Black Trade

Inside the highest room of the casino, the darkest room of all, a man sat in his chair, smoking a Cryshantum flower through a pipe. The dark room reeked of blood, with no windows open for the stench to escape or for light to enter. The only way for air to circulate and lights seeping was through the giant ventilation system, its fan positioned behind a large, curved desk, where the man was staring.

Hasty footsteps echoed through the silent corridor, approaching the dark room. A man wearing white gloves reached for the doorknob and slowly opened the door. The room, once known as the darkest, was no longer shrouded in darkness. As the door opened, the lamps flickered to life, filling the space with a dim, muted glow.

Various souvenirs from the four kingdoms adorned the dimly lit room. The lamps beneath them highlighted their opulence, showcasing the luxury of possessing such rare items. A twin golden bird sculpture appeared to scramble for an apple, a tusk from the great ground dragon stood proudly, an odd mechanical contraption with RGB lighting hummed quietly, and a uniquely shaped bonsai that neither grew nor withered added an air of mystique. These grand souvenirs surrounded the man who owned both the room and the casino.

The man who visited the dim room stood before the desk, waiting in silence for the seated man to acknowledge his presence. Without a word, he then drew a gun from behind his back, his hand steady, showing neither hesitation nor trembling as he prepared to pull the trigger.

He stared with his sharp brown eyes, his hair pulled back, ensuring nothing obstructed his vision as he aimed the gun. Dressed in a black suit with a red bow tie, he resembled a butler of the establishment. However, his posture told a different story—he looked far more like a knight hired to guard the casino than someone accustomed to serving.

The man radiated an aura of intense hatred toward the one seated in the chair, his every action reflecting the loathing he felt for serving the former Warlord of The Evil King.

"Ah, Novua Tigris, you're back! How's it going?" said the man behind the large, curved desk.

"Master Don Valentino, I have a report for you." Novua lowered his gun and tucked it back behind him. "We secretly took pictures using the Snapper of those entering the capital."

Novua handed a large file, filled with pictures of random people, to the man seated at the desk. After placing the file, he stepped back, bowed, and waited for Don Valentino to review his work. To his surprise, as the chair turned, he saw that a white-pale elven lady had been sitting there all along. She smoked the same flower as Don Valentino and seemed to share his mana flux, leaving Novua utterly confused.

Meanwhile, Don Valentino suddenly appeared, draping his arm over Novua's shoulder to assert his dominance from the shadows.

An enchanting dark aura emanated from him, his confident gaze brimming with a blend of negative and charismatic energy. Dressed in a sophisticated formal outfit that combined elegance with mystery, Don Valentino wore a red suit adorned with a pattern of wolves, matching the wolf badge on his right chest. A golden pocket watch chain hung from his left pocket to his right pocket, reflecting his meticulous nature.

A long blood-red coat draped from his shoulders as he descended and embraced Novua with one arm around his shoulder. The coat's interior was lined with vantablack, amplifying a sense of absolute domination and eternal mystery. His imposing stature, twice the height of an average human and taller than the tallest lion king form beastman tribe, made Novua appear like a child standing beside him.

Despite his massive frame, Don Valentino moved with the grace of the wind and the stealth of an owl. His white, pale eyes, behind the round sunglasses, locked onto Novua's unwavering gaze, while his long golden hair flowed through the air with each movement. With a flick of his coat, he vanished into thin air and reappeared behind the desk as if through a wormhole. He swiftly took the file and began examining its contents.

"Good work as always, Novua. However," Don Valentino said, tossing the file and its contents into the air. His white, pale eyes suddenly turned blood-red as he unleashed the power of blood to shatter the documents. A spear of blood flew toward Novua's head, halting just in time to avoid taking his life. "That man wasn't in your findings. I sense him nearby, possibly evading all your observations."

"My apologies, Master Don Valentino. Our failure to locate the man is unforgivable," Novua said, bowing deeply in apology. However, he soon raised his head with renewed confidence. "But rest assured, the H.O.U.N.D.S have been deployed."

A pack of wolves prowled through the city, while the special ops unit under the government of the Tribe of Volhara, known as the H.O.U.N.D.S (High-value Order for Underground Neutralization and Detection Squad), moved silently in the shadows. This unit specializes in tracking and eliminating targets covertly, remaining hidden and discreet. They are always recognized by their distinctive masks resembling the wraith of a dog.

Many infamous criminals and outlaws who have been apprehended by the H.O.U.N.D.S are unable to resume their illegal activities, as the leaders and top brass of their organizations are left missing and untraceable. That said, while the squad operates effectively at levels where people might still be within reach, at higher levels where no one else can reach, the squad only provides intelligence for the upper echelons to review and formulate plans.

And that's what they did after half an hour of searching the capital.

The H.O.U.N.D.S captain emerged from the shadows into the director's room of the casino, where Don Valentino and Novua Tigris were conversing. She wore form-fitting clothing designed for agility and stealth, tapering at the ankles to prevent any excess material from hindering her movements. A dog tag around her neck marked her as the leader and the strongest of the squad, known as the Three-Headed Dog Cerberus.

To honor their client and serve as a warning, the lady removed her mask, revealing her sharp dog ears standing upright and green eyes that locked onto her client. A piece of paper hung between her two fingers, indicating that the job requested by the client had been completed.

"Fiona the Agile has returned," the squad captain announced.

As she introduced herself, Don Valentino vanished into thin air and reappeared behind Fiona in an instant. Startled, Fiona lost the paper she was holding. As she turned her head, she saw that the paper was now in Don Valentino's possession. He stared at it, grinning ominously.

Novua had a bad feeling about Don Valentino. Fiona's findings might make his life and job even more difficult, especially as his boss, Don Valentino, smiled widely at something he had discovered—something he had never shown before. Malakar's awakening had changed him so much that he intended to stay in the Union Tribe of Volhara for a long time.

As Don Valentino turned his gaze toward Novua, a terrible fate seemed to befall him.

"Novua, this is your daughter, isn't it?" Don Valentino asked, holding up a portrait of Novua's daughter meeting an unknown man who wore a silver ring on his right hand. However, the portrait captured only the ring, as Fiona's subordinate had failed to capture a clear image of the man himself.

Knowing from the start that something like this might happen, Novua remained calm and began to prepare a strategy to anticipate the worst. However, he was also aware that he could not harm Don Valentino, who was now aligned with the Volhara government. This alliance had agreed to ensure Malakar's surrender in exchange for a life of wealth.

Don Valentino understood why Fiona couldn't capture a full portrait of Malakar or even take a second picture. Given Malakar's elusive nature, the results she provided were the best possible under the circumstances. Recognizing this, Don Valentino decided to let Fiona live to see another day.

"Good work, Novua and Fiona. Your hard work will soon bear fruit," Don Valentino said, his gaze lingering on Novua. "Especially you, Novua. I'll ensure the lady's safety and everyone will be happy."

"Are you sure? You're not planning to blackmail me or harm my daughter to achieve your own paradise?" Novua asked cynically.

Don Valentino was momentarily shocked but then smiled at Novua's distrustful question. As the most loyal sidekick he had, Novua's concern seemed almost amusing to him. "Mwahahahaha... what makes you think like that? Do I look like a big, fat meanie who enjoys defiling random young women?" Don Valentino lowered his round sunglasses and looked directly at Novua. "Even if I were, it would be a nation-sized blackmail. A very fitting trade for the life I am longing for."