Chapter 16

“We heard there was a black market’s auction this evening.”

Svanta, the guild master, replied, shaking her red hair in surprise. “Who told you about it?”

“...One of the receptionists.” Saryn, one of the otherworlders answered. “So, can we take the private quest instructing its dismantlement?”

“… I’m afraid I can’t help much in this matter.”

“Why?” Lion was surprised.

“A S-ranked adventurer is already on the case. I believe he will not need any help since I witnessed his combat strength first-hand.”

“Is he Kyle?”

“… How?”

Gwyneth answered her. “He is like us and we know him for quite a long time. Our paths diverged greatly because of a stroke of bad luck but we should be on good terms with him.”

“Wait! If Kyle if coming in one of the black market’s den, what happened could reiterate!” The others looked worried, except for the guild master that was clueless.

Gwyneth enlightened her. “Do you remember the ‘monster rampage’ that happened a few weeks earlier? We aren’t 100% sure but we think it was Kyle’s doing. The mana signature is the same so it’s most likely the right guess.”

Svanta widened her eyes. “Are all the otherworlders power freaks like him?”

“He is quite unique. We are far behind him in term of raw strength.”

The guild master sighed in relief. “But wasn’t it a ‘monster’ rampage?”

”””...”””

*****

The auction was in full swing. They were only three remaining “lots”, and they were the most praised.

“And here we have a magnificent one! A small child from the beastmen. She is from the raccoon tribe and an albino at that! You will never find a whiter slave than her! The starting prize is ten gold coins. One gold coin increase per bet at least.”

The price quickly skyrocketed, reaching the hundred of gold before a plump man won the auction while stroking is abundant mustache.

Kyle’s face was grim behind his mask. His face was distorted and both the past and the present were superposing in his mind. He felt the soft touch of Yukina’s hands and contained himself. ‘Not yet.’

The plan was to silently leave the auction room when the bets for the second slave would be at their peak in order to not catch attention. He knew the guards would more alert on the last sale and thus Yukina and himself decided to leave before. Yukina would use the little control she had upon her Gift when in her dematerialized form to hide the presence of Kyle and draw even less attention.

‘I will probably go out of my way and spare the slave’s lives... At least the children’s.’

The second sale was starting. A grown man from the demonkin with a large build was sold. His head displayed two impressing horns and his face was grim. Once the bid reached the hundred and half gold coins, Kyle started his so-called plan. It was fairly simple but he knew that he could push his way through sheer power if even needed if he were to be discovered. Yukina and himelf just judged that their chances to get a big shot were higher if they came in stealthily. And so they did.

Kyle left the company of the strange woman that offered a glass of alcohol earlier and wouldn’t let go off him while she was too fascinated by the ongoing auction. The prize was rising each passing second and everyone was shouting their prices. Thus, it was easy to hide the sound of a walking man and Yukina could focus on hiding his magical presence and his frame by messing with the others’ mind.

The guards looked around restlessly when Kyle passed under their noses but noticed nothing. They were also absorbed in the sale.

Kyle stealthily opened the door behind them and descended a flight of stairs. He came inside a wide and familiar looking cave. This was the place were the slaves were stocked.

The only remaining resident suddenly raised her head upon seeing the door open and strangely followed Kyle even though he was still under Yukina’s cover. She pressed against a corner of the room, an afraid look on her face. ‘Is she feeling my discontent toward this place and takes it for her? As expected of a dark elf, her perception capacities are clearly above average.’

Kyle continued his pace toward the other side of the room and opened a slightly ornamented door. ‘These bastards are cocky, to boldly announce that this is their main room… Are they stupid?’

Yukina answered his thought. ‘Perhaps it’s a lure, don’t lose your focus.’

‘No need to remind me that. Not gonna mess up the whole plan because of something like this, heh.’

He opened the door and descended another, longer, flight of stairs. The room he entered was a bit ornamented. There was a lot of parchments, probably records and other reports and archives. He spent a bit of time skimming through them, conserving only those truly harmful to the black market while sitting on an ebony chair. He promised Svanta that he would bring back evidences of what happened here. He then started searching for hidden passages.

‘The creators of the wannabe gods are really thorough in hiding their existence. To even leak the proofs of the auction in order to hide themselves...’ Yukina commented as Kyle opened a trapdoor with a hidden mechanism.

He then found the documents he was looking for. A shelf was full of thick books and notes, and most of them were written by the same author. Since it wasn’t the main base of that group, whatever it was, the information wasn’t great but Kyle found something really interesting.

“So they hide in the capital itself huh...”

“Looks like we got us an unnecessary detour.” Yukina appeared besides him and spoke her thoughts.

Then, a familiar voice toned. “So there was really a guild’s spy. They really put their nose were they shouldn’t.”

Kyle chuckled. “As expected of a dark elf, you have a kin perception.” The auctioneer from earlier snorted. “A friendly warning. Don’t hinder me or you will have to bear the consequences.”

“Haah!? And what ‘consequences’?”

“Looking at these documents, I know who are the guys behind the scene. I need information from the High-elves, not from you. If you don’t hinder my path, I have no reason to kill you.”

The auctioneer stiffened instantly at the mention of her masters and unsheathed a hidden dagger. “I can’t let you live anymore!” She then threw the dagger at Yukina.

The dagger glowed faintly and penetrated Yukina’s intangible arm, leaving a huge scar.

*****

While the otherworlders were discussing between themselves wether or not they needed to help Kyle and possibly Yukina in the guild master’s office, a loud sound of an explosion. It followed with dozens of explosions, each louder than the previous before the silence settled back.

Saryn felt the huge mana used thanks to her Gift that allowed her an unmatched understanding of magic. “Looks like Kyle got finished.”

Lion followed. “Let’s go check whether there are survivors or not. Perhaps he left the slaves alive...” Everyone hurried outside of the adventurers guild, followed by the guild master.

gwenis

Heya~Gwenis the optimized but lazy soldier reporting! Here is the last chappy of the week (probably). I hope the "cliffhanger" (lol) isn't too brutal and, as always, that you enjoyed the chapter.

Leave a comment if you feel like it, I always enjoy them :)

See you soon and nice end of the week   \^w^/