A picturesque landscape. That was Suho's first impression of the path leading to the black market. A deep valley in the mountains, shrouded in thick fog. As he followed the winding trail upwards, a massive structure gradually revealed its outline before Suho, and finally its true form emerged.
'A temple.'
There was no other way to describe it. The towering ceiling. The rough yet intricately decorated stone pillars. The massive bronze door standing at its center. The overwhelming sacred atmosphere instinctively made him realize that this place, regardless of who it was for, was a 'temple.'
Flinch. Suddenly, Beru's eyes sharpened, focusing on the front.
[Little Monarch, I sense many presences deep within that building.]
"Humans? Or magical beasts?" At Suho's question, Beru twitched his antennae and answered confidently.
[Humans with mana. Most of them seem to be Hunters.]
"Demons?"
[I sense some demons too, but not many. And there's no one right beyond the door.]
"Just as the branch manager said."
Suho nodded and cautiously walked towards the temple. He raised his head and looked up at the massive, tightly closed entrance. It was a heavy gate that ordinary people would never be able to open. Of course, with Suho's monstrous Strength stat, he could not only open it but also smash it to pieces in one blow.
'But that would defeat the purpose of sneaking in.'
It wasn't a good idea to cause a commotion when he didn't even know if his grandfather was inside this building. Besides, Suho already knew how to open this door.
Click.
He took out the 'Stardust Necklace' he had taken from Branch Manager Min Dae-Seok out of his pocket. And he put it around his neck, reached out, gently pushing the tightly closed gate.
Creak
Surprisingly, the heavy door began to slide open with ease revealing the spacious interior. It was damp with moss growing here and there on the floor, walls, and ceiling. Suho stepped onto the corridor, following the torches hanging on the walls, and let out a hollow laugh.
"It was true. To think the real purpose of the Stardust necklace was a pass to the black market."
Currently, the public believed that the Stardust necklaces were created for commemorative purposes. It was a meaningful and noble cause to 'honor the souls of the victims who died to become Stardust ingredients.' Moreover, most of the proceeds from the Stardust necklaces were actually being used for the Bereaved families, so no one doubted the intentions.
'...But it was all a smokescreen.'
According to Branch Manager Min Dae-Seok, only a small number of Hunters realized the truth. In the first place, the black market hadn't been around for long, so very few people even knew of its existence. But it was only a matter of time.
[Even if you share information about the black market with a few trusted people, they'll still spread it by word of mouth.]
Once more people learned about the black market, Hunters would naturally seek out the Stardust necklaces.
Quay poked his head out, looking intrigued. The more he learned about the black market, the more fascinating it became. [It's like a method you'd see in a multi-level marketing pyramid scheme.]
Ponzi schemes, commonly known as pyramid schemes, often used this method to increase the number of their victims. They started with only a few people and then lured others in, pretending to introduce them to something good. Some of them were even suspiciously religious. However as long as there was no direct harm to him, Suho didn't really care about such things. But what if that religion was the Outer Gods' cult?
'Anyway, one thing is clear.' If this was truly a temple of the Outer Gods, it seemed the Apostles of Itarim had already perfectly adapted to Earth.
After walking along the corridor for a while, a vast dome-shaped space opened up before Suho. It seemed even bigger than several Olympic stadiums combined. However he couldn't help but be surprised by the sight that unfolded within. He had expected a dark and secretive place, befitting a black market, but it was surprisingly bright and lively.
– 200 kilos of magic stones! Negotiable!
– We have all kinds of dungeon ores except for the ones we don't have!
– Magical beast carcasses on sale today! Discounted price for the last person!
– Massive sale! The owner has gone crazy!
– Payment with magic stones is also possible for those without cash!
– Hey! Are you new here? What idiot uses a credit card in the black market?!
It felt like he was at an expo. The vast space was filled with countless mats and booths. And numerous merchants occupied each spot, passionately hawking their wares and engaging in transactions. Suho couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"...It's like a bazaar."
They said it was a black market created for tax evasion, yet it felt more like a secondhand items exchange. But there was also an unexpected sight.
[Little Monarch, it seems there's even a blacksmith who refines ores and makes weapons here.]
