Deterrence

“Please stay within a hundred metres from me!” Bob shouted to the trio, who had split to find their own things. “I won’t be able to protect you if I can’t see or sense you!”

“Gotcha!” Robert shouted from afar, head already bent down as he perused the goods scattered all over an elderly woman’s table of her stall.

Elian and Jimin browsed another store nearby, looking at the different weapons that was splayed all over the table.

“What are you looking for?” Jimin asked, tracing her fingers on the curved blade of an axe.

Its handle was adorned with a coiling red dragon, allowing one’s fingers to grip firmly with the depressions formed between the elongated body swirling around the black hardwood. The blade itself was redder than red, and it looked as if it had seen its fair share of murder and violence.

“It's a tier 2 Savage weapon,” the stall owner explained. “Axe of Frenzied Blood. It drinks of the blood of its opponent and grants the user mild enhancements to pain suppression and attack force, but it increases their aggressiveness and tendency to irritance.”

“Ohhh~” Jimin nodded.

The stall owner clasped his hands together and gave a wry smile.

“Five hundred gold shells, or a Rebirth stone of equivalent tier.”

Elian picked it up.

It was light and rested firmly in his hands, but if he were to buy it, he wouldn't be able to execute two-handed moves with his sword. Not to mention, pain suppression was a minor thing to him since he couldn't feel anything in his default state of mind.

He placed it back and looked at the other weapons.

An ultra-greatsword laid on the ground by the side, taking up at least two-thirds of the available space in the stall.

The stall owner crouched and pointed at the weapon.

“Luna Fracta Inferni. Hybrid weapon that utilises two tier 3 stones, one from a Savage, another from a Shadow.”

“Luna-what?” Jimin asked.

“Broken Moon of the Underworld,” the stall owner explained. “It’s one of the best items I have, and perhaps one of the best in the entire black market. Each swing releases a Crescent of the Underworld. Anything touched by the crescent is consumed by a localized singularity. In other words, a mini blackhole.”

“Woah~” Jimin marvelled.

“Up to three charges can be stored. Charges restore over a day.”

Elian looked at the ultra greatsword. It’s was entirely black, with a hue of dreamy purple haze that lined the blade's edge on both sides, pulsing slightly as if it was thirsting to consume. He bent and squinted his eyes, taking a closer look at the weapon. Mini white sparkles dotted the flat of the blade, illuminating the darkness within like a neverending night sky.

“If it's that great, why isn't everyone clambering for it?”

The stall owner chuckled and sighed.

“Well, it's heavy. Very heavy. Close to about half ton? You’d have to be a monster or a Highborn to be swinging this around freely.”

Elian grabbed onto the weapon’s handle and tried to pull it up, but did not budge an inch. The weapon remained stuck to the ground no matter how much he tried to pull — one hand, two hands, trying to at least push it with his leg.

Nothing.

It was like the weapon was glued to the ground.

The stall owner let out a dejected chuckle.

“I would have given it to you for free if you managed to pick it up. It’s been sitting here for three years now, and none apart from one person have managed to move it.”

Elian stood up, face flushed from the useless effort he just exerted.

“How did it even get here in the first place?” Jimin asked.

“That’s the person who managed to move it. I got the help of a Rebirth 5 Savage,” the stall owner boasted. “Had to pay him five thousand gold shells for the service. I thought I would strike it rich after selling it, but here I am, still trying to even get back the five thousand shells from selling other things.”

“You have any other weapons?” Elian asked.

“What exactly are you looking for, sir?”

“I don't know. Something light yet destructive? Or maybe something strong yet flexible? I'm currently in the need for something that gives me range or power. It would be the best if I get both.”

The stall owner hummed and carressed the tip of his mustache, trying to think of a suitable item.

“Hmm…”

The two of them stood there, looking at him, watching his facial expressions change in real time. One moment his eyes lit up, the next he frowned. Then he nodded and smiled, but it instantly switched into a dejected shake of his head.

Five minutes passed.

“So?” Jimin asked, tapping her foot impatiently.

“I have nothing that fits your criteria.”

The stall owner scratched his head embarrassingly.

“It’s alright. We’ll continue looking around.”

Elian gave a small bow and turned, walking towards where Robert was.

