Late For Work. Technically Yes But No? The Town Surrounding The Pillar

The area surrounding the pillar and the town built around it was a shade of light green. It was a flat grassland. Grass, mimicking patches of hair that was simply too thick and indistinguishable individually had grown up to Grant's knees.

The wind blew while the grass bent and swayed to its playful hymn. Taking a breath of fresh air, Grant walked forth with steady steps towards the town. His full black robe and hood covering him up and hiding all his features but his mouth.

Numen looked at the town and looked at Grant with a stern expression with a pout. He looked to be as if he was a child who was maltreated and forbidden from eating their favorite candy bar. Numen was still upset at the earlier verbal exchange with Grant.

But he was also worried. Two weeks with the youth who preferred doing things all alone and the spiritual child had already noticed Grant's nature.

A stubborn deadly wolf who possessed great strength and intellect but looks down on the world around him.

To Numen, such a mentality was a fatal flaw. For even if Grant was strong on his own, would he be able to for example. Go against the whole world by himself?

The answer was obvious. Even a human, a creature who stood at the top can be eaten and killed if millions of ants besieged them.

Numen glowed and he turned into a small mote of light that entered Grant's forehead. Numen can stay outside of Grant's conscious for as long as he liked but it would look weird if people saw Grant talking to the air wouldn't it?

"Grant... Be careful... Get some allies? Slaves perhaps?" Numen sounded off inside Grant's head. His earlier irritated voice had shifted into a more mellow tone. His friendly reminder entered and exited Grant's ears in no time.

He had heard and understood what Numen wished for him but he paid his advice no heed.

"I don't need a slave right now. Nor does anyone deserve to be an ally or friend of mine. An acquaintance at best is what everyone would get with me..." Grant thought, answering Numen's advice.

Grant's consciousness became calm. He entered the town and Numen seemed to become silenced by something. He passed multiple streets until numen's voice disturbed him again. The child's voice tone became ecstatic and upbeat.

"Over there! In that dark alley! Yes, that one to our right!" Numen fired off directions that Grant checked out due to curiosity. His eyes stopped and fixated on a dimly lit part of the right alley.

There was a sign and a man who wore a dark expression. His scarred right eye was closed but his left eye glinted sharply in the dark. His sole visible iris was colored purple. Spiky gray hair that lined his head and a masculine facial structure. His lips formed a maniacal grin.

He looked to be grinning like a madman but that was a partially right and wrong assessment of him.

The strange man had their left left cheek torn off long ago. Leaving a huge open scar that exposed the person's set of teeth. He gave off a dark and dangerous expression before his eyes darted to Grant's location.

'Shoot...' Seeing the man notice him, Grant felt like today was going to be a long tiring day.

"Yes! Now buy a slave from him!" Numen urged from within Grant's mind. Causing the young tall youth to twitch his eye in response.

"I don't need a slave! Most of them are weak and useless anyway. The decent ones have a hefty price tag attached to them! Expensive and not worth my funds!" Grant denied Numen.

tsk! tsk! Tsk! Numen clicked his tongue.

"Grant we need to buy you a cute slave girl! Someone who would be able to take care of you! You need a cute maid slave girl!" Numen's voice carried with it a faint zeal.

"Shut up Numen! I don't need such a thing!" Grant shook his head. He took a step back and turned around.

He has to leave. Grant does not like dealing with the man who had a twisted smile.

But too bad. Grant heard a steady heartbeat two feet behind him.

'Damn...' He cursed inside at his luck.

"Grant! My favorite customer! Come to see my wares again!" The man beamed while Grant's expression turned sour.

"No, I don't desire your products at this moment. And let go of me Jack, I am late for work..." Grant answered while throwing off Jack, the smiling man's arm off his shoulders before walking hurriedly away. To which the man who looked like a tough hooligan followed.

"Your job? Ah yes. A Dispatch elite huh..." A thoughtful expression crossed Jack while the man looked up, seemingly thinking about something.

"Yes, a dispatch elite. Morning hours are usually the busiest. I'd love to browse your wares but that would be next time. Now if you excuse me, I have a job to do." Grant excused himself but before he could truly run off, Jack rested a palm over his shoulder.

"You don't have to go there yet. It's too early..." Jack told Grant who paused slightly.

