It was late afternoon, and the sun hung low on the horizon, casting long shadows across the slum's cracked, uneven streets. A warm, amber glow lit the alleyways, though the fading light brought a chill to the air. Most of the slums' residents had retreated indoors, preparing for the evening. Only a few stragglers remained outside, their faces weary and their movements hurried.

  Virno stepped out of the orphanage, his mind heavy with what the Leopard had revealed to him. He couldn't shake the lingering questions -- about the sword, the curse, his father, and his own role in all of it. The weight of it pressed down on him like an invisible boot on his chest.

  His thoughts swirled in a chaotic storm. He walked briskly, driven by the need to confront his mother. She had to know something -- she had to. The questions clawed at him, refusing to be ignored.

  Virno (muttering): "Father... why didn't you ever tell me...?"

  Voice from behind: "HEY!"

  Virno froze, the shout cutting through the silence. He turned sharply, his nerves frayed.

  It was Faya, jogging toward him with her usual energy, though her face was marked with frustration.

  Faya: "Where do you think you're going?! Did you forget about me?"

  Her words dragged him out of his thoughts. The realization struck him -- he had forgotten. With everything the Leopard had told him, their planned conversation had been pushed from his mind entirely.

  Virno: "Sorry, Faya. We can't talk right now -- something came up."

  She frowned, her brow furrowing.

  Faya: "Something came up? What happened? Are you okay? Did the doctor say something...?"

  She grabbed his arm, forcing him to stop.

  Faya: "You can tell me. Please, I'm here f--"

  Virno (snapping): "JUST GO!"

  The sharpness in his voice startled her. She let go of his arm, taking a step back.

  Virno: "I gotta deal with this by myself, alright...? We'll talk some other time. Not today."

  Her face softened, the frustration fading into worry. She hesitated but eventually nodded.

  Faya: "Fine. But don't do anything stupid..."

  She stayed behind, watching him disappear into the darkening streets. Her gut told her something was wrong, but before she could follow, a chilling voice rasped behind her.

  Faya: "GET LOST, YOU PIG!"

  She was yanked backward, a rough hand groping her waist.

  Barr: "Don't be like that, sweetheart! I had one hell of a match today, and I'm not in the mood for a 'no' right now..."

  She struggled, but Barr was stronger. Even though Faya was a fighter, his grip was like iron.

  Faya: "BARR! Let me go or I swear to the gods I'll crush your balls!"

  Barr: "I *love* it when you talk dirty..."

  He wrapped his arm around her neck, choking her just enough to weaken her resistance. Faya gasped, clawing at his arm.

  Not far off, Virno heard her voice -- strained, desperate. A deep pressure clenched in his chest. He stopped mid-step, his fists tightening. A familiar voice flooded his mind, urging him to take action.

  Disembodied voice: "Prove your worth, von Virtus... There is no place for cowards amongst the strong. Will you stand there and let this happen...?"

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  Virno turned sharply and saw them in the distance. The sight of Barr dragging Faya into an alley sent a surge of rage coursing through his body. His legs moved before his brain could catch up.

  Virno: "WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?!"

  Barr froze in his tracks, still holding Faya in his grasp.

  Barr: "... Mind your own fucking business unless you want your brains spilled all over the streets, kid."

  Virno's voice was a low growl as he closed the distance between them.

  Virno: "You picked the wrong day to mess with me."

  Barr tossed Faya aside like she was nothing, focusing fully on Virno. She coughed and stumbled, trying to get her breath back.

  Barr: "Did I...? Oh, you're so fucked."

  He came at Virno fast, swinging a heavy right hook. Virno blocked it with his forearm, but the impact jolted him. He tried to counter with a jab, but Barr was faster, slamming his knee into Virno's bandaged ribs.

  Crack.

  The pain was blinding, and Virno couldn't suppress a yell.

  Barr: "HAHAHA! WHOOPS!"

  Barr followed up with a brutal uppercut to Virno's chin, dazing him. As he stumbled, Barr's next kick struck the side of his head, sending him crumpling to the ground.

  Barr: "Stay down, runt."

  Virno didn't hear him -- he was already unconscious.

  Faya had managed to stand but didn't get far. Barr grabbed her by the hair and dragged her deeper into the alley.

  Barr: "Scream all you want, sweetheart. I like it when they do."

