Del Santos Collective

After performing the ritual, Al's stomach no longer growled. He didn't feel full, but he also didn't feel hungry.

He washed off the dried mud and caught sight of his reflection in the murky water. Flexing his muscles, he thought, "The ritual really did work. I haven't eaten in nearly four days but look well-nourished and fed."

Al began shadowboxing before hearing a knock on the door. Al exclaimed loudly, smiling, "I wonder who that could be."

Halfway through the steps, he realized he was still naked and ran back to retrieve his medical robe and put it on despite it being completely dirty. The knocking grew persistently louder as Al shouted, "I'm coming. Just wait a damn minute!"

Finally, Al opened the door. As the stone door rolled open, he was greeted by the sight of a tall person dressed in what appeared to be a sniper's ghillie suit. Surprised, Al said, "You're not Cesar."

The figure took the top of his suit off and replied, "Oh, really? Then who else would I be? It's me!" Cesar pulled on his suit excitedly and exclaimed, "How good is this suit? I bought it for 20 merits."

Al's shock turned to disbelief as he said, "Wait, you were worried about running out of merits, so the first thing you do is go out and spend the remaining few you have?"

Cesar sucked his teeth before responding, "You gotta waste money to make money, man. Come on, it's basic economics."

Al forced a smile and added, "Right, gotta break a couple of eggs to make an omelet. I think I get it. It's just... whatever, I'm sure you know what you're doing. Anyways, what do you need?"

"I don't need anything. I just came to tell you that we're meeting at the training field in less than twenty hours." Cesar warned.

Al nodded before saying, "Let's go break some eggs. I'll tell you about everything I learned from the book I read in the library."

Cesar laughed in response and said, "Book? I still can't believe you wasted 50 merits like that. You gotta get your priorities right, like getting yourself out of those shit-stained rags."

Al looked down at his robes and saw what Cesar meant, "Aww, man, it's just mud."

They began walking, leaving the housing unit's grounds. Al had almost summarized the entire situation by the time they were near the Del Santos Collective.

Cesar listened intently to Al, saying, "The extreme part of the training isn't even the worst part; it's the thirteen years. It's just too much. I can't do that to my mom. I made up my mind before coming here. A month or so, and I'm out no matter what!"

They continued walking before Cesar spoke, "A bird's gotta fly someday. It doesn't mean you can't visit the nest. You're going to have to leave your mom someday." Al hadn't expected such a well-thought-out response from Cesar.

Outside the Del Santos collective stood wandering vendors. It felt like stepping inside a circus. A short, round man displayed a worn scroll to Al, claiming it could make a person immune to any poison. Unfortunately for the round man, Cesar grabbed Al's robe, forcing him to follow.

They walked past multiple people selling various weapons and protective gear. Finally, they approached a nine-story stone pyramid. Cesar smiled at Al and said, "This is Del Santos Collective."

Al was in awe. The pyramid was made of obsidian with nine gold rings representing the nine floors. Each corner of the pyramid had a different gold-plated symbol for each floor. Al quietly thought to himself, recalling the pyramid symbol from the red book.

"From down here, it looks more like a dark path illuminated by gold than a pyramid," Al mused aloud as they approached.

Before entering, Cesar turned to Al and said, "The Del Santos Collective is the main money-maker of the 15th Blood Ring. Everything inside is auctioned off as part of Raul Del Santo's personal collection, whoever that is." Cesar looked at Al. Maybe he had heard the name, but Al shrugged.

Cesar continued, "Every week, outside vendors are chosen and allowed to sell their entire inventory at a huge discount, with the guarantee that the 15th Blood Ring will make up for the discount. That's where you should purchase anything you need." Al nodded in approval.

Al had questions now but was almost sure Cesar wouldn't have the answers. He looked up at the peak of the black and gold pyramid and said, "Well, let's go in. These rags are starting to smell." Cesar smiled in agreement, and they walked towards the entrance, where a young man sat quietly with his eyes closed.

Seeing the young man, Cesar whispered to Al, "His name is Li." Before Cesar could speak, the young man opened his eyes and gently stood up. He approached the two of them and extended his hand. Cesar handed his C-stone to the young man, explaining that he had already paid 20 merits for one hour for both.

Without breaking his composure, the young man confirmed Cesar's words by connecting the C-stone to a nearby stone stele. After returning their C-stone, he went back to sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.

Just before they entered, Cesar whispered to Al, "I thought he was a girl for a second. I've never seen such a pretty-looking guy. He's even prettier than you, haha."

Al punched him in the shoulder. "Every time you say something stupid like that, I'm going to punch you even harder," he clarified.

Cesar laughed and playfully shoved him back as they entered the first floor, immediately drawing the attention of a dark-hooded figure wearing a long brown robe. Cesar and Al stopped messing around to avoid all eyes turning on them.

The dark hooded figure approached the two. They couldn't see his face, but his low, groggy voice was clear as he said, "Hello, fellas. I couldn't help but notice both of you are at a stalemate strength-wise."

Al laughed mockingly at the stranger's assertion while Cesar scoffed, saying, "Trust me, there's no stalemate. I've got like 4 inches on the little guy."