He had moved to another stall deeper into this section of the market, and Bob was standing beside him, keeping a look out for anything that would threaten his protectees.

“Did you manage to find what you want?” Jimin asked, appearing to Robert’s left.

“Unfortunately, no.”

Robert pointed to the stalls which he had already visited.

“Most of them have only tier 1 or 2 stones,” he said. “There's a tier 3 stone here, but it’s an Apothecary one.”

Robert gave a dejected smile and thanked the stall owner, setting the lush green stone back down.

“I guess I’ll have to keep looking then,” he said, turning around. His head was already turning left and right, keeping an eye out for more stones.

“How about you? Anything that catches your interest?”

“Not yet,” Voidborn said.

“You want a tier 2 Savage stone? Those are more in abundance since Savages recklessly get into more fights.”

“No. I prefer the safe route.”

“Fair,” Robert shrugged. “Anyway, it seems that this section doesn't have what I want. Let’s head across to the Savage district. They usually have more battle-oriented stuff and loot since they keep fighting.”

As they made their way through the crowd, Voidborn noticed how the dynamics of the entire place changed. While it was made clear that the five factions only handled security and nothing else, it was apparent how their habits and characteristics had bled into their respective districts.

The part of the wedge that Spellbound governed had more stalls that dealt with magical artifacts. There was not much technological goods as compared to Machinist Union’s district to the left, nor was there as many potions and medicinal ingredients as compared to Eden’s Hand’s district on their right.

“Did any rioting take place here?” Jimin asked.

“There was,” Bob said. “Several shops were destroyed and quite a number of buildings were damaged. That's why there are so many street stalls set up. Business has to go on after all.”

Robert nodded and squeezed through a couple, shamelessly breaking their handholding as they neared the centre of the black market.

“There we go,” Robert said, stopping right before a set of grotesque statues. “Trophies for all to see.”

He leaned in towards Voidborn right as he stopped beside him, whispering into his ear.

“And for all to fear.”

Jimin looked that the statues and gave a disgusted look, shivering slightly.

There were five corpses encircling a pillar erected in the dead centre of the black market’s plaza, each one facing a district.

“I suppose each one of them is the respective faction’s trophy?” Jimin asked, looking at Spellbound's trophy.

It was the intruder that Robert had described earlier, the one who was killed by molten magma alive. His name and title was carved onto the concrete stand below his feet, much like the rest of the four statues.

They circled the plaza, making their way around to the opposite end where the Savage district lay.

Voidborn looked at each and every single trophy, each one showcasing the brutality of each faction.

Spellbound
Victor Westfield, Savage Rebirth 4, Juggernaut.
The magma malaised man reaching for the heavens.

Body stuck to the stand, one of his hands reached out high as if he was trying to grab on to non-existent help. Countless black holes dotted his entire body, but they were not hollow. They were solidified magma that had pierced and melted his flesh within, the hard thin columns of now-cooled rock keeping and locking his joints and limbs in place, frozen for eternity.

Apothecary
Zenis Burgandy, Savage Rebirth 4, Juggernaut.
The pleasure-plagued giantess craving for unending pain of addiction.

A three-meter tall woman with parts of her skin melted off, acid bored holes punched throughout her limbs, pus filled boils plauging her back like bubbled jello. Her hands covered her face, fingernails tearing off her corroding skin with eyes that rolled back in pleasure.

Machinist Union
Lovia Selenos, Scholar Rebirth 4, Magister.
The robotised human puppet who got the eternal life she desired.

Bloodied sawblades chainsawed into her skin from all directions. Holes grounded by greased gears through her back and chest like metal sandwiches. Her ribcages were crushed into powder that garnished her guts which flopped and gathered beneath, and her mushed heart was now replaced by a fuel pumping engine that hummed for eternity.

Claustrum
Tom Margenda Grinsift, Shadow Rebirth 5, Reaper.
The diamond punctured prison, where shadows yearn to escape.

A gloriously sparkling spherical globe of precious diamond prison, trapping shadows and light alike within. Spikes of sharp mineralised stalactites and stalagmites creeped for the centrum of the spherical prison, each one aiming to pierce the shadow man. No longer able to maintain his shadow form, the man materialised back into reality. With no space for his entire body, he dephased with the spikes in him, each one punching into his wrists, fingers, and joints. But that was not all. Two more each through his pits, chest, waist, ears, and eyeballs. The final one down through his skull.

