Shadows of the Shadow Market
[A strangely dark atmosphere. Completely different from the daytime city.]
Black Eye, bored while waiting at the inn, peered at the night's streets devoid of any signs of life and spoke in wonder.
"Exactly. It's late, but this is Obela's back alleys. This is where the Shadow Market, also called the black market, opens."
Thud—thud—thud—
Only the sound of my footsteps pierced the silence.
The remote alley, where even the streetlights were out, was unrecognizable as the bustling market path from just moments ago.
First corner, left, then two blocks ahead, right turn, follow the diagonal path—there's a broken streetlamp.
I retraced my memory, advancing deeper into the alleys bit by bit, where light and sound faded more with each step.
After weaving through the maze-like alleys past the broken streetlamp for several minutes,
You have arrived at Obela's Shadow Market.
Would you like to enter?
The awaited alert appeared, and only then did I relax, letting out a low sigh.
"It'd been a while, so I got a bit confused, but my memory held up."
The moment I nodded, whoosh—!!
With a sound like a stage curtain parting, the darkness blocking my path split in two.
"……!!"
Surprisingly, behind the alley stood densely packed tents, adorned with signs overhead.
Weapons, armor, herbs, materials... Even a quick glance revealed rare items unseen in the daytime market.
Impressive.
I smirked as I took it all in.
This place, Obela's hidden spot, required navigating a specific maze to reach—an Instance Zone within the city, isolated from the outside world.
"You're a stranger here."
The moment I entered the street, a man leaning against the alley wall spoke up.
"What's going on lately? No outsiders used to find this place... but they've been showing up more often."
I turned at his words.
"Others besides me?"
"Hard to say for sure, but you're the third. I stick around here, so I see everyone coming and going."
He patted the mat spread beneath him.
A tin can sat beside it, signaling his beggar status, with a few meager coins inside.
Clink—
I tossed a gold coin into the can and asked,
"Do you remember what the other two looked like?"
"Heh heh, this much...? Lucky day."
Peering into the can, the man grinned.
"The first one? Impossible to forget. Striking appearance."
"Who?"
"Couldn't see the face. Wore a white mask. Cloaked body, but definitely a woman from what peeked through."
He pointed to his eyes.
"I've got a sharp eye. Heh heh... Mask or not, she was a beauty."
"Cut the nonsense and tell me about those two. Who was the other one?"
I shoved another coin into his lap, waving him on impatiently.
"Ahem. The second was a tall man. Gaudy armor—unsuited to this heat. Short hair, deep voice. Ah... right, unusual silver eyes."
My face hardened slightly at his description.
Rerto Karen...
As expected from the acknowledged top player in Dimension World, the leader of the Eight Great Clans hadn't skimped on this next stage after the starting point.
"What'd he say? Anything special?"
"Ahem... well."
At his cough, I flashed two more gold coins with a glance.
"Haha, don't remember details, but the woman with him kept saying no time. Had to reach somewhere within seven days—missing materials. Yeah, definitely seven. Booming voice; I heard clear as day."
He mimed digging in his ear.
The woman with Rerto Karen must be sub-leader Pimel. Los Clan's top two together means it's no small matter... Somewhere within seven days...
I narrowed my eyes.
Impossible on foot. Unless they learned a riding skill, they'd likely rented desert panthers.
If so, their destination was predictable—high chance of tracking them at the rental spot.
Places reachable from Obela in seven days: three.
One was Pharhum's Tomb, lair of the undead king. Another, the nest of Sograt, the serpent called a spirit beast alongside the White Swamp's ancient monster.
And the last: Spider Lord's Tomb, home of the spider queen.
A one-in-three shot, but couldn't rule out running into Rerto Karen.
"When were they here?"
"Day ago. Popped into the basement, then rushed off."
"The basement..."
No need to say it—it was Hamma's basement, my target.
Rerto Karen bought info from him, no doubt. But whether it was solid info... that's the key.
Quests had always been about clearing for rewards. But even a Dimension World veteran like Rerto Karen wouldn't expect this.
