Before reaching the alleyway in question, Ryu told Catherine and Layla to go back. They wouldn't get lost if they continued on, as they would reach the main street. However, Catherine and Layla insisted on going with him.

Ryu argued that they would be a hindrance if something happened, but Catherine insisted, saying "I'm a former adventurer, I can protect myself." Ryu decided to let them do as they pleased.

The group entered the alleyway where the extortion was taking place.

They came across a woman who was being extorted.

Gangster A: "Anyone passing through here has to pay a toll, old lady?"

Woman: "Who are you calling old lady?!"

Gangster B: "Hey, you're being rude! Hey, miss?"

Gangster C: "This is our territory now. If you want to pass through, you'll have to pay a toll."

Ryu: "What are you doing?!"

Gangster A: "Huh?!"

Gangster B: "What's it to you, you're not Ryu, are you?"

Gangster C: "We're just collecting a toll, you'll have to pay too."

Ryu: "You punched Doug and stole his money, didn't you?"

Gangster A: "So what? What are you gonna do about it?"

Gangster B: "Yeah, that little runt, he wouldn't hand over his money, so we punched him. He needs some discipline."

In that moment, Gangster B was sent flying. Ryu's fist had landed on his face. (Of course, Ryu held back enough to not kill him, but even so, his punch was powerful.)

The gangsters were shocked.

The woman who had been harassed took the opportunity to run away.

Gangster A: "You bastard!!"

Gangster A regained his composure and lunged at Ryu, but in the next instant, he too was sent flying, crashing into the wall. Ryu had shoved him.

Ryu grabbed Gangster C by the collar. In a flash, Gangster C was in the air and then slammed onto the ground.

Gangster D: "What the hell is going on?!"

Gangster D frantically drew a knife.

Gangster D: "No way Ryu could be that strong…"

Gangster A also staggered to his feet and drew his knife.

Gangster A: "You little punk! You picked the wrong guy, this won't be over with!"

However, in the next moment, they were once again sent flying and crashed to the ground.

The gangsters were knocked unconscious, unable to move.

Of course, that wasn't the end. They had punched Doug and stolen the money he'd worked hard to earn. Ryu wouldn't just forgive them.

Ryu began to pick up the gangsters one by one, tossing them to the ground. He slammed them into the ground again and again.

For Ryu, it was simply picking them up and dropping them back down. But for those being repeatedly slammed to the ground, it was unbearable.

"Ugh…urgh…sorry…I'll apologize…Please forgive us…"

The gangsters begged for mercy.

Ryu: "How much did you steal from Doug?"

Gangster A: "J-just a few silver coins…"

Ryu: "Give it back."

Gangster B: "Yes, we will…"

The gangsters, cowed by Ryu's gaze, obediently returned the money.

Ryu could have just paid Doug the few silver coins, but that wouldn't have been meaningful. Making them return it had meaning.

"By the way, why are you operating so close to the main street?"

"It's orders from above…our territory is being expanded…"

.

The depths of the slums were home to three criminal organizations, each with their own territory.

However, those "territories" were deeper into the slums.

The area around the church was a border town between the main street and the slums. Because it was close to the main street, there was a high chance that guards would come if there was any commotion.

Until now, it was an unspoken agreement that criminal organizations wouldn't touch the border town.

For whatever reason, the criminal organization had encroached on the area around the church, and this was something Ryu couldn't ignore. The church's children would be caught in the crossfire.

Ryu: "What's above? Whose orders are these?"

Gangster A: "I can't tell you that."

The gangster tried to feign ignorance, but Ryu couldn't be fooled with his mind reading ability.

Ryu's eyes glowed gold.

Ryu: "I see, so it's the Four Night Butterflies."

Gangster A: "!?"

Ryu: "Hey, go back and tell the guys above, they're not to touch the border town. “You guys, don't move!”"

.

Ryu had intended to release the gangsters after punishing them, but the guards arrived.

The entrance to the alleyway was already surrounded by guards.

"We received a report of extortion in this alleyway! Everyone's under arrest!"

The guards started to arrest the gangsters who were lying on the ground, unable to move.

They surrounded Ryu and pointed their spears at him.

From a distance, Catherine and Layla were also surrounded, and Catherine was showing her guild membership card. Seeing that, Ryu pulled out his guild card as well.

"Hey, I'm not involved with these guys!"

"Don't lie! You're trying to escape, aren't you?!"

…Well, it can't be helped. A person who shouts "Thief!" might actually be a thief. There are criminals who disguise themselves as good Samaritans to escape. It's understandable that they would need to secure everyone's custody until the facts are confirmed.

Ryu was ready to speak to them calmly, but...

One of the guards suddenly tried to stab him with a spear from behind. Ryu, with his automatic foresight ability, sensed the danger and dodged, grabbing the spear. He swung it sideways, knocking the guard against the wall.

(※Ryu has an automatic foresight ability that activates constantly. He can sense and avoid danger that threatens his life in the near future. He can't be caught off guard.)

"You dare resist!"

The guards around him grew more hostile.

But Ryu was also angry.

The spear earlier had clearly aimed for his heart. It was a deliberate attempt to kill him.

Why would they try to kill him when he wasn't even putting up a fight?

Or perhaps, they planned to wound him first, then capture him, and then treat him with a potion and bring him in. But that would be a waste of potions, wouldn't it? And if they killed him outright, even potions wouldn't save him.

Come to think of it, if they did this every time, they would be harming a lot of innocent people, and no matter how much they treated them, they would still be getting unnecessary backlash.

In any case, he couldn't just stand there and be stabbed.

Or rather, if they were serious about killing him, he had to take them seriously. Those who try to kill should be prepared to be killed.

The moment Ryu unleashed his killing intent

"He's not the one! He helped me!"

A woman's voice echoed. It was the woman who had been harassed by the gangsters. She had called for the guards.

It seemed she had witnessed Ryu about to be stabbed and had desperately cried out.

"Lower your spears! That man is innocent!"

The man who appeared to be the captain shouted from behind.

He approached Ryu.

"I'm Golan, captain of the Third Guard Unit. Who are you? Do you have any identification?"

"Ryu, adventurer."

Ryu showed him his guild card.

Golan: "Ryu...F-rank? Unbelievable…

The killing intent just now didn't seem like it belonged to an F-rank, did it?"

"It's true! I vouch for his identity!"

Catherine came up from behind.

Ryu: "Rank doesn't always reflect strength. …Anyway, do you guys just go around stabbing anyone you suspect and then capture them? I wasn't even resisting."

Golan: "No, I apologize, there was a lack of training. I'll give him a good scolding later."

Golan bowed sincerely.

Golan: "It's not always like this. It's just that guy. He has some issues."

He promised Ryu that they would punish the culprit internally and prevent this from happening again, so Ryu decided to step back.

Golan: "Oh, I'd like to hear your side of the story. Would you come to the Guard HQ tomorrow?"

Ryu agreed and turned to leave.

.

However...

It seems that the territory expansion wasn't a personal decision by the gangsters, but an order from "above". They might not just back down after being told not to interfere.

Ryu: "It seems I need to do some “monster hunting” in the slums as well…"