novelraw Chapter 158: Black Market
Chapter 158: Black Market
Under the wrapping of Ramastia's water flow, Fisher's breathing seemed as if it had been completely deprived. Within his nasal cavity was entirely the salty stench of seawater.
He first felt a burst of Heaven Spinning Earth Revolving. Subsequently, he felt the surroundings were exactly like an expanse of pitch-black lacking a visible bottom. Countless pressure transmitted from around his body, as if there was a massive hand dragging him into a bottomless Abyss alike.
But in the next instant, the pressure around his body vanished abruptly. Simultaneously, his body lightened, floating toward the direction of the water surface. He straightaway burst out from the seawater imprisoning him.
Immediately following, exactly as if Fisher had awakened from a state of drowning, he greedily breathed the outside air.
His entire body, top to bottom, was thoroughly soaked. Unclear on where Ramastia had teleported them to, he only knew that right now he was currently floating in the water.
The surrounding environment was pitch-black. Waiting until Fisher's eyes adapted to the darkness after a good while, he finally felt the surrounding environment was rather familiar.
Wasn't this place precisely the Natatorium of Saint-Nazareth University? Previously he had even come here chasing to kill Jasmine.
So it turned out Ramastia had directly teleported them into the inside of Saint-Nazareth University.
Within the swimming pool behind, Baimu hugged Reinar, sluggishly swimming up from within the water. They didn't possess Fisher's symptoms completely like drowning in the slightest. Therefore, they looked at him quite worriedly.
"Mr. Fisher, are you alright?""I'm fine..."
Fisher lightly coughed for a bit. Subsequently, wiping his own face for a bit, he swam to the shore edge.
Looking back, the swimming pool was exceptionally serene. Within it was that large crab Haru currently doing the backstroke with its body overturned. Yet that detestable Ramastia had already disappeared from view.
And as for Reinar and Baimu, the two people had both already transformed back into human appearances anew. It ought to be that Ramastia conveniently appended a Blessing for them while transferring just now.
"You guys wait here for a moment. I will go... Jasmine."
Fisher took off his coat and wrung out a massive pile of water. Subsequently, he draped that coat completely like a rag over his shoulders, stating in this manner toward the two Demi-humans behind.
Everything on his body was wet. He still needed to head to his own faculty dormitory to change a set of clothing.
After obtaining the nodding of Baimu and Reinar, he clambered out from the window of the Natatorium. During the night, the Natatorium's main door was locked tightly. It was also just right to not need to worry about other people coming over here and discovering Baimu and the others.
Waiting until he returned to his own dormitory and changed a set of clothes, Fisher then headed below Jasmine's dormitory. Passing through the dorm manager to notify her, not long after passed, he saw Jasmine clad in a pure black dress running down hastily. That dress was different from the formal ones she wore during the daytime; on the contrary, it resembled the nightgown worn in a boudoir even more.
The time right now was late. Ostensibly she was precisely preparing to rest just now, yet was called down by Fisher.
"Teacher Fisher?"
"Your partners suffered an attack, and were right now brought to the Natatorium by Ramastia. Come take a look with me... There is also one Demi-human who was captured away."
"Reinar and the others?! I... I will head over right now."
Upon hearing this, Jasmine then revealed a nervous expression. Hurrying to follow Fisher, she rushed inside the Natatorium. There, she saw Baimu covered entirely in injuries and the small Reinar beside her.
When Baimu saw Jasmine, possessing a bit of apology, she immediately stood up her body giving her a bow, stating,
"Lord of the Royal Family. Very sorry. I don't know why our traces were exposed, adding trouble for you..."
"How could it add trouble for me? You all basically came ashore because of me to begin with... Right now the most important matter is to first rescue Mr. Lingjiu back... Don't move first, oh."
Jasmine revealed a somewhat guilty expression. After speaking softly, she then thrust out a single finger pointing at Baimu. Following her eyes' light drifting around, the injuries on Baimu's body sluggishly healed alongside it. Ultimately recovering to the appearance from prior to being injured.
Baimu looked at her own body recovered as of original with surprise, stating in gratitude thusly,
"Ten thousand thanks, Lord Jasmine."
Jasmine shook her head indicating it was no hindrance. Confirming that Reinar wasn't injured, only then did she withdraw her finger.
Jasmine knew that in the midst of human society, they were absolutely not amicable towards Demi-humans. Therefore she transformed into human appearance to avoid inconvenience. It was also fortunate that Teacher Fisher hadn't exposed her own identity outward. Otherwise she truly wouldn't know what to do.