Battleforge
Ludwing van Lloyd, Architect Rebirth 5, Citadel.
The headless man with no head.

One punch. One death. No amount of barriers and no density of matter could save him from the raw force that warped space. He wasn't even given a chance to defend, and it wasn’t as if he had no head. What remained was just a gaping hole through his brain, mouth, nose, eyes all still intact. The dead man just stood there, palms still ready to mainpulate matter, except that his consciousness had long been gone.

“Haven’t they died for quite some time already?” Voidborn asked. “How have their bodies not rotted?”

Bob pointed to the pillar in the centre. It was a simple tower that was about fifty meters tall and two meters in diameter, but it had a six different shades of colours that swirled around the curved surface.

Red, purple, silver, brown, green, grey — each one representing the inherent colour of each Reborn type.

“That column there is an artifact. It is a culmination of six different tier 4 stones, each one provided by the six main Reborn factions.”

He gestured to the statues surrounding the pillar.

“Hexarchon, The Six Sovereigns.”

Bob’s hands stretched out wide, waving at the entire cavern which housed the black market.

“Structural integrity and barrier protection provided by the Architect stone. Versatile offensive and defensive capabilities provided by Mechanist and Scholar stones. Blessings of healing to allies and cursing hexes to enemies through the Apothecary stone.”

He pointed to the five statues.

“And finally, corpse manupulation and body strengthening through the Shadow and Savage stones. The pillar basically keeps the corpses fresh through its preservation abilities.”

Voidborn focused his eyes. He could see six different stones of different colours glowing and pulsing within the pillar.

“Wait, you’re telling me that those trophies can come to life?” Jimin asked.

“It’s not really coming to life,” Bob said. “They are already dead after all.”

“Yeah,” Robert added. “It’s one of the abilities of a Shadow. At tier 4, they are able to maipulate shadows and make them into something tangible. Controlling objects is just one of many things that they can do. Combined with the toughness enhancement of the Savage stone, these five statues are basically living corpses that still harness the powers they had when they were still alive.”

“What the hell?” Jimin said. “Isn’t that kind of overpowered? Who in their right mind would attack the black market then?”

“Well…” Bob mumbled. “Unfortunately, Flaws and greed cause people to not be in their right minds.”

“Wow… these corpses are all from Highborns…” Jimin remarked. “There are even two Royalborns…”

“I have a question,” Voidborn said. “I know that there are six Reborn factions. But we only see five factions, five districts, five trophies. Why are six stones used in the Heptarchon?”

“Hmm? Shadows work in the darkness after all,” Bob explained. “They don’t have an official headquarters. At least not that we know of. While not seen on the surface, they do still contribute to the Empire’s safety.”

“Then how does one join them?” Jimin asked.

“One doesn’t seek them. They seek you.”

Voidborn listened to his words and pondered in silence.

“How do we contact them?”

“Oh, they do have contact points,” Bob said. “You interested? I can ask Asa to let you know later.”

Voidborn nodded.

“It’s good to always know more.”

“Alright, let’s head into the Savage district.” Robert chuckled and sped up his steps.

The moment they entered this section, they could feel the difference in atmosphere. People were more rowdy and lively, with shouts and bubbling conflicts waiting to happen.

The surroundings looked much more rugged. The damaged buildings behind the stalls definitely played a part to the barbaric style of the district, but it mostly had to do with the unruly behaviour of the people here.

They walked through the stalls, window shopping as they made their way into the district’s busiest area. Jimin stopped every now and then, casting her eyes across trinkets that seemed to interest her eyes.

An elderly woman selling an antique gold ring with inscriptions carved all over its inner side, advertised to be able to cast a sphere of light in the darkest of nights.

A choker with mini spikes attached around it, with a self adjusting mechanism that fits any girth of meat. When any hostile object approaches the choker, the spikes will burst out, piercing it. Once worn around one’s neck, any hands aiming to strangle the wearer will be punched with holes. When attached to one’s ankle, kicks transform into a spiked ones.

A cape that allows one to transform into a transparent rock, but it comes with the caveat of a mandatory forced transformation of six hours. Plus, one would be vulnerable to attacks during this transformation period.

