Chapter 14 - The Business Deal

At a shabby hideout deep within the Hollow Pit, a cluster of rough-looking individuals milled around, some muttering to themselves, others counting coins and watching for any sign of trouble. The leader of the group—a wiry, sharp-eyed man known as Gregor "The Snake" Vale—lounged on a makeshift throne in the corner, surveying his domain. His underlings respected him, or at least feared him, for his ruthless cunning.

One of his lackeys approached, clearing his throat before addressing him. "Boss Vale, a word."

Gregor didn't look up from the coins he was absentmindedly running through his fingers. "What is it now, Tal?"

"It's the receptionist woman. Lenna. She didn't check in tonight at her usual time," Tal reported.

Gregor shrugged, chuckling. "So what? Probably got herself offed by someone stronger. Poor sap was losing her edge anyway. She barely brought in anything worth calling a haul."

Tal glanced around, hesitant to continue, but then added, "There's… also someone here to see you, boss. Wanted to speak to you urgently."

Gregor's interest piqued. He leaned forward slightly, a crooked grin spreading across his face. "Well, well. Send 'em in, then. Business is always welcome in The Snake's Den."

With a nod, Tal disappeared and returned moments later with a young man who looked completely out of place—a clean-cut, handsome figure with a faint, almost mocking smile. Gregor sized him up, noting his fine clothes, and the way he seemed utterly unfazed by the grime and hostility of the hideout. Curious.

Gregor gestured for the young man to step forward. "Well, fancy boy, what brings you to my little club here? Got a taste for danger?"

The young man grinned, then gave a slight bow. "Call me Alder, and yes, I'd say I do. I hear you're the one in charge here." His eyes drifted around the shabby room, and he let out a low whistle, as if he were inspecting a piece of junk. "Nice place you've got here. Charming, in a… musty, rundown sort of way."

Gregor let out a laugh, appreciating the man's nerve. "Got some spirit, don't ya? But let's cut to the chase, Alder. What do you want?"

"A fair question," Taurus—disguised as "Alder"—replied, still smiling. "I have an offer, one that I think will interest you." He pulled a pouch of coins from his belt, letting it dangle in front of Gregor. "Fifteen gold coins, in exchange for 220 copper coins and 12 silver coins."

Gregor's expression soured slightly at the strange request. "Fifteen gold coins? And you're offering them for what… pennies in comparison? Why not just spend the gold yourself?"

"Because I'm someone who appreciates the finer things," Taurus replied smoothly, "and gold is a bit conspicuous for my purposes. This isn't exactly the kind of place where you want to flaunt wealth, you know? Silver and copper coins are far more… practical."

Gregor chuckled, a dark gleam in his eye. "It's tempting, Alder, but here's my counter-offer. I could have my boys here kill you, take those fifteen gold coins and that fancy jacket of yours, then toss your body out for the birds and rats to enjoy."

Taurus laughed, undeterred. "Oh, you could try. But there's one little problem with that plan."

Gregor narrowed his eyes. "Oh? And what's that?"

In the blink of an eye, Taurus vanished from view, leaving Gregor and his men blinking in confusion. Suddenly, Gregor felt the cold, unmistakable press of a blade against his throat, and Taurus's voice, soft and calm, whispered in his ear, "The problem, Gregor, is that you'll be dead before you can even give the order."

Gasps erupted around the room, Gregor's underlings staring in horror, completely caught off guard. Taurus had slipped past them without a sound, bypassing their defenses as if they were nothing.

Gregor's bravado faltered, his eyes darting around wildly. "Wait, wait! Let's… let's talk about this," he stammered, but Taurus didn't care for further negotiations. In a swift, almost casual motion, he drew the blade across Gregor's throat, ending him in a silent, efficient stroke.

A deadly hush fell over the hideout as Gregor's lifeless body slumped forward. Taurus sighed, then turned to the remaining gang members, who looked on in shock and horror.