"Indeed. And most of the blacksmiths are demons."
Surprisingly, humans and demons coexisted naturally in this place. While the people who came and went, engaging in bartering, were mostly Hunters, those who had settled here and were making and selling goods were demons wearing crow masks. In other words, they were the organizers. The staff.
'A market where humans and demons coexist. It's truly bizarre.'
[Master, I see an auction house and a gambling den over there.]
'Hmm?' Looking in the direction Quay pointed, Suho finally started to see the true nature of the black market.
"Just one more time! Lend me some more money! I'll pay you back when I win!"
Hunters who seemed to have lost all their possessions at the gambling den were desperately begging. When they finally started emitting mana from their bodies, the crow-masked demons guarding the gambling den stepped in and grabbed their shoulders.
"Calm down, members. You can't do this here."
"Don't make us resort to expulsion."
"J-just one more time! Please, just lend me one more time!"
"...Sigh. There's no helping it. If you insist, why don't you participate in a few rounds yourself?"
"Wh-what?"
"Don't worry. I'll make sure you're matched with someone of your level."
The gamblers' eyes wavered at the demons' suggestion. They still couldn't take their eyes off the gambling den, filled with lingering regret. And in the end, they made a decision they shouldn't have.
"You'll really match me with someone of my level, right?"
"Of course. You know, right? The underground arena is all about bare-knuckle fighting, no items allowed. What's there to worry about for a strong person like you?"
"...Th-then, can I get an advance payment?" The moment those words left their mouths, Suho saw it. The demons' grins stretching wide behind their crow masks. They smiled brightly and shook hands with the suckers, or rather, the Hunters.
"Of course. Let's discuss the contract details over there."
Suho silently watched the gamblers following the demons in a line.
'An underground fighting ring. It's literally a contract with the devil.'
[Little Monarch, you understand, right? Gambling is the path to ruin. Huh? Where are you going?]
"They said it's an underground fighting ring. It's okay to just watch, right?"
As Suho walked towards the gambling den, the demon guards at the entrance bowed politely and spoke to him.
"You seem new here. Are you visiting from another factory?" Their eyes glanced up at the pair of horns on Suho's head, and a hint of wariness could be felt in their gaze.
[Answer them informally. They're being cautious because of Vulcan's Horn, thinking you're a higher-ranking demon.] Suho nodded briefly at Esil's timely advice and opened his mouth.
"I heard the rumors and dropped by. Any problem with that?"
As he subtly showed the Stardust necklace hanging around his neck, the demon guards quickly stepped back and replied in a rather friendly manner.
"Oh, no problem at all. We always welcome new factories. If you need any guidance, would you like us to assist you?"
'Interesting.' Suho felt like the demons were salespeople eager to land a new client. And they didn't seem to be hiding their intentions at all.
"But... if you don't mind, could you tell us how much Stardust you have?" As they asked, their snake-like gazes scanned Suho, who had come empty-handed.
"As you know, there are many factories that have gone bankrupt these days."
"..." While Suho was choosing his words, Esil whispered in a displeased tone.
[Honestly. How dare these lowly beings speak like that to a demon with horns?]
'Hey, why are you getting angry? I'm not even a real demon.'
It seemed this place operated outside of the demon hierarchy. So when Suho remained silent for a moment, the guards dared to smirk, as if they had expected this.
"Ah, I see. So that's how it is. I knew it from the moment you came empty-handed. These days, many penniless demons come to us, wanting to join our side... Hmm?"
At that moment a bundle of Stardust suddenly appeared in Suho's hand, which had been empty just a moment ago.
"...!" The guards' eyes widened in surprise.
No, it wasn't just one bundle. Two bundles. Three bundles. Four bundles. Suho had been storing all the Stardust he had acquired from raiding the demon factories in his inventory. He took out a bunch and showed it to the demons, a sly smile appearing on his lips.
"Do I need more?"
"Th-that's enough."
"Th-this way, please! We'll guide you to the VIP room!"
"Lead the way."
"Yes!"
The demon guards immediately lowered their stance and guided Suho to the gambling den. He followed them, his eyes gleaming sharply.
'A VIP room... Demons are living quite human-like lives.'