The Black Market (3)

While Sebastian walked toward the Tech Nexus, the Whispering Siren's last words echoed in his mind.

He had been incautious. If she knew about him and his identity, it was clear someone else did. The only silver lining was that they didn't know he could use spells, but he risked a lot.

<Damn madness…>

That was the real problem. While he wasn't under his usual excitement, Sebastian was not stupid.

Hell, he could even be considered a smart fellow. After all, he survived while being hunted for 30 years, did a lot of stuff into Somnium and survived fangeds, thespians and traps.

However, when he fought, when he killed, despite not being anymore as crazy as he was before his regression, he wasn't lucid enough to make the right choices. Besides, he didn't even think about getting a mask.

Luckily, the Four Sacred Clans weren't looking into the matter. It was something too small for them to look into, and since few knew it involved them, there was no reason for them to look into it.

After all, wars between gangs weren't unusual, and they didn't really care about them if they didn't involve Thespians.

But, someone was definitely gonna ask questions in the underworld. So, Sebastian stopped by a stall and got a mask.

It was a cheap one, easily found wherever and without magic imbued. But Sebastian thought the design was cool, so he bought it.

Of course, it was too late to conceal his identity, if one asked the right person, a small sum of money was enough to lead the gang members to him, but if everything went according to plan, he was going to get the amount of money to move his family, and become strong enough to fend against any non-Thespian attacker in less than a month.

The 31st of December was rapidly approaching. It was the 1st of October, after all.

As Sebastian walked, the goods traded through the black market changed.

Usually, stuff related to fights got sold at the black market's entrance. Thespians had to find the goods, after all, and they were the richest customers.

From weapons and armors made for the Thespians, everything changed, at first firearms and explosive, something civilians shouldn't have, and then more peculiar stuff.

"Is that a gun-pen?"

It appeared so from the image being showcased. Things became more technologically advanced. There were people selling fake IDs, identities and the likes.

Some offered to hack into servers of companies and even police forces, while others traded schematics for vehicles and military equipment. Of course, the prices here were very high.

If Sebastian didn't know what the Nightshades did to gain money, he would have been surprised to know that their members dwelled here.

The Nightshades were primarily involved in cybercrimes, hacking, and digital information theft. They also dabbled in underground tech trade and it was only logical for them to be here selling their stuff.

However, Sebastian hadn't seen their stall. <Maybe they are too small to have the permission sell here.> He thought.

However, just as the Whispering Siren said, after some time, Sebastian saw a Nightshades' gang member, a woman.

He recognized her immediately. These guys had a knack for wearing gadgets and technological stuff they made.

Most were weapons, but some of them had weird watches they could connect to devices for quick hacking. That was their job, after all.

<These guys should learn to not be so flashy.>

Then Sebastian's mouth twitched. He was trying to keep control over his urges, but the thoughts that swirled in his minds were very few, and most involved, ways to make the woman die.

"Steady now, Seb, let's not get ahead of ourselves. We're not seasoning a soup here; you can't just toss her in boiling water and watch her wriggle like spaghetti."

A wild glint appeared in his eye as he chuckled at the macabre humor of his own thoughts.

With the mask, at least for now, securing his identity, Sebastian waited for the woman to complete her businesses and get out of here.

<Let's see how long it takes for the gossip queen to finish her tea party in this dump.> A smirk played on his lips at the thought.

She was purchasing computer equipment for use at the base. Obviously, he did not know what was their function.

The woman then started walking toward the Black Market's exit with steady steps. The last thing she wanted was to risk being robbed by some psycho.

Sebastian followed behind until both he and the woman got out of the Black Market.

They took the same stairs they took to get in, even though Sebastian knew there were other ways to enter and exit all around the city that they passed by often.

<UGH! IS THIS THE FIRST TIME SHE'D BEEN HERE?>

After a while, the woman got into some alleys. Sebastian followed her to see where she was heading.

Though, he noticed she was going toward a rundown apartment complex.

Sebastian followed there, thinking he had found the Nightshades' headquarters. Though it was just the woman's house.

<Oh no! If someone see me, they will think I have an affair with her!>

Sebastian went upstairs after he busted the lock of the apartment complex. Not that it was hard. That thing was basically there for decoration.

He navigated the dimly lit, dilapidated corridors with a growing sense of excitement, each step echoing off the worn walls.

The structure was a remnant of a more prosperous era, now just an empty shell infested with rats and cockroaches. Sebastian wasn't thinking about animals, of course.

Reaching the desired apartment, Sebastian paused, surveying the door that stood between him and his target.

Like the lock below, this object showed signs of neglect and the passage of time on its surface.

Without a second thought, he reared back and delivered a powerful kick. The mana coursing through his body enhanced his strength. He wasn't superhuman yet, but he was stronger than average.

The door gave way with a dramatic crash, splintering around the lock as it swung open. The Nightshades' gang member got startled by the sound, and looked at the trespassers with a shocked look.

Sebastian stepped into the room.