The name of the underground market is Noirthorn, and it is actually located on a drifting planet light years away from Vanteer.
Despite that, it was immensely popular since they sold exotic and rare materials and equipment in the galaxy.
However, the process to get there was very tedious and complicated for a Fragmentary Maven with no status or backing like me.
Luckily, Noirthorn has branches from all over the galaxy, even here, albeit the products they have won't be as good as the main branch.
Piers should be just starting with his business or already has started his business. Either way now is the perfect time to form connections with him.
As I walked down the street, my eyes scanned the surroundings, trying to look for the gatekeeper to the branch.
They should be in this general area, but they really like to be hidden to avoid persecution from the authorities.
Eventually, I found them. I made my way toward the dark narrow alleyway, and there was a family of three huddled together, wrapped in a thin blanket, shivering in the cold.
I would've pitied them if I didn't know who they were.
Sure, there were homeless people here, but the reason why I'm confident they were the gatekeepers was because of the tattoo I caught a glimpse of on the man's ankle.
It was the tattoo for the people affiliated with Noirthorn.
I took out two things and placed them in the cup. It was the coin the facilitator gave me and a golden card that has a value of nearly a million creds.
It was a painful exchange, but it was necessary.
The family looked calmly at me. The man took the card in his hand and placed it into his storage ring, which was cleverly disguised as a regular wedding ring.
With the coin in his hand, mana came out and coated the coin with it, giving it a shimmering glow. It began to warp and shift, its surface melting and molding like ice cream on a hot summer day.
The fluid flowed down and dripped on the ground below, seeming to take on a life of its own as it moved.
It drew a circle around me, each edge marked with intricate runes that glowed with a soft, pulsing light.
This pattern… This is a teleportation array.
"Wear this." The child handed me a fox-like mask, similar to what the Japanese call a kitsune.
After wearing it, the array glowed even brighter.
"I hope you have a fruitful endeavor," the three said in unison.
As the light grew brighter, it became almost unbearable, and I had to shield my eyes with my hands.
Suddenly, the light dissipated. I blinked several times, trying to adjust my vision to my new surroundings. I found myself in what appeared to be a vast underground market, with stalls and stores of all shapes and sizes lining the walls.
The air was thick with the scent of spices, incense, and the occasional whiff of something far less savory.
Over me was an artificial sky that glowed softly with hundreds of illuminating crystals.
People with the same animal masks as I bustled back and forth, haggling over goods while some stole the goods with quick, practiced hands.
One thing I could immediately tell was that they were not all humans. Some had pointed ears or elongated tails, some had fur or scales, and others had skin tones that ranged from vibrant shades of blue to deep purples.
It was a dizzying array of races and species. Some of them should’ve come from outer space, while the others live here in Vanteer.
Unfortunately, they faced discrimination and hatred.
This was not only because of their appearance but also because they were 'monsters' that came out of the gates.
Some people had lost their loved ones to them, leading to deep-seated prejudices.
However, the majority of those people learned to accept them as a part of their world, but there were still those who could not shake their hate.
Not that it matters to me at the moment. I should start to find Piers.
A tattoo similar to the teleportation array was on my wrist. I could only afford an entry for an hour. Any more than that, and I'll be forcibly teleported out.
The direct approach to finding Piers was to ask around, but they always demanded payment, and I don't think they even know who he is, much less where.
So, I walked around, hoping that I'll stumble upon his business eventually.
The market here was truly different. They offered products that I had never heard of before or even thought that it was possible. It was a foreign and unique experience for me.
The stalls actually do sell the materials I need, but I think I can get a better deal if I partner with Piers.
Several minutes passed, and there were a few things I bought because I found them cool, like this yoyo that they claim to be indestructible, and so far, it was.
As I was about to move on to the next stall, a person claiming to be an employee of Piers came.
He asked if I was still interested in doing business with him, and I replied with a yes.
He then told me to follow him. It was suspicious, but it was the only lead I had, so I might as well go with it. I can defend myself anyway.
The person leading me gestured towards a tall, narrow building tucked away in the back. I followed them towards the entrance and made my way inside.
Sitting on the couch was a man leisurely smoking, with slicked-back dark green hair and a scar on his left cheek. He was dressed in a gray shirt and matching black pants. It was Piers Spencer.
There were a few brawny and middle-aged guards with rifles in their hands at every entrance and window. They exuded an intense and grave atmosphere as if they were preparing for battle.
Are they Mavens? Probably not.
Mavens would prefer to use a sword than a gun since it would complement their capabilities, or maybe they're like me—Fragmentary Mavens. Regardless of which, it's best to approach them as if they were Mavens.
Despite his rough appearance, his friendly demeanor caught me off guard.
"Welcome to my humble business!" he exclaimed. "What can I get you?"
…This can't be Piers, but his appearance matches my description of him in the story.
If that's the case, then it means that something happened to alter Piers that made him become the ruthless boss he is in the story.
This was good for me. I can easily offer the partnership to him.
"I have an offer for you, a partnership that could benefit both of us."
"Hoh?" He leaned back, still smoking his cigar. "What do you have in mind?"