She cast a glance at Fisher beside her. Subsequently, she asked toward Baimu and the others,
"Do you guys know what place Mr. Lingjiu was captured to? We must think of a method to rescue him back before it works..."
Baimu and Reinar were wholly ignorant of this entirely. Before they even shook their heads, Fisher beside her then opened his mouth,
"The ones hunting them were bounty hunters. Someone definitely issued a bounty within the black market, therefore right now Reinar's father ought to have been taken to a black market. The black market is deep within Serpent's Head Street. It is utterly far from here, Moreover, there are numerous bounty hunters there. However, acting a bit carefully to bring him back shouldn't be a difficult matter..."
Hearing Fisher's words, Baimu's eyes slightly brightened. Subsequently, she hastily called Haru within the pool to swim over. The bag bound beneath its belly was brought into her hands.
Opening the bag to look, loaded inside were numerous gold and craftsmanship goods of ocean Demi-humans, items analogous to necklaces and bracelets of that type. The craftsmanship of those items was exceedingly exquisite. With a single glance, one knew they didn't hail from human hands.
Within Fisher's doubtful sight, Baimu held the bag high facing Fisher, pleading toward Fisher sincerely,
"Mr. Fisher. Although this request is highly excessive... but can I still entreat your assistance to bring Reinar's father back from the hands of those humans?! If as compensation, these are some wealth items we have preserved in the sea over the years. I don't know how much Value it is on land. If it isn't enough, there is still some at the sea bottom..."
Baimu wished to use these gold and ornaments to plead for Fisher to aid their mother and daughter pair in recovering Reinar's father. Fisher cast a glance at her pitiable expression. He reached his hand out to extract a string of exquisitely crafted bracelet from the bag. Soon after, he stored that ornament into his embrace, standing his body up.
"I understand. Then I will accept this portion of compensation... You guys stay right here to treat your injuries. Jasmine."
He merely kept a unique present for Renee to act as a present for when she returned. The other gold and the like, he didn't want anymore.
But having said that, could it be the sea bottom possessed loads of gold? Why were many of the valuables Jasmine and the others brought ashore objects constructed of gold...
"I will go together with Teacher Fisher! I can be of help!"
Right as Fisher finished speaking, Jasmine looked at Fisher opening her mouth to respond like so.
Simultaneously, her body also gradually morphed back into the appearance of a Whale-kin. Only in this manner could she display the battle capabilities of the Whale-kin. After all, her destructive power within the Magic still left an exceptionally profound impression within Fisher.
Fisher nodded his head, just preparing to agree. Yet waiting until his gaze fell upon her body, he blanked out.
It turned out she was currently wearing a close-fitting dress analogous to pajamas. The moment the tail behind emerged, it hoisted up the hem of the skirt behind her, sticking it up.
Borrowing the faint moonlight outside, that close-fitting dress, due to the tail occupying space, caused the curves her body revealed to be captured with a single clearness and two purities by Fisher.
Moreover, since Fisher called her entirely at the time when she was fast approaching sleep, the inside naturally wouldn't wear other clothing.
One second... or two seconds passing later, Fisher with a serene complexion averted his gaze, not looking at her body. With a single glance, it was what a gentleman of Saint-Nazareth would do.
"Squeak!"
And Jasmine, who very quickly realized something, instantly reddened her complexion. She hastily covered her own body. The fin-limbed ears flapped, one flap by one flap. In the darkness, Fisher could only see the scattered fluorescence borne upon her ears and smell the faint floral fragrance transmitting from her body.
She was always careless and negligent. She wholeheartedly thought about accompanying Fisher to save Reinar's father; she even forgot that right now reverting back to her original appearance would expose herself.
"S-Sorry!"
She shyly cast a glance at Fisher, hastily covering her own skirt hem while running to the front of the boxes storing clothing beside the swimming pool. From inside she extracted the cloak Fisher had encountered previously, draping it on to be used for concealing her body alongside her non-human exterior appearance.
It turned out she had hidden this piece of clothing for outings inside the Natatorium. Whenever she needed to head out, she returned to the Natatorium changing into the cloak. At any rate, she also needed to borrow the water flow to morph back into a human.
Waiting after she draped the cloak on, then she no longer needed to worry about the matter of exposing herself.
She walked back wrapped in the cloak feeling somewhat Feel Extremely Ashamed. Her complexion was bright red; she didn't dare to look at Fisher in the slightest.
However, Just as Before, Fisher also didn't mention that sort of topic capable of making the two people both awkward. He merely coughed lightly with a single sound, stating,
"Right now is nighttime; there are no carriages capable of reaching Serpent's Head Street. Could we entreat Ramastia once more to help a bit, delivering us over there?"
