Underground Secrets and Unlikely Encounters

While the fight between Grendar and Eldric raged on, Kuber had already stealthily passed by the soldiers guarding the entrance, slipping into the heart of the Shadowfang Syndicate's base.

As he entered, a gruesome scene greeted him: lifeless bodies of garrison soldiers and Grendar's subordinates lay strewn across the floor. Some bore beheaded heads, while others had been fatally gutted.

Suppressing the urge to vomit at the sight, Kuber realized that what he had witnessed during the trial paled in comparison to this horrifying display. "Let's stay focused on the task," he muttered, regaining his composure.

Navigating through the somber scene, he eventually arrived at the room where he had previously gambled with Grendar. Without hesitation, he swung the door open and discovered the same female minotaur, now cowering in a corner, clearly terror-stricken by the ongoing battle.

"You alright?" Kuber's voice cut through the tense air, his expression serene yet his tone chilly.

"Are... are you here to save me?" the female minotaur stuttered from her corner, her trembling hands and tear-streaked face betraying her fear, her eyes fixated on Kuber with a glimmer of hope.

"I could, depending on whether you can keep secrets," Kuber responded, a mischievous smile playing on his lips as he winked at her.

"I'll keep your secrets, I promise," she replied earnestly, her towering 11-foot frame kneeling before Kuber, her voice quivering.

Kuber wasn't one to accept submission so easily, though.

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[Level] – 4

[Name] – Luna [Neutral]

[Race] – Minotaur

[Title] – Timidheart

[Lifespan] – 17/120

[Class] – Maze Warden

[Unique Skill] – Titanic Stomp(C)

—————

'Wait, she's 17? That's too much. Grendar, you monster.

Kuber's eyes burned crimson with anger. Grendar's actions had already been too extreme, but capturing a young girl like her was beyond even that.

"Ahem! I understand, but I need something for reassurance, like a contract," Kuber stated firmly, his gaze unwavering.

Hearing his words, Luna, the minotaur, began to rummage through the room. She rushed towards a nearby storage area, retrieving a piece of paper from within.

"Here, this is the contract you're talking about," she said, her hands still trembling, her face a mix of anxiety and anticipation.

Kuber found himself puzzled by her actions. She didn't really need to sign a contract, given that she was stronger than him. Yet, her title, "Timidheart," hinted at her susceptibility to fear.

"Yeah, sure. Don't worry, I'll save you," Kuber assured her, using his blood to sign the contract once again. This time, he established different terms for the agreement.

By these new conditions, Kuber now held complete control over Luna. She had, in essence, become his slave. After outlining the terms, Kuber handed the contract to Luna. She signed it with her blood without even reading it, a troubling fact.

However, he remained uncertain about the potential threats to Luna. After all, she could easily flee the base, screaming for help like a damsel in distress.

With the contract firmly established, Kuber now shifted his focus to his primary goal all along: acquiring "Credits." Employing his unique skill "Appraisal," he initiated by inspecting the storage Luna had retrieved the contract from. Unfortunately, the storage yielded nothing valuable except for a peculiar key.

The key's description appeared unremarkable, except for the mention that it was intended for a specific vault. Drawing another lead, Kuber employed his unique skill once more, this time scouring the entire room. Eventually, he stumbled upon something intriguing: a portion of the wall at the back of the room revealed the status of a vault.

Now armed with both a key and the vault's location, Kuber found himself free from any potential interruptions. Without hesitation, he removed a peculiar painting depicting a tree that concealed the keyhole to the vault. Inserting the key, he unlocked the vault and was met with an astonishing sight.

"Looks like I hit the jackpot," Kuber grinned, his mischief more apparent now.

Inside the vault lay three aura battlegears, two aurablades, a basic low-level protection talisman, and two credit coins. One of these credit coins happened to be the one stolen from Eldric himself.

Without a moment's hesitation, Kuber stashed all the items except for Eldric's credit coin into his inventory. He refrained from taking the credit coin, as doing so might trigger Eldric's pursuit and the city's inventory-checking devices could reveal its presence.

"Time to get out of here," Kuber grunted, torn between leaving behind such a valuable item like Eldric's credit coin and the necessity to do so.

"But how do we leave? Using the main exit would be a trap," Luna's worried expression showed her concern as she asked Kuber for a plan.

"Don't worry about it; I've got a plan," Kuber assured Luna. Pushing a specific brick inside the vault triggered a hidden mechanism. The wall behind the vault silently slid to the right, unveiling an underground passage.

"Let's move," Kuber gestured to Luna, prompting her to join him as they stepped into the concealed path. Luna followed without hesitation, a smile of gratitude on her face.

"Ugh, what a horrendous smell," Kuber grimaced, the stale air within the underground path indicating its disuse. Pressing forward without delay, he led Luna along the path, ensuring to shut the entrance behind them and erase any traces before proceeding.

After several hours of brisk walking, they finally reached the exit, which opened into the city's slum area.

"We're definitely in the slums," Lun stated anxiously, her hands still trembling from the traumatic scene she had witnessed back at the base.

"I've got eyes too," Kuber retorted, his expression somewhat irritated. Stepping out of the underground passage, he surveyed the surroundings. The route, originally meant for the Shadowfang Syndicate's escape, was now being used by their own enemy.

"First things first, let's leave this area," Kuber instructed Luna with a stern face. He cautiously examined their surroundings, ensuring their safety.

After walking a while, they found themselves on a street teeming with beggars. Seated along the sides of the street, they held credit tablets in their hands, their desperate expressions belying their plight.

"Please, spare some credits for a poor soul," a beggar pleaded with Kuber, his emaciated appearance indicating prolonged hunger.

Choosing to ignore the beggar, Kuber and Luna continued on their way. However, their path was obstructed by a white-furred beastman with cat ears and yellow eyes, sporting armor that appeared to be private rather than military issue.

"Who are you guys?" the beastman inquired, his expression rigid and unyielding.

Kuber wasted no time in responding, his own demeanor confident as he stated, "I don't see how that's your concern." His eyes sparkled with a sense of assurance, ready for a potential confrontation if need be.

"You think you can just waltz around here like it's some playground?" the beastman retorted, annoyance etched across his features. He clearly didn't appreciate outsiders, especially those who appeared to come from the main city, roaming about in his territory.

Both the beastman and Kuber seemed prepared for a potential confrontation, yet Kuber was wise enough not to escalate the situation further in the unfamiliar slums. Given that he had just orchestrated a theft and was an outsider, causing a scene wasn't in his best interest.

"Listen, I'm here to leave without causing any issues. I'd appreciate it if you did the same. Let's part ways peacefully," Kuber addressed the beastman with sincerity, his tone serious and his posture unwavering.

The beastman hesitated for a moment, his gaze moving between Kuber and Luna, assessing the situation.