"I give you the necessary capital and connections to expand your business. In return, I ask you to give me the resources that I want. Simple, right?"
The money I have left should be enough of a capital for now, and the connections I'll be promising him don't exist at the moment, but I'm more than sure they will come eventually.
"That is certainly a proposal that would benefit my business. After all, not long ago, we were attacked, and I lost nearly everything. However, why would I trust you?"
"Because I am a man of my word. I can assure you that."
"…You certainly are," he muttered under his breath. I was confused at what he meant by that, but I didn't dwell on it for too long since his men aimed their guns at me.
At that moment, <Judgement's Call> activated.
*****
***
*
"What do you think you're doing?" Arthur remained calm and collected.
Piers' expression hardened, his once amicable demeanor replaced by a cold, menacing look.
"Did you really think you could come back here and I wouldn't know? You must've lost your touch, Atlas."
'Atlas?' Arthur was confused because it seemed like Piers had mistaken him for someone else. "You got the wrong guy."
"The name? Possibly. After all, I heard you went by many names. But I can never forget your appearance. Not after what you've done."
Arthur was even more confused. This was the first time they had met. Heck, he hasn't interacted much with people since he woke up in Vanteer since he spent most of his time creating blueprints for his projects.
Piers unleashed a surge of magic, his power pressing down on Arthur like a heavyweight. "Shoot!"
As Piers' men pulled the trigger, Arthur quickly created a protective layer around himself, shielding him from both the magical pressure and the rain of bullets that came his way.
"You're now a Total Maven? To think you progressed this much. I fucking hate it!" Piers said in a cold, hateful tone, his expression twisted with a crazed look. "But it doesn't matter. I can tell you can't hold it for long. Keep firing!"
Arthur clicked his tongue, sweat pouring down his forehead. As Piers said, the shield was not going to last long, as every bullet that hit it made it more difficult for Arthur to maintain it.
He knew he had to make a move, but with the constant barrage, it was hard to do so.
A bullet shattered through and struck Arthur in the head.
The shield broke as Arthur's body went limp to the side.
Piers was in a state of shock. 'That easy?'
He lifted Arthur up by the neck. He strengthened his grip around it, but seeing no response, he broke into a wide grin, clearly elated by his perceived victory. "Hahaha! I finally have my revenge!" Piers exclaimed with a maniacal laugh.
However, as he was celebrating, he noticed something was wrong. 'Why is there no blood?' he wondered.
Then, he felt something on his chest. It was Arthur's hand.
Suddenly, fear overtook him as he stared into Arthur's cold, glowing emerald eyes.
Fire erupted from Arthur's hand, enveloping Piers in a blazing inferno. Piers let go of Arthur as he desperately flailed, trying to extinguish the flames.
However, Arthur wasn't done yet. His men were still present, about to make a move.
Arthur quickly crouched as he fell and pulled out the indestructible yoyo he bought. With a swift swing, he shattered the rifles of Piers' men instantly before they could shoot.
With nothing threatening him, he visibly relaxed.
He looked toward where Piers should've been, but he was gone. He looked around, but even the guards were gone, and the room he was in became different.
Arthur furrowed his brows.
"You're not the only one who has tricks up his sleeves." Piers' voice echoed. "I have created my own ouin! And unlike you, I can keep this up all day if I want to."
He began laughing maniacally, his voice still echoing in the room.
Arthur suddenly looked towards a space and walked toward it. Then he stopped and looked down as he spoke, "You're a pathetic one, aren't you?"
As if a fog had lifted, the room returned to its normal state, and Piers and his men reappeared in view once again.
Despite being engulfed in flames not long ago, Piers showed no visible signs of burns or injuries.
He was on the floor, clearly exhausted, which was evident by the heavy heaving of his chest and sweat glistening on his body.
“<Metamorphosis>, wasn’t it? That was your ouin,” Arthur spoke as he stared down Piers. “An illusionary-type ouin that allows you to change the appearance of yourself or the surroundings you marked. Despite them being merely illusions, they have a real impact on the people who’s in that illusion. However, they only work on those with a weaker willpower than you.”
The more Arthur spoke, the more fearful Piers became. After all, Arthur was right. However, Piers was more concerned on how he knew since it hasn’t been that long since he made the ouin unless... he never kept him away from his sights.
Just the thought of it sent chills down his spine. It was as if he was reliving the same scene back then.
Piers shrieked as he took out a handgun from his storage ring and shot several bullets at Arthur. However, Arthur was unscathed, shocking Piers.
‘It was his ouin!’ Due to his heightened sight, he was able to see Arthur conjuring fiery bullet-sized layers at where the bullets would hit, destroying them cleanly. ‘…How? How the hell is he still stronger than me?!!’
“Are you done?” Arthur said without any emotion.
"What do you want from me?!" Piers bellowed. "Are you still not satisfied with what you took?"
Arthur's glowing, emotionless eyes bore down on Piers. "As I said before, a contract. But now that you've made things difficult, it won't be as simple as my original proposal."
Piers' face contorted with hatred.