"Don't believe me? The guards inside the pillar said it themselves. Something big is coming Grant." Jack grabbed a stool from the dark alley and guided Grant to sit on it.

Jack stopped before Grant and sat. On-air while crossing his left leg over his right.

"Don't tell me..."

"A mandatory B to A rank dispatch mission. Grant, you are in trouble..." Jack shook his head while warning Grant who frowned in response. Jack sighed seeing Grant's reaction. It was to be expected after all.

It wasn't every day a random mandatory dispatch mission would come. Much less a high rank one.

"I WAS RIGHT!" Numen freaked out inside of Grant's mind, alerting the man sitting on the chair.

"A mandatory B to A huh..." Grant mumbled lowly as thoughts ran up his head.

He was only a D rank and the quest was already too dangerous for him. But despite his reluctance, Grant has to still go on the mission.

It was mandatory. You had to participate or you'll be screwed.

"I have a solution to help solve your problem..." Jack trailed off, making Grant's ears to perk up in anticipation as he listened in. The scarred man closed his eyes, took a deep breath before staring at Grant in a serious manner.

"Buy my goods..." Jack grinned. It was terrifying due to his disfigured face but nonetheless it made Grant sigh...

It wasn't that Grant found Jack to be a huge pain. It was just that Jack loved money and his wares was expensive.

And if he noticed that you are interested in something that looks less desirable. Jack would secretly increase prices in his mind.

He was a business minded man who resembled a grinning serial killer. That fact alone would've scared a lot of potential customers but it didn't.

Jack was always at the right time, the right place and had his goods sold at a high but the right price.

"You and your gift tailored for scamming... My merits would vanish once I start buying from you..." Grant smiled wryly. Making Jack nodd his head enthusiastically.

He did not know what Jack's gift was but one thing was for sure. It was a gift that was extremely useful for running a business.

"I need to visit the library..." Grant said to Jack who started rubbing his chin with two fingers.

"I understand. A fancy spellbook right? I sell those as well so are you interested." Jack stood up, reached into his jacket and fished out a tattered book.

Inscribed on the book was a title.

The Way of Fire. Volume 1

Grant grew silent and shook his head. He started walking away.

"How come such a high quality product isn't enough to captivate your eyes???" Jack pondered out loud. All he got from Grant was a shrugg and a monotonous toned amswer.

"I am not a fire mage..."

"Huh???" Dumbstruck, Jack watched as Grant slowly disappeared from sight.

-----

Left alone in the dark alley, Jack became lost in thoughts.

"Now how should I kill that idiot who gave me false information..." Jack scowled. His face turning sinister while his eyes radiated coldness.

The air became still and the noise surrounding him had been silenced.

"R*pe? No that cunt is a boy and I don't swing that way... Torture? hmm... Could work but I feel like its lacking... It needs to be something that would break his mind and turn him insane..." Jack fell into his own world, thinking out loud while he walked back into his shop.

The shop interior resembled a fancy bar. Lots of chairs, a long counter table and a wide arrangement of drinks displayed on a wooden shelf behind the counter.

Jack went behind the counter amd retrieved a stack of papers. He started reading them and sorting the papers out.

"Oh hoho... So that fool has a lover... Now I know what I should do..." Jack chuckled. Tearing the paper into tiny pieces before he vanished deeper into the shop.

Reaching the basement and stopping before a closet.

He opened it and a wide array of clothing was revealed to him.

"I need something fancy but not too fancy ro seduce the ladies..." He started choosing from his collection of garments. A slight smile present on his intact right cheek.

'I need to get a new informant once I'm done with this...' Jack had already decided to make his current good for nothing informant regret living before throwing him into the dumps.

He was a ruthless man. Crooked to some but he did what he felt was right for him. It was fine if you turned down a business offer from him but it was different when someone messess with his business.

"A heart for Business is all you've left Emy... I won't let anyone ruin our living..." Jack sighed after choosing his attire.

He may be a little curious about Grant but that could wait later.

One thing was for sure. Some poor soul would have their hopes and dreams cruelly shattered at this day.

"Its just business... Nothing too personal..." Jack had chuckled once more after saying his piece.

Whistling a tune, He exited the shop and blended in with the crowd of rowdy prisoners.

It was another day in Tartarus. Just another day for a prisoner down here.