“They're all so boring, ugly, or useless…” Jimin grumbled. “Afternoon is coming soon, I want to shop some more.”

“I promised Derrick, Jimin,” Elian said.

“I know, I know… Let’s check that stall out!”

She pulled Elian’s hand, tugging him towards a small shop nearby. The stall was selling a wide variety of accessories, each one exuding an aura of class and prestige as compared to the ones they saw before.

Necklaces that dispelled heat, rings that acted as subspace storage, and even belts that functioned as a chainsaw whip.

Elian looked at the pricetags. His eyes widened. Everything ran into the thousands.

Jimin picked up a bracelet.

It seemed to be two separate pieces that were fixed together, each one a different colour. Attached to it was a small tag with its name and corresponding effect written on it.

Catana Sors — Chains of Fate.
A pair of conjoined bracelets for a man and woman in love. When worn, it is indestructible as long as their feelings for each other are mutual, and when any one of the two is in grave danger, it offers the ability for one to teleport to the other’s location. Holds a charge for each bracelet, and charges replenish once per year.

“Do you want that?” Elian asked.

“N-No!” Jimin exclaimed. “Why would I want that? It’s super expensive. Why would I want something that pretty for three thousand gold shells?”

She put it back down and looked at other things.

Elian focused his eyes and looked at her.

Yellow.

He saw her eyes constantly linger back to the bracelet, but it was not something that he could afford. He had barely one-tenth of the money.

“Let’s see the stall there,” Jimin said, rushing off to the stall behind.

Elian promptly followed behind.

However, right before he joined Jimin, Robert grabbed on to his wrist and stuffed a bag into his hand.

“Take it.”

He opened the bag and peered inside.

It was the bracelet that Jimin said she didn't want.

Voidborn frowned and looked at him.

“Give it to her. Consider it a loan from me. You can owe me for as long as you like.”

Robert gave a soft smile and rested his fist on Voidborn’s chest.

“That's what brothers are for right? Although, I charge interest. I expect a wedding invitation~”

He chuckled and walked to Jimin.

“Brothers…”

Voidborn mumbled and looked at the object in his hand, before stuffing it back into his pocket. He would give it to her tonight.

“So, are you happy with your purchases?” Bob asked.

The four of them stood at one of the black market’s entrance-exit, a heavily reinforced and guarded Bookscalator to the side rising diagonally into a hole in the cavern’s wall.

“What do you mean happy?” Robert grumbled. “I didn't even manage to find what I want.”

“Well, it's to be expected. Stones past tier 2 are just simply that rare, what more you are trying to find a specific one.”

Voidborn rested his palm on Robert’s shoulder and comforted him.

“If I may make a suggestion,” Voidborn said. “Why not have something forged with that wind stone you have instead? I’m pretty sure if you had something offensive or evasive made with it, it’ll definitely be make you a force to be reckoned with.”

“He’s right, you know,” Bob agreed. “You're basically enhancing your capabilities without the added risks. Then you can take your time to find elightenment. I'm pretty sure you just need some luck. Maybe you could discuss with Mina and Joy? I’m sure they would be more than willing to offer some advice.”

Robert closed his eyes and nodded subtly.

“That sounds good. I’ll come back tomorrow then. I’ll need some time to find a reputable and suitable smithy. But looking at the state of all the workshops earlier, I doubt any of them are even operable.”

“How about you?” Bob asked. “Did you get what you want?”

Voidborn held on to a bunch of metallic chains coiled and hung on his waist.

“Yes. I managed to find something suitable for cheap.”

“What is it?” Robert asked.

“Cadena Ligamen — Ligament Chain. This one was forged with two tier 3 stones, one from an Architect, another from a Mechanist.”

“What the hell? How much was it?”

“Barely two hundred gold shells.”

“That's crazy? But why?”

“It's extremely difficult to use.”

“Will it not be a problem for you?”

“I’ll practice and try my best.”

“I see… so what does it do?” Robert asked.

“I’ll show you tonight back at the Abyss Cube?” Voidborn said. “We’ll need to rush to the union.”

“Alright.”

“In that case, I’ll escort you both to the union, then escort Robert back to the cube?”

The three nodded.

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