Nolan followed the other participants who had gone before him, heading towards the Black Dog Tavern.
As he walked, he noticed something unusual. Among all these men, none resembled the dungeon hunters he was used to seeing in town. No mage in robes, no knight in armor, no adventurer proudly displaying their class insignia.
Here, there were almost only thugs and outlaws.
Their clothes were worn, sometimes torn and covered in dust. Some wore sabers at their belts, others swords, daggers, or various weapons concealed beneath their coats. Many bore scars on their faces, silent testaments to numerous battles.
Nolan observed them discreetly, showing no sign of concern.
"Quite a group..." he murmured with a slight smile. Beside him, Tempête, perched on his shoulder, also observed the individuals with a certain mistrust.
The street, however, continued to function normally. Merchants called out their prices, residents carried their goods, and children ran between the stalls. But something had changed.
The citizens' eyes were now fixed on the group of criminals crossing the city.
Some residents stepped aside slightly as they passed. Others murmured amongst themselves, while a few shopkeepers pretended not to notice them.
Yet, their presence in the city was not forbidden. Outlaws could move freely within the kingdom provided they respected the established rules: no murder, no aggression against the inhabitants, and no property damage. The slightest violation could result in an extremely severe penalty, even the death penalty. Nolan knew the kingdom's laws well enough to understand why these criminals were behaving with such caution. Most of these men seemed to be from the ports of Xiu.
Pirates.
They traveled to the kingdom to sell their stolen loot on the black markets, and sometimes even in the regular markets when their goods could go unnoticed.
However, one unspoken rule seemed particularly important to them: they never attacked ships belonging to the kingdom of Xerpers. Doing so would mean permanently losing their right of access to the kingdom and turning their clandestine activities into a veritable manhunt.
Nolan looked at the pirates ahead, then smiled slightly.
"Pirates, criminals, underground fighters... This trip to the Tavern is going to be interesting." Tempest let out a small grunt, as if sharing his enthusiasm.
Nolan continued walking with the group, while at the end of the street, the dark sign of the Black Dog Tavern gradually came into view. The city's true underworld was about to open its doors to him.
Nolan followed the group calmly, carefully observing their surroundings. The pirates took shortcuts, turned into narrow alleyways, and regularly changed direction, as if they knew every nook and cranny of the city.
After several minutes, they finally reached a secluded alley, where the atmosphere changed completely. The buildings were old, some abandoned, and debris littered the area. Large metal cages lined the walls, used for storing waste.
Yet the kingdom of Xerpers possessed a particularly advanced waste management system. Every item discarded by its inhabitants—worn clothing, packaging, unusable products, or other refuse—was placed in specially designed bags before being deposited in these metal cages.
Inside, a steam-powered mechanism thoroughly ground the waste into minuscule particles. Thanks to this system, the kingdom's streets remained surprisingly clean despite the large population and constant commercial activity.
Nolan briefly observed one of the cages before turning his attention back to the group.
The pirates had just stopped.
Facing them was a simple stone wall.
At first glance, nothing seemed unusual.
Then, suddenly, the black card Nolan had received began to vibrate slightly in his pocket.
He took it out.
The number printed on it, which had been a brilliant white, had turned scarlet, casting a faint red glow in the darkness of the alley.
Nolan raised his eyebrows slightly.
One of the pirates burst out laughing.
"Hahaha! Finally! Let's go into paradise!"
Without hesitation, he stepped toward the wall.
Nolan carefully observed the scene.
The man simply placed one foot against the stone...
And his body passed through the wall as if it had never existed.
The other pirates followed him immediately, disappearing one after another behind the stone surface.
Nolan remained motionless for a few seconds, intrigued.
"Oh?"
He studied the wall carefully, finally understanding how the device worked.
"So it's an illusion designed to mask the presence of the tavern... Interesting."
A slight smile appeared on his face.
Storm, perched on his shoulder, also stared curiously at the wall.
"Let's go, kiddo."
Nolan then stepped forward without hesitation.
The moment his body made contact with the stone, he felt a slight sensation of coolness run through him.
Then, in a fraction of a second...
He passed through the wall.
When he emerged on the other side, the scene had completely changed.
Nolan froze.
Before him lay a vast, hidden space in the very heart of the city.
Red and purple lights illuminated the surrounding area. Dozens of people were heading in the same direction, while masked guards watched every passing person.
