Anagin Chronicles

Chapter 012. The Ruin Village (2)

The streets of the Ruin Village were filled with the mingled aromas of countless dishes.

Sniffing the air, Anagin followed his nose through the crowd and stepped into a makeshift building at a three-way intersection.

Out of all the eateries he’d passed, this one smelled the best.

He took the ponytailed man, still clutching his stomach, and sat down at an open table.

“Sit.”

Anagin gestured toward the seat across from him.

The man winced, still sore from the blow to his abdomen, and asked with a grimace.

“If I don’t sit, are you gonna hit me again?”

“Yeah.”

Anagin nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

The ponytailed man grumbled.

“I thought you were just some rookie, but damn, I really ran into the wrong guy… Look, can we maybe go somewhere else?”

“Nope. This place smells the best.”

Anagin’s eyes wandered toward the half-open kitchen.

Burly chefs bustled about, baking fresh loaves of bread, simmering thick meat broth filled with bones, frying rice in oil and stock, grilling marinated chicken, and deep-frying fish until golden and crisp.

Out of all the restaurants and street stalls in the area, this one’s aroma stood out the most, and that was reason enough for Anagin to choose it.

If the journey’s been miserable, at least the meal shouldn’t be.

“Damn, you’ve got a nose like a dog. Just picked the best place by smell alone, huh?”

“Then why complain? Don’t you like good food?”

“Well…”

Before the ponytailed man could finish, a waitress approached.

“Klephthys?”

She had orange hair, a dusting of freckles, and a rather generous figure. She called out to the ponytailed man with a glare.

He smiled awkwardly in recognition.

“Oh, he—”

Smack!

Before he could finish, the woman slapped him across the face.

“Oof.”

Anagin let out a small whistle of amusement. The man muttered, “Yeah, I probably deserved that.”

Seemed like there was some history between them, not that Anagin cared.

“Would you like to order?”

Professional as ever, the waitress turned to Anagin, her tone perfectly calm as though she hadn’t just slapped a customer.

Since it was his first time in a place like this, Anagin hesitated for a moment. What should he order to make it worth the stop?

“Hmm… one of everything.”

“One of everything?”

She blinked in disbelief, but Anagin nodded without hesitation.

After three days of eating nothing but dried rations, he wanted a proper meal.

“And add some drinks.”

The ponytailed man added naturally, rubbing his red, swelling cheek.

The waitress nodded, then promptly slapped him again before walking off.

Smack!

The crisp sound cut through the air, leaving behind a thick silence. The man gingerly rubbed both reddened cheeks and muttered,

“Actually, she and I—”

“Don’t care. Don’t tell me.”

Anagin waved him off without even looking.

Whatever personal drama that was, he had zero interest in it.

“You’re harsh, you know. You punched me out of nowhere, too…”

“It hurts me, too. I don’t like hitting people.”

“If you’re gonna lie, at least make it sound convincing.”

“It’s not a lie. I hate hitting people because it’s difficult to beat someone up without killing them.”

Anagin said it so casually that it sent a chill down the man’s spine. He realized instantly, it wasn’t bravado. The guy meant it. He’d really just been holding back.

“Ha… then why’d you hit me?”

“Because if I didn’t, you’d keep scheming in that head of yours. So I took the trouble to save us both the hassle. You don’t need to thank me.”

“Scheming? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Then why’d you take my coin pouch?”

The busy noise of the restaurant died in an instant, and the ponytailed man’s face went pale.

“Give it back.”

Anagin held out his hand, speaking calmly.

“If I… ran for it, you’d hit me again, right?”

“If you’re curious, why don’t you try running?”

The man met Anagin’s eyes.

He didn’t need to try—he already knew what would happen. Running would get him killed.

So, without another word, he quietly handed Anagin’s coin pouch back.

“Man, I really picked the wrong guy to mess with… Still, when I said I knew a lot about this place, that part was true.”

“That’s why I only hit you. Normally, I’d have ripped your arm off.”

Not cut off—ripped off.

The way he said it made it sound far too believable. Terrifyingly believable.

“Please don’t kill me.”

“Answer my questions, and I won’t.”

“What do you want to know?”

Anagin got straight to the point.

“First off, that thing you said earlier, about how you can’t just walk into the Ruin. What did you mean by that?”

That had been bothering him the most. He’d heard Ruins didn’t have an owner, so how could anyone be forbidden entry?