"Now, now," Taurus said, a cold smile playing at his lips, "why the surprised faces? It's not like you were planning on letting me leave here alive, were you?"

Some of Gregor's men shouted, drawing weapons as they prepared to attack. But Taurus merely raised his hand, activating Veil of Silence, vanishing from their sight. The men cursed and stumbled, swinging wildly, but all they could hear was the eerie silence that now blanketed the room.

One by one, they began to drop. A shadow here, a glint of steel there, and another body would fall, silent and unseen. The silence was as deadly as any battle cry, leaving each man unsure of where the next blow would come from.

Finally, only a handful of them remained, their breaths ragged, their eyes darting around in pure terror. Some of them realized, too late, that they were being taken out one by one. And then they, too, found themselves frozen, unable to move as the shadows tightened around them, binding them in place.

Taurus reappeared, standing in the midst of the fallen bodies, eyeing the remaining survivors with a look of amusement. "Not much teamwork, huh? But then again, I suppose loyalty wasn't exactly part of your business model."

He turned toward the door and called out, "Alright, Lenna. It's safe to come out now."

The inn receptionist, Lenna, stepped cautiously into the hideout, her gaze sweeping over the scattered bodies and the men trapped in shadow, still frozen and trembling in fear. Her eyes lingered on Taurus, and though she offered him a faint smile, there was an unmistakable glint of fear in her eyes.

Some of the restrained men began to hurl insults at her, calling her a traitor and shouting that she'd sold them out to a psychopath. Taurus glanced at one of them, raised his palm, and in an instant, activated Eternis. The man's life ended on the spot, his body slumping forward as if a switch had been turned off.

"Now, now," Taurus said calmly, lowering his hand. "It's not polite to call people names. But then again," he mused, "psychopath might not be too far off the mark."

The remaining men looked on, their faces pale as two more of them collapsed, their lives snuffed out by another quick activation of Eternis.

The system chimed in his mind, and a notification appeared:

[Congratulations! You have leveled up twice!]

[New Skills Acquired:]

1. Silent Execution (Passive)

Increases critical strike chance and minimizes noise when attacking from behind.

2. Fade Step

Allows the user to blend into shadows instantly for a short distance, moving without being seen.

3. Siphon Strength

Temporarily drains the strength of nearby enemies, adding it to the user's own.

4. Iron Will (Unique)

A unique skill that grants resistance to mind control, charms, and fear-based abilities. Increases focus and resilience in high-stress situations.

Taurus's grin widened as he went over his new skills. Silent Execution and Fade Step were perfect for slipping in and out of danger, while Siphon Strength and Iron Will would make him even harder to take down. He pulled up his status to see the changes.

Status

• Name: Taurus (alias: Alder)

• Level: 5

• Health: 320/320

• Mana: 60/60

• Strength: 25

• Dexterity: 22

• Intelligence: 18

• Charisma: 8

• Luck: 1

Skills:

• Eternis

• Venomous Swipe

• Shriek of Terror

• Multi-Eye Vision

• Veil of Silence

• Shadow Grip

• Shadow Step

• Silent Execution (Passive)

• Fade Step

• Siphon Strength

• Iron Will (Unique)

Inventory:

• Knife (Lenna's attempt at intimidation)

• Bag of Coins (15 gold, various silver and copper coins from Gregor's hideout)

Pleased with his progress, Taurus looked over his remaining captives, who had been rendered completely speechless by the carnage they'd witnessed. He tilted his head, giving them a brief, cold smile.

"Well," he said lightly, "it seems my business here is done. I'd say it's been a pleasure, but… well, that would be a lie."

Without another word, he turned to Lenna, motioning for her to follow him. As they left, the last surviving members of Gregor's gang remained bound in place, too afraid to make a move. The silence of the room was broken only by the soft, fading footsteps of Taurus and his reluctant new informant.

As they stepped out of The Snake's Den, Taurus took a deep breath, feeling more prepared than ever to handle whatever this world threw at him next.