Mina let out a frustrated sigh, crossing her arms as she stared at the two boys. “I guess next month is the tournament. Maybe you should enroll soon, Luka.”
Before Luka could respond, Sun spoke up, “No need to wait till next month. He’s enrolling today.”
Mina raised an eyebrow. “Huh? But the announcement just came out. Why the rush?”
Sun shrugged. “Because today’s the deadline.”
Eros nodded. “Yeah, the announcement was made two weeks ago.”
Mina’s eyes widened. “WHAT?! And you’re just telling us NOW?!”
Eros flinched at the volume of her voice, rubbing his ears. “Geez, calm down, lady.”
Mina turned to Sun, still fuming. “And how the hell did you know it was today?!”
Sun scratched his head lazily. “I just happened to guess.”
Mina was about to explode, but Sun ignored her, tapping Luka’s shoulder. “Listen, kid. It’s time for you to go there by yourself.”
Luka nodded without hesitation.
Mina’s jaw dropped. “Wait, wait, wait—are you seriously letting two twelve-year-olds go into the Black Market alone?!”
Sun waved a dismissive hand. “They’re Awakeners. They’ll be fine.”
Mina stomped her foot. “No, no, no! I won’t allow it!”
Sun sighed, already bored of the argument, and subtly made a hand signal to Luka and Eros.
Luka caught the cue immediately. “Let’s go.”
Eros smirked. “You don’t have to tell me twice.”
The two bolted for the door.
“HEY—!!” Mina shouted, but it was too late. They were gone.
As they ran through the Undermaze streets, dodging the occasional wandering drunk or street vendor, Eros let out a breathless chuckle. “Damn, she’s really annoying.”
Luka glanced at him. “Speaking of annoying, where’s your master? Rossi?”
Eros shrugged. “Oh, he’s fine. Just lazing around lately, eating and sleeping all day.”
Luka frowned. “Doesn’t he work?”
Eros snorted. “Nope. He’s retired.”
Luka nodded, filing that information away for later.
Then, Eros suddenly turned to him with a mischievous grin. “Hey, Luka. Let’s make a competition. First one to reach the Dark Market wins.”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Luka blinked. “But I don’t even know where it is.”
“Then just follow me!”
Eros activated his Jōki, his body instantly bursting forward as he leapt onto a nearby rooftop.
Luka didn’t hesitate. He tapped into his Null Energy, borrowing from the surrounding negative space and using it to propel himself forward. In an instant, he was leaping across rooftops, right on Eros’s heels.
Eros glanced back in surprise. “Not bad. But I won’t let you surpass me!”
Luka smirked and pushed himself faster.
The two of them dashed across the city, weaving through narrow alleys, jumping over broken pipes, and leaping across rooftops, the neon glow of the Undermaze flickering beneath them.
Finally, after a few minutes of intense racing, they landed at their destination—a massive cave entrance just outside the Undermaze.
Eros, slightly out of breath, grinned. “We’re here. That tunnel leads straight to the Black Market Underground.”
Luka exhaled, taking in the sight. The air felt different here. He could sense something unsettling just beyond the entrance.
The entrance to the Black Market Underground was dimly lit, the flickering bulbs casting eerie shadows against the damp, stone walls. Luka and Eros stepped forward, but before they could go any further, a broad-shouldered man blocked their path.
His eyes flicked down to them with an amused sneer. “Well, well, what do we have here? A couple of kids lost on their way home?”
Luka remained silent, but Eros didn’t hesitate.
“We’re here for the tournament,” Eros said flatly.
The man blinked, then threw his head back and laughed. “The tournament? You two brats? That’s rich.”
Eros’ golden eyes darkened. “Laugh all you want. We’ve stated our purpose. Now, let us pass.”
The man’s smirk widened. “Oh? You’ve got quite the mouth on you, little punk. I’ll give you a fair warning—either you pay a fee or kneel and apologize for wasting my time.”
