CHAPTER 400: A NAIL IN A BLACK MARKET?

The Underworld.

It was a place that was without natural light, besides a mysterious moon that hung over a dark dystopia, with compact buildings, run-down street lights, and streets that were always busy with people who either lived here or didn’t.

This was usually the place where all dark dealings were made and held. For example, the purchase of an illegal and unregulated item you couldn’t find in the regular world or ordering an assassination of someone.

It was also a place where most illegal laws didn’t hold, which had led to countless incidents in the past. However, for such an unruly place, it was ruled by four large noble families.

The Dreadthorns, who ruled over the western quadrants of the Underworld.

The Nightravens, who ruled over the eastern quadrants.

The Darkhounds ruled over the northern, and lastly, the Roselles ruled over the southern quadrants.

And each one of these families belonged to their respective cardinal nations.

Currently, Lillian was in the southern Black Market, which was, of course, inside the Roselle territory. With her Mask of Deceit and black cloak, the Fluttering Prowl, already worn, she began to make her way through the paths.

She looked around her surroundings and noticed how dark and dreary the place was due to the flickering lights and stale atmosphere.

’I’m getting a lot of gazes...’ After just walking for a minute, she had already begun to attract quite a few stares, most likely because of her mask.

Back when she fought the Puppeteer, she had discovered later on that the man wasn’t able to see the true appearance of her mask. So this gave her the confidence to be able to use it like any other mask.

However... It seemed as though there was something she didn’t know about her mask to attract so many unwelcome gazes...

As Lillian was walking, she was suddenly intercepted by a stall owner with an eyepatch, "Traveller! Would you like to have a browse through my wares?" He asked with a toothy grin, which was missing a few teeth.

Lillia shook her head and walked past him, obviously uninterested. But her indifference to his stall seemed to have bothered the man as he tried to get her to even take a glance at his wares.

However, right as soon as he walked even a few metres away, someone had suddenly appeared and run away with an arm full of his wares.

"Guards! Guards! A thief!"

Lillian took a glance back at the thief with a soft gaze as dark figures suddenly appeared from above and apprehended the thief in record time. But then, a second later, blood was spilt as they permanently handled the person.

Lillian sighed and shrugged as she turned back around again, ’The Roselle territory is one of the safer quadrants in the Underworld. And also the one with the second largest kill count...’

Even the most petty of crimes inside the southern quadrant would be punishable by death. So, unless you were extremely desperate or were ignorant of the rules here, you would be killed off as an example.

’Where is it... Where is it...?’ Lillian continued to walk through the maze that was the Black Market. She looked towards a variety of tents that sold and open stalls.

Every now and then, she would stumble upon someone doing an open surgery of enhancements or the replacement of limbs, but she wasn’t too bothered about the sight of something like that at this point.

’It is a bit weird to see people selling limbs, though...’ She muttered inside her mind as she stared at a glass jar filled with a mysterious liquid, which held a pair of eyes that floated in the middle.

The seller of the organs noticed her gaze and walked over, excited to sell something. But he was immediately blown off as Lillian walked away, uninterested in buying a pair of eyes.

Lillian looked down at the ring she was given and analysed it out of curiosity.

==

[Item Name: Hour Return Ring]

[Item Type: Accessory]

[Item Grade: 1]

[Item Rank: 2]

[Item Description: A ring that, upon activation, will return the wearer to a designated location after a period of time.]

[Enchantment: Return]

==

She wasn’t here to buy organs, fancy jewellery, or surgery. Instead, she was here for a rather peculiar item that would prove useful tomorrow.

It was a Realm Destabiliser.

After around 40 minutes of pure walking around and being distracted by countless vendors, Lillian finally arrived before a large purple tent, which she slowly entered.

What she was met with was a room filled with organised shelves and all kinds of antique items placed on them. Lillian weaved through the aisles and stumbled on a large metal stake.

Taking it off the shelves, she weighed it in her hands and scrutinised its appearance.

It was a dark metal stake that was sharpened roughly and was decorated with numerous deep runic engravings. This was what she was looking for, but just to be sure, she analysed it.

==

[Item Name: Nail of Solrak]

[Item Type: Weapon]

[Item Grade: 2]

[Item Rank: 4]

[Item Description: The Nail of Solrak was an item amateurly crafted by a man as a last resort to escape his dire situation. With the Mana Core of a Spatial entity and the remains of his beloved warhammer, he forged this nail to shatter a world that tortured his mind. Even after countless polishing, one could still sense blood staining the tip of this nail.]

[Enchantments: Mana Destabiliser, Manifest Hammer]

[Mana Destabiliser: "This has to work... IT HAS TO!" By piercing the Mana Core of the target, it would cause their mana to run rampant, effectively causing the destruction of nearby Realms of their making. However, the item [Hammer of Solrak] is needed for this to succeed.]

[Manifest Hammer: "Oh, my precious hammer... In your death, continues my life..." By imbuing a large percentage of your mana, you manifest a physical copy of the [Hammer of Solrak]. Any target hit by [Hammer of Solrak] will find their body briefly warped by space.]

==

Lillian went up to the counter with the nail and asked, "Can I buy this?"