The door swung open to reveal a man in expensive clothes that looked out of place in a small town like Riverfold. Behind him stood about fifty men armed with everything from clubs to short swords.
"Landford, I presume?" Bella's voice went tense, all her earlier excitement gone.
The man gave a thin smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Miss Ardren. I see you've found another... sponsor." His eyes moved to Marcus, looking him up and down. "Though perhaps not one who fully understands our arrangement."
"I understand perfectly," Marcus replied, stepping forward casually. "What I don't understand is why a man with such nice clothes is visiting this little workshop." His voice made it clear he was mocking Landford.
Landford's smile tightened. "Charming. I hear you're interested in Miss Ardren's money troubles. If you want to help her, the total is much more than what my collectors mentioned earlier." He named a price three times what Bella had quoted for her arm prototype.
"I've already given Miss Ardren funding for her project," Marcus said lightly, despite the tension in the air. "Which makes me wonder if your collection methods are even legal. The kingdom has specific laws about interest rates and how debt can be collected."
Landford's face showed a flash of annoyance. "Laws bend when you know how to work with them. Besides, who would complain? The town council finds my services essential."
"You mean they're in your pocket," Marcus pointed out.
"I prefer to think of it as mutual benefit," Landford replied, clearly losing patience. "Now, let's skip the small talk. You have two choices: pay Miss Ardren's full debt, or step aside while my men take her equipment and research."
Marcus turned to Bella. "Wait inside for a moment, please."
"Marcus, there are too many—" she started, looking worried.
"Just a moment," he repeated, gently but firmly. "I need to talk with Mr. Landford and his friends."
After hesitating, Bella nodded and stepped back inside. Marcus followed her in briefly, then turned back to face Landford.
"I'll be right back," he told her, closing the door firmly.
Standing alone on the doorstep facing fifty armed men, Marcus shook his head slightly. "Well, gentlemen, how should we dance? One at a time, or all at once?"
Landford laughed. "Maybe you can't count. There are fifty of my best collectors here, and one of you—with one arm, no less."
"Seems unfair," Marcus agreed with a shrug. "You should have brought more men."
The first wave came at Landford's nod—five men moving forward with weapons raised. Marcus didn't wait. He charged straight at them, moving so fast they barely had time to react. His fist hit the first man's jaw with a loud crack. The man dropped instantly.
Without stopping, Marcus spun around, driving his elbow into the second man's throat. As that man fell gasping for air, Marcus was already taking down the third with a knee to the stomach that lifted him off his feet.
The fourth and fifth tried to attack from both sides, but Marcus seemed to know what they'd do before they did it. He kicked the fourth man's knee hard enough that it bent sideways with a wet pop. As the man screamed and fell, Marcus grabbed the fifth by his arm, twisted, and ripped his shoulder right out of its socket.
Five men down in seconds. Marcus wasn't even breathing hard.
The second group hesitated, shocked by what they'd just seen. They'd expected an easy fight against a one-armed student. Instead, they faced someone who moved like death itself.
"What are you waiting for?" Landford shouted, real fear replacing his confidence. "He's just one person!"
The rest rushed forward in a messy crowd, packed together in the narrow street. Marcus tore through them like they were made of paper. One man's face caved in under Marcus's fist. Another's ribs cracked from a perfect side kick.
A thug with a sword thought Marcus's missing arm left him open to attack. His mistake became clear when Marcus stepped into the swing, grabbed the man's wrist, and bent it backward until bones poked through skin. The sword clattered to the ground along with its screaming owner.
Two collectors tried attacking together from opposite sides. Marcus ducked under their weapons and swept both legs out in different directions, taking them down hard. As they fell, Marcus smashed his elbow into one man's chest hard enough to stop his heart, then slammed his knee into the other's head, leaving him twitching on the ground.
What started as a fight quickly turned into a massacre. Marcus moved through the crowd of terrified debt collectors like he was just taking a casual stroll. Men who made their living scaring people now faced something they couldn't understand—not just a fighter, but a force of nature.
Blood covered the street as Marcus kept going. A collector with a mace took a wild swing. Marcus caught it with his bare hand, crushed the man's fingers around the handle, then used the thug's own weapon to cave in his skull.
Three more rushed him at once. Marcus flowed between them easily, leaving broken bodies in his wake. One man's arm bent backward at the elbow, bone sticking out through torn flesh. Another's jaw hung at an impossible angle. The third simply collapsed when Marcus's fingers found a spot on his neck and pressed.
Landford started backing away as his men fell, only to bump into something solid. He turned to find himself facing Knight-Commander Serala in her gleaming silver armor.
"Interesting situation," Serala said coolly, looking at the scene where Marcus continued dropping the remaining attackers like flies. "Want to explain why you brought an armed mob to threaten someone from our academy expedition?"
Landford tried to sound confident. "A simple business disagreement. Nothing that concerns the Royal Order."
"I disagree," Serala replied, nodding toward Marcus who had just taken down the last man standing with a knee-shattering kick. "That student is under my protection. Which makes this very much the Order's concern."
As Marcus walked over, blood splattered across his uniform and dripping from his hand, Serala looked around at the groaning bodies scattered across the street.
"Phoenix," she said, sounding both disapproving and impressed. "Care to explain?"
"Debt collectors got pushy," Marcus replied simply. "I suggested they reconsider."
"Fifty of them," Serala noted, scanning the bodies on the ground.
"They weren't very good," Marcus shrugged, wiping a streak of blood from his cheek.
Serala studied him for a moment before turning to Landford, who had started edging away. "As for you—extortion, illegal interest rates, and threatening an academy affiliate all fall under Royal Order jurisdiction." She gestured, and two knights stepped forward to grab Landford.
