Chapter 70
Chapter 70
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 70
Chapter Title: Chapter 13: Time of Purging (1)
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Martin invoked spatial translocation the moment he stepped out of the black market.
He immediately rejoined the White Dragon Knights, who were staying at city hall with the rest of the group.
Right after that, Martin pulled out a communication orb.
He contacted Lucas Hoffman.
-“Greetings, Young Lord.”-
“Long time no see, Captain Lucas. Have you reached the destination?”
-“We’ve arrived at the wild mountain you mentioned before. Glad to see you made it out of the black market safely, Young Lord.”-
“That’s right. There’s a warp device about halfway up the slope. I’ve marked the path, so follow the signs. It looks like a sheer cliff at first glance, but it’s disguised with magic.”-
-“Understood. Anything else we should watch out for?”-
“The real trouble starts after you go through the warp device. It’s crawling with all sorts of magic traps, so stay sharp.”
-“We’ll keep that in mind.”-
“Heard anything from Captain Philip?”
-“He said they’ll arrive in Akella City soon.”-
“It’s 6:11 p.m. now... Let’s kick off the operation at exactly 7:00 p.m.”
-“As you command, Young Lord. I’ll relay the same to Philip.”-
“Got it.”
With that, Martin ended the communication.
He turned his head toward Fritz Kahn, who was watching him.
“You probably heard the gist. The operation starts soon.”
“The whole city will plunge into chaos. They’ll be hit out of nowhere, after all.”
“Exactly. So I’m counting on you to watch those three. Cien can handle herself, but the other two... Well, those two are the most important pieces in this operation anyway.”
“I’ll keep that in mind and carry out my duty, Young Lord.”
“Good. I trust you.”
Martin nodded at Fritz Kahn, then headed toward Gourmet Street.
To meet the Shadow King once more.
‘If you’re going to tail me, at least hide your presence properly.’
Back in his original form, dozens of shadows latched onto him right away.
But he could sense their panic soon enough.
The moment he entered Gourmet Street, they completely lost track of him. No surprise there.
‘Killing them would be easy, but no need for that.’
The city would soon be in total chaos anyway, and then they wouldn’t have eyes for him anymore.
With that in mind, Martin leisurely made his way to the Shadow King’s lair, “Fate’s Crossroads.”
“...Why are you back?”
“I need to talk to your boss. You know he’s inside, so let me in.”
“You’d do well to thank the Master, Martin Adalbert. Without his orders, every soul in this place would be tearing you apart right now.”
“You lot should be thanking your boss. He just saved his underlings from a massacre.”
Grit.
The man disguised as a waiter ground his teeth.
He wanted nothing more than to attack right then, but the Shadow King had given his orders first.
Send him straight in if he showed up again.
With such a direct command, refusal wasn’t an option.
In the end, the man stepped aside, clearing the path.
Another assassin then led Martin to the basement, where he met the Shadow King again.
“Are you planning to go to war with the Royce Marquisate, Young Lord?”
“Come on. That old man isn’t going to declare war over one disowned heir.”
“I wouldn’t know about anything else, but you’re no good at lying.”
“What’s your point?”
“You took down Baldemar von Rustal before the Royce Marquisate could even get involved.”
“That’s right.”
“It’s common knowledge among the highest nobles that Nicholas von Royce controls the slave market through Inwang. And that he wields influence over Akella City that way. Destroying the slave market is the same as cutting off Nicholas’s reach. You’re blatantly keeping the Royce Marquisate’s hands off the North—do you really think they’ll just sit still?”
A sly grin crept across Martin’s lips, full of mischief.
That alone was answer enough.
“I have no interest in your feud with the Royce Marquisate. But touching the slave market? That I can’t ignore.”
“You’re no better at lying. Since when has the Assassin Guild been raising killers through the slave market? You’ve got orphanages all over the continent for that.”
“...I’ve always thought you know too damn much, Young Lord. That’s what makes you so irritating.”
“Hey, my intel network’s nothing special. The heads of the Klaus or Ferdinand houses could sit back and know everything happening across the continent.”
“Hoo. I’ll let that slide. So what brings you here?”
“You knew I’d come. What made you think that?”
“Answering a question with another question is pretty rude, don’t you think?”
“Just curious.”
The Shadow King shook his head at Martin’s cheeky grin.
The kid was barely eighteen.
He hadn’t even lived half the Shadow King’s life.
Sure, reaching seven circles like him was down to overwhelming talent.
But the way he talked and acted? Like a cunning old fox.
It made no sense.
“Akella City isn’t the whole underworld, but it’s the core. And the black market is the root—especially the slave market.”
“Has to be. The money flowing in there is insane.”
“Your goal is to dismantle the slave market, right? That’ll create a power vacuum in the underworld, and you’re planning to shove me into it.”
Clap, clap, clap.
Martin applauded before the Shadow King even finished.
“Wow. I didn’t spell it out, and you nailed it. Good choice picking you.”
“Someone might think I agreed to help. Why the hell would I put a leash around my own neck?”
