Black Market

Black Market!

Even they had only heard rumors of it.

The Black Market exists in the dark and dangerous regions of large cities; it is a paradise for adventurers and a haven for crime.

Shadowy thieves, criminals, and murderers all congregate here.

If someone were to cast "Detect Evil" here, they would find that ninety-nine point nine percent of the people are glowing red—and a deep, purplish shade at that.

With Borne's prior warning, the group suppressed their questions and followed closely behind him.

The Black Market is vast, with visibility dimming beyond ten meters, yet Borne seemed exceptionally familiar with the layout.

Weaving through the crowd, they arrived in front of a small wooden door.

Several tall, burly men were keeping watch by the door, their expressions so fierce they might as well have had "I am a villain" written on their faces.

Seeing the "shorties" approach, one of the men, who appeared to be the leader, walked over.

Borne flicked his thumb, and a gold coin landed in the leader's hand in a perfect arc. Seeing the gold, the man's face immediately broke into a smile, and he ushered them inside with exaggerated courtesy.

Seeing the brute's disgusting grin, Dalena secretly shifted two steps away.

The leader led them inside, and unlike the clamor of the Black Market outside, this place was filled with blood-pumping passion!

Cheers and curses rang out incessantly!

After the group passed through another door, a massive underground arena came into view.

In the arena, two barbarians were locked in a life-or-death struggle, while the surrounding spectators clutched their betting slips and screamed wildly.

The two on the field were blinded by bloodlust; they knew only one could leave this place today. Even covered in wounds, they still desperately hammered at each other with their fists.

The members of the Arcane Society had never seen such a scene. Their pampered lives had led them to believe that most of the world was beautiful, and when the dark side of the world was suddenly unveiled, they were all at a loss.

Watching the two men in the center, drenched in blood, Cook and the others looked ghastly.

"W-who are they? Why are they attacking each other like this? Are they not afraid of death?"

Dalena finally couldn't help but ask, her lips trembling.

"Do you know where this is? This is the Dark Alley!"

Borne's expression remained calm as he said flatly, "They are called 'Street Brawlers,' fighting for the title of 'Overlord.' The honor and fame of being a 'Street Overlord' not only grant status but also a large sum of money!"

"Take a good look, then let's go. If you are captured in the wild, the chances of escape are slim. In that case, you should think about how to die quickly—that is the fate of the captured!"

Borne turned his head and grinned, "Believe me, you do not want to know the fate of women who are captured!!!"

"..."

The members of the Arcane Society stood frozen in place, an urge to flee immediately washing over them.

Seeing that the "lesson" was sufficient, Borne stopped scaring them and waved his hand, signaling them to follow. "Let's go, we need to find a guide!"

"A guide? You want to find one among these people?"

"Aren't the hunters outside good enough?"

Hearing that Borne intended to recruit someone from here as a guide, everyone felt a sense of repulsion.

"Do you know who these Street Brawlers are?"

The group looked confused.

"Most Street Brawlers are barbarians or rangers. They are warriors and wanderers of the jungle; simply put, they are wilderness experts!"

"They come from the wilderness, using combat techniques honed in the wild to seek challenges in the Dark Alley and test their own strength. Many of them have spent their lives struggling for survival in dangerous corners, never letting their guard down, and possessing combat abilities with lightning-fast reflexes!"

"Do not underestimate them. Many high-level combatants have emerged from here, some even achieving legendary status. Many professionals come here seeking a breakthrough!"

After explaining, Borne ignored them and wove through the crowd, selecting his "guide."

Watching Borne communicate with all sorts of people using fluent underworld slang, Cook and the others were both surprised and curious.

Their mood shifted from initial fear to a growing excitement, and they seemed to understand why Borne was so unconventional. Having witnessed this kind of "scenery," the things in the academy truly felt like "playing house."

After ruling out a few candidates, Borne found the person he was looking for in a dim corner.

A cowardly ranger who was drowning in debt.

Surrounded by empty wine bottles, a guy who looked like a vagrant was curled up on the ground. If not for the slight rise and fall of his chest, the group would have thought he was a corpse.

"Borne, is this guy okay? There are so many people here, shouldn't we pick someone else?"

Lisper covered her nose and suggested.

"No, it has to be him. There aren't many people who are both suitable and familiar with the Hills Swamp, and most importantly, he owes a lot of money!"

"What?"

"The fact that he can owe so much money in the Black Market and still sleep so soundly means he has some skills."