“Hmm. Before I answer that, can I ask you something first? Haven’t you noticed something strange around here?”

“Your food is here.”

Before the ponytailed man could elaborate, the waitress returned, arms full, carrying trays loaded with food and drink.

There was a rice dish cooked in broth with meat and vegetables, spicy grilled chicken, a rich soup brimming with chunks of meat, golden fried fish, and tender boiled beef and pork. She even brought liquor.

Within seconds, the once-empty table was covered from end to end.

When the ponytailed man reached out for the food, Anagin smacked his hand with a wooden spoon.

“Ow!”

He looked up with the wounded expression of a man wronged in the worst way.

Anagin ignored him, loading his spoon with rice, grilled chicken, and boiled meat before digging in.

“This village,” he said between bites, “is too big.”

The man whistled.

“Whew—what was that?”

“I said, the Ruin Village. It’s too big.”

“Ooh, you’re smart, even though you seem like a rookie? Who told you that?”

“I’m the one asking the questions.”

“Ah, right, right, my bad. Anyway, yeah, you’re right. It’s weird. For a Ruin that was just discovered, this village is way too big.”

So Anagin’s suspicion had been correct.

That meant there was a reason behind its size.

“This one’s different from other Ruins, in a good way. There’s a lot of money to be made here. Gold, silver, gemstones—you name it. That’s why all sorts of riffraff are gathering here.”

Anagin already knew that Ruins often contained treasures worth a fortune. But still—

“Wouldn’t that make it more dangerous?”

“Normally, yeah. But like I said, this Ruin is special. The monsters here are weak, pathetically so. They’re part of the treasure themselves. Strong monsters are dangerous, but weak ones? They’re walking gold. If you can catch them, even the strong ones are worth money too, but…”

Anagin nodded, beginning to piece it together.

This particular Ruin was like a giant slab of meat—lots to take, little risk.

“Other than that, the inside’s just a maze. Complicated layout, but nothing especially deadly.”

“So those guys guarding the entrance, they’re the mutts who decided to lick the honey jar first, huh?”

“Sharp guy! Yeah, they’re dogs hogging the honey pot. Truth is, they’re not even real practitioners. Half of them are mercenaries, the rest are bandits.”

“And those kinds of guys managed to take over a Ruin?”

Anagin frowned. That didn’t make sense. If they were that weak, why didn’t a proper practitioner just beat them down?

“The problem is their boss.”

“Who’s that?”

“Deodia.”

“And who’s that supposed to be?”

“Knew it, you’re not from around here. He’s pretty famous. Same circles as the Bender Caravan.”

The name made Anagin pause.

He’d killed that man not long ago.

He might’ve felt something about it—unease, guilt, satisfaction—but instead, he just felt… puzzled. That guy was famous?

“Deodia’s a Gigant. Someone who wields the power of a giant, an opponent ordinary people can’t even touch. But that’s not the only reason he’s feared.”

“Then what is?”

Anagin asked flatly, not really expecting much. But the next answer piqued his interest.

“He’s got backing. Rumor has it he’s connected to one of Erysichthon’s disciples.”

“Erysichthon? Who’s that supposed to be?”

“Are you kidding me? Have you been living under a rock? You don’t know Erysichthon, the traitor, the criminals’ patron, the king who swallowed a whole kingdom?”

Anagin said nothing.

Sure, the name sounded impressive, but so what?

The ponytailed man shook his head, half in disbelief, half in awe.

“Wow, that’s wild. I knew you were green, but not that green. Do yourself a favor, remember that name if you want to stay alive.”

“So the point is, everyone leaves Deodia alone because of the guy backing him, yeah?”

“Pretty much. The practitioners around here aren’t strong enough to challenge him anyway. Merchants still have to pay protection money, but since the Ruin is so profitable, no one complains.”

After listening for a bit, Anagin pushed a plate of fried fish and boiled meat toward the ponytailed man.

The man’s eyes widened.

“Oh…!”

He made a small, awed sound before eagerly digging in.

“Do Ruins usually have that much treasure? Enough for someone to occupy them?”

“Yeah, it’s kind of strange when you think about it.”

The ponytailed man nodded as he washed down a bite of boiled meat with a gulp of wine.

He wasn’t wrong. Ruins weren’t bottomless treasure vaults.

There were countless Ruins across the world, but just as many had been sealed shut.

That was because once someone claimed the riches within—gold, divine blessings, magical tools, or relics—they disappeared. Once taken, the bounty was gone.

