The Extra Wants Control

Five figures huddled near in an alley overlooking Neveah's room, their voices hushed whispers.

"The lights are out," rasped a man, his voice rough with both fear and anticipation. "I think he's asleep. I say we attack him now."

"Let's wait an hour or two," another countered, his voice heavier. "Just to be sure."

A third voice full of greed, chimed in. "A person who can easily take out two iron tokens must be stacked. Is he a lone wolf? Maybe a fool? Or maybe a noble who came here to extort us? Maybe a scout, sniffing out our secrets… either way, we rob him and silence him.

It's the safest option." Saying the man sliding his thumb on his neck.

A dubious chuckle came from the group. "What if he's affiliated with some powerful nobles and they come here for revenge?" someone cautious questioned.

"Well, it won't matter if they can't prove anything," another replied with a nonchalant shrug.

The conversation took a sharp turn, veering away from the immediate topic.

"This tournament would have been more fair if we all had the same blood quality," one voice grumbled. "I don't like how nobles can charm us."

"They can charm those of weaker wills," a more level-headed voice countered. "Blood doesn't have anything to do with it. The tournament is supposed to give a chance to those deserving of titles. It never said anything about the strongest being in charge."

Scoffing erupted from another figure. "Bro… This tournament basically wants the strongest to win."

Then a heated debate erupted, the focus shifting from robbing the mysterious masked man to the very purpose of the tournament itself.

"Strongest doesn't have to be just physically…" one voice argued. "I'm talking about smart people who can…"

His sentence was cut short by another. "Can you tell me what type of blood you are on… Connect me to your plug. That's some strong shit..."

Laughter, tinged with derision, filled the room.

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying you are stupid, or crazy, or high," he retorted.

A sigh escaped one of the cautious and level headed one. "This is why I don't like dealing with the intellectually poor."

"Says the vertically summarized dude," the most reckless one voice shot back. "I may not be smart, but at least I'm tall."

The reply was met with a collective snicker as many were holding back their laughs but failed and they came out. Some holding their ribs" hahahah... my ribs hurt... hahaha"

Finally the most reckless one raised a hand for silence. "Shut up… Let's just wait for an hour," he said, his voice heavy but the greed was visible on his eyes.

The group retreated back into the shadows, their whispers dissipating into the darkness. Neveah, however, remained oblivious, his body quietly absorbing energy even as he lay there, eyes wide open staring at the ceiling.

*******

"Let's pick the lock on his door," one said said, his voice barely audible.

A scoff came from the man behind him. " What? No way. There's no time for that, idiot," he boomed. "Let's break in through the window. That guy is only 5 star.

And we are five... What could possibly go wrong"

"We don't know if he has backup or bodyguards and—" the cautious short man said.

"Mahn, you talk a lot!" the other man groaned, cutting him off mid-sentence

With a leap he slammed his body into the window, shattering the glass in a shower of glittering shards. And the other 3 followed leaving the cautious one below. chapter source m vl _emp-y,r

The cautious man winced. "You guys never listen to me," he muttered, shaking his head. He glanced at the broken window, then with a resigned sigh, leaped through the window frame, following his reckless companions.

Inside the room, Neveah was on the bed, eyes wide open and devoid of any surprise.

The blaring crash hadn't even fazed him. He watched with detached amusement as the two figures tumbled awkwardly into the room, showering themselves with glass dust as they dusted themselves off.

"Hey," the reckless one said, waving his dagger, "give us all your tokens while we're being nice."

The other thief, the cautious one however, seemed less confident. He shifted his gaze nervously between the masked Neveah and his companions. "Hey," he said, "I think we should turn back now. We just threatened him and we're stronger than him yet he remains unfazed? This is not right. Something's wrong.

I say we go NOW."

His message, delivered telepathically, went unnoticed by most his partners, who were too focused on the unresponsive figure on the bed.

"I SAY WE TAKE THE TOKENS THEN LEAVE," the reckless one spat, brandishing his dagger with a tremor in his hand

Neveah, who had been still moments ago, rose slowly and sat on the bed.

His movements were fluid and unbothered, devoid of the haste and Panic expected from a cornered victim. He met their gazes and the reckless one didn't like that one bit it made him uneasy.

"Don't make any moves if it's not to remove your tokens," the reckless man said, attempting to cover his unease with a show of bravado. "And give me all of it," he continued.

" Yeah and we'll know if you're lying." Said another one licking his blade.

Neveah sighed, a deep sound that everyone heard. "Why can't I just get some peace?" he said, his voice laced with a hint of annoyance and chill that sent shivers down the spines of the robbers.

The reckless man didn't like how he got scared now instead of being uneasy he was furious. "Did you just ignore me? Do you know who I am? I will kill you and your whole family! You'll pay for disrespecting—"

He was cut off mid-threat by Neveah who suddenly appeared before the man. A single, precise blow connected with the man's jaw, sending him crashing onto the floor with a meaty thud. His dagger dropped with him in a clang then stunned silence.

Neveah was then back sat on his bed... No one saw anything, they just suddenly saw their comrade falling on the ground.

"Can you shut up! I'm tired of the third rate villain speech." Said Neveah.