The mysterious figure interrupted before Al could respond, "Fellas, fellas, I get it. I've been there too. My old rival and I could never settle our matches. That was until I took some water from this vial right here." The man removed his necklace, revealing a glass vial with liquid inside.

Al frowned while Cesar quickly asked the man what it did. The man laughed and pitched his product, "Haha, what doesn't it do? This isn't just water; it's the tears of an ancient Immortal, collected by his killer and sold. If your Will is compatible, your progress towards the Immortal Chasm will be smooth and twice as fast."

Al rolled his eyes, remembering what he had read, "The book clearly said there can be no shortcuts. This sounds like the very definition of a shortcut. Either the book is wrong, or this guy is selling snake oil."

On the other hand, Cesar was rubbing his chin, deep in thought. The man opened the vial, releasing a smell that shocked the senses of those around. Breathing in the scent, Cesar felt more attuned to his surroundings. Even Al was moved by the scent.

Cesar looked at Al and shouted, "How much?" Hearing Cesar, the dark-hooded man sounded delighted as he said, "Usually, these tears go for no less than 400 merits outside of here, but you know what, kid? Since I like your determination, I'll give you the tears of an immortal for as little as 100 merits."

Al's mouth hung open as he watched Cesar take out his C-Stone and seriously consider the offer. Al quickly interjected and said, "There are no shortcuts like that. Cesar! This is why you read books, so you won't be conned by shady salesmen. Besides, you can't even afford it, remember?"

Realizing the sale would not happen, the dark-hooded man put the vial away. He walked past Al, shoving him with his shoulder, almost knocking him over, and said, "I'll remember your face, boy."

Cesar quickly ran to back up Al, but the hooded figure walked away.

Al looked up at Cesar with a complicated expression and said, "Let's consult each other before buying anything from now on, alright? We'll explain why we think an item is worth its price. It's a good way to help each other avoid getting scammed."

Cesar looked down, hesitating. Although he would normally never agree to such a thing, he didn't completely reject the idea after what had just happened.

Cesar finally answered, "Sure, but ultimately, it's up to the person whether they buy it or not."

Al nodded and reminded Cesar that they would have nowhere to sleep if they ran out of merits.

Looking around the court-sized room, open walls separated the shops inside. Each shop had its focus: weapons, armor, defensive items, and liquid containers that Al assumed held poisons or medicine.

The closest shop was before the entrance, offering exclusive texts, scriptures, and various C-stones. Lastly, there was a portal-like entrance without visibility of what lay beyond.

Cesar tugged at Al's robe and whispered, "If you're wondering about that pitch-black portal, don't bother. It forces all newbies out. Trust me, I tried. Anyways, you see the shop on the left all the way in the back. That's where I bought my ghillie suit."

Al acknowledged what Cesar said, but his attention was drawn to the dark hooded stranger talking to a rugged man running the weapons shop and pointing at him and Cesar. Al ignored him and walked to the closest shop, which offered ancient texts, scriptures, and C-stones. He was curious about the different types of C-stones they had.

However, before Al could ask his question, the middle-aged woman running the shop gestured for him to leave, saying, "I'm sorry, but our shop won't be doing business with you anytime soon. A ban has been placed on you by one of our associates."

Al looked at the hooded man, who had moved on to the last shop. He suspected what had likely transpired. Grinding his teeth, he turned and walked over to Cesar, who had overheard everything.

Cesar whispered to him, "Don't worry. Just let me know what you want. I'll be the middleman."

Al clenched his fist as the hooded man laughed loudly with the shopkeeper Cesar had recommended. Seething angrily, Al watched a dark-haired man with glasses enter the room and walk straight through the dark portal. The strange writings carved into the stone around the portal began to glow one by one until they connected.

The man made it seem as easy as a stroll through a park.

Suddenly, the hooded figure approached them again, taunting them. "Hahaha, let's see if you ruin another sale of mine again. No one here will do business with you until you buy my tears of an Immortal at full price! You need to learn that there are some people you shouldn't mess with!"

Cesar whined loudly, "Wait, me too? I never said anything bad about you."

The man quickly silenced him, replying, "He came with you! This is what you get for associating yourself with scum!"

Al's breathing became ragged as he struggled to hold himself back from exploding on the hooded man. Concerned about Al's reaction, Cesar placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "Come on, man, it's fine. Let's leave. There are plenty of shops outside."

Al sternly pulled Cesar's hand off his shoulder, took a deep breath, and said, "Wait here. I'll be back." He then turned toward the dark portal entrance and started walking toward it.

Cesar watched with a bitter smile, remembering what had happened to him when he had attempted to enter the portal.

The hooded figure laughed, loudly stating, "There's no way these two have even awakened their Will. He won't make it."

Al stepped into the area with the carved symbols. The symbols slowly began to glow like they had for the previous person.

Cesar shook his head, knowing that the glow happened for everyone, but it was when you took the second step to cross it that you were rejected by some mysterious force.

The carvings continued to light up as Al was about to take another step. He felt an intense pressure that almost brought him to his knees, but a deep stubbornness fueled him, and he bravely took that second step forward.