Fisher felt slightly guilty at heart when he opened his mouth about this sentence.
Mainly because Ramastia was entirely a deity anyway. This gang of people of his everyday called It over, not because of letting It help shade appearances, but rather, treating It as a transportation tool. Take a look at the believers of the Kadu Church treating the non-existent Mother Goddess exceedingly deferential and respectful. There were even those going as far as engaging in Artificial Witches for the sake of being able to arrive beneath the Mother Goddess's seat! Don't mention how devout it was!
This let this authentically existing deity seem somewhat... mn, excessively amicable and accessible. On the contrary, it made It seem unalike a deity, and even more like a sea bottom friend possessing a slight temper.
Hearing this, Reinar stated toward Jasmine excitedly while dancing with hands and feet,
"Lord Jasmine! Just now Fisher unexpectedly relied upon the water flow to summon Lord Ramastia! Truly! It was precisely Lord Ramastia who delivered us here! Fisher is very incredible! When Mama and I called out to Lord Ramastia, It couldn't hear us at all."
Jasmine revealed a shocked expression upon hearing this. Subsequently, she looked at Fisher smilingly,
"It appears Lord Ramastia likes Teacher Fisher very much... Otherwise It absolutely wouldn't easily respond to the calls of others. This also indicates that Its sight has continuously been watching you. Only lifeforms selected by It possess such treatment."
No... why do I feel like It doesn't seem to like me very much?
Fisher thought like this in his heart. But hearing the single word "watching" described by Jasmine, Fisher abruptly thought of that single massive eye he had previously encountered in the Southern Continent.
That entity had praised himself, and also said it "owed him a favor once"... if Fisher hadn't misinterpreted the meaning.
However, Fisher didn't even know how to contact that large eye, let alone how to demand that inexplicably promised favor back.
Before when Fisher researched Soul Magic for the first time, he had once felt a trace of a terrifying existence currently continuously watching himself within the vision of his Soul. Was there a possibility that existence was precisely that massive eye from before, or perhaps Ramastia?
Fisher hadn't seen the genuine appearance of Ramastia. But when seeing that massive eye, one would genuinely spawn a sort of indescribable terror from inside out, to the point of being difficult to use any sort of level to describe that entity.
He pondered meticulously for a bit. He seemingly also lacked any special points. Aside from those two volumes of the Completion Handbooks within his embrace, he ought to strictly be a human of normal psychology and normal orientation, nothing more.
Could it truly be for the sake of these two handbooks in his embrace?
Following along with this logic, It also ought to have selected handbook possessors similar to Pherone! Then why would that massive eye desire to give thanks to him after he slaughtered Pherone?
Then if according to what Jasmine stated, what was Ramastia selecting himself for the purpose of?
One must know, the Fluid Sword was precisely given to himself by Ramastia prior to the Schwari delegation being attacked. Then Its reason for paying attention to himself absolutely wasn't because he had "offended" It so It held a grudge against himself...
Pondering within his heart for a bit the possible origins of himself being a "God's Chosen", possessing a good several conjectures yet unconfident in all of them, Fisher had no choice but to shift his attention back to Reality.
He only saw Jasmine before his eyes lightly thrusting a hand to enter amidst the pool water, anew calling out to Ramastia. That Hydrus responded once again cordially to her plea, emerging from amidst the pool water, looking toward Jasmine squatting atop the pool's edge.
As expected, Ramastia truly was a deity lacking a single point of pretense! Of the kind available on call as well!
Fisher slandered inwardly. In the next second, that Hydrus seemingly already knew their thoughts. It reached out two palms constructed of water flow to thrust toward Fisher and Jasmine.
Simultaneous to the water flow nearing Fisher, his mind automatically flashed past the location of the destination, completely like that thought had popped out by itself.
Immediately following, that water flow seemingly confirmed the direction, wrapping Jasmine and Fisher up separatedly. In a single bound, they vanished into their original spots.
Originally Fisher had also thought he would again enter into deep waters completely like previously. Therefore he made preparations by holding his breath ahead of time. In the end, this time actually merely possessed the sensation of weightlessness. Moreover, one or two seconds later passed, Fisher then felt reaching the ground.
"..."
Hold on. So previously drowning and tumbling in the water bottom was also a single stage of that Ramastia getting revenge, right?