Having said that, Borne looked down at the ranger on the ground and mocked, "Hey, since you're awake, get up and talk. Who are you pretending to sleep for..."

The ranger, startled awake, propped himself up against the wall with both hands.

"Little brat, didn't your elders teach you..."

In an instant, a pair of black pupils shimmered with light, flashing like a bolt of lightning and vanishing just as quickly. Others might not have noticed, but the ranger who had locked eyes with him immediately swallowed the rest of his sentence.

"Fine, you mentioned the Hills Swamp earlier. Which part are you lot heading to?"

"That's right, just us. We're still missing a guide..."

Borne briefly explained the purpose of their trip, though he concealed the academy mission, mentioning only that they were going to investigate.

The ranger pondered for a moment after listening, then raised his index finger and said, "Fine, 1,000 gold coins!"

"What?"

Dalena, standing to the side, bristled instantly. "Why don't you just go rob someone? You want that much just for leading the way?"

The president beside her frowned; 1,000 gold coins was no small sum for her, and after spending her monthly funds on magical research, there was barely anything left.

The ranger, however, looked indifferent. He stood up slowly and brushed the dust off his clothes. "Since you're going to investigate, you should know that there were no Lizardfolk in the Hills Swamp originally. They only occupied the marshlands in the last year or two, making that area very dangerous. Without 1,000 gold coins, I'm not going."

"Deal!"

Borne smiled.

The ranger hadn't expected the other party to agree so quickly, so he immediately added, "I need half the payment upfront as a deposit!"

Damn it...

That was pushing it; asking for half the money before even starting the job!

Before the others could protest, Borne agreed again.

He immediately took out a pouch of gold coins and tossed it over.

The ranger caught it with both hands. Hearing the sound and feeling the weight, he knew exactly what was inside, and his attitude improved significantly.

"When do we set off?"

"The sooner, the better."

"Hmm... alright, give me an hour."

"Good. We'll meet you at the West Gate in an hour."

"By the way, I don't know your name yet."

"Hubwick!"

The ranger extended his right hand, and Borne reached out to shake it.

"Borne, Borne Ioulaum!"

Borne could feel the ranger's palm tighten noticeably when he spoke his name.

Borne smiled. "See you later."

Hubwick's expression was somewhat unnatural. "Yeah, yeah, see you later..."

With that, Hubwick turned and vanished into the crowd.

"Hey, Borne, aren't you afraid he'll run off with the money?"

Cook watched the ranger's retreating back and asked with some concern.

Borne smiled slightly. "Don't worry, he won't. Most people here are desperate outlaws, and this meager bit of reputation is all they have left. If he swindles us, there won't be a place for him in the underground world."

Afterward, the group returned to the surface. Looking at the familiar, bustling streets, their moods had changed, and the anxiety that had been hanging over them finally settled.

The powerful mental strength of spellcasters granted them keen intuition.

The legendary 'Black Market' truly lived up to its reputation. They could feel danger lurking everywhere inside; even a seemingly normal person could send shivers down one's spine with a single glance.

Perhaps most of them weren't particularly strong, but if it came to a life-or-death struggle, she wasn't confident she could win.

She vaguely understood why the academy had started pushing for off-campus missions.

Just by taking a stroll through the Black Market, the worldview of the Arcane Society members seemed to have been reshaped, and at the same time, the favorability Dalena and the others felt toward Borne rose sharply.

Time passed quickly, and the group met the ranger Hubwick at the West Gate.

Compared to his earlier appearance, he looked like a different person. Clad in light armor, carrying a large pack and a bow on his back, with a dagger and throwing knives at his waist, he had successfully transformed from a vagrant into an adventurer.

The group exchanged a few quick words; they had to leave Seventon before dark.

After spending their first night in the wild, the group had changed, which even surprised Hubwick.

When he first met them yesterday, it was obvious they were all inexperienced 'greenhorns.' He hadn't expected them to get into the groove after only one day; many adventurers took a week or longer to help newcomers find their footing.

Once they found their rhythm, things became much easier. With the guidance of an expert with rich experience, the group picked things up quickly.

Hubwick proved worthy of his 1,000-gold-coin price tag; he was indeed a master of wilderness survival with extensive experience.

"This is Red Phosphorus Grass. If you see this grass, try to stay away from it. Usually, this grass grows right next to a Red Phosphorus Viper."

