Chapter 108: The Ghost Mountain Market
Three days later, I quietly left Distant Wind City.
My destination was east of the city.
More precisely... An ancient canyon hidden among mountain ranges.
I wore a black traveling cloak that completely concealed my noble attire.
A hood covered part of my face, casting a shadow over my eyes.
Tinod walked behind me.
His heavy armor had been covered by a large dark cloak, and his helmet was fitted with a smooth metal mask, completely concealing his identity.
As we advanced along the narrow mountain trail, the wind blew continuously through the canyon, producing a deep whistle among the rocks.
To my right was a cliff.
To my left, enormous stone walls rose dozens of meters above our heads.
Despite the difficult terrain, I continued walking without slowing my pace.
My muscles responded perfectly.
The strength I had gained after reaching 3 points in my physical attributes made those trails as easy as strolling through the gardens of my mansion.
After walking for nearly an hour...
I felt it.
I partially closed my eyes.
Several extremely faint waves of mana were passing through the area.
I smiled faintly.
— We’ve arrived...
My voice was nearly carried away by the wind.
— The Phantom Mountain Market.
The Biochip immediately projected a three-dimensional map before my eyes.
The small underground area glowed blue.
It was exactly where I had expected.
This black market appeared in ancient records I had acquired back at Arcangrove Tower.
For a long time, it had served as a trading point for magical resources.
Everyone used that place to conduct business discreetly.
In truth...
Choosing the forest mission had only been half of my objective.
The other half...
Was to visit that very market.
I continued walking.
Then...
— Stop!
A young girl’s voice echoed through the canyon.
I stopped immediately.
Instinctively, my mana began to circulate.
I slowly turned my head.
Something was approaching by leaping across the rocks.
At first, I thought it was some kind of magical beast.
Soon, I realized someone was riding it.
It was a little girl.
Or rather...
She had the appearance of one.
She rode an extremely peculiar creature.
Its body resembled that of a gigantic fish, but four muscular legs extended from beneath its belly, allowing it to leap from rock to rock like a deer.
Each jump covered several meters.
Within moments, she had stopped in front of us.
I observed her carefully.
Small.
Light-colored hair.
A simple dress.
A completely indifferent expression.
She crossed her arms.
— Are you an acolyte?
— Yes, I’m a wandering acolyte.
I pointed at Tinod.
— This is my servant.
Her eyes quickly examined Tinod.
Then she smiled.
— A knight...
She nodded approvingly.
— A good servant.
Without any ceremony, she held out her hand.
— One magic crystal for each of you.
— If you think that’s expensive...
She shrugged.
— The knight can wait outside.
Two magic crystals appeared between my fingers.
I handed them over immediately.
— That won’t be necessary.
She pocketed the crystals with astonishing speed.
— Biochip, show me the status of this dangerous loli.
[Bip!]
[Analyzing target.]
[Name: Unknown]
[Level: Acolyte III]
[Sex: Female]
[Physical Status]
Strength: 5.8
Agility: 5.2
Vitality: 4.6
Mana: 14.9
[Threat Assessment:]
[Highly dangerous.]
[Biological age incompatible with apparent age.]
[High probability of continuous use of body alteration spells.]
My expression remained calm.
Inside...
My conclusion was completely different.
"She’s stronger than Lurdot."
Much stronger.
Despite her childish appearance...
It was obvious that this woman possessed decades of experience.
Perhaps even more.
It was curious.
Some mages aged naturally.
Others preferred to permanently alter their appearance.
I had never been able to fully understand that obsession.
Especially when they chose to take on the form of a child.
She tilted her head slightly.
— You’re new here.
It wasn’t a question.
It was a statement.
I decided to take advantage of the opportunity.
— I’d like to know where I can obtain the latest information.
She smiled mischievously.
— Well...
She proudly raised her chin.
— I sell the latest information in this market.
Her face practically said, "Ask nicely."
I couldn’t help but find it slightly ridiculous.
Even so...
I remained polite.
I gave a slight bow.
— Could this respected guardian tell me how much a piece of news costs?
She seemed pleased.
— You’re polite.
She smiled.
