Ichiro sat down in front of the bar desk.
''Sir, what would you be drinking tonight?'' The bartender asked politely. He had short blond hair with attractive facial features, and athletic body stature.
Ichiro has noticed that every worker in Underworld City is specially chosen to be attractive. VIPs like things that look good, and they wouldn't feel pleased if they were trying to order a drink and have to stare at someone unpleasant.
''Give me water,'' Ichiro replied.
The bartender nodded and poured water on the glass.
While waiting, Ichiro looked around the building and saw an uncomfortable amount of gazes being locked at him.
Some hostile, some admiration, and some are simply lustful.
''Here.'' The bartender put the glass in front of him.
''Thanks.'' Ichiro put his hand in his pocket and took a small item from his Inventory.
He took it out and put it on the glass cup.
It was some kind of pill-like item. It instantly dissolved once it hit the water.
''I am not sure if drugs are acceptable.'' The bartender said with a wry smile.
''Not drugs, medicine for headache,'' Ichiro replied and gulped the drink down his throat.
''I see.'' The bartender replied. He took a cup from the cabinet and started cleaning it up.
Ichiro put the cup back on the desk, and out of nowhere, two figures sat next to him.
He didn't change his gaze, but they obviously looked at him. Ichiro could already tell from the smell that they were VIPs.
''You have guts for ignoring me.'' He heard a female voice say with some amusement.
Ichiro finally turned his head and saw a woman and man looking at him.
''That's better.'' The woman licked her lips, ''May I order you a drink?''
''Mary, what are you doing?!'' The man behind her shouted with an angry gaze.
Mary didn't change her expression. She had long brunette hair with auburn highlights and attractive-looking brownish eyes. She had long eyelashes which moved gently every time she blinked.
She also had long eyebrows, which made her look very delicate and beautiful. Still, the most noticeable part was her body stature. It was quite slim and somewhat fragile-looking, but it didn't diminish her beauty; instead, it would ignite the protective instincts of many.
Ichiro rolled his eyes, ''I am fine with water.''
''Hmm…'' Mary looked at the bartender and winked.
The bartender sighed and poured water into the glass again, but this time, when the glass was out of sight, he dropped some kind of pill inside the water.
He waited for it to be impossible to notice. After that, he gave it to Ichiro.
The man behind Mary looked beyond angry. He wanted to crush that glass into pieces.
''Mary, please, I thought I satisfied you?'' The man whispered with despair.
Mary looked at him and patted his cheek, ''Oh Sam… You have been quite unsatisfactory lately.''
''I-I will do better, I promise!''
Mary chuckled and shook her head, ''No, you are used goods, I got bored with you, please leave.''
Ichiro grabbed the glass and frowned when he looked at the water.
When he was about to taste it, another figure sat next to him.
The figure was a beautiful middle-aged woman with a gentle vibe around her. She was wearing a pink dress with a skirt, making her look quite adorable and innocent. She had a cute pointy nose and delicate facial features.
''Miss Elina.'' Mary and Sam bowed respectfully.
The bartender instantly kneeled, not daring to look her in the eye.
Elina waved her hand and turned her gaze at the glass.
''May I drink that? I am thirsty.'' Elina asked with a calm smile.
''Go ahead.'' Ichiro pushed the glass towards her.
Mary and Sam paled.
''U-Umm… Miss Elina.'' Mary went even paler as she saw Elina drinking the water.
''Ah.'' Elina put the glass back on the desk, ''Thanks.''
Mary stood up and bowed one last time, ''W-Well, excuse me.'' She quickly left before Elina found out what she had drank.
Sam quickly ran after her.
The bartender was pale as a sheet, but then Elina started giggling.
''Did you see their faces?'' She asked with a heartfelt smile.
Ichiro wryly smiled, ''I wanted to see how the drug tasted, shame.''
Elina looked at him with an amused smile, ''It is a very strong drug. You would be out in seconds.''
Ichiro shrugged, ''Maybe.''
Elina leaned closer and whispered, ''Disciple of Quella Dracolonia, are you confident on winning?''
Ichiro widened his eyes slightly, ''Hmm, I am.''
''Look around you,'' Elina said.
Ichiro turned his body around and looked at the young men and women who were dancing.
''Most of them are from the hidden families… Some of them are their hidden aces, while some are just ordinary family members.''
''So… They are acting weak?'' Ichiro narrowed his eyes and felt that everyone kept their powers as hidden as possible.
''They are… Some of them are ridiculously strong, so I suggest being extremely careful.'' Elina said and stood up.
''Why are you helping me?'' Ichiro asked with a frown. He feels like this woman was familiar but also somewhat different.
Elina slyly smiled. She put her head close to Ichiro's ear and whispered, ''Mistress needs to take care of her only disciple, don't you think so?''
Ichiro widened his eyes in shock, 'Quella…' He watched as Elina started walking back towards the second floor.
'She looks completely different… How… Maybe… She reached Martial King and received ability which lets her change her appearance… No… She would have got caught already, I heard she should be Martial Monarch, but she definitely isn't… Maybe, illusions?'
Ichiro frowned and kept thinking about possibilities, and especially wondered why she was here.
'Why is she here… Power Limit Remover? But, she had already reached Martial King, why didn't she return to her home yet… This all seems suspicious.'
His thoughts were interrupted as a black-haired young man sat next to him.
He looked completely shitfaced with a red face and a drunken look on his face.
''Giv… Gib… Gib more drinks!'' Darc asked with a drunken tone.
The bartender frowned, ''You aren't allowed to drink. Please go rest; you should be more focused on tomorrow.''
''Bah, fuck you!'' Darc stood up and almost vomited from the sudden movement, ''F-Fuck…'' He stumbled back and forth and finally saw Ichiro looking at him.
''What'cha looking at? Huh…'' He put his head in front of Ichiro.
Ichiro didn't change his expression, even when Darc's disgusting breath assaulted his senses.
''Tough guy, eh?'' Darc chuckled and cracked his knuckles, ''Let me show you… The power of darkness!''
He reeled in his fist and was about to unleash his punch, but then he started twitching.
''Oh no…'' He murmured and put his hands on his torso, ''WAAAAAAH!'' He started vomiting on the ground without stopping.
Ichiro stood up and retreated a dozen meters away from him.
Everyone in the party frowned, and all of them had one thought.
Darc won't survive even 1 minute in tomorrow's tournament!
