Item Market

''Sir, I'm terribly sorry. The condition of this old man's eyes has recently declined. I beg your pardon. '' As low as he could, the man bowed his head and addressed Raydon. The woman also copied the old man. Her body trembled like a leaf as she bowed, giving the impression that she was about to pass out at any moment.

''It doesn't matter. It has nothing to do with you; it's just a prank played by my mischievous maid.'' Raydon shook his head. All he wanted was to go where he wanted as soon as possible.

''Please accept our sincere apologies, sir. Please forgive; this will not happen again.'' While continuing to apologize, the man jumped up to show them the way after noticing Raydon didn't seem to mind.

All three of them entered the VIP area through the door, leaving only the woman who was still trembling and bowed her head. With tears in her eyes, the woman dropped to her knees and muttered. ''I'm done. ''

—

After Raydon passed through the VIP door, a stairwell descended in front of him, the end of which was not entirely visible. The stairwell appeared to have been carved underground. The only light in this room came from the glowing stones that were affixed to the walls. The man led them as they began to descend the stairs.

After some time of walking, Raydon saw the bottom of the stairs. Stairs led to a larger room with a large door across the room.

When they arrived at the door, the man paused and spoke politely to Raydon once more, bowing his head.

''Please accept my apologies, but I can only accompany you here.'' He looked up at Raydon's face, relieved to see that he didn't look angry.

''I guess it doesn't matter,'' Raydon said, looking at Belicia, as he was unfamiliar with the procedures.

"All right, thanks. By the way, you don't have to be angry with that girl for the recent incident. My young master is kind and unconcerned with such things. '' Belicia chuckled as she cast a happy glance Raydon's way.

''Yeh, whatever just let's go. '' Indifferent, Raydon pushed the door open. He didn't currently have the time to deal with others. What awaited him inside was the only thought on his mind.

As Raydon and Belicia walked through the door, the man behind them spoke, his face filled with gratitude. ''Thank you very much, young master. I promise that nothing like this will happen again. I'll be here waiting for your return, so you can spend as much time as you want. ''

He muttered as he shut the door. ''Damn, I'm not sure if they're going to use this door on their way out. What if they leave through another door, and I've been waiting in vain? '' He took a deep breath and started to wait patiently.

—

Raydon passed through the door and began to walk in a short, dark tunnel. When he stepped out of the light at the end of the tunnel, he couldn't hide his surprise at what he saw.

''This is crazy. ''

It was as if there was another world in front of his eyes. This was an underground place, and the area was as bright as daylight even though it was underground.

He had a clear view of his surroundings from his high vantage point, and what he saw seemed to be a very busy marketplace.

People are seen walking around in various outfits and appearances. He could see the strange-looking equipment being sold on the stalls that were scattered about the area.

This image, which resembled a second-hand market, was not what Raydon had expected.

''Are you surprised? The reason why they can sell their items so easily and openly is that this area is safe. Everyone here is an item holder. But what really makes this place safe is the organization that owns this area. '' Belicia explained.

From where they were, they started making their way slowly toward the stalls. ''You can buy and sell anything you want here. Even the items you stole from others. ''

Instead of the items around him, his attention was drawn to other item holders. He observed their every move and sensed the presence they emit. ' They look strong. They must be a lot stronger than the wingmen I've encountered in my first match.'

Unlike the item holders he encountered in the match, those here had clearly been in life-or-death situations. Everyone appeared to be a seasoned fighter.

Raydon wouldn't give a damn about their stats, no matter how high. If the difference is not too great, strong techniques and combat experience could easily make up for the stat difference. But when high stats and fighting skills are combined, it becomes a completely different situation.

While taking in his surroundings, Raydon posed a question that was on his mind. ''I am aware that this location is secure, but nobody seems to be making an effort to conceal their identity. Why is that?''

Except for a few individuals, no one in Raydon's immediate vicinity was wearing a mask or a robe in an attempt to conceal their identity. He didn't feel the need to conceal his identity, either, because he wasn't the type to care about such things in the first place.

''Because they don't require it. Only the weak need to hide their identity, and in the world of item holders, the weak are not respected. Additionally, don't even think about hiding your identity if you don't have good concealment skills. '' Belicia stated the obvious.

''From what I recall, this place was run by an organization that was not affiliated with any families. No matter how hidden it looks, it does not appear to be a location that can fly under the radar of powerful families.'' Raydon said this while inspecting a belt from a nearby stall.

''While it is true that it is independent of families, both entities work in the best interests of the other.'' After pausing to gather her thoughts, Belicia resumed speaking.

''You could actually think of families as the light because they are the ones who rule this society. Since light does not mean anything without darkness, organizations independent of them also take on the role of darkness. It may be difficult to grasp at first, but as you live in this society, you will understand what I mean.''