No. I'm just overthinking it.
Alden forced himself to turn away, but the unease was still there at the back of his mind.
Some old, mysterious woman with a cryptic prophecy.
He took a deep breath to calm himself.
Man, why can't life just be simple?
Dismissing his useless thoughts, he continued his walking.
He still had nearly an hour before the designated time to meet Cipher.
He walked deeper into the black market.
Eventually, he entered a new area, one that made his jaw tighten.
Many rows of tents were situated ahead.
They were heavily guarded by men carrying weapons, their eyes scanning the surroundings with practiced indifference.
Even without seeing inside, Alden already knew what they were.
People were being sold in those tents. Slavery was very common inside the black market.
That didn't mean he had to be okay with it.
He was in no position to do anything about it.
Without taking another glance, he quickened his pace and left the area.
With no clear destination in mind, Alden wandered through the market.
There were many stalls, but he didn't buy anything.
The reason was simple.
He had given most of his remaining funds to Cipher.
What was left? Some loose change.
Maybe not even enough to buy a common-grade artifact.
Eventually, he found a quieter part of the market.
A small café on the edge of the street.
The place looked very peaceful.
The place was dimly lit, designed for those who preferred discretion.
A few customers sat at the tables, all minding their own business.
Alden chose a seat by the window and ordered a coffee.
It was not because he wanted to drink it, but because sitting in a café without ordering anything would just attract attention.
He quietly sat there as he watched the world outside.
The market never stopped moving; people were constantly coming and going.
His coffee was still as it is.
He wasn't stupid enough to drink anything in a place .
Minutes turned into an hour as he just passed time by scrolling through social media on his ManaSync.
Eventually, it was finally time to head back.
Alden stood up and made his way toward Cipher's office.
When he arrived, Cipher was already waiting in the same room as before.
She gave him a thin device. "Your account is set. Clean, secure, and untraceable."
"You can use this ManaSync to access it," she continued. "It has the highest security and is completely anonymous."
She handed him a small note. "This is the account information."
Alden took it, scanning it for a moment before putting it into his pocket.
"And this," Cipher said, sliding a document towards him, "is the intel you requested."
Alden took the document, flipping through the pages, but he didn't read too deeply.
Just a quick skim to confirm the details were there.
He was going to go through it carefully once he was back at the academy.
For now, he had other things to focus on.
He closed the file and stored it in his storage ring.
Cipher looked at him with an amused smile. "So, what's next?"
"I'm going to enter the arena."
A smirk appeared across her face. "Good luck."
With his business done, Alden left Cipher's office.His mind was already moving to the next step.
He walked through the market with a steady pace, heading toward a completely different section.
A section far louder than any other area of this market.
Even from the outside, he could still hear the loud sound of the crowd.
It was an arena where people gambled with the lives of others for amusement.
The rules were simple.
A fighter had to pay an entrance fee based on their rank. They'd then be matched with someone of similar strength.
If they win, their participation fees will be doubled.
But there was another option.
A fighter could choose to challenge someone of a higher rank.
One minor level higher, and the reward increased fivefold.
Two minor levels higher, rewards became tenfold.
A full major rank above? The rewards skyrocketed to twenty-five times the original amount.
Of course, except for the reckless and the insane, nobody did that.
The real money came from bets.
Every fight had odds, and the arena took a cut from every wager.
Alden soon arrived at a reception desk inside the arena.
A burly man was seated there, his body covered in scars.
He looked at Alden with a bored gaze.
"Here to watch?" the man asked.
"Bet?" The man raised an eyebrow.
"Nope." Alden's voice was flat.
"I'm here to participate."
"Oh? Fresh meat?" The man grinned.
"How do I sign up?" Alden asked.
The man chuckled. "Simple. You fight, you win, you get paid."
"Entrance fee is fifty thousand Era—unless you're willing to do a no-payout match."
Alden reached into his pocket and tossed a small pouch onto the desk.
The man opened it and counted the coins. Five gold coins.
Alden didn't hesitate. "Damien."
He had already decided he would be using this name in the black market.
The man nodded, pulling out a crystal ball from under the table. "Channel your mana into this."
Alden placed his hand on the sphere, pushing his mana inside.
The crystal ball started glowing with a light blue color.
"Beginning Initiate Rank." The man noted the information. "So, do you want to fight someone your level or go higher?"
"Two levels higher," Alden answered without a second thought.
The man studied Alden carefully, as if deciding whether he was serious or just suicidal.
But Alden's expression didn't change.
This wasn't just about money.
It was about getting stronger.
"Alright." The man nodded.
He gestured toward a door behind him.
"Proceed to the waiting area. We'll call you when your match is set."
Alden nodded and made his way inside.