The midnight air was still, but the tension in the narrow alley was thick enough to cut with a knife. Omar stood outside the spot where the shop's door usually appeared, leaning against a cold stone wall. He was alone—or so it seemed.
Three black SUVs screeched to a halt at the entrance of the alley, blocking both exits. A dozen men in leather jackets stepped out, led by a man with a scarred face and eyes as cold as a snake's. This was Saqr, the underworld enforcer who handled the "dirty work" for the city's most powerful families.
"The kid is here," Saqr growled, flicking a switchblade. "Listen, boy. Mansour Al-Hadi is a very important man, and that key you stole is a family heirloom. Hand it over, and maybe I'll only break one of your legs."
Omar didn't flinch. He didn't even look scared. Through his [Merchant's Eye], he saw the red glow around Saqr's head:
Name: Saqr.
Status: Aggressive/Under Contract.
Weakness: Deeply superstitious; fears what he cannot see.
"The key was a fair trade for a life," Omar said calmly. "A merchant doesn't give refunds. But since you're here, maybe you'd like to buy something? Your life, for example?"
Saqr laughed, a harsh, dry sound. "You've got guts, kid. Too bad they're going to be on the floor. Get him!"
The thugs rushed forward. Omar simply stepped back into the shadows of the doorway and whispered one word: "Kaelen."
From the darkness behind Omar, a freezing wind erupted. The temperature dropped twenty degrees in a second. Suddenly, a massive, towering figure stepped into the moonlight. Seven feet of silver armor, cracked and ancient, with a terrifying blue flame burning behind the visor.
The Ghost Knight didn't say a word. He just drew his shattered greatsword, and the sound of the metal scraping against the scabbard sounded like a thousand dying screams.
"What... what is that?!" one of the thugs screamed, dropping his crowbar. "Is that a hologram?"
Kaelen moved like a blur. He didn't kill them—Omar had ordered restraint—but he moved with a speed no human could match. With the flat of his blade, he sent three men flying into the brick walls. The alley echoed with the sound of breaking bones and panicked cries.
Saqr froze. His switchblade felt like a toy compared to the monstrous sword held by the spectral knight.
"My... my eyes... it's a demon!" Saqr fell to his knees, his "tough guy" persona vanishing instantly.
Omar stepped forward, the blue light of the system reflecting in his eyes. He looked down at Saqr.
"Go back to whoever sent you," Omar said, his voice echoing in the small space. "Tell them that this alley is now the territory of the Infinite Realm Emporium. If they want to talk, they come as customers, with something to trade. If they come as enemies... they won't even leave their souls behind."
[System: Reputation Gained +50.]
[The Underworld of Marrakech is now 'Aware' of your existence.]
Saqr and his remaining men scrambled back into their cars and tore away, leaving clouds of dust behind.
Kaelen turned to Omar and bowed his head slightly, the blue flames in his eyes flickering. "The perimeter is secure, Master."
Omar nodded, but his mind was already racing. "Kaelen, we need to prepare. Today was just a warning. They'll be back with more than just knives next time. We need to start the 'Mana-Steel' production. I need something that can stop bullets, not just blades."
He looked at the blueprint in his inventory. To make the steel, he needed a furnace and a specific type of 'Mana-Coal' only found in the Dwarven realms.
"System," Omar muttered. "Search for a customer from a mining world. It's time to upgrade our stock."