"Sir Ralyks, please meet Yuri. She's a very capable fighter, even among the ranks of the KariBlanc combat force."
Standing beside Aldred, who directed his hand towards her as a means of introduction, was a smiley-faced woman.
Her pink hair was cut short, barely reaching her neck area, and her bright green eyes gleamed like emeralds.
She had clear skin, and her bright smile made it impossible to tell that she was a warrior.
Instead of wearing armor, she wore a casual outfit—an oversized shirt and baggy trousers that resembled a skirt unless one really took a closer look.
Her overall demeanor was positive, so Rey was initially taken aback once the introduction was made.
"Hiya… I mean, greetings, sir! My name is Yuri, ah… I've already been introduced. A-anyway, I'm quite capable, so rely on me when you desire!"
The young lady raised both her hands as if trying to flex her muscles, but nothing except her baggy shirt was shown.
'What's this? She seems like a klutz…'
This girl—Yuri—appeared to be twenty at most, and her personality told Rey that she wasn't the best person to trust when it came to serious matters like this.
However, based on his experience, he knew it would be stupid of him to judge books by their covers.
'I hide my true self under a mask of mediocrity. Also, Lucielle is pretty playful… yet she's strong.'
Associating people based on how they talked or behaved was a rookie mistake that Rey knew he couldn't be found guilty of.
"I'll do my b-e… owww!"
Yuri slipped and fell to the ground the moment she tried to take a step forward.
It seemed her baggy trousers were too much for her, so she accidentally stepped on the edge.
'Ahh… she's making it really hard for me not to judge her, though.'
Yuri had a very cute face—one that didn't resemble the kind of fighter he expected the KariBlanc Group to be so proud of.
Rey knew that Aldred was seeking every chance to impress him, so this girl had to be undoubtedly strong, but…
'She truly doesn't look like she belongs in the Black Market.'
Still, Rey pushed aside those distracting thoughts and focused on the mission.
"Let's leave straight away." As he spoke, Yuri was rising to her feet and Aldred was maintaining his straight smile.
It seemed he was pretending like nothing had just happened in his presence.
'Does that mean stuff like this happens often with her? She's a natural klutz? The hell…?'
Still, Rey didn't allow any of that get in the way of his thoughts or reasoning.
It wasn't like he needed her or anything.
'I'll handle anyone who gets in my way. These two are just here as accessories.'
In the end, all he wanted was Alicia.
Everyone else involved could be the KariBlanc Group's scapegoats for all he cared.
They were currently still within the immediate area of the KariBlanc Building, so Rey turned to Aldred and asked the only important question.
"Has the target moved?"
"No. They're still in the building." Aldred responded after tapping on one of the many rings that decorated his fingers.
The thing displayed a mini System Window that everyone around him could see.
Rey nodded and turned in the direction they were meant to depart to.
The rest followed suit, both with smiles on their faces.
"Perfect! Let's go!"
************
Gary narrowed his gaze on the deck of cards that he tightly held in his hands.
He kept the cards very close to his bare chest, alternating between looking at the game he was dealt and the pile of cards on the table.
He was seated on a very old-looking chair, and it squeaked with every movement he made.
The table didn't look like it was in a better condition, too, and the surrounding chairs had also seen better days.
Surrounding the table—and the pile of cards—were other men like him.
All of them were bare-chested, dressed only in their dirty boxer shorts. This very casual look was only allowed since this was their hideout, and they were on their day off.
After completing such an important task the previous day, they were all enjoying their break very well.
This enjoyment involved playing cards in a worn-down building, with the smell of mold and sweat wafting through the air.
"Hmmm…" Gary licked his lips as he looked at his cards.
None of them seemed to be any good.
He felt heat rising on his crotch, and it was swiftly followed by vibrations.
'Hm…?' He wondered why he was having this kind of reaction in a situation like this.
Was it because he was nervous—or scared that he would lose the meager sum that he bet in the game?
Gary didn't know why, but this wasn't the first time this was happening since he started this game.
It had happened a few times already.
'Is it the ring? Is it reacting to my body or something?'
Gary wasn't sure.
But… he was certain of one thing.
'I can't afford to draw anyone's attention to my crotch.'
Why? Why would he even think that anyone would want to look at his dirty boxer shorts and pay attention to his glowing nether-region.
Perhaps it had something to do with the really expensive-
looking ring that he luckily picked on the ground.
He still hadn't gotten the chance to sell it, so he kept it close to him at all times.
If any of his comrades saw it, it would be game over for him.
Since it was a hot day, and they didn't have proper ventilation in their building—except in the Leader's Room—the men were usually bare-chested, wearing only boxer shorts
And so, the only way to keep such a thing close to him was to hide it in his boxer shorts.
Gary had wrapped the ring in a very small pouch, and tied the container around his waist like a bead.
In order not to let his comrades find his greatest treasure, he had gone this far!
'Once I have time to myself, I'll make sure to sell it and get my money's worth!'
Gary had a few connections that could link him up with some of the local shops that dealt with this sort of stuff.
Even a few of the rich kind that traded the good stuff
… Enchanted Items and Luxury Goods.
"Hey! Stop delaying, Gary! You're wasting our time!"
He was woken by the words of his comrades, causing him to fumble the stack he held in his hands.
They accidentally spilled on the table, revealing the entirety of his hand to the six other men who sat with him.
For a moment, there was silence in the room.
Then…
"Hahahahahaha!!"
"Look what lil ol' Gary's got!"
"Are you serious right now? Pfft!"
"You should have just called it quits instead of wasting our time!"
Gary was the youngest member in the group—both in age and experience.
He just recently joined the group, and due to his lanky appearance, he was often picked on by his seniors.
Even now, they wouldn't let him catch a break.
However, rather than feel sad about it like always, Gary's internal self made a broad grin.
'Hehehe! Look at these fools! They don't realize it yet, but I'm going to be sooo rich!'
He was going to pay the Boss what he owed, and then leave their ranks to live a better life in his village.
A man with a single Gold Coin was praised in his village.
Gary couldn't imagine what would happen if he went home with stacks of them.
He would live like a king—unlike these miserable idiots.
'… It's only a matter of time.'
Gary called it quits at that point and told everyone that he was off to go take a piss.
"I win, baby!" He heard a voice say as he left their group and went out back to pee in a corner.
The outside world wasn't much different from the worn-down place Gary came out of. There were a bunch of uncompleted buildings and desolate areas where only the lowest of scums could dwell.
The people here were criminals—not merely illegal merchants and customers.
They were the savages that couldn't be contained by the surface world.
As Gary pulled down his boxer shorts to begin his release in a secluded corner, he didn't even bother to look around him.
No one cared about these sorts of things in the Black Market Slums.
This was truly where darkness shone.
As Gary let out his liquid content from his average-sized 'equipment', he could sniff the smell of ammonia that wafted through the air.
Some of it was his, but a majority of the smell had been there long before he came to relieve himself.
To distract himself from the nauseating smell, Gary grabbed the pouch that contained his grand prize and looked inside it.
The ring within was shining so bright that it nearly blinded him. It warbled with such intensity, and the vibration shook his palm slightly.
'What's… what's happening this time?'
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Thanks for reading!
Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Our dear Gary has no idea what's coming.