But here? Treasure just kept pouring out, as though someone were deliberately refilling it.

The strangest part was that no one questioned it.

Not the ones who had seized the Ruins, not the merchants trading around it, not even the travelers passing through.

“Everyone just thinks it’s how this Ruin works. I mean, they’re made by the gods, right? If it keeps spitting out treasure, who’s gonna complain?”

The man trailed off with a shrug, but Anagin didn’t look convinced. He took a sip of the cloudy meat broth, his expression unreadable.

He couldn’t quite buy into the idea that gods, lazy as they supposedly were, would go out of their way to make a self-sustaining Ruins.

Then again, there was no point in overthinking it.

Clatter. Clatter.

The sound of utensils against plates filled the air as the food slowly vanished from the table.

Anagin glanced around the noisy dining hall and asked another question.

“Setting the Ruin aside… you heard anything else weird?”

“That’s a pretty vague question. What kind of weird are we talking about?”

“By the river, there were a lot of kids.”

“The hawkers? So what? Gotta make a living somehow.”

“It’s strange that all of them are kids.”

Having a few child hawkers made sense, but every single one? That was off.

“Most of those brats begged to work for half the usual pay. All of them were abandoned by their parents.”

“Abandoned?”

“Ran off in the middle of the night. Happens sometimes. People dump their kids and disappear. Sure, it’s easy to make money here, but not everyone actually does. Some end up in debt, and when that happens, they bolt, leave even their kids behind if they have to.”

Anagin thought back to the faces he’d seen earlier, children shouting by the river, kids begging in the streets.

There were too many for it to be ‘occasional.’

“Oh, right. Now that you mention it, there was a weird rumor going around. Some kid swore a monster appeared out of nowhere and swallowed his whole family and carriage in one bite.”

“Shouldn’t you have told me that first? Especially after I shared my food with you?”

“It’s too petty to use food against me. Anyway, I told you, didn’t I? And come on, it’s not exactly newsworthy. Every big crowd’s got a few ghost stories. Especially near a Ruin where monsters show up.”

He sounded defensive, maybe even embarrassed.

“Still, why ask about that stuff? You don’t seem the type to care about useless gossip, judging by how fast you shot down my tragic love story.”

“I just get a bad feeling.”

“‘Bad feeling’?”

“Sometimes, smart beasts mess with humans—set traps, play tricks. This place gives off that same vibe. Something nasty pretending to be normal.”

“Wow, poetic. You sure you’re not a bard?”

The ponytailed man’s sarcasm bounced right off Anagin, who kept eating without pause.

By the time the waitress brought another round of food, he’d already cleaned every plate in front of him. The table was now stacked high with empty dishes like little towers.

A few onlookers, including the waitress herself, stared in admiration at the sheer volume he’d eaten.

“How much is it?”

“With the drinks… eight olive silver coins.”

“Hey.”

Anagin turned to the ponytailed man. The tone alone made him flinch.

“Oh, come on! You’re not seriously expecting me to pay, are you? I’m broke! I literally get allowance money from my girlfriend!”

The waitress shot him a glare sharp enough to draw blood.

“It’s not that. You know where I can buy Ruin exploration tools? Somewhere decent?”

It was a sudden question, but the ponytailed man looked relieved once he realized Anagin wasn’t about to make him pay the bill.

“Hah… thank the gods. Yeah, if you go straight left from here, there’s a place called the Magic Shop. They sell all that explorer stuff.”

Satisfied with the answer, Anagin pulled out sixteen olive silver coins from his pouch—half he handed to the waitress, and the other half he tossed to the ponytailed man.

The man blinked in confusion.

“What? What’s this?”

“Payment. For the info.”

Anagin’s reply was short and flat. Then, without hesitation, he rose from his seat and walked out of the restaurant.

Left behind, the ponytailed man watched him go in silence—until he noticed the waitress glaring daggers at him.

Fearing she might take back the ‘information fee’ he’d just earned, he hurriedly slipped out of his seat and made a quick exit.

* * *

“What? Oil? Something flammable?”

The ‘Magic Shop’ the ponytailed man mentioned was a short, squat tent of violet fabric.

Out front stood a makeshift stall, and behind it, stacks of old wooden crates lined the space wall to wall.

There, Anagin purchased a few Ruin exploration tools and listened patiently as the shopkeeper explained how to use each one. Then he placed an additional order—oil.