Luka instinctively tensed, ready to step in, but Eros held up a hand, stopping him.
The man cracked his knuckles, eyes glinting. “What’s it gonna be, brat? You paying or kneeling?”
Eros sighed, tilting his head. “Neither.”
Before the man could react, a surge of heat radiated from Eros’ palm—a nearly invisible burst of energy.
And then—he was gone.
In an instant, Eros vanished and reappeared behind the man, his hand still glowing with Jōki. A faint, burning line traced across the man’s neck.
A second later—
The man’s head slid clean off his shoulders.
The body collapsed with a sickening thud, blood pooling across the ground.
Eros casually stepped over the corpse like it was nothing. “Let’s go.”
Luka glanced at the body, then at Eros. He wasn’t shaken—he had seen death before—but there was something about the way Eros acted so casually that made him pause.
Still, leaving the body behind would only cause trouble.
Luka placed a hand over the corpse and erased it completely.
Eros raised an eyebrow. “Huh. Why bother?”
“Leaving evidence will make matters troublesome,” Luka replied simply.
Eros smirked. “True.”
And just like that, they kept walking.
The deeper they went, the colder the air became. The tunnel stretched on endlessly, a long, spiraling descent into the heart of the underground. The stone steps were uneven, damp with moisture, and lined with flickering neon signs warning travelers of the dangers ahead.
Luka stared down the seemingly endless staircase. “Wow… it’s so long.”
“Then let’s run.”
Without another word, they dashed forward, weaving between the people climbing up and those heading down.
Some shouted in anger as Eros and Luka brushed past them at unnatural speeds, their steps barely making a sound. Luka felt the wind rush against his face as they descended deeper and deeper into the underworld.
And then—
They finally reached it.
The Underground Black Market was massive.
The moment they stepped out of the tunnel, Luka felt like he had entered an entirely different world. The streets were packed with men and women, their faces hardened from years of survival in the filth of the underground. Neon signs flickered above, advertising illegal trades, mercenaries for hire, and illicit Jōki enhancements.
The air smelled of blood, rust, and desperation.
The people here weren’t just criminals. They were survivors.
Luka took a breath, keeping his head down.
Eros whispered beside him, “Make sure you don’t stare at them for too long. They don’t like it.”
Luka nodded.
At the center of it all stood a massive coliseum-like structure.
It towered over the rest of the slums, built from scrap metal, reinforced concrete, and bloodstained stone. Luka could already hear the distant roars of an unseen crowd inside, the air thick with the scent of violence.
“That’s it.” Eros grinned. “The arena.”
They pushed forward, weaving through the masses.
The line at the reception desk was enormous, dozens of fighters standing in wait—mercenaries, rogue Jōki users, and even ordinary people looking to make a name for themselves.
Luka glanced around. “There are so many…”
Eros folded his arms. “Well, yeah. A tournament like this? The payout’s huge. Some of these guys have been training their whole lives for a shot at the prize.”
Luka closed his eyes, trying to focus. He could feel it—Jōki, radiating all around him. Some were weak, but others…
“Eros, what color are their Jōki?”
Eros scanned the crowd. “Mostly red and blue. A few green ones here and there. The stronger ones have a deep purple glow.”
Luka nodded. He still couldn’t see it, but he could feel the energy in the air.
And then—
A chill ran down his spine.
Something was wrong.
He felt it at the same time Eros did.
A man passed by them, wrapped in a dark coat.
His Jōki was… strange.
Not strong. Not overwhelming.
But wrong.
It sent a deep, instinctual warning through Luka’s entire body.
The man walked slowly, his hood pulled low over his face. His movements were precise, controlled—like a predator who had no need to rush.
Eros’ expression darkened. “You feel that too, right?”
Luka nodded. “Yeah.”
“He’s dangerous.”
The man never looked at them, never acknowledged them.
But Luka knew.
Whoever he was—
He wasn’t here to lose.