The man who had just spoken stood confidently at the door. He was 5'7" with brown hair and a plain face, wearing a long, flowing coat made of rich, deep yellow fabric, tailored to fit snugly at the shoulders and flare out slightly at the waist. The coat is adorned with intricate patterns of black chains embroidered along the hems and sleeve
Beneath the coat, was a fitted vest in a darker shade of yellow, fastened with golden clasps shaped like miniature chain links, around his neck, a chain necklace with a large, ornate pendant in the shape of an interlocking chain link
A tailored trousers in a complementary shade of yellow and a polished leather boots, knee-high, with subtle yellow accents.
It was the typical outfit a Iron Enforcer. Daemon never wore it while being a Iron Enforcer but he decided have on the the vest and trouser.
A Iron Enforcer a position that granted him authority and respect within the cartel. The Iron Enforcers, known for their ruthless efficiency, were the backbone of the cartel's hideout just like Daemon is now
Jason raised an eyebrow. "Adam, what are you doing here?" he asked.
"What, I can't check on a fellow member?" Adam replied, spreading his hands in a dismissive gesture.
Daemon watched the exchange, noting the tension. 'Do they always argue like this?' he wondered.
"You could have warned me," Jason retorted, already considering the implications of his unexpected visit.
Adam's smile was smug. "As the overseer of all the city's hideouts, I can come and go as I please, especially here."
'Overseer?' Daemon thought.
Jason's eyes narrowed, calculating the power dynamics at play. "Did you come here just to brag? This hideout might not be number one anymore, but we still do our job well."
Adam chuckled, a hint of arrogance in his voice. "Not my fault we became number one."
Jason's patience was wearing thin. "Just tell me why you're here," he demanded.
Adam hesitated, glancing at Daemon.
Jason followed his gaze, assessing any potential threat. "Oh, Adam, this is Mortis. He's our new Iron Enforcer, Jackson's apprentice. Mortis, this is Adam, our overseer."
Adam's eyes narrowed slightly, suspicion evident. "A new enforcer? I wasn't informed."
"You know things have been tough," Jason explained. "There wasn't time for formal announcements."
Adam shifted his focus back to Jason. "There's a shipment coming tomorrow. I need you there."
"Already? We just had one a few days ago," Jason said, surprised but quickly adjusting his plans.
Adam's directive to Jason was more than a simple order; it underscored the intricate web of power and intrigue within the Iron Cartel. As overseer, Adam wielded authority not only through his direct commands but also through his knowledge of the cartel's strategic imperatives and clandestine dealings. The upcoming shipment, is a crucial link in the cartel's supply chain, made at broader machinations involving rival factions vying for dominance in the underworld
Adam nodded. "The commander's arrival has sped things up. We have buyers heading back to Voras City with him."
Jason sighed inwardly, already organizing the logistics in his mind. "Alright. Mortis and I will be there."
Adam gave Daemon one last scrutinizing look before turning to leave. Daemon listened until Adam's footsteps faded away.
"What did he mean by 'number one hideout'?" Daemon asked, probing for information.
"You don't know?" Jason responded, raising an eyebrow in surprise.
Daemon quickly realized his slip. "While Jackson did train me, we barely spent time together, so he didn't really tell me a lot about the cartel," he explained, adjusting his story.
Jason nodded, his tactical mind evaluating Daemon's honesty. "After I joined the hideout, it was slowly making its way up in production. By that, I mean how many people we collected, kidnapped, and supplied to the auction. This hideout eventually ended up being number one. But now that Jackson has died, it was taken over by the second place hideout run by Adam. Now we are in fourth place," he said.
"Fourth place, huh... So when did you join and why?" Daemon asked, keeping his tone casual.
Jason hesitated before answering, measuring how much to reveal. "Well, I was in the military before, but after my release, I had nothing no wife, no kids. I was thirty, and worst of all, the government didn't help me at all. I slowly lost everything and almost ended up on the street. So, I robbed someone, and it happened to be Jackson's bodyguard. When he saw how easily I defeated his guard, he asked me to join," Jason said.
Born into the underbelly of Elysian Reach, his childhood marked by poverty and loss, Jason found solace in the military's disciplined embrace. Disillusioned by the government's abandonment in his post-war struggles, he turned to the shadows, where survival demanded a different kind of loyalty.
"Jackson was a really good man," Daemon said gauging Jason's reaction.
Jason eye was faltered. "Yeah, he was... I told you my story. Can you tell me yours?" he asked his eyes became sharp.
Daemon had already thought of an answer for this question. "Well, it's similar to yours. I was about fifteen and homeless. I needed to survive, so I pickpocketed, stole, and when I tried to pickpocket Jackson in a market, he easily stopped me. Then he saw something in me and offered to adopt and train me. But he didn't adopt me, only trained me," Daemon said.
"Really quite similar... Thanks for telling me. I'm going to see what's needed in the base before we leave tomorrow for the shipment," Jason said, his mind already shifting to the tasks ahead.
Daemon nodded as Jason walked off, his mind racing with thoughts about the shipment. "Shipment, huh... If there are other enforcers, maybe I can use that to my advantage," Daemon thought aloud.
With some free time on his hands, he decided to focus on enhancing his powers. Taking a seat, he checked his system and reviewed his recent gains. "I got 1000 fear points from Emanile, 1250 from the vampire, and 1500 from Valerhter," he said.
Daemon traded in his 3750 fear points but ended up receiving fewer attribute points than before. 'System, why did I only get 30 attribute points?' he asked mentally.
-Well, because as you move up in threat level, the cost of attribute points also increases-
"But that just slows me down from getting stronger," Daemon complained.
-That's to motivate you to gain more points. Also, you need to upgrade your death manipulation if you want to raise your threat level-
"Alright, I guess I have no choice but to use these thirty points now," Daemon said. He examined the system, noticing that his stats were uneven, and decided to allocate ten points to strength, and five each to agility, endurance, intelligence, and charisma.
As he made the adjustments, he felt changes in his body, though they were less pronounced than before.
-Daemon Corvus-
-Threat Level: C-
-Strength: 110/200-
-Agility: 105/200-
-Endurance: 105/200-
-Intelligence: 105/200-
-Charisma: 105/200-
-Death Manipulation: 115/200-
-Fear Points: 0-
-Attribute points: 0-
-Abilities: Leech, Eternal Rebirth, Infernal Recall, Death's Whisper, Phantom Chains, Death Steps-
Daemon remembered he had another question for the system. 'System, why did I not get drunk in the Silver Inn?' he asked mentally. A white orb flew out of his head and circled around him.
-Just as you thought before, you have built an immunity. Now, being the embodiment of death, you are immune to aging, acid, disease, life drain, and more. You will slowly unlock these-
"Aging immunity... So my body will always remain this perfect," Daemon said.
He then noticed that the system orb was brighter and larger. "Why do you seem more bright and larger?"
-It's because you've gained more Nyx energy, gotten stronger, raised your threat level, and improved at death manipulation. It allows me to become an avatar-
"Is that a good thing?" Daemon asked.
-Yes, it means I can provide more direct support and guidance. It also indicates your progress and potential for greater power-