  Faya clawed at his hand, her vision darkening as he choked her again.

  Faya (weakly): "You... bastard..."

  Barr grinned as he pushed her against the wall, fumbling with her clothing.

  Barr: "You're gonna regret playing hard to get... I've waited too long for this."

  As Barr pulls his pants down, time itself seemed to lurch.

  Faya, gasping and clawing at Barr's hands, froze mid-struggle. Barr, his leering face twisted in cruel glee, suddenly stilled. Even the faint drip of water from a cracked pipe suspended in midair.

  At the mouth of the alleyway, a figure stepped forward -- cloaked in black and white robes, his face concealed behind a polished leopard mask. With a single outstretched hand, the Leopard cast a glyph that pulsed faintly with grey energy, holding the moment in stasis...

  The Leopard: "You've outdone yourself this time, Barr..."

  With his free hand, he formed a pyramid-like structure of magical energy. Its spinning segments aligned with a resonant chime, and with a snap of his fingers, an unsuspecting Cabdan appeared in the alley.

  Cabdan: "So you see madam, it is all a matter of..."

  He opens his eyes to see the woman he was speaking with had suddenly been replaced by what looked like an anthropomorphic Leopard at a glance.

  Cabdan (startled): "What the -- ?! Leopard?! What is the meaning of --"

  The Leopard (calmly): "Look."

  He gestured toward Barr and Faya, frozen mid-struggle.

  The Leopard: "One of your men, having quite the field day. Already knocked out one kid, and now he was about to rape another. Explain."

  Cabdan's face paled. He stammered as he tried to regain his composure.

  Cabdan: "I -- I assure you, this is some kind of misunderstanding! Barr's a brute, sure, but he knows better than to --"

  The Leopard stepped forward, his towering presence making Cabdan shrink back instinctively.

  The Leopard: "Don't waste my time with excuses, Cabdan. We had an agreement. You promised me control. This..."

  He gestured sharply to Barr.

  The Leopard: "... is anything but control."

  Cabdan raised his hands defensively, sweat starting to bead on his brow.

  Cabdan: "Please, Leopard. I'll handle it. You know I always keep my word!"

  The Leopard tilted his head, his silence heavy with menace. Slowly, he extended a single finger toward Cabdan's hand. The ring on Cabdan's pinkie began to shift, sliding from his finger as if drawn by an invisible force.

  Cabdan: "No! Wait -- Leopard, please!"

  He clutched at the ring desperately, his fingers trembling as he tried to hold it in place.

  Cabdan: "I -- I swear, it won't happen again! I'll deal with Barr! Personally! Just don't take it away, I beg you!"

  The Leopard's voice was low, each word deliberate and cutting.

  The Leopard: "Your word is becoming awfully worthless... This is your last warning -- fail again, and the ring will be the least of your concerns."

  With a flick of his wrist, the magical glow faded, and Cabdan collapsed in relief.

  The Leopard: "Clean up this damn mess."

  He turned his attention to Virno, who lay unconscious nearby. With a simple gesture, the Leopard and Virno vanished in a swirl of grey light.

  Soon thereafter, he materialized in the marble halls, Virno limp in his arms. Gasps erupted from the masked figures who had gathered.

  The Snake: "Leopard! What are you doing?! Bringing an outsider here is against protocol!"

  The Elephant: "You'll answer to the Lion for this!"

  The Leopard didn't slow his stride.

  The Leopard: "Spare me the lecture, fools. Where is the Fawn?"

  The Snake (stammering): "W-where else? She's in the lab, but the Lion will hear of this --"

  The Leopard: "Then don't forget to mention: I'm saving the life of the future bearer of the sword of greed."

  The words sent a ripple of shock through the chamber. Murmurs erupted as the Leopard disappeared down the corridor, reaching the lab moments later.

  The Leopard: "Fawn! Broken ribs -- punctured lung!"

  The Fawn, a delicate figure in white robes, turned from her alchemical work, startled.

  The Fawn: "An outsider...? Leopard, what are you --"

  The Leopard: "No time! It's von Virtus. Save him."

  Without hesitation, the Fawn sprang into action, clearing a table. Together, they began the intricate process of healing Virno with magic and elixirs.

  As the soft glow of magic enveloped the boy, the Leopard watched in silence, his mind racing.