NOVEL WEB Chapter 69: Dyrne Alley [1]
Chapter 69: Dyrne Alley [1]
Amidst the lively atmosphere, the air was saturated with the rhythmic chants of shop vendors and sellers, peddling their wares.
Their voices echoed through the night, "20 in just 40 Den, 20 in just 40 Den, completely fresh!"
Caught up in the bustling crowd, I suddenly found myself addressed by a beastwoman.
Her feral hair resembling the fur of a wolf, and her eyes possessed the piercing gaze of a cat.
She beckoned me with an outstretched finger, remarking, "Hey, you! young man! You could use some Blood Fruits. You look rather pale. Only 100 De-."Before she could go any further, I promptly interjected, "No, not interested."
An array of street vendors lined the streets, offering various enticing items from delectable foods and potent potions to forged blacksmith creations and peculiar tokens.
But I was not here to make any purchases.
Swiftly navigating my way through the clustered streets, I directed my footsteps towards 'Blacksmith's Alley'.
When I entered the alley, my eyes met a captivating sight — samurais, swordsmen, and knights traversed the path, their presence lending an air of majesty to the surroundings.
Stretching along the lane, rows of blacksmithing shops stood with their forges in blaze.
Drawing nearer, I set my sights on a particular blacksmithing shop, its humble exterior resembling a small hut.
The blacksmith alley held a unique quality—they served as a hotspots for gathering information.
Adventurers, hunters, brokers, and informants always came to Blacksmith Alley, seeking out weapons. Afterall weapons did have a short lifespan.
After just 2 or 3 uses, weapons would often become useless, unable to withstand the rigors of battling monsters.
The constant onslaught monsters took a significant toll on weapon's durability.
That's why offensive relics were valuable.
Relics possessed exceptional resilience compared to normal weapons, rarely succumbing to damage unless faced with the likes of Demons or rare A-rank beasts.
In comparisio even more prized and coveted were the defensive relics.
"So, if I continue straight ahead, I'll reach the bottle shop?", The shopowner only nodded. "And with a slight detour to the right, I'll come across a small vendor called 'Smritis', specializing in parchments?" I confirmed, promptly handing over 400 Den to her.
As I turned to leave, the shop owner called out, "Pleasure doing business with you, cat mask!"
Ah, yes, the cat mask...should I reply with a "meow meow"?
I had decided to don a cat mask, concealing my true identity when I entered Dyrne alley.
Considering the multitude of strangers wandering the streets, adorned with their own makeshift disguises, I believe my
choice was right.
With determined strides , I made my way towards my destination – 'Smritis'.
.
.
.
Smritis.
The shop itself presented as a modest open store, its walls adorned with an abundance of books and parchments, suspended elegantly.
Positioned at the front of the shop, the owner sat attentively, awaiting customers.
The shop before me resembled nothing more than a humble convenience store, specializing in paper-related goods.
Approaching the shopkeeper, I made my request known, "I would like to purchase a contract."
His gaze momentarily lingered upon me, sizing me up, before he responded, "What type ? A mana contract, blood contract..." he trailed off, only to be abruptly interrupted by my quick interjection—"An unbreakable oath."
His eyes widened significantly, evidently taken aback by my choice of words.
"AN UNBREAKABLE OATH?! WHAT ARE YOU SOM-" Before he could finish his sentence, I swiftly silenced him, "Shusss!"— with a hushing motion, placing a finger upon my lips.
I didn't wanted to draw unnecessary attention.
Gradually, the commotion settled, and he regained his composure.
"What do I care... Right. Do you have the money?" he inquired, his expression now tinged with curiosity.
"Plenty, lead the way" I confidently replied.
Motioning for me to follow, the shopkeeper opened a small door, seamlessly attached to the front of the shop.
I trailed behind him, venturing deeper into the establishment until we arrived at a private chamber.
Instructing me to wait momentarily, the shopkeeper disappeared into another area, leaving me to contemplate in solitude.
Eventually, he returned, clutching a small piece of white parchment and a Dulhana knife.
The reason behind his earlier outburst upon hearing my request was clear.
Unbreakable oaths were used by those of demon kin and vampire kin.
Demon kins were basically humans who had their limiters set at around F rank or lower. To overcome this limiter and gain power they do a taboo and make unbreakable pacts with demons or vampires.
What many didn't knew that influential families also used Unbreakable oaths even though it was consideres a taboo.
Matter of factly Takahashi Aoi will also recieve one when he recieves his family Art in later parts of the novel. A major powerup for him.
Such contracts were harder to find in the human domain but here in Dyrne Alley anything was possible.
Unbreakable oaths were usually used by 'lessers' , a pact forged between humans and demons, or humans and vampires, respectively.
Later about that.
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.
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***
"Any specifics?" the bartender inquired, leaning against the counter.
Where was I?
In the bottle shop that I had learned about at Blacksmith Alley earlier.
The place was called 'Old Wine Upside Down'. Quite a weird name, if you ask me.
Having already completed the online transaction with Smritis, paying a hefty sum of 50 thousand Dens for the unbreakable oath, I wasted no time in making my way here.
"Yes, his name is Nathan Rivers. But I believe it would be easier for you to locate him using his code name", I replied to the bartender, my voice muffled by the cat mask.
Curiosity evident in his deep voice, the bartender inquired, "And what would his code name be?" His gaze seemed focused on unraveling my true identity concealed beneath my mask.
"Crimson Viper", I responded, keeping my eyes fixed on the table in front of me.
"Consider it done", he assured, acknowledging my request.
In appreciation for his assistance, I subtly slipped him a generous tip of 1000 Den.
Crimson Viper... the guy had a history with 'Jackson' the same person who crippled Edward Wilson. And not a good history.
In a later arc of the novel, the protagonist and his team mistakenly perceived Crimson Viper as a hidden villain solely based on his moniker. As the story unfolded, it became apparent that he was merely a regular individual functioning as a mediator.
When the devastating 2nd cataclysm unfolded, Crimson Viper would emerge as one of the most essential figures in the latter parts of the novel.
He could also potentially become one of my biggest allies in this world.
That's why I brought an Unbreakable Oath with me.
Even if I have to blackmail him, I will. I won't let this opportunity slip.