstairs I expect that it might not take much to bring it down, but in this particular case it's for the best to be as careful as I can be.

What I find, as I check the beams, not just out in the hallway but in the littered apartments too, as slightly frightening. Several of the beams in the walls are rotten, at least to some degree. A few show cracks already too. It's a small miracle that this hovel is still standing at all. I keep checking all the beams anyway, despite the sweat already trickling down my back.

Finally I make up a plan, best I can, first that beam, the one furthest away from the exit. Then the one over there, but not the one in between them, that one will hopefully bear the load so far distributed across all three just long enough. And finally on my way out, another two. After the last one I probably better hurry to get out though.

This probably would be marginally safer if I were to just weaken the beams in question with my utility knife, but I don't want to leave traces like that. It's supposed to look like a proper act of neglect combined with a hefty dose of bad luck after all.

"Alright, Fox, lets hope this works out. In the unlikely but not entirely impossible case your champion gets squashed flat by a collapsing building, I'd like to let you know in advance that I'm terribly sorry about that."

Of course I'd be sorry. Terribly so. For a brief moment at least. I'd be the champion in question getting squashed after all. Anyway, my words are barely more than a whisper, intended more to cheer me up than anything else, but it seems that invoking the name of my patron, even like that, does count as a prayer. My [Prayer] skill improves a little as a result, but of course, the only answer I get is Fox's lighthearted laughter.

After taking one last deep breath I get to work. And as I do, I don't do things by half measures either. I take a running start, a moderate one, and give the first rotten beam a good kick.

It doesn't break quite as intended, but it does break, earning me a little more progress for my [Brawling] skill. It gives well above head height, where it connects to some others. And my kick in fact knocks it halfway out of the wall altogether. The house as a whole groans and I can feel my [Danger Sense] act up and progress too. It's like I'm playing with fire!

I never stop moving. I don't have time to actually stop and listen to the protesting creaking and groaning going on all around me. Either I go fast, or I go under in a tidal wave of dust and debris. A moment later the next chosen beam gets the same treatment, to which it reacts the same as the first one too, pretty much like expected. The shaking and groaning of structural elements giving gets worse.

I move even faster now, not even slowing down, as I receive a level up notification.

[*Ding!* Your racial skill Brawling has leveled up to level 7!]

This one counts toward my scoundrel class, but I barely pay it any mind. Instead of slowing down I actually speed up. I knock out the next beam, this one even worse than the others, in passing with my shoulder, adding another little bit of progress to my [Brawling] skill.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

It splinters and gives too. I'm out in the hallway and can already see the exit. One more beam to go along the way. My heart is beating like crazy by now, and I have a tough time to keep going without a coughing fit. There is a lot of dust coming down already as the building starts to lean.

As I kick out the last half rotten, load bearing beam my [Brawling] skill improves another little bit. At the same time the little hair at the back of my neck stand on end and I get another notification.

[*Ding!* Your racial skill Danger Sense has leveled up to level 7!]

With all due haste I leave the building as something gives with a mighty crack. That one beam I left intact in between the others on the far side of the building. If I'm right it should start leaning away from the street I'm stepping out into now. I don't turn to look though. Instead my gaze is firmly on Matylda, Sylwia and Barandon's comrade in the little eatery on the other side of the street. The looks on their faces say just about all I need to know.

There is a thunderous tumult behind me as I step into the eatery, heading to the very rear where the others are seeking refuge from the dust cloud blowing past me. I quickly grab my mug and empty what is left before too much dust can get into it. Then I slam it down on the counter.

"Phew! That was close. The city should really look into getting decrepit hovels like that demolished in a more timely manner."

Even as I say that I rearrange my clothes to their usual state. I take a moment to fix my hair too. It's only then that I catch the wide eyed look of Barandon's comrade. I do so at the same time as I feel my [Intimidate] skill improve a little.

His voice is hoarse and not just because of the dust either.

"Crazy. You're totally and utterly rat shit insane."

I pat his back. Then I begin to dust off my clothes a little as most of the dust has settled.

"No, Darling. Me and the girls, we never were here."

Then I stop once more. Now I actually look over my shoulder. It's gone down as intended.

"Ha! Lucky! Good thing the top floor came down all the way over there. Wouldn't want that dreamstone dust in the air over here."

Now the lad almost pees himself. Without any further prompting he starts to pack up.

I turn to face my acquaintances instead.

"Let's get out of here, alright? Maybe we should get a bath? I'd really like to get a bath."

The two follow, as I begin to slink off, but both keep looking back on occasion. Finally Sylwia voices her thoughts.

"You're a total menace. You know that, right?"

Then Matylda pipes up.

"Did you at least learn something good?"

I look her way, one eyebrow raised, as we make our way away from the scene.

"Well, they cut their product with house dust."

She blinks in surprise once, then she scrunches up her nose.

"That's disgusting but not exactly what I meant."

Sylwia who is still trying to dust off her borrowed clothes nods in agreement.

"What about names and places an the likes?"

Oh, these two. Well, it's no good not to tell them what little I learned.

"The fighting ring. They had a deal with Gebhard and Tekla. They are due to get their cut from the earnings tomorrow, but only after the guard got theirs."

The duo at my side nods and finally Sylwia speaks up again.

"That's something at least."

It's Matylda's comment that is more important though.

"Tekla, that's the one playing the announcer at the fighting ring. I have heard the name Gebhard mentioned before several times too, but it has never been directly connected to a face."

I shrug and steer us towards a familiar bathhouse, while the neighborhood we leave behind really comes alive all around the collapsed building. It's begun to draw quite the crowd, judging by the buzz. I don't bother to look though. Instead I focus on the discussion with the others.

"It's in all likelihood the one posing as the ringmaster. The guard's share essentially goes directly to the captain, even if he never touches the coins himself. He probably has some expendable henchman or woman along to handle the coin. Someone who knows very well what fate will have in stock for them should anything happen to their captain's money."

Finally we reach our destination and we get ready to wash off the dust and have a nice, warm soak afterwards. We get our clothes cleaned too since we are at it. Of course this means that I have to part with another penny, but I don't mind for a change. I really want to get the dust out of my clothes and off my skin. And of course I need to wash my hair too after Sylwia styled them with beer not too long ago.

I can't help but wince as I catch a glimpse of Sylwia. She still is bruised pretty badly, just about all over. And, although she is trying not to let on to it, those bruises still have to hurt too.

"You sure you don't want a little more healing, Sylwia? You really look like you could use it."

She shakes her head in response as she finally slips into the warm water too, to relax.

"Nah. I'll be fine. Just give me a day or two, or rather a chance to get in some good sleep and I'll be as good as new."

I close my eyes for a moment.

"Oh yes, some sleep would really be nice now. It's well past midnight already, isn't it?"

Matylda splashes some water my way.

"Says the woman who might just be the reason half the town doesn't get to shut their eyes for the rest of the night."

Now all three of us are laughing. In the solace of my own mind I'm wondering though, if my actions tonight might unlock a class evolution and what it might be? Do I want a wrecking ball themed class? No, not really. Yet, I have to admit this night was fun.

Eventually we get out of the water to reclaim our now cleaned clothes and head back home, which for me means that I accompany Sylwia to her place, to reclaim my pack and sword first, before I'm off into the night.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.