“A leash? I’m offering you an opportunity. The slave market’s about to go public soon, and when it does, Inwang’s finished. Jerome Metselder’s out too, obviously.”
“You want to seize the market with someone of your choosing and take Akella City before the imperial family or Royce Marquisate steps in. To bring it under Northern influence.”
“Spot on. Then I’ll eliminate everyone who opposes me, above or below ground.”
“No noble’s ever managed to control the underworld, you know that?”
“That’s because trash keeps crawling out of the woodwork. Anyway, I’m not trying to run the underworld. I’ll wipe out the slave market and leave the black market be. I’ll just pick off anyone who resists me along the way. Sounds pretty easy, right?”
The Shadow King couldn’t argue with that airtight logic.
If he and Akella’s underworld groups united their strength, they could block Martin’s influence.
But right now? They weren’t even talking properly, let alone uniting.
An attack like this would mean no real resistance—just getting picked off one by one.
Martin’s moves had been lightning-fast.
‘His talent for catching people off guard outshines even his martial prowess or unique abilities.’
He’d only been in Akella a day and already stirred up a storm.
No telling what he’d do next. This unpredictability scared the Shadow King more than a head-on clash.
“...Why offer an enemy like me a chance?”
“Enemy? We’ve never really clashed that seriously.”
“Fair point if you nitpick, but I doubt that’s the whole story.”
“Most underworld bosses are irredeemable scum. Compared to them, you’re a step above. You operate by your own code.”
The Shadow King and his direct assassins didn’t take just any job—they only accepted ones fitting their standards.
Sure, some might call them evil, but he wasn’t here to judge good and evil.
They moved by clear principles, which made them easy to deal with.
That’s why he was extending a hand.
“Of course, I was pretty disappointed about the drugs.”
“That’s... Hoo.”
“From that reaction, there’s definitely something going on.”
“I can’t talk about it yet.”
“You’ll tell me when the time comes?”
The Shadow King stayed silent.
But that was answer enough, and Martin nodded in satisfaction.
“How about coming under me officially? You’d get a proper fief and become a lord.”
“I’m not from the Alteria Empire.”
“Who cares about origins when you’ve awakened a unique ability? It’s nobility that matters. Plus, you’re seven circles like me. Making you a lord would be easy.”
“People will complain about appointing some unknown to lordship.”
“I can crush that noise easily now. But you and your men would have to quit assassinations.”
“...Terrifying how I can’t deny it.”
“So, what’s your answer?”
Martin stared straight at the Shadow King.
Even without any show of force, the Shadow King felt overwhelmed.
‘The three great houses live up to their name.’
This was a different league from the nobles he’d dealt with before.
“I’ll pass on the lord thing for now. No trust there yet.”
“Fair. Hard to trust fully. You’re hiding some massive secrets yourself.”
“...I’ll help you take the underworld, Young Lord.”
“Good choice.”
Martin nodded and extended his right hand.
The Shadow King eyed it briefly, then clasped it.
Their deal was sealed.
“By the way, what time is it?”
“Exactly 6:59 p.m. But why the sudden—”
“Operation time’s almost here.”
“Operation?”
The Shadow King’s confusion was short-lived.
BOOM!
A massive explosion rocked the basement loud and clear.
* * *
BOOM!
An explosion erupted near Akella City’s south gate.
Lucas Hoffman, hearing it clearly, shouted at the elves.
“Now!”
Lucas kicked off the ground.
He followed Martin’s marked path precisely and soon reached the sheer cliff.
“Pathetic magic.”
High Elf Armand scoffed at the cliff.
He flicked his right hand, and a hole just big enough for one person appeared in place of the cliff face.
Inside was the warp device.
“According to the Young Lord, there’s a vast space beyond the cliff. But to reach the black market, there are tons of magic traps...”
“No worries there, knight of the White Dragon. Human magic from amateur mages might as well not exist for me.”
Lucas started to respond to Armand’s words but couldn’t.
Flash!
A massive magic circle appeared where he and the elves stood.
Even more shocking, it linked directly to the warp device in the hole.
Armand had instantly read the device’s magic and expanded it.
Vmmm.
Over a hundred people were sucked into the spatial rift all at once, emerging on the other side of the cliff.
“See? Nothing to it.”
Armand laughed even at the barriers and traps ahead.
An obvious sneer.
“This place can kill even a seven-circle powerhouse, Lord Armand.”
“A seven-circle might die, sure. But I’m eight circles, knight of the White Dragon.”
Lucas shut his mouth at those words.
He’d known from their first meeting that Armand was formidable.
But an eight-circle master? He hadn’t imagined that.
Why would such a great being join this operation personally?
The answer came quickly.
“I’ve wanted to burn this place to the ground myself. That’s why I came.”
“Understood.”
“I owe you thanks. Your guidance made it easy to get here. Now just sit back and watch.”
The moment Armand finished speaking, a torrent of mana surged.
It swept through the otherworldly interior.
And so, a terrifying calamity descended upon the black market.