The midday sunlight stabbed right into Kanos's eyeballs.
He reflexively raised his left hand to shield his face from the blinding glare. For days, his eyes had only been used to pitch black darkness and blue glowing mushrooms at the bottom of the abyss.
The surface air felt weird. Hot, dusty, and full of that typical crowded city pollution.
But to Kanos, this was the freshest air he had ever breathed in his entire life.
Next to him, Belida also narrowed his eyes. The giant knight adjusted the massive burlap sack on his right shoulder. The contents jingled heavily, a mix of gold coins and pure iron ores.
Belida's left hand rested casually on the hilt of the giant black steel sword sheathed on his back.
The two of them walked slowly past the long line of wooden carts and adventurers wanting to enter the Marrath Hole.
A few meters ahead, the main gate guard post stood tall. Two guards in dull armor could be seen inspecting and extorting a group of low level adventurers.
Kanos recognized the face of one of those guards. It was the exact same guard who threw a stinking mop rag at his face when he first entered this place.
Back then, that guard looked at Kanos like seeing a cockroach that deserved to be stepped on.
Now, the guard turned his head when he heard Kanos and Belida's heavy boots approaching. His mouth was half open, ready to shout a harsh insult to tell them to wait in the exit line.
But the insult got stuck in his throat.
The guard's eyes went wide staring at Belida's figure. The giant knight was covered in dried monster blood. His armor was half destroyed. And the black sword on his back radiated a very clear brutal aura. This wasn't some cheap weapon from a flea market.
Then the guard's gaze shifted toward Kanos, who was walking casually in front of Belida.
The young man's clothes were in tatters. His face was covered in stone dust and leftover blood. But his eyes were completely empty. Incredibly cold. Incredibly flat.
It was the look of someone who had just slaughtered dozens of lives down there and wouldn't mind adding one more right now.
The guard swallowed hard. Cold sweat the size of corn kernels instantly poured down his forehead.
Kanos stopped his tracks right in front of the guard. They were only half a meter apart.
Silence. The adventuring groups around them also fell silent, feeling the incredibly thick murderous aura dripping from Kanos and Belida's bodies.
Kanos didn't say anything. He just stared right into the guard's pupils.
Kanos's right hand with the blade shaped scar looked absolutely horrifying under the sunlight.
"Open the path," Kanos said quietly. His voice was dry and raspy.
The guard trembled. Subconsciously, he hurriedly took two steps back until his back hit the wooden post behind him. His friend next to him also stepped aside, giving as much room as possible.
No one dared to ask for taxes. No one dared to throw rotting rags.
Kanos snorted softly. He started walking again past the iron gates, followed by Belida who flashed a mocking smile at the guards.
Once they entered the slum area of Marrath city, the atmosphere got way crazier.
The cobblestone streets were packed with street vendors, drunks, and mercenaries. But strangely, every time Kanos and Belida stepped forward, the crowd in front of them automatically parted.
People instinctively moved to the side of the road.
They knew how to tell amateur adventurers apart from predators. And these two guys who just walked out of the hole clearly carried a very thick stench of death from the deepest floors.
"We are the center of attention," Belida muttered quietly from behind. The burlap sack on his shoulder jingled again. "Carrying this much loot without a guild name is the fastest way to get robbed."
"Let them try," Kanos replied casually. His hand reached into his pants pocket, touching the cold surface of the gargoyle bat core. "I actually need guinea pigs to test the max limits of my shadow magic right now."
Belida chuckled hearing that. Fair enough. Whatever stupid thug dared to rob them today would definitely end up as street compost.
They kept walking past the slum district until they finally arrived in front of a rickety wooden building. The weapon and antique shop where Kanos sold his steel karambit a few days ago.
Kanos pushed the wooden door open. The small bell above the door rang loudly.
Inside, the one eyed old man was sitting casually behind the counter table. He was sharpening a rusted iron axe.
Hearing the door open, the old man looked up lazily.
"Shop's closed for beggars who don't have mo..."
The old man's words were cut off instantly. His single eye bulged so wide it almost popped out of its socket. The iron axe in his hand dropped to the dusty floor with a loud clatter.
The old man pointed at Kanos with a trembling finger.
"You... you guys aren't dead?" The old man's voice squeaked in shock.