Further on, a huge, dark building dominated the scene.
Above its entrance hung a sign depicting a black dog with red eyes.
The Black Dog Tavern.
Nolan smiled slightly.
"Well... here we are."
Storm let out a small, excited cry.
Nolan gently placed a hand on his head.
"You're overexcited, kid!"
Nolan, along with the rest of the group, advanced toward the large building that stood in the distance.
All along the path, several armed guards stood watch. They all wore masks depicting red dogs, completely concealing their faces. Some had sabers neatly tucked into their belts, while others carried long spears whose sharp points reflected the light from the lanterns.
The place had something strangely fascinating about it.
Above them, the sky was almost entirely obscured by immense buildings constructed... upside down. Their foundations seemed to hang suspended in mid-air, giving the whole structure an architecture that was as magnificent as it was unsettling.
Aside from the guards, the surrounding area was filled with elegant and refined buildings. Lighted windows stretched across their facades, while thick smoke billowed from some of the chimneys.
Nolan wrinkled his nose slightly when a familiar scent reached him.
"Ugh... No doubt about it. It's tobacco."
The further they walked, the more sounds there became.
Laughter.
Shouts.
Muffled conversations.
Murmurs from every corner of the street.
Finally, the group arrived at the entrance to the Black Dog Tavern.
Two particularly imposing guards stood watch. Each of the participants passed by them one by one, presenting their card before uttering the infamous code.
"Silence and blood." The guards then let them in.
When it was Nolan's turn, he walked calmly forward.
One of the guards lowered his head slightly toward him.
"Young man. Show me your card." Nolan took his black card from inside his coat and handed it to the guard.
The number 8 was clearly visible on it.
The guard examined it for a few seconds, carefully verifying its authenticity. After turning the card over and studying its inscriptions, he finally nodded.
"Very well. But to enter the tavern, you must also pronounce the code." Nolan sighed slightly, as if the formality already bored him.
Then he looked the guard straight in the eye.
"Silence and blood." The two guards immediately stepped aside.
One of them pushed open the enormous tavern doors.
Nolan entered.
And his expression changed instantly.
The building seemed relatively modest from the outside… but the interior was gigantic.
A veritable city seemed to have been built behind those doors.
Thousands of people occupied the place. Tables stretched as far as the eye could see, balconies were stacked one on top of the other, and several walkways crossed the immense space.
Nolan spotted mages, knights, sorcerers, assassins, fighters, and adventurers from nearly every class he knew.
Some wore luxurious gear.
Others were covered in scars.
A few looked particularly dangerous, so much so that Nolan instinctively felt his attention drawn to them.
But one thing united them all.
Each one carried a black card.
Nolan looked at his own, then slowly scanned the crowd.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"So... this is where all the monsters in the city come to gather." Stormfly, still perched on his shoulder, watched the crowd with his large blue eyes.
Nolan gently placed a hand on his head.
"Stay calm, Stormfly. We'll see how this place works first."
Several stalls were set up in the tavern, each offering different wares. Some vendors displayed all sorts of potions, while others offered magical weapons, rare herbs, enchanted accessories, and all kinds of equipment.
The black market was radically different from the legal one.
In official markets, prices were fixed in advance by the kingdom's trade organizations. Merchants were strictly forbidden from selling their goods above the established prices.
Here, none of that existed.
No institution imposed its prices. Each vendor was free to set whatever price they wanted, even asking exorbitant sums for particularly rare items.
Nolan strolled leisurely among the various stalls, observing the wares with curiosity.
Suddenly, someone bumped him lightly on the shoulder.
Nolan turned around.
The man who had just bumped into him was tall and thin. His long, light-colored hair, slightly tousled, fell over his eyes. He wore a wide-brimmed black hat and a dark haori with broad sleeves, decorated with spiral patterns. Underneath was a traditional checkered garment, held in place by a dark belt.
Slightly cropped wide-legged trousers and a pair of geta sandals completed his outfit.
The man turned around immediately, visibly embarrassed by his own actions.
"Sorry I bumped into you. I didn't hurt you, I hope?"
Nolan raised an eyebrow slightly before replying with an almost amused smile.
"If a simple bump could hurt me, I probably wouldn't have volunteered to come to a hellish place like this."
The man seemed somewhat reassured.
But before he could reply, Tempête moved slightly off Nolan's shoulder and adopted a defensive stance.
