Plundering the Black Market (4)
-Grgh! You bitch!
"Shut up."
Esil threw another punch. Zento crossed his arms to block it, but her fist wasn't something he could stop that easily.
Thud! Another brutal strike bloomed against Zento, and he screamed in agony as his bones cracked.
-Gaaah!
Esil knows how to throw punches too?
Meanwhile, I couldn't hide my shock watching her fight. The Esil I knew was the Small Sword Saint, a fighter who relied mainly on her sword. But right now, she was overwhelming Zento with just her fists.
Even if Zento's weak, that's only compared to the upper demons of the Seven Deadly Sins families. And she's dominating him with bare hands?
Esil's academy ranking was 12th. Rankings weren't based purely on combat strength, but anyone in the top 20 was basically the academy's elite forces.
So if 12th place is this strong, how insane is that crown prince Zeld?
I glanced at Zeld, who was just spectating. Seeing the academy's undisputed No. 1 made me even more curious about his real power.
But didn't this guy come to catch Zento? Why's he just standing there?
I was puzzled by his complete lack of movement—I'd expected him to jump in.
Meanwhile, Zeld saw no need to intervene. Or more precisely, he couldn't.
The Shadow King will handle it. Zento can wait.
Looking at Labra on the platform, Zeld could tell she was seriously pissed. Calling her the Shadow King meant he knew she ruled Under Town.
Time to move soon. Once the Shadow King chases him out, that's my cue to pursue.
Now he had justification. A perfect excuse to go after Zento. He'd surely head straight to his hideout in a rage. No more blind raids without knowing the location.
Today, I rescue Royre no matter what. For Rasent.
Zeld steeled his resolve.
"Esil! Grab onto something sturdy!"
"What?"
"You're about to get sucked into something—grab anything!"
"Got it."
I latched onto the thickest-looking pillar I could find, and Esil grabbed something nearby. Zento, seeing her suddenly break off her attack, looked baffled.
-What the hell are you doing, human?!
"You should grab something too. Nah, never mind—you won't need to. You're already marked."
He yelled back, not getting it.
-Trying to trick me?!
"Trick? Just look behind you."
-Behind me?
Zento turned.
"There's a limit to how much rowdiness I'll tolerate at the auction. First... the golden-skinned demon causing this mess gets permanently banned from Under Town."
The king of the underworld opened her eyes. Labra's glare—narrowed eyes suddenly wide—radiated pure terror.
Labra's Act is Rage, and her Abl is Gravity Manipulation. The intensity depends on her anger level.
She manifests it as a black hole. And this pull... looks like she's about 30% pissed.
-Insolent auctioneer scum! You think this petty gravity can handle me?!
"Tch, what an idiot."
I clicked my tongue at Zento. He might not know her identity, but how could he miss the danger when she opened those eyes?
"I'll give you a chance to walk out on your own feet. Five seconds. 5."
-Don't make me laugh!
"4."
Zento pushed against the pull and repulsion, lunging forward with a fist aimed at Labra.
"3."
-I'm a great demon of the Mamon family! Not someone a mere human can scorn!
"2."
He was almost on her. Gotta admit, the guy's got guts.
"1."
-Heh heh heh! Die!
"0."
Zento swung his golden fist at Labra, but she didn't flinch. No need to.
"I gave you five whole seconds, and you still couldn't take the chance."
Labra slammed the black hole right into his gut. Silence fell.
-Heh heh heh... nothing hap—Grraaaagh!
The brief quiet shattered as Zento's body warped like it was caught in a whirlpool, getting sucked into the void.
'Banishment from Under Town.'
Labra's signature move. Not lethal—just pure exile. The victim gets gravity-branded, forever barred from Under Town by any route.
Zeld's on the move.
I saw him stand. Probably gearing up to chase the banished Zento outside.
Enraged, Zento would bolt to his hideout. Zeld would tail him and raid it.
But these people... they just don't get it.
No one fled despite a demon crashing the auction. They watched like kids at a circus. Peak medieval mindset.
This world's just medieval in setting—the mindset's the real deal.
I wondered who started that "medieval = dumbass = brain's a flower garden" stereotype.
The auction pressed on. Then came the item I'd been waiting for.
"Our final item of the evening: the infamous dragon-slaying magic sword, Gram."
Which is really just a longsword with a shard jammed in it.
Bunny girls brought it out, and Labra unveiled it—a sword boasting a massive red gem, radiating power.
Called the Dragon-Slaying Magic Sword, but the gem's a Red Dragon fragment. Ironic, huh?
"Bidding starts at 5 million gold."
Labra kicked off the finale, and bids flew fast.
"30 million gold!"
"35 million gold!"
"100 million gold."
The sudden 100 million call hushed the room.
Coming in hot.
I eyed the masked man in seat 58 at the back—the one I'd pegged as a Muksirok apostle.
Time for me to get ready.
"Esil, gotta hit the bathroom quick."
"Big one?"
"You don't ask that."
"Got it."
I slipped away, leaving Esil to watch the auction.
"100 million gold, going once? Twice? Sold to bidder 58."
Labra's gavel fell, sealing the deal. Yuda Iscariot—one of Muksirok's 12 apostles—grinned slyly.
He'd normally just snatch it, auction be damned, but after seeing her yeet the golden demon, he played nice.
Can't risk derailing the plan with unnecessary chaos.
Under Town auctions worked fast: winner climbs the stage, pays up, takes the goods immediately.
Yuda ascended, handed over the gold, and reached for Gram.
Or tried to.
"Sorry, gotta take this."
A black-robed figure with four glowing red eyes snatched Gram right from under him.
"Wh-what the hell?!"
Yuda couldn't hide his shock at the theft.
"Who the hell are you?!"
"Me? Uh... four eyes... call me Four Eyes."
"Four Eyes... Do you even know what you've stolen?! Hand it over now!"
"Oh, this? Hmm... looks like cheap junk sword to me. The gem, maybe?"
Four Eyes yanked out the red gem embedded in Gram. Yuda's unease spiked.
"What... what are you doing?"
"Dunno. Something fun?"
Crack! Four Eyes crushed the gem to dust.
"You bastard!!!! How dare you destroy a fragment of the Great One... I won't forgive this!!!!"
Yuda exploded in rage.
"Fine! Everyone here becomes a sacrifice!"
He pulled a bell from his pocket and rang it.
This area is now Instance Dungeon: Hungry Ghost's Restaurant.
The space began to warp and transform.