Something that would burn well. Preferably very well.

The shop’s owner, a hunched old man wearing a pointed purple hat and matching cloak, eyed him curiously.

“I’ve got some, sure. But why?”

“Because there might be something I’ll need to burn.”

“...Eh?”

The old man frowned, uncertain if he’d heard correctly.

“Can you sell it or not?”

“Well, sure, I can sell it. I was planning to pack up and leave soon anyway. How much do you need?”

Anagin dropped the entire coin pouch he’d earned at the Monster Butchery onto the counter.

He’d spent a bit already on food and exploration gear, but it was still satisfyingly heavy.

“As much as this can buy.”

“What are you gonna do? Set fire to the whole mountain?”

Anagin shrugged, as if to say, If I have to, sure.

“Hold on.”

The old man pulled a staff from his robe and tapped one of the wooden crates behind him.

[Bring out the Slickfire Oil.]

The crate trembled and rattled before the old man opened it, pulling out twenty clay amphorae filled with thick, shimmering oil.

“Oof! Here you go.. This stuff’s touchy—it’s the same oil I put in torch kits. It burns too well, so I only sell it in small portions. Want me to divide it up for you?”

“No need. Can I just put it in?”

The old man nodded.

Without hesitation, Anagin set his bag down.

A normal bag would never fit the amphorae, but his was an Interspatial Bag.

As soon as the first amphora neared the opening, it shrank down like magic and slipped neatly inside.

“I know it’s none of my business, but… did you get permission from Deodia’s crew to explore the Ruin?”

“Why would I need that?”

Anagin’s expression was one of genuine confusion. Rules those bastards made up among themselves didn’t concern him, and honestly, he had more important things to worry about. Or not, depending on how you looked at it.

The old man, realizing he might’ve just sold dangerous goods to a dangerous man, was about to warn him to be careful, but Anagin was already gone.

He’d bought what he needed. No reason to linger.

So he made his way toward the mountain behind the village—the one that housed the Ruin.

“Hey! Wait! Where are you going?!”

The voice came from behind.

The ponytailed man from the restaurant had found him again.

Not because he was actually curious, he already knew where Anagin was headed. Anyone could tell from the direction.

But still, he asked, if only to confirm.

“To the Ruin. Why are you following me?”

“Well, you ditched me out of nowhere. I got curious. Why’re you rushing straight to the Ruin anyway?”

“I came here for it in the first place.”

“Still, most people rest a day before going in. You’re kinda in a hurry, huh?”

“Just something I want to check.”

His tone made it sound trivial, but he didn’t elaborate, and the look in his eyes told the man not to push it.

The ponytailed man stared, amazed at how relentlessly straightforward Anagin was.

“Alright, then let me ask one more thing.”

“Why should I? You’re a petty thief.”

“Oh, come on! I did tell you what you wanted to know! Sure, I tried to rob you, but I didn’t succeed!”

“Wow. You bragging about being a failed thief now?”

“I’m actually a great thief! That waitress who slapped me? She knows I’m her boytoy, but she still doesn’t realize I’ve been skimming her cash bit by bit!”

“You’re really a piece of work, huh?”

“Oh, whatever! Just tell me! I’m curious now! I even gave you info!”

“And I already paid you for it.”

The ponytailed man quickly pulled out the eight silver coins Anagin had given him earlier and shoved them back into his hand.

“There. Happy now?”

Anagin stared at him for a moment, surprised, then finally said,

“Alright. What’s your question?”

“What are you gonna do about Deodia’s crew? They’ll jump you in the Ruin if you go in without permission.”

“Get permission for me. You said you could handle that.”

“That was a lie. I was just planning to take the money and disappear.”

“Damn it. Should’ve hit you harder.”

“Too late now. So? What’s the plan? You came all the way here, you’ve gotta have some crazy plan, right?”

“Plan? Sure do.”

Anagin said confidently, just as they reached the mountain’s entrance, where a handful of armed guards stood watch.

Dressed in leather armor and holding spears, they were lounging lazily until they noticed Anagin approaching. Then they got up slowly, stretching like men whose shift had been too peaceful for too long.

Tak-tak-tak!

Anagin broke into a sprint toward them, then leapt into the air. With a single flying kick, he smashed through the line of guards and sent them crashing into the wall.

“Straight ahead. Boldly. By force.”

That was Anagin’s plan.

The ponytailed man could only stare in disbelief.

“…You’re insane.”