CHAPTER 147: CHAPTER 147:BLACK MARKET [3]

Grasping at the chance to steal the commission fee from his fellow worker, the silver-masked attendant immediately snatched the watch and ring from the attendant, not waiting for any further explanation.

Leaving my original bronze-masked attendant behind, the two of us walked to the front desk of the store, where I dumped out my pouch like a piggy bank.

"Please sure doing business with you!"

Not skipping a beat, I immediatly put both the handkerchief and watch deep into my pocket, leaving the large and flashy display boxes they came with behind.

Dashing out of the store without exchanging any words, I speed-walked forward, taking an abrupt right, and then another left, hiding my traces in case anyone was looking.

Now on a much less crowded side street, I strolled past the more obscure stores, selling specific items like potions, herbs...and information.

Should I sell some information?

Deciding against it, I walked past the building that resembled a bar and followed the large arrow signs hanging from various stores.

I didn’t really need any money at the moment.

Sure, I could get a shit ton of money and purchase huge amounts of mana orbs to max out my mana capacity, but that would draw a bunch of unwanted attention toward me.

One simple investigation into my origins, nonexistent parents, and living situation prior to entering the academy could cause everything to come crumbling down.

Arriving at the center of the underground city, where the main and various side streets converged, I scanned the circular-shaped area.

A wishing fountain, with a statue of a figure I could recognize, stood in the middle, where countless restaurants with outside seating surrounded it.

Seriously...who came to the black market of all places to eat food!?

Answering my inaudible questions, a familiar voice sounded from behind me.

"Only in the black market do restaurants sell...illegal foods. Say, have you ever tried mountain wolf beat, topped with sparkles from purple pixies?"

"...no."

Walking past me and leading me toward the fountain, Zeke responded.

"Don’t hate it till you’ve tried it."

Catching up and walking side-by-side with him, I curiously questioned.

"Where to?"

Gazing up at the ragged rock ceiling of the underground area, he answered.

"The arena."

"Hm?"

Recognizing the name, I recalled that there had also been a similar place in the black market that Evangel had visited in the capital city.

A one-versus-one arena where spectators could bet on either side and win hundreds of golden coins.

Confused, I glanced at Zeke and asked.

"What exactly would we do in the arena?"

Dodging my question, he replied while walking ahead of me.

"What do people do at a swimming pool? Swim."

...

...

...

After a couple more minutes of walking on the side street, a massive dome-shaped building came into view.

Dozens of people were crowded around its one entrance, watching some holographic projection that appeared on the dome’s exterior.

Strolling past them, Zeke simply nodded at the security guard, who stepped aside and let the two of us inside.

The interior...was exactly what was expected.

The lighting was terrible, with only the center area being lit up while everything else remained in pure darkness.

In the lit-up portion center of the dome, a large square-shaped boxing ring, identical to one on Earth, sat.

Was that really enough space for two enlightened people to fight...?

However, a moment later, a large hologram flashed above the boxing ring, answering my question.

[Physical 1v1s! No mana, no abilities, no cheats, no nothing! Just pure and utter technique!]

[0/2] / [Reminder, all winners receive fifteen percent of the money bet on their game!]

[To join, head to the nearest corner of the boxing ring and...sign up! It’s that easy!]

To my right sat a massive bar with countless stools, where people sat drinking, and to my left, there were tons of holographic screens where people could place bets.

Leading me through the dimly lit area, Zeke found us a table and, exhausted, sat down, shifting his gaze to the ring.

Finally catching on, I tilted my head and asked.

"Scouting?"

As the grand duke of the North’s son and future successor, he was probably given permission to gather a small group of fighters to carry out his... dirtier tasks.

Nodding his head, Zeke watched as two fighters, one with a sword and the other with two small curved daggers, climbed into the boxing ring.

Both of them, surprisingly, had no masks on.

The sword-user seemed to be in his mid-thirties, with a full black beard and a receding hairline, while the dagger figure...was relatively young, perhaps even my age.

A loud voice suddenly echoed from above me, almost causing my fall out of my chair.

"3!"

"2!"

"Place your bets now, folks! Or regret what could have been..."

"1!"

"GOOO!"

Instantly, the figure with the two daggers sprinted forward, knowing that a long-range fight wouldn’t work in his favor, considering the small reach of his weapon.

Stepping forward instead of dodging, the other figure raised his sword and jabbed it forward at the air, forcing the dagger user to pivot directions.

Diving feet-first to the left, the dagger user suddenly placed his shoes on the strings around the boxing ring, standing horizontally for a moment and defying gravity.

Then, like a rocket being launched, the figure boosted himself horizontally off the strings with his shoes, right at the sword user.

*WHOOSH*

And that was it.

The two daggers sliced the sword user’s stomach as the dagger use flew horizantally at the height of his legs.

With blood leaking out of two horizontal red scars across his stomach, the sword user fell backward, collapsing on the ground.

Shifting my gaze back toward Zeke, I said.

"If you’re looking for an assassin, he would be pretty decent."

Ignoring me and continuing to gaze at the boxing ring, he simply answered.

"One fight is nothing."

Unexpectantly, though, Zeke suddenly stood up and walked toward the boxing ring, gesturing for me to wait at the table.

Hm?

Was he planning to test the dagger user himself?