Chereads / Leveling up by Claiming souls / Chapter 13 - CHAPTER 13

Chapter 13 - CHAPTER 13

After the strange meeting with the old lady

Ji woo who was walking furthur ahead noticed .

In the busy market, you could see a lot of people, and it was clear that most of the things they were selling were just imitations.

In the dimly lit expanse of the black market, Han Ji Woo navigated through the shadows, his keen eyes scanning the bustling crowd. As he meandered through the labyrinthine alleys, the muffled sounds of haggling and clandestine deals surrounded him.

Suddenly, his attention was drawn to a peculiar sight: a long line of people, some eagerly entering a grand hall, while others were unceremoniously pushed back by imposing guards. Intrigued, Ji Woo approached the line.

"What's happening here?" Ji Woo thought to himself .

Curiosity tugged at Ji Woo as he approached the line. He tapped the shoulder of a person who seemed to have been denied entry and inquired,

"What's this line for?"

The disheartened individual glanced at Ji Woo and whispered,

"It's an auction. Only a few seats left, and they're letting in those they deem suitable. Money isn't enough; you need to have something more."

Ji Woo, confident and well-aware of his capabilities, declared

"Money is not an issue ,but for them to need something more ."

Ji woo aproached them and gave his black Card he had kept from earlier , the guards, however, remained unmoved, dismissing him with a curt wave and throwing the card balc to him.

Ji Woo's eyes narrowed, irritation evident in his voice.

"Anyone can make such fake one's !" , said one of the gaurds

Ji woo frustrated mocking the gaurds knowledge about the card

"Do you really know the difference between a fake and real?

Just as the situation escalated, a lady of grace and authority approached with her entourage. Unperturbed by the commotion, she attempted to soothe Ji Woo's frustration. But as she delved into his consciousness, a mysterious force repelled her, leaving her startled and flustered.

The lady's guards quickly inquired about the disturbance, and she, attempting to maintain composure, waved them off.

"Nothing of concern,"

she replied, her mind racing with thoughts about the inexplicable force encountered.

As she inspected ji woo with a closer look , she quickly escalated her gaze towards the black card he had .

Intrigued by Ji Woo's defiance and how he got the card, the lady decided to investigate further. Disguised in a mask that concealed her identity, she approached ji woo

"Why don't come inside with me !'

The confidence emitted by her and how the gaurd stopped interfering after she came in ji-woo not wanting to make any larger crowed , accepts her offer .

"Sure !"

she granted him permission to join the auction. The guards, unflinching in her presence , allowed the unassuming Ji Woo to pass.

As he walked inside ji woo questioned what her motive was to let him inside and how great her background was to make those tough one's outside to let her in.

Once inside the grand hall, Ji Woo observed the opulence surrounding him. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as wealthy patrons adorned in elaborate attire gathered around a stage. The lady, now revealed as Zero, extended a gloved hand for a handshake, introducing herself.

"Welcome, . I am Zero," she said with an air of mystery.

Ji Woo, oozing arrogance, met her gaze.

"I am Han ji woo ! , he declare's.

"Let's cut to the chase. What's in it for me?"

"And why did you let me in?"

Zero, amused by his audacity, explained,

"The card in your hand has piqued my interest and i want you to tell me where you got it."

Ji woo not understanding why she want's such an information .

Seeing how he is suspisous of her zero offers him a certain gift!

"You may choose one item for yourself from the auction , and then tell me about the story behind how you got the card.

Consider it a token of my appreciation for the entertainment you provided at the entrance."

Since he had nothing to lose anyway and the offer being very beneficial ji woo agree to her again.

"Let's do that ?" , he says

As the auction commenced, the spotlight shifted to the stage, where exquisite and rare items were displayed. Ji Woo, with an air of nonchalance, surveyed the offerings, dismissing most with a disdainful glance.

As they settled into their seats, the chatter of the crowd gradually hushed, and the lights dimmed. A spotlight illuminated the auctioneer, a charismatic figure with an air of authority that demanded attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, esteemed guests, welcome to the Black Market Auction," the auctioneer's voice echoed through the hall.

"Tonight, we have gathered rare treasures and artifacts, each with a story to tell. Bidders, prepare yourselves for an extraordinary experience."

The first item emerged, displayed by elegantly dressed assistants. Ji Woo's gaze lingered on a mystical gem radiating an otherworldly glow. The bidding began, the atmosphere charged with a competitive energy as numbers soared higher.

"The Dark jewel "

That was auctioned got a huge feed back from many mysterious buyers

"3 Million won', some guy

"4 million won ", another guy

"4.5 miliion won" another

Just like that the bidding amount for that small jewel reached a wooping 120 million won.

Ji woo surpirsed as even though he had just received a huge amount for himself , there were people who were spending millions like they were paper . He knew that infront of powerful people like them he was just a frog in the well.

Throughout the auction, Ji Woo observed the diverse array of items presented—ancient relics, enchanted weapons, and elusive magical artifacts. The bids escalated, revealing the relentless ambition of those vying for these extraordinary prizes.

However, as the auction reached its climax, Ji Woo's gaze fixated on an inconspicuous item – a key to a Unknown -rank dungeon.

Uninterested in most treasures, the allure of the dungeon key did not intrigue many .

Ji woo looked at zero and asked her about why none where interested in the strange key .

Zero with a smirk in her face explains to jiw ok about the unknown -keys, to dungeon .

"Unknown keys are , like free ticket's to certain rare or below f rank dungeon ,and for most cases they are a very good purchase , but !''

"But ?", ji woo more and more intrigued .

