I do another quick scan to find that including the floor we stand on, there are only 3 more to the surface.
Just as Chester said, there's only one hunter of any power level even close to ours in the immediate vicinity.
Considering this... another issue comes to mind.
The numbered badges on the agents that I've been killing have only been rising. The last one on the floor below was number 3. If this were to follow any ordinary pattern, there should be at least 2 more left. Number 2 and number 1... plus, I can't sense any other presence near the high-level hunter on my radar.
Maybe they're more skilled at hiding than I thought. I speak up in a hushed tone to Chester as we begin to walk.
"So, do you know anything about this guy? What's the point of having a black market in a city like this anyway? Isn't the entire desert its own off-the-grid market isn't it?"
He chuckles.
"Right, right, you all aren't from around here."
I never mentioned that to him, but maybe given our circumstances, it's fairly easy to tell. So, I don't mind his whispered statement. The old man continues as we pass the first concentrated region of merchants that chirp at us with prices, but stop as soon as we show our disinterest. Chester ignores them entirely.
"You're intuition is correct. There's no real reason to have a black market district in a settlement like this. The tax on dungeon loot is so low, and rarely enforced that there isn't much of a market difference between selling on the street or here underground."
I nod slowly as we pass silver doors similar to the one we walked out from and step over old wooden crates that must have come from makeshift stands or raw materials being sold here in the past.
The old man keeps talking, I listen with interest.
"Still, this isn't a lawless city. There are government officials in charge, and basic human law must be followed or it'd be utter chaos. Even if we are disconnected from the outside world, that doesn't mean the hierarchy of power structures change overnight. There are always people that want things done without those above knowing about it."
I smirk.
"Yep. Understood. Paranoia runs deep everywhere, even if the Association isn't in control. Some citizen don't want anyone messing around in their daily lives, especially their money. No questions asked. It makes sense."
Chester shrugs.
"Sure, that may play a role. More importantly, special artifact crafting orders are placed here. It's known that for the right price, anything can be bought. Nothing is off limits, not even items or information from the outside world. When a problem can't be solved by regular means, most come here to get it solved."
He pauses.
"Confidentiality is tight as well. No one knows who runs the place, and no one really bothers to ask. No matter the request small or large as long as you have enough money, it's always completed and no one will ever know you asked."
We round another bend, passing a few groups of men and women in robes and cloaks that hide their faces. Occasionally, the familiar-looking silver doors that are usually tightly fashioned to the walls are missing entirely or severely damaged.
Some lead down flights of steps just like the ones we came up, while others show wide-open warehouse-like rooms. On even rarer occasion, there are deep holes in the floor dropping further down into the shadowy depths of more abandoned underground hallways and dark rooms.
The underside of this city is larger than I'd ever imagined.
Everyone following is tense, I can feel their mana flowing through them at a much faster speed than its normal resting rate. They're on the verge of activating their skills at any sign of trouble. I'm the only one here that knows a major threat isn't nearby.
I speak up as a large opening in the cement wall shows a sturdy-looking staircase up to the next floor.
"Stay on guard, but there's no need to be so nervous. The Boss isn't a high-level elite or anything. I'm sure any one of us could take them on alone. If he was powerful enough to take us on, I'm sure he would have cleared the labyrinth himself and wouldn't have been in this mess."
The grips on their weapons loosen, and I feel the hot churning mana in my teammate's veins being to slow as they realize I have a good point.
We walk up the flight of stairs to the next floor.
This section of the market is segmented out into more district regions. Every vendor has their space, and it's marked off by a straight black painted line every 10 to 20 meters.
The gear is more organized, and of much higher quality. There are long tables, white cloth coverings, and even multiple workers at some of the stands. There are full businesses down here. It's mostly High-Grade D-Class gear for sale. The perfect balance of affordability for the common hunter, and increased quality to drive a high and consistent price.
Chester speaks while pointing down the hall.
"It's this way. I can take you near, but I don't know how I'd possibly get you inside. You'll have to figure that part out on your own."
I nod, extending my perception's range to find a level rating over 400 behind a few odd mana-imbued barriers. They seem like more than enough to keep out a B-Class threat. The unique structures are a similar strength to the mana shielding in high-grade training rooms, possibly even greater. Plus, there's 3 layers of them. The readings are no more than 200 meters away, and hardly 15 meters off from the main path.
I'd like to get a closer look to see exactly what these barriers are.
This boss is hiding in plain sight, yet he's behind a fortress in the center of a black market that is more secure than most government training facilities.
I grin.
"Interesting."
Chester looks at me with worry in his eyes. I reassure him by pointing to my face.
"I'll have an easy enough time finding a way in with this disguise. Don't worry."
We make our way down the brightly lit hall until the buzzing sound of mana is audible. The vendors thin out around this section of the market and most hunters that are shopping walk around the loop in the opposite direction so as not to come in contact with this deadzone.
The black lines that separate the hall into sections stop and the area is empty. The lights shine white instead of their usual dull yellow. The concrete walls and floor are clean, like they were scrubbed clean with water magic recently.
It's the polar opposite of the sight we just left.
I speak.
"It may be best if I go in here alone. I'm sure it would only lead to an instantaneous fight if you all showed your faces. If only I show up, there's a possibility for me to scrap some more information."
After a few murmurs and back and forth, they agree.
All 5 of them step back as I walk forward into the buzzing and empty section of the market.
The curved nature of the walls makes every step forward feel like I'm walking much further and faster than I actually am. My teammates disappear behind me, and a square-shaped silver door almost twice as tall as me appears in my field of view. It looks like a bank vault, and hums loudly even shaking the floor with its power.
The metal wall is thick and reinforced with mana shielding on both sides. There is a thin 1-meter wide gap between two more vault-like doors of the same caliber stacked behind it.
I'm curious to know If a fully powered fire-magic imbued slash could make its way through. They may pose a challenge if I have to break in with force.
A voice rings out from a small black box above the door before I have the chance to test out my curiosity.
It's a woman's voice.
This surprises me, it's not the black market warlord of a man I was expecting.
Her soothing tone echoes through my ears.
"Number 5. Back so soon? This must mean good news. Please, come in."
The circular handle on the front of the vault turns on its own, swings open toward me reveals the picture-perfect copy of a door behind it.
A moment of silence passes, then the second metal door's handle spins, clicks, and swings open just like the one before.
The last door opens in the same manner and I begin to walk forward accepting my invitation into the Boss' lair.
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Author's Note:
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