Petrification. It was a skill allowing the user to decrease their enemy's agility down to zero per cent for a few seconds.

Although this looked like a fantastic skill on the surface, its recoil wasn't non-existent. Every time the user used this skill, a portion of his lifespan would be taken in exchange.

The arrow sliced through the air, making its way to Nox's head.

'I didn't wish to rely on them for something like this,' regretted Nox, cursing his own weakness.

A black spear blasted out from the ground, shattering the arrow.

Slowly, the hand holding the spear emerged as well, and in the blink of an eye, the shadow of the spear goblin took a position in front of his master, pointing his spear at the goon.

The goon was taken aback.

'What the hell is that!' he shouted internally, observing the shadow soldier, something he had never seen before in his entire life.

With its glowing red eyes, it stared at him too. It was a look devoid of all emotions except loyalty.

[The effect of *Petrification* has ended]

Nox felt alive again as the sense of his entire body returned.

"That's quite the irritating skill," commented Nox, appearing behind the man.

He felt strangely irked. He may have been dead by now if his shadow soldier hadn't intervened. It was a fact that made him realize just how much stronger he needed to get.

Nox swung his hand at the man's throat.

But the goon was a bit faster, managing to duck down before rolling forward; he put some distance between himself and his opponent.

"I didn't expect you to be a summoner," the goon said, glancing at the spear goblin standing a few feet behind him.

"The world works in mysterious ways," Nox answered, unwilling to hold a chat with the goon.

'Tch. *Petrification* was the only hidden card I had to deal with someone like him. But, due to its long cooldown time, I won't be able to use it in our fight anymore,' the goon thought, calming himself down and trying to assess the situation.

He stared at Nox, who was seemingly relaxed for someone amid a battle.

'Although I have other skills too, I can't use any of them in a narrow place like this. If I cause too much of a ruckus, then the kingdom guards will arrive too,' he thought, trying to devise a plan.

Although the man was confident in his hand-to-hand and dagger skills, his confidence plummeted after seeing his comrades overpowered single-handedly.

Before he could decide, the spear goblin lunged at him, thrusting his spear forward.

With an extraordinary swift movement, he took the dagger out of his scabbard and parried the spear before kicking the goblin's head and smashing it into the wall.

'His summon isn't too weak,' thought the man as the spear goblin began to heal itself.

"I guess I don't have any other choice than to fight," the goon said, turning towards Nox.

"I just want information," replied Nox.

The man had already appeared right before Nox, ignoring his reply.

Nox swung his fist at the man's head, but he crouched down, evading it.

He thrust his dagger at Nox's waist.

Nox put his own dagger forward, parrying the attack.

The man jumped back before launching himself at the wall beside him. Lunging off the wall, he launched a powerful kick at Nox's head.

Nox bent backwards, barely avoiding the leg that flew by right before his nose.

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Before the man could land back on the ground, Nox thrust his leg forward, kicking away his enemy.

The man managed to land back perfectly on his legs and lunged at Nox again, not giving him a moment to think.

He unleashed a flurry of dagger attacks at Nox.

Clang! Swish! Clung! Clang! Clang!

The sound of metals clashing rang across the alley as Nox parried and blocked the man's strikes.

Both of them had almost the same strength, but the man fought like someone with a lot of real battle experience.

Clang!

The daggers clashed one last time before the man finally jumped back, creating some distance.

The hood covering his head fell, revealing the face of a handsome man in his late twenties. He had tanned skin and ruffled red hair. Under the dim moonlight, his sparkling crimson eyes shone like the most precious of gems.

The spear goblin threw himself at the man, but he grabbed the monster's head mid-air before effortlessly crushing it with his bare hands.

The goblin fell to the ground but soon began regrowing its head. Not giving it a chance to, the man kicked him away towards Nox.

"You did good," Nox comforted the goblin as it returned back into his shadow.

He fixated his eyes on the man, observing his every minute movement.

'Even though he looks about the same age as me, he's much stronger. He already saw the spear goblin. Should I just put an end to this by calling out my shadow soldiers?' he thought, debating what to do in his mind.