Its small wings unfurled.
A low growl escaped its throat.
Its eyes fixed on the stranger with unusual suspicion.
Nolan immediately noticed its behavior.
He gently placed a hand on Storm's head.
"Easy, little guy. Calm down."
Storm continued to growl for a few seconds, never taking his eyes off the man, before gradually relaxing.
The stranger, for his part, didn't seem offended.
On the contrary.
He tilted his head slightly, intrigued, and his gaze fixed entirely on the small creature.
"That's a very beautiful beast you have there..."
His curiosity seemed to grow with every second.
"What's its name?"
Nolan gently stroked Storm's fur.
"He's my young friend. His name is Storm."
The man remained silent.
He observed Tempête with almost obsessive fascination, studying its wings, fur, and eyes as if he had just discovered a legendary creature.
He finally touched his chin with a finger.
"Fascinating... truly fascinating..."
Tempête tilted his head slightly, clearly not understanding why this strange individual was staring at him so intently.
Then, suddenly, the man seemed to remember something.
His face lit up.
He immediately extended his hand toward Nolan.
"Ah! What was I thinking? Let me introduce myself! I'm Taisho. Matsuno Taisho. And you?"
Nolan studied his hand for a second before briefly shaking it.
"You can call me Nolan."
Taisho gave him a broad smile.
"Nolan... Pleased to meet you."
Then his gaze returned almost immediately to Tempête.
Nolan sighed inwardly.
"He's really going to end up devouring him with his eyes..."
Tempête, for his part, continued to stare at Taisho suspiciously.
Nolan had clearly just met someone rather unusual.
Matsuno resumed the conversation, his gaze still fixed on Tempête.
"What brings you here, Nolan? Are you looking for rare items, unavailable on the regular market?" Nolan folded his arms, thinking for a moment before calmly replying,
"Not exactly. I came here primarily to participate in underground fights." At this, Matsuno's face lit up. A genuine fascination appeared in his eyes.
"You see... It seems that winning an underground fight yields some truly amazing loot." Nolan smiled slightly.
"That's precisely why I came. To win a few fights and leave with some nice loot." Then, intrigued by his companion, Nolan continued,
"And you, Matsuno? What class are you exactly?" "Matsuno scratched his cheek lightly, clearly amused by the question.
"I'm just a simple sorcerer… And above all, a beggar! Hahaha!" Nolan raised an eyebrow.
"A beggar who comes to participate in underground fights, surrounded by the most dangerous and lawless individuals in this city? You're rather ambitious for a beggar, I must say." Matsuno took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair, his smile becoming slightly more world-weary.
"What can you do… Poverty sometimes forces me into unpleasant and desperate situations. After all, power and wealth… that's what counts in this world." He put his hat back on and turned on his heel.
"Until next time, Nolan."
"See you later." Matsuno slowly disappeared into the crowd. Nolan watched him for a few seconds.
Something about this man didn't sit right with him.
He didn't seem as ordinary as he pretended to be.
Nolan discreetly activated his [Analysis] skill.
A screen appeared before his eyes.
NAME: Matsuno Taisho
CLASS: Sorcerer
LEVEL: ???
SKILLS: ???
Nolan frowned slightly.
"Unknown level... unknown skills..." He remained thoughtful for a few seconds.
"Either he has an ability that blocks Analysis... or this guy is really hiding something." Storm watched Matsuno disappear into the crowd, then looked at Nolan.
Nolan put a hand to his head.
"Never mind. We'll see." He continued on his way.
After a few minutes, Nolan arrived in front of a large wall covered with sheets of paper and neatly arranged posters.
He stopped to examine them.
Some listed the opening hours of the Black Dog Tavern's black market. Others detailed the various betting booths and their prices.
The betting was entirely focused on the underground fighters. The organizers took a commission on each wager, making this system a real source of income.
Other documents also indicated the layout of the premises.
Market area.
Betting area.
Fighters' changing rooms.
Organizers' area.
And most importantly...
The arena.
Nolan traced the point on the map with his finger.
The arena was only a hundred meters from his current position.
His gaze fell upon the immense corridor leading in that direction.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"A hundred meters..." Storm twitched his ears slightly.
Nolan adjusted his coat.
"Looks like our walk is coming to an end." "He then headed towards the arena, while the roar of the crowd gradually grew more intense."