A month had elapsed since Arlo's return from the dungeon, and two weeks since he had broached the subject of selling his items with Remi.
In the intervening month, Arlo had devoted himself to physical training and martial arts. He had scoured almost every building in the Aegis and Aurora districts in search of dungeons. He had even borrowed clothes from Remi to blend in while searching in the Aurora district.
"Are we ready to depart?" Remi asked.
At last, Remi had compiled enough information to sell without necessitating a weapon item background check.
Both Arlo and Remi exited the building. Arlo was clad in a blue denim jacket over a black hoodie, coupled with black jeans and black and white sneakers.
Remi, on the other hand, was dressed more formally than Arlo. He sported a white shirt with black trousers and shoes, topped with a leather coat and gloves. He had replaced his usual glasses with black shades adorned with golden accents. Each of them was lugging a large black briefcase.
Carrying weapons outside of dungeons was prohibited, so they had hidden them inside their briefcases. There were also several other restrictions, such as the prohibition of magic use on public properties; magic was only allowed within dungeons or designated supervised areas.
Following the Great War between Mages and Innovators 250 years ago, the Order of Council Innovators & Mages was established, introducing a slew of new rules and regulations that fostered peace between Innovators & Mages. Most of the prohibitions issued by the council primarily benefited Innovators, which is why they flourished during the subsequent 250-year period, known as the Golden Age.
Upon reaching the underground train station, they placed their briefcases inside a scanner. Remi then presented some documents from his phone to a security Cyber clad in a blue and brown jacket. The Cyber, with its sturdy Voidstone body, was a grey figure.
Arlo was curious about what Remi was showing to the Cyber robot, fearing they might seize his items.
"You are cleared to proceed, sir. Have a safe journey with your belongings," the Cyber granted them permission to move forward.
Bewildered, Arlo inquired, "What did you show to that Cyber?"
Remi whispered, "Our fabricated documents for the sword and shield."
"What!" Arlo gasped, and Remi added, "Why do you think it took us two weeks to get here? I had to ensure everything was in order."
"Are you really working for a security firm?" Arlo questioned Remi's credibility.
Remi retorted with a hint of sarcasm, "Who knows, maybe I'm part of the mafia!"
Arlo muttered under his breath, "Just wait until we sell these items, Remi. Then I'll deal with you."
They entered the train station, Arlo was taken aback. He saw a train pulling into the station, its streamlined, aerodynamic design with a pointed nose and sleek body gleaming in silver metal.
What caught his attention was the way it entered the platform; it was levitating in the air, devoid of wheel rails. The train was encased in massive silver rings, three times the size of the train, placed at regular intervals. Each ring rotated alternately in clockwise and anticlockwise directions, creating a hypnotic effect.
When a train departed the station, the rings spun at high speed, rendering them invisible. It appeared as though the train was moving within a transparent field. The speed was also impressive; Arlo noticed a signboard that read,
'The Spiral Express M-14 can cover 300 miles in 8.45 minutes. Please be mindful of potential motion sickness.'
Upon boarding one of the Spiral Express trains, Arlo observed that the floor and ceiling had a glossy finish. There were two decks, and as they descended to the lower deck, Arlo took a seat. The seats offered generous legroom, adjustable recline, and were arranged in a 2-2 configuration. Despite his sleep deprivation over the past month, the comfort of the seat made him drowsy, and he closed his eyes.
"CLAP!"
"Awake, we have arrived," Remi roused him from his slumber.
Disoriented, Arlo asked, "Huh... What happened?"
"We've reached the Psionic District station. Let's move," Remi prompted him to disembark.
They set foot in the Psionic District, situated more than 1500 miles away from Aegis, Arlo understood their purpose of coming here. The Psionic District was renowned as the Commercial district, the largest district for trading dungeons and innovators weapons.
This district was a haven for Dungeon Riders and budding Innovators.
Every weapon that was bought, sold, or crafted here had to be registered with the Innovators & Mages Guild. However, Arlo and Remi were not heading to one of the trusted Guild Shops; they were venturing into the Black Market, where items were traded without any questions.
Arlo made his first foray into the Psionic District and was immediately struck by the towering skyscrapers and buildings adorned with LED displays that constantly projected holograms.
As they navigated the bustling streets, Arlo felt dwarfed by a colossal figure. He was astounded when he looked up and saw an enormous skyscraper piercing the clouds. He had never seen a building of such height.
"That's the tallest building in the world," Remi commented, gesturing towards the skyscraper.
But that wasn't the only thing that caught Arlo's attention. As he strolled down the street, he observed a diverse crowd, some impeccably dressed, others in tattered clothes, some bearing scars on their faces and bodies, all carrying briefcases. They moved about without attracting judgment, but they all shared one commonality - each was carrying a briefcase.
After a brief walk, they entered a building named 'Dukle Weapons Block,' but they descended underground.
Arlo was startled; he saw a vast marketplace, clearly visible beneath a building in the heart of the district.
"Sir, step this way, we have premium items."
"Sir, we stock top-class mage swords."
"We offer divine and mythic items at affordable prices. Please step in, sir."
"Sir..." "Sir..." "Sir..."
The place was teeming with vendors vying for the attention of passersby to sell their items. Remi appeared unfazed, as if he was a regular here.
Remi noticed Arlo's astonishment and explained, "This place was once a dungeon. After it was cleared, it was converted into an underground market."
Arlo pondered, "Does that mean the council is aware of this place and still permits it? Why?"
The underground market seemed to stretch endlessly, and Arlo found himself wondering where it ended. They entered a stall, then opened a door, and continued to descend deeper underground.
After several minutes, they finally reached a small building constructed from Dungeon stones.
[End of Chapter]