"The Red Phosphorus Viper is venomous. If you are accidentally bitten, find some Red Phosphorus Grass immediately. Crushing the roots to apply to the wound and eating some can neutralize the poison."

"When these fruits turn red, the shrub secretes neurotoxic venom into them. An average person will be poisoned and paralyzed after eating one or two, and eating more will lead directly to death! You have to pick them while they're still green and let them sit for a few days until they soften before you can eat them."

Hubwick rattled off information about the flowers and plants along the way, as well as various precautions, with ease.

These were all summaries of wilderness survival experience, the kind that could never be learned within the academy.

For a moment, everyone felt that the one thousand gold coins spent were actually quite worth it.

Hubwick, on the other hand, felt like he had been played; he had originally intended to show off a few tricks to let these noble scions see what he was made of, but he hadn't expected them to latch onto him like this.

It turned what should have been a dull journey into a traveling tutorial. If that were all, it would have been fine—after all, thirty-plus years of experience weren't for show—but the pressure came from the fact that these few had terrifyingly strong learning abilities.

The only one who was a bit problematic was that brat; it was simply bizarre. He could swear that before leaving the city, this kid was absolutely a "novice"!

Although he had received guidance from several "craftsmen" according to his own words, "theory" and "ability" were two completely different things.

But after leaving the city, it was as if the kid had suddenly had an epiphany.

The others only understood once he explained it, but with Borne, he didn't even need to explain; once he did, Borne not only understood more but could even draw inferences about other cases.

Was this even something a human could do?

At night, Hubwick would sprinkle a secret concoction he had meticulously prepared to repel the surrounding mosquitoes and insects. The others looked on with envy, as this item was practically a "divine artifact" for wilderness survival.

Two days later, Borne also concocted a batch. He had watched the entire production process with his own eyes, and the materials were gathered along the way; he would pluck a flower here, pick a berry there, and even taste them to test them out.

The others were stunned, as even Hubwick himself wouldn't dare to test herbs like that so casually.

This guy had actually concocted a repellent with the same efficacy as his own.

No!

It was even better! It was the kind that completely surpassed his.

It could repel snakes, insects, rats, and ants alike.

By the next day, the way Hubwick looked at Borne had changed.

The Guild Master and the others were unfazed; Arcanists were inherently creators of magic, and such "trivial matters" were as easy as drinking water to him. If given enough time, they could also figure it out, just not as quickly as Borne.

However, now that there was a better version available, Hubwick's secret concoction had "fallen out of favor."

Traveling while learning was quite a pleasant experience. With Hubwick as their guide, they avoided many unnecessary battles. When they encountered lone beasts or aberrations, the Guild Master and the others would step in to familiarize themselves with team combat experience.

Nether mages of this era were not purely spellcasters, and Nether spells were not as numerous, so it was quite normal to cast spells while swinging a sword.

The mortality rate for spellcasters was highest among those below the high-rank, especially among mid-rank spellcasters. The academy also required every student to master certain combat skills, for which they even offered weapon and swordsmanship courses.

As for Borne, he just watched from the side. Whenever he stepped in, the battle ended immediately; that abnormal [Mage Hand] felt like a cheat no matter how many times they saw it...

Borne also kept close to the ranger, asking questions from time to time and letting his Chip record and analyze them. Hubwick was no longer as casual as before; now, there were some questions Borne asked that he had to ponder for a while before he could offer his own perspective.

Well, not an answer, because the questions Borne was asking now were things even he didn't know how to solve.

Asking him why the scent secreted by the same pitcher plant would differ in different regions—who would even pay attention to that? The focus of his attention was just wrong...

Even without obtaining the desired answers, Borne was not disappointed.

Night fell.

The group found a sheltered spot to set up a temporary camp.

They had a harvest again today; a Terror Beast had run into them. Although the meat of a Terror Beast was too tough, it was still better than gnawing on dry rations.

Fortunately, the Terror Beast was large enough that the softer parts they selected were just enough for everyone to share.

"Ding! The 239,557th simulation of the 4th-circle spell formula has ended. Current progress: 71.8321%, 352 rune conflicts, 2,152 abnormal nodes..."

At this moment, the sound of the new simulation cycle ending rang out.

Borne rubbed his chin and muttered to himself, "If my hypothesis is correct, it should be possible to cast it once completion exceeds fifty percent. Now that it's over seventy, I should be able to touch the Weave!"

Borne raised an eyebrow, feeling that it was worth a try!