"Unfortunately not, old man," Kanos replied while walking in. He pulled up an old wooden chair and sat in front of the counter. Casual like a big boss.
Belida closed the shop door from the inside and locked it. The sound of the iron bar sliding into place made the old man turn even paler.
Slam!
Belida dropped the giant burlap sack from his shoulder right onto the counter table. The rotting wooden table creaked loudly, almost snapping under the insane weight.
The one eyed old man jolted from his chair. He peeked into the sack whose top was slightly open. His single eye instantly sparkled with pure greed.
The red crystal shards from the sixth floor reflected the light from the oil lamp on the table. Not to mention the chunks of pure iron ore the size of an adult's fist piled up inside.
"This... this is sixth floor quality," the old man whispered in disbelief. His hands trembled, wanting to touch the crystal stones. "How the hell did two guildless guys get elite loot like this?"
"Found it on the street," Kanos answered randomly. He rested his chin on his left hand. "Everything in that sack is yours, old man. Give me a fair price."
The old man instantly switched into his shady merchant mode. He cleared his throat softly, trying to hide his awe. His hands rubbed a few of the iron ores.
"Good. Very good," the old man muttered. "But you guys are fugitives and people without identities. Selling sixth floor items requires official guild documents. I am taking a huge risk buying this from you."
The old man looked at Kanos with a sly smile. "Thirty gold coins. That is the maximum price I can give you."
Belida growled in anger behind Kanos. The giant knight's hand immediately grabbed his sword hilt.
But Kanos raised his left hand, signaling Belida to stand down. Kanos didn't look emotional at all. Instead, he chuckled softly. A very dry laugh.
Kanos leaned forward, staring right into the old man's single eye.
"Do not mess with me, old man," Kanos whispered. His voice wasn't loud, but the threat felt incredibly real.
Kanos raised his right hand bearing the horrifying scar. "You know exactly these red crystals are worth ten gold coins a piece at the central auction market. And there are twenty of them in that sack."
The old man swallowed hard. Cold sweat began to drip down his temple.
"One hundred and fifty pure gold coins," Kanos said with a final tone. "I am not taking any negotiations. Pay up now, or I am taking this sack to your rival's shop across the street, and I will make sure your business dies next month."
To emphasize his threat, Kanos's left index fingertip suddenly emitted thick purple smoke. The temperature inside the shop instantly plummeted, making the old man's breath produce white mist.
The old man jerked his body back in a panic. He could feel the pure murderous intent from the young man in front of him. This young man was no longer the pathetic artist begging for squid ink the other day.
"O-okay! Okay! Do not use magic inside my shop!" the old man yelled in a panic. He hurriedly ducked under the counter.
The sound of an iron safe opening and a massive amount of coins jingling could be heard. The old man placed two thick leather pouches filled with pure gold coins onto the table. His hands were still trembling.
"One hundred and fifty pure gold coins," the old man said in a defeated tone. "Exactly as you requested."
Kanos pulled the two coin pouches over. The weight felt incredibly right in his hands. This was an insane amount of money for regular citizens in Yomalvara.
Kanos tossed one pouch toward Belida. The knight caught it smoothly.
"We are not done," Kanos said again. He stood up from his chair. "I need the highest quality parchment paper you have. Not some cheap corn paper. And I need five empty lead lined glass bottles."
The old man didn't dare argue. He ran to the back shelf and grabbed a thick parchment roll wrapped in a leather tube, plus the five glass bottles Kanos ordered.
Kanos accepted the items and stuffed them into his cargo pockets. He was going to use those empty bottles to store monster blood and new ink mixtures from the cores he found.
"Pleasure doing business with you, old man," Kanos said casually. He turned around and walked toward the door.
Belida opened the iron bar of the shop door and stepped out first. Kanos followed right behind him.
The afternoon sun began shining down on the noisy streets of Marrath city. Kanos stared at the gold pouch in his hand, then turned toward Belida who was now standing tall next to him.
"Big meal today, Illustrator?" Belida asked with a faint smile. The jingling sound of gold coins in his hand truly sounded like heavenly music.
Kanos returned the smile. His first genuine, unforced smile.
"A hot shower, bull meat steak, and the softest bed in this city," Kanos answered firmly. "Today we are kings, Belida."