— One magic crystal per question.
— I accept.
She took the crystal.
— Ask.
I wasted no time.
— How is the war involving Arcangrove Tower progressing?
She absentmindedly scratched her head.
— That’s interesting...
— Earlier today, another acolyte asked that exact same question.
— The latest news arrived yesterday.
— Arcangrove Tower is still holding out.
— The defensive formation is still functioning.
— However...
Her tone became a little more serious.
— Many acolytes have died.
I slowly closed my eyes.
It was to be expected.
A war between Towers would never be clean.
Those incapable of protecting themselves became nothing more than statistics.
The girl gave a small smile.
— You can relax.
She gestured around us.
— That war will never reach this place.
— There aren’t enough resources in this region to attract the interest of the great Towers.
— Only a few wandering acolytes show up from time to time.
I nodded.
She was probably right.
Even so...
I would never underestimate the effects of a prolonged war.
I took out another magic crystal.
— One more question.
She quickly pocketed it.
— What is the reason for the war?
She burst into laughter.
— Who knows?
Then she shrugged.
— Ideology...
— Pride...
— Territorial disputes...
— Light Mages and Dark Mages always find new reasons to hate each other.
— Honestly...
She made a face.
— They fight each other just as much as criminal mages fight Official Mages.
I nodded slowly.
I hadn’t obtained any truly useful information.
Even so...
It had been worth the investment.
She lightly patted the head of her strange mount.
— Good luck, kid.
— I hope you find what you’re looking for.
The very next moment...
The creature resumed leaping across the cliffs.
A few seconds later, both of them disappeared completely into the mist.
I watched for a few moments.
Then I turned to Tinod.
— Let’s go.
We continued along the narrow passage.
The farther we advanced...
The denser the concentration of mana in the air became.
Finally...
The caves began to appear.
Hundreds of them.
Carved directly into the canyon walls.
Each one served as a shop, workshop, or residence.
Some had wooden signs.
Others used runic symbols.
The Phantom Mountain Market truly lived up to its name.
I walked slowly, observing everything around me.
My time was extremely limited.
The research in my laboratory had reached a critical point.
Almost all of the magical ingredients I possessed had been consumed.
Without new reagents...
All of my progress would come to a halt.
Just a little longer.
I discreetly clenched my fist.
Once I gather the remaining ingredients... I’ll finally be able to produce the true Plant Blood Mana Potion.
My heart quickened just imagining it.
For months...
Everything had been leading to that moment.
I continued walking until I found the sign I was looking for.
Tru’s Potions.
I slowly pushed open the heavy wooden door.
A rusty bell echoed.
The interior was dark.
Only a few lanterns illuminated the shelves.
The smell of dried herbs, old blood, and alchemical products completely permeated the room.
Behind the counter...
I heard a hoarse laugh.
— Hehehehehe...
An old dwarf slowly appeared.
He was completely bald.
His face looked like dried leather, covered in deep wrinkles.
Only a few teeth remained.
Even so...
His smile was unsettling.
He stared at me without blinking.
I walked up to the counter.
— I need one hundred Detrux reagents.
— One hundred flasks of Purified Water.
— One hundred Blood-Red Water Crystals.
— And one hundred Bloody Forest Seeds.
The old man raised his eyebrows.
— Oh...
His voice became curious.
— All ingredients used in alchemy.
He slowly leaned forward.
— Are you a master alchemist?
I frowned slightly.
— That’s none of your concern.
His smile widened.
— Young man...
His voice became strangely gentle.
— Didn’t anyone ever teach you... to respect your elders?
At that moment...
His eyes began to slowly rotate.
A strange psychic ripple spread throughout the shop.
[ALERT.]
[ALERT.]
[Energy detected.]
[Enchantment Spell identified.]
[Mental interference in progress.]
A faint buzzing ran through my mind.
At that same instant...
Behind me...
I heard a heavy metallic crash.
CLANG!
I turned only my eyes.
Tinod had collapsed completely onto the floor.
Unconscious.
My expression remained unchanged.
But internally...
I let out a long sigh.
Damn it...
I’ve run into a damn insane acolyte...
...
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