An NPC handing out fake quests.
I smiled faintly.
Things are falling into place nicely.
"The masked woman who came first—any idea where she went?"
The beggar eyed his now-empty can, and I tossed another gold coin.
"Ahem... If the last info was two gold, this one's worth three at least..."
"Think of the rest as your life insurance. Get too greedy, and you won't live to spend what you've got."
He swallowed dryly, nodding unconsciously.
"Ahem... Truth is, I don't know where the first one went. Stopped by silently, left without a word."
"When?"
"Roughly two weeks back."
He hurriedly counted on his fingers.
A player in a mask. Plenty wore masks in Dimension World, but among notables, only one sported a white one.
Isabel Silver.
The Hidden Eater had hit this midpoint two weeks ago—and found the hidden spot to boot.
In some ways, a real monster.
I looked forward to meeting the legend shrouded in rumors over Dimension World 1's five-year run.
Wonder if the kids have met Nam-gung Yun by now. If he teams with those two for the Illusion Rock Altar, perfect...
The hidden class from the Illusion Rock Altar, Zodiac, was based on the twelve constellations, as the name implied.
If explorer Nam-gung Yun finds it, he might unlock the explorer-exclusive hidden class 'Spirit Seeker.'
Spirit Seekers could uncover the mysterious familiars called the source of Zodiac's twelve spirit beasts—the only job for it.
Though no one knows where or what they are...
Ironically, learning Nam-gung Yun was Isabel Silver's brother made me sense he was the explorer I needed—not the Hidden Eater, despite her edge in spirit-seeking feats.
But Spirit Seeker is just a step. What I'm really after is something else...
[Sometimes, following your heart is the right path.]
Black Eye spoke as if reading my mind.
"......"
I slowly headed toward the Shadow Market's end, to the unlit basement.
"Who are you?"
Opening the basement door revealed cobwebs on the ceiling and the skittering of bugs vanishing into wall cracks.
A man buried in scattered books turned, asking me.
Shaggy hair, round glasses. Reeking of booze, he looked like a vagrant—or oddly secretive.
Always the great actor.
I couldn't help but chuckle at his getup.
"Oh my, a stranger. Lately, outsiders keep finding this place. Tea? Not fancy, but desert leaves are rare."
He flashed a friendly smile, rising from his book pile to pour from a battered kettle.
A fragrant aroma wafted briefly.
"Your job isn't pouring tea. Hamma."
I spoke without glancing at the cup he offered.
Shing—
Only the sound of Hijack's sword drawing whispered a warning to him.
"Wh-what do you...?"
Thwack—!!
I smashed the sword's hilt into his face.
"Gah—hack! What the hell—out of nowhere!!"
Hamma toppled onto the book pile, clutching his reddened cheek, yelling.
"Don't know your crime?"
"What... gah—!!"
I struck his midsection again.
"Think hard. What you did wrong."
With ribs likely cracked, Hamma gasped in agony.
"I-I'm seeing you for the first time—why attack me?! Even in a free city, you can't just kill—I'll call the guards!!"
His eyes darted for escape.
I leaned down, gripping his shoulder lightly.
"Here about Rerto Karen."
"……!!"
His face paled instantly.
Bingo.
As expected, he'd fed Rerto Karen a fake quest.
Makes sense—the Hidden Eater skipped here, so Rerto was his first mark. No way he'd deal straight with a naive outsider.
"Good. Now we're talking."
I pressed Hijack's blade to his throat.
"Your task is simple."
Slash—!!
"Eek?!"
Swung outward, he flinched, raising a book overhead.
Shred—!!
The book sliced clean, pages scattering everywhere.
"Tell me everything you did wrong to Rerto Karen. Where you sent him, what he sought—all of it. Or... you know the rest."
Staring at the severed book like it was his neck, sweat beaded on Hamma's forehead.
"N-no choice! I'll tell all!"
He prostrated himself, shouting. I perched on the broken desk, watching.
"Explain. From one to ten. Skip anything, you die."