But, if he summoned all his shadow soldiers now, his efforts to hide his identity would all be in vain. So, that was not an option.

"You said you wanted information?" the man asked.

'I thought I could finish it by using *Petrification*. After using that skill, my stats severely decrease after ten minutes. I can't drag this on any longer,' he thought.

"Yes. A woman in her twenties and a boy in his teenage. They came here last week. Do you happen to know them?" Nox inquired in a sturdy voice.

The man thought for a moment before finally remembering.

"I do. They were exceptionally strong for people who just entered the Tower. The woman took down one of my comrades herself, while the boy almost killed two, but we were still able to capture them. Are they related to you?" the man asked after answering Nox's inquiry.

Even though he didn't let it show much, Nox felt a hint of melancholy in his voice.

"Indeed they are," Nox replied, thinking back to the memories of his former teammates.

The red-haired man ruffled his hair and sighed, trying to think what to do. Fighting Nox would yield no useful results.

If he won, he could take away the teenage boy he had aimed for before. Kidnapping someone powerful like Nox, who may have the backing of a large guild, would just be inviting his own doom.

If he lost against Nox, then all his actions thus far would be for nought.

'I still need enough money for my brother's treatment. Selling slaves was the fastest way to earn money. But, if I die here, then without my care, my brother will soon follow me to the afterlife,' he thought as the memories of his sick brother appeared before his eyes.

'Daniel. You don't need to work hard day and night just for my medicine. The archaic disease cannot be cured. Even with all the medicines, my life can only be prolonged by a few months. Just let me die. Live your own life,' was the last thing he heard his brother say before he fell into a deep comatose state.

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The arcanic disease:

When arcane channels in a person's body malfunction, their arcane starts behaving strangely, resulting in the slow collapse of all their internal organs. This phenomenon is mainly seen in the people born in the tower itself.

The only way to cure an organic disease is with the help of a high-level healer and medicines that cost a fortune. That's why when low-level players with little money catch the arcane disease, their chances of being cured fall dangerously close to zero per cent.

This disease is hereditary in nature.

------------------

'He doesn't seem like the type to sell slaves for enjoyment,' he thought, observing the man's facial expressions.

"Why do you do this job?" Nox inquired.

The man was taken aback by the question. Why was a stranger interested in his reasons?

"For the money. Even a low-level player sells for more than six hundred gold in the slave market," he replied. Nox didn't observe any hints of the man lying.

He thought for a few moments before finally proposing a deal.

"If I give you money, would you be willing to work under me?" he inquired.

This came as a shock to the man.

But it made sense from Nox's point of view.

Even in his previous life as a detective, he had many informants in the underworld. Most of the money he earned went to paying them to keep them loyal.

Although a bond formed on the basis of money is easily breakable, it's the most effortless bond to form.

Even though he didn't wish to interfere in the underworld of the Tower, if he was forced to do it, like this time, then it would be best if he had as many informants as possible.

This was nothing more than a cautionary plan in case he collided with the underworld again in the future.

"I don't think you understand. The amount of money I wish for isn't something which can be found lying around, even in the large guilds. It's impossible for someone like you to give it to me," the crimson-eyed man replied.

Nox didn't reply.

Instead, he threw a pouch from his inventory towards the man.

The man opened the pouch, expecting a few spare coins of bronze inside it.

But, the pouch was a subspace with a pile of more than ten thousand gold coins in it.

'What's this!!! This is more than the money I earned the last two months!' exclaimed the man in his mind. With this much money, he could easily extend his brother's life by a few weeks more.

The sudden change in the man's expression was prominently visible to Nox.

"That's just the tip of the iceberg. Work for me, and there'll be plenty more where that came from," tempted Nox.

The man gulped down the saliva stuck in his mouth after seeing the gold.

'Just who is he?' the man thought, walking towards Nox.

Swish!

The man dropped to one of his knees, bowing down to Nox.

"My name is Daniel. I have the backing of no Divina, and am not part of any guild. I climbed up to the twenty-fourth floor. Please tell me how I can be of assistance," he said, looking up at the white-masked stranger wearing the black cloak.