After arriving at the destination, Fisher With a Face Covered in Black Lines lowered his head to look at the dry suit tightly upon his own body. He instantly understood Ramastia's thoughts. That fellow absolutely wouldn't play dirty in front of Jasmine, acting an amicable appearance. In private it would expend tremendous effort to throw cheap shots at himself, right?!
Fine. You really have the guts, Ramastia.
"Teacher Fisher?"
The surroundings were somewhat dark. The top dropped some light downward. The height was also not tall. Fisher lacked any method to stand his body up straightly; he could merely stand half-bending his waist.
After hearing the soft and waxy, little-voiced shout of Jasmine alongside his body passed, he lightly lit up the Walking Stick. That bright red and beautifully attractive face of Jasmine suddenly manifested before Fisher, watery eyes looking straight at him.
But after Fisher looked over, she hastily shifted her gaze away somewhat, pretending to size up the surrounding environment. However, if one observed carefully, you would discover that she was basically still stealthily using the corners of her eyes to look toward you.
It was exactly an appearance of a shy little whale. Complementing it with her long ears afterwards, it was even more so like this.
"Where is this place we are at?"
Fisher tilted an ear to listen for a bit to the faint and indistinct water sounds transmitting from outside. He just knew they were currently somewhere within Serpent's Head Street; that was the sound of an underground subterranean river.
Brandishing the glowing Walking Stick to look toward the surroundings, he discovered they were seemingly currently beneath the floorboards of a certain building.
Many buildings of Serpent's Head Street were constructed of wood. The people here lacked excessively good conditions to construct good housing exactly like outside. Generally, the requirement was that being able to live was fine. Only certain storefronts or terrains of gangs would be marginally better somewhat.
And right now, they ought to be precisely beneath a certain storefront.
Above them, footsteps and conversational sounds were faintly transmitted. Fisher erected a single finger toward Jasmine indicating silence.
"Mister, thankful for your designation... Do I need to turn off the lights?"
"No need... Come over quickly. In a while I still must return to the market for businesses."
"Yes, please wait a moment..."
After the words passed, the rustling sounds of clothing falling to the floor simply transmitted from above.
Jasmine blinked her eyes still clueless. But Fisher had already realized something. He extended a hand to pull Jasmine, beginning to back toward places to the side.
Waiting until he walked to the edges of the floorboards, Fisher finally discovered this brothel was erected upon the cliff edge of the underground cavern. Looking from the gaps of the wooden boards toward the direction of the subterranean river, he could even directly see quite numerous large grottos chiseled out atop the rock walls further down below; fiery light illuminating within.
The area above the rock walls was exactly the main body of Serpent's Head Street. There were still numerous buildings by the side.
Those grottos illuminated by fiery light were precisely the residing locations of Serpent's Head Street's underground black market. Seemingly it was a gang of Nari managing it behind the scenes. It was especially bustling there today. Not a few mercenaries were currently entering and exiting from out of the grottos.
Right simultaneously with Fisher measuring it up, above the grottos on Serpent's Head Street, a single carriage sluggishly halted on the roadside. Besdies the carriage still accompanied numerous brawny men. With a single look, they were no simple entities.
A carriage was an especially rare entity within Serpent's Head Street. Only people specially permitted by the gang could drive their carriages inside. And right now that carriage manifesting right there, would the person sitting inside be precisely the list owner issuing the bounty to capture ocean Demi-humans?
Fisher watched the situations over there over there. Reinar's father ought to be right inside the grottos' black market. He was currently contemplating on how to bring Reinar's father out.
"Oh... yes, yes, precisely there."
"..."
Above the wooden boards, a man's voice sounded. Jasmine blinked her eyes, raising her head up doubtingly. Light mapped alongside the scenery synchronously; soon after, looking at the circumstances above, she blankly spaced out altogether.
She opened her mouth faintly. A cherry-blossom color began spreading from her neck, completely like a door to a new world was currently opening toward her. That picture fully coated in holy light made her rather shy. But she was exceedingly inquisitive as well; therefore she continuously stared toward above looking unendingly.
Fisher turned his head back, noticing her movements. Reaching out a hand Wordlessly, he pressed her lifted head down, compelling her to not look at the 'fierce battle' above.
She covered her own eyes with a reddened face, silently tracking behind Fisher moving her footsteps.
The two of them clustered close to the wooden boards confronting the grotto black markets of the opposite side of the cliff. Taking Fisher's utterly excellent eyesight, he saw a single lady donning a hat and clad in exceedingly conservative Nari garments alighting from the carriage. Accompanying underneath the trailing of numerous brawny men, she walked into the black market inside the grottos.
That was exactly the Anna Fisher had encountered previously.