But the dungeon these key's lead to are most of the case F or E rank dungeons and the highest ever dungeon opened was an C rank dungeon and to top it off , that key was also a disaster as the key lead to a open world dungeon and it took almost three years for an excavation team to come back after killing the boss , surely by that time less 10 people came back alive somehow.

Zero continued ,

Since the risk is higher than the return no one would be foolish enough to take such a stretch anyway's.

As the auction concluded, Ji Woo, prepared to take his leave. But just as he was about to bid Zero farewell, a sudden system notice flashed before him.

[Host is required to obtain the key ]

[System Notice : A rare quest has been unlocked – "The Forgotten Crypt." Will you accept the challenge?]

"I want that key," he declared, a hint of a smirk playing on his lips.

Zero, recognizing the glint of ambition in Ji Woo's eyes, nodded. "Very well. The key is yours."

Ji Woo's eyes gleamed with interest, a spark of excitement coursing through him. Turning to system , he asked himself , "Is he strong enough believe it or not . Ji woo declined the system quest .

[Quest has been Postponded by host ]

Postponded huh!!!

So it's surely it is a must do quest "

Because it seems the universe has just presented me with a captivating opportunity."

Zero, intrigued by Ji Woo's enigmatic demeanor, "Since I helped you shouldn't you

Fulfil your promise !'

Her gaze fixated on ji woo's mouth , as he spells out the truth .

( Incident at the hospital , with jin ho park)

(....)

Mhhhh ...!

Zero looks at ji woo and goes

"So you are telling me that some one from the Hunters investigation team gave this card to you ".

"Han nodded in responce , ...

As so zero stands up ask's ji woo ," Do you know what possesing this card mean's ?"

Ji woo met her with a cold gaze ,indicating his seriousness to the matter.

"To posses such a refined Black card simply mean's the devil has taken a liking to you '.

Ji woo was confused by what this devil or who he was , as zero continued about The devil ,

"The devil is one of the four kings who rule the underworld of hunters and dungeon .

(Dramatically seroius)

The Blood queen , The silent sage , The white tiger and at last is the "Devil ".

It's said that even when a territorial metting is held with all of these kings the devil has never been seen attending even one.

In the dimly lit grand hall, the revelation hung in the air like a thick fog. Zero, the mysterious lady, calmly explained to Ji Woo

"This thing in your hand is called the Black Access Card from the Devil. It grants you the most exclusive offers and access to any information within his domain."

Ji Woo, confusion etched on his face, asked, "So basically, I'm a V-VIP of this 'Devil' you talk about?"

Zero nodded, confirming the information. "Indeed."

The idea that such a powerful figure knew about Ji Woo was far from a simple coincidence. There was more to this encounter than met the eye.

Walking around Ji Woo, Zero's eyes scanned him, searching for something.

"For you to be given such a gift, it's surely not without cause."

The atmosphere tightened as Ji Woo pondered the implications. The Devil, a figure of immense influence, had taken notice of him. What did this mean for his already intricate journey?

Zero continued, "The Devil rarely bestows such gifts without a purpose. There's something about you that intrigues him."

As they delved into a discussion about the Devil, Zero shared tales of the enigmatic figure who operated in the shadows, influencing the course of events in the world of hunters and dungeons. Ji Woo listened, absorbing the information like a sponge. The more he learned, the more questions arose in his mind.

In the midst of their conversation, Zero presented Ji Woo with an unexpected proposition.

"If the Devil ever uses his power to harm the lives of innocent humans, I want you to stand against him. In return, I offer you an alliance, a partnership against a common threat."

Ji Woo, intrigued by the potential alliance, considered the implications. The Devil's actions affecting the lives of ordinary people brought a sense of responsibility to Ji Woo. He agreed to Zero's terms, sealing their pact with an handshake .

As Ji Woo prepared to leave, Zero stopped him. With a swift movement, she opened a mysterious portal, leading to an unknown alley.

"This portal will take you where you need to go. Thank you for your cooperation, Han Ji Woo."

Ji Woo, stepping through the portal, found himself on the other side, the unfamiliar surroundings signaling a new chapter in his journey. "Thanks," he muttered, and the portal closed behind him.

In the shadows, an unseen figure with a blade and an eyes patch on his left eye , approached Zero. The man, shrouded in mystery, inquired,

"Is he worth anything Zero ?"

"Or should call you the Devil "

Shrounding in anger as zero looked down ,

"Don't call me that casually !", A threat, no it was a pure indication of her superiority .

The mysterious man backs off and says,

"Still , you used a member from the association to reach to him , surely that was wild.

Zero, maintaining her composed facade, replied, "Time will reveal his worth. For now, he's a wildcard in this intricate game."

The mysterious man leaned in, his voice barely audible, "Zero, do you think he suspects who you really are?"

A subtle smirk played on Zero's face which was not visible due to lack of light ., as she responded while sipping on glass of wine that came out of nowhere ,

"No one suspects a thing. To them, I am just a lady of influence in the shadows, orchestrating events. The Devil's true identity remains my well-guarded secret."

The mysterious man, now seated across from the Devil, questioned,"But why involve Ji Woo? What makes him so special?"

The Devil, a wicked glint in his eyes, explained, "Ji Woo possesses a unique energy, a potential that even he hasn't fully tapped into. I intend to harness that power for my own purposes. Let the world believe in the facade of Zero, while the true puppeteer remains concealed."

As they conversed in the shadows, the scene shifted to Ji Woo navigating the unfamiliar streets. Unbeknownst to him, the Black Access Card in his possession now held even more significance than he could fathom.

"These Four kings , strong hunter's , the devil and these monster's can I even reach the top "

As he questioned himself through the heavy wind which was blowing towards the east and The puppeter Devil thinking of his new mischief .