This underworld is just as I imagined if it were controlled by criminals. Dark and chaotic. There's only a little illumination in this underground world, which is only about a quarter of the city's size. Not to mention the numerous dark alleyways where, if I'm not mistaken, someone has just been killed there, and no one came to help.
Rio, whom we didn't expect to have a reputation in the underworld, seemed completely absorbed in the conversation with the man.
They were discussing something about Red Lily's grand plan, which, according to the man, would not only shake the city but also the kingdom.
What plan was it?
We didn't know. They spoke without providing any specific information, using various coded words like bread, jam, and raven.
As I didn't fully understand the conversation, I found myself more focused on the unsettling surroundings.
Every pair of eyes seemed to stare at us as we passed by, filled with curiosity, wondering if we possessed something valuable to be sold at a high price. However, as soon as they noticed Rio accompanying us, they quickly averted their gaze, returning to their own activities.
It seems that Rio's reputation in the underworld is not entirely unfounded.
Thanks to her, we could breathe a little easier, although Celine still appeared uneasy, with her left hand tightly clenched and her right hand always ready on the hilt of her sword, prepared for any impending danger.
The streets were dirty, filled with puddles of water. The street lamps were dim, some flickering as if they were about to break. The air felt damp and slightly suffocating, and there was a smell of smoke coming from some large buildings that appeared to be factories.
I couldn't fathom how people could still survive in an area like this without developing lung diseases. Perhaps it had something to do with their bodies being able to manipulate mana. But if I were to stay here for just three days, it would undoubtedly lead to cancer.
The two individuals in front of us continued to talk incessantly as we followed them. It seemed like they had an endless supply of conversation topics until the man finally said, "Alright, we have arrived at the place you're looking for. Someone is waiting inside."
"Wait, how do you know what we're looking for?" Rayven asked cautiously.
The man raised his hands, signaling that he didn't mean any trouble but still maintained a slightly arrogant and proud expression. "Relax, young criminal. One thing you should learn is that information travels fast in a world like this.
Don't fall behind, or you'll disappear. Whether it's from the kingdom or the world, I don't know."
He grinned for a moment before returning to his usual self, bowing like a servant. "Enjoy your time in Underworld," he said, then walked away before disappearing behind a building.
In front of us was a fairly large building, two stories high, with every window covered by thick iron bars, giving the impression that this place was a prison. However, once we entered, I realized that it was indeed a prison.
It was an old prison no longer in use, now converted into a large laboratory filled with strange objects. They were stored within glass cubes, silently hovering in place above a metallic black altar.
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The high curiosity led my right hand to move on its own towards one of the glass cubes, only to be shocked for a moment by an iron needle piercing through the middle of my arm, causing me to fall to the floor, screaming in pain while tightly gripping my injured hand.
"You stupid! Can't you control yourself even just a little bit?"
Z, who also groaned in pain, scolded me, and I realized that he was experiencing the same thing as me.
Damn, damn, damn! This is so painful!
Is this what someone feels when they get tasered? Ahhhh! It feels like my hand is being shredded into pieces and forcibly separated!
Not far ahead, a man observed me with a blank expression, gripping a white iron crossbow resting on his right shoulder. "I'm sorry, but I had to. I despise those who can't control their hands, but because you're a friend of Red Lily..."
He pressed a button on the left side of the crossbow, causing the needle to detach from my arm and fall to the ground. "Be grateful to Red Lily, or else I might have turned you into one of the test subjects."
Even after the needle was removed, the lingering sensation remained so vivid that my legs trembled violently as I struggled to stand up.
I stared at the man who was now approaching us, and I noticed Rayven's surprised expression as he turned to look at him.
"What are you doing in the Underworld, Rayven?
No need to act surprised, even with your makeup, I would still recognize you. How long do you think we've been friends?" he continued before Rayven could speak. "And since you're here, it means these two are Celine and Rio.
Rio as Red Lily... I never expected you to have it on you, Rio," he praised with a sharp grin.
"I should be the one asking you! What are you doing here, Henry? You're supposed to be in the hospital!" he exclaimed, puzzled.
"So, you prefer to have your friend in the hospital?" he countered.
"No, that's not what I meant. I mean, you, being a genius of the kingdom, working for the Underworld..."
"Ah ah, not 'for' but 'with'."
"Sometimes, in order to survive in life, you have to take drastic measures, like what I have been doing for a long time. Yes, for a long time.
One of the reasons I could have my own laboratory despite being nobody is thanks to the assistance of the Underworld, of course, at a hefty price. I had to work 'with' them for 3 years, designing weapons for their use," explained Henry, devoid of any guilt, as he walked towards an empty aluminum table and placed the crossbow on it.
"If you're asking about the fate of the city, the fate of the kingdom, I have told you many times. Whatever I do, I do it in pursuit of knowledge, regardless of what I have to go through to achieve it.
You can't keep holding onto your idealism, especially in a world that has become so chaotic. If only you were willing to work with Underworld, maybe you would have reached Tier 6 by now, but I won't interfere with your choices, so I hope you won't interfere with this," replied Henry.
Rayven, who couldn't find the words, could only let out a heavy sigh. He nodded in understanding and walked towards his friend. "Alright, then. Let's get straight to the point. We need your new tool."
"Oh, do you mean this?"
Henry walked towards one of the three large neatly arranged shelves on the left side of the room, filled with various tools and weapons. He picked up a pair of black gloves with black metallic blocks on the back of the hand.
"Faker, that's what I call it for now. It has the ability to replicate someone's power and use it as its own.
Its drawback is that it can only generate 50% of the borrowed power for a certain period of time. It's neither good nor bad, just as its name suggests, Faker. Only those who don't possess any power covet this item as a substitute for Glory.
Oh, and don't forget, you can only duplicate one power at a time. If you want another power, you'll have to wait for 3 days until the metallic plate on it cools down. You certainly wouldn't want to lose your only hand." He explained and then tossed Faker to Rayven.
"What can we give you as payment?" Celine asked.
"There's nothing, just take it.
I myself don't know the value of that item, and I can't try it myself because I have to finish an important project," Henry replied in a bored tone, then turned to me and said, "You're the one who will be using it, right?
It's unlikely that the three of you will be using something like that," he thought for a moment, then continued, "How about you report to me about anything that needs improvement and your experiences while using Faker, in detail.
Because I will greatly need every piece of information to create a replica of the stolen prototype, even though it won't be as good, at least it can help us survive longer in case the Heretics attack us. This is the only thing I can do to assist the kingdom."
I looked towards the three of them who were also looking at me, and nodded in agreement.
Since they agreed, I turned back to Henry and said, "I will do it." Henry acknowledged it with a nod of his head.