"This is outrageous," Landford protested. "I'm respected in this town!"
"Then you should have respected proper business practices," Serala replied coldly. She signaled to more Order members who had arrived, directing them to arrest the scattered collectors. "The magistrate will handle the details, but I think your business in Riverfold is finished."
As Landford was led away still protesting, Serala turned back to Marcus. "You could have just reported this instead of fighting fifty armed men by yourself."
"Seemed faster to handle it directly," Marcus replied. "Besides, I didn't want to interrupt your lunch."
Serala's face stayed stern, but her eyes showed a hint of amusement. "Next time, interrupt my lunch. That's what the security detail is for." She glanced toward Bella's workshop. "What brought you here anyway?"
"I found a good solution for my arm problem," Marcus said, nodding toward the closed door.
Serala raised an eyebrow, clearly expecting more, but Marcus didn't elaborate. After a moment, she nodded. "We leave in thirty minutes. Don't be late." With that, she turned to oversee the arrest of Landford's men.
Marcus went back to Bella's workshop, finding her pacing anxiously near the door. She rushed forward as he entered, then stopped short at the sight of him.
"You're... covered in blood!" she gasped, eyes widening.
Marcus glanced down at his uniform, now soaked with red spatters. "Most of it isn't mine," he said with a casual tone that contrasted sharply with his appearance.
"Are you hurt at all?" she asked, recovering from her initial shock.
"Just a few scratches," Marcus replied with a slight smile. "Landford won't bother you anymore. The Royal Order is dealing with him and his collectors."
Bella sighed with relief. "I can't believe you fought all of them. That was either really brave or really stupid."
"A bit of both," Marcus admitted. "But necessary. I can't fund your project if you get run out of town by debt collectors."
"About that funding," Bella said, turning serious. "Are you sure? After what just happened—"
"More sure than ever," Marcus cut in. "Your work is too important to be ruined by someone like Landford. Your prototype could help lots of people who need magical arms, not just me."
Bella studied him for a moment before nodding firmly. "Then I'll need a few more measurements before you go."
They spent the next twenty minutes completing the necessary prep work—Marcus sharing details about his fighting style and magic, Bella recording everything efficiently.
"I'll start right away," she promised as they finished. "With proper funding, I should have a working prototype ready for testing in about two months."
"I'll come back after our trip," Marcus said. "Or if you prefer, you could come to Eldavia for the final fitting."
"I think I'd like that," Bella replied, looking excited beneath her professional demeanor. "After working alone for so long, having access to academy resources would be amazing."
As Marcus got ready to leave, he looked once more at the promising arm prototype. "I'll see you when I come back this way," he said, feeling genuinely hopeful about it. "Take care until then."
Outside, he found Knight-Commander Serala waiting, looking like she'd made some decisions while he was inside.
"I'm assigning two Shadows to stay here," she told him directly.
"Shadows?" Marcus asked.
"Royal Order specialists who protect from hiding, unseen but effective," Serala explained. "After what happened here and the potential value of this engineer's work, it seems wise."
Marcus raised an eyebrow. "How did you know about her work?"
"I didn't," Serala admitted. "But you wouldn't fight fifty armed men over someone you just met. Whatever she's working on must be important." She glanced toward the workshop. "Besides, anyone who impresses you is probably worth protecting."
"Thank you," Marcus said simply.
"Don't thank me yet," Serala replied, returning to her professional tone. "We still have a trial ground to reach, and you're already making this trip more complicated than expected." Despite her words, she didn't sound truly angry.
As they rejoined the others at the town square, Marcus found Lia practically bouncing with curiosity.
"Where have you been?" she demanded. "There are knights arresting people all over town, and you have that look you get when something interesting happened."
"Just making some plans for the future," Marcus replied, looking back toward the quiet street where Bella's workshop stood.
For the first time since losing his arm to the Void-Drake, Marcus felt real hope for a solution that wouldn't just make up for his loss but might actually make him stronger than before. The prototype wasn't just a replacement arm—it showed how a limitation could become an advantage with the right approach.
"Everyone in the carriage," Professor Voss called, making it clear she didn't want any more delays. "We have a tight schedule if we want to reach a good camping spot by nightfall."
As they left Riverfold behind, Marcus thought about the unexpected turn his day had taken. What started as a simple rest stop had become a potential turning point in his journey. Whatever the trial grounds held, whatever challenges the guardian memories brought, he now had one more reason to master them: a future where his adaptation might lead not just to recovery, but to becoming stronger than he'd ever been before.
The road stretched ahead toward the Shattered Peaks, where the first trial ground waited with its test of "perception beyond reality." Marcus felt ready to face whatever came next. After all, reality had already proven more flexible than anyone expected—turning a random meeting in a small town into a key moment in his path as guardian.
As they rode away, Marcus glanced down at his blood-stained clothes. He'd need to clean up before they reached camp, but somehow he didn't mind. The blood was a reminder that sometimes progress came with mess and struggle. Just like losing his arm had forced him to develop new techniques, today's violence had opened a path to something better.
[Status Update] [Name: Marcus Phoenix] [Age: 15 years, 3 months, 16 days] [Level: 84] [HP: 540/540] [MP: 900/900] [Class Placement: Advanced Class, A-Rank] [Right Arm: Missing] [Guardian Awareness: 26] [S-Rank Evaluation Progress: 74% Complete] [Estimated Time to S-Rank Eligibility: 2 months, 2 weeks] [New Skill: Enhanced Perception - Level 1] [New Objective: Complete First Guardian Trial]