Derrick and Ying trained for the next two weeks in many fields of magic. Derrick first learned proper spiritual flow and spirit flame reinforcement, the process of enhancing certain physical capabilities with spirit flames.
The second lesson Derrick learned was basic application ability. Derrick's former ability, "Overflow", could only be created due to his lack of proper control over his spirituality, as well as his reckless behavior. For now, he would stick to a simple conjuration ability, the ability to create small objects such as knives and chains. It was an ability with a low-skill floor but could become a truly deadly ability in the future.
"Where are we going today?" Derrick asked.
"Today we'll be heading to Old Caroline. It's the breeding ground for all things Underworld, though it only scratches the surface."
"Oh, and just so you know, we'll be entering through the backdoor. The guys who almost killed me are some hot shots within a certain gang, so I'll have to lay low for a bit."
Big shots? Didn't this guy say that he was a low-level mercenary without any friends? Why was he targeted by such important people? Perhaps that early claim was a lie…Derrick criticized Ying's behavior inwardly.
"I've never asked, but what is the city called? It must have a name."
"The city that you've seen so far is known as Mathers City. It's a pretty name the corpos use to hide their incompetence. Where we're going now is the true face of the city, The Hole. If you want answers, you'll find them there."
As they approached the backdoor of The Hole, Ying knocked on the rusted door five times. A piece of metal at the door's peephole slid to the side, revealing a glaring pair of eyes.
"Password?"
"Above and below, we are the exception."
Upon hearing the cryptic phrase, the door cracked open with the grating sound of metal rubbing against metal. Before them was the labyrinthine lawless zone known as The Hole.
It was a city of tangled streets and towering structures where certain roads came to a dead end with no explanation or seemed to go on for eternity. Its atmosphere held an enigmatic allure, drawing Derrick into a world of promise and peril.
They walked through the smokey haze of The Hole before stumbling upon a dilapidated bar. The neon sign atop the bar read "OLD CAROLINE". At the seats with torn leather, a shady customer with short black hair and an androgynous face drank a glass of wine. They had four arms and two mouths, similar to the demons of Japanese myth in Derrick's original world. They were a member of the Witch tribe, one of the five major races of this world.
"It's been a while, doc. Why'd you stop coming by The Hole recently?"
"Let's just say that I've had my handful with some company." Ying pointed his thumb towards Derrick, who was frightfully standing behind him. "Say hello to my companion."
The strange customer let out a smirk. "My, hello child. My name is Sylvia. Let's just say I'm an associate of doc here. It's a pleasure to meet you."
That voice...so it is a girl. Wait, why am I thinking about that right now? I should be presentable if I want to make new allies.
"Hello, I'm Derrick Foster, a friend of Gi."
Derrick nervously replied.
"Gi? Is that what you call yourself now?" Sylvia looked at Ying with curious eyes.
"That's none of your business. I just came here to ask for a little favor. A job, if you will."
"Hmm? You haven't come to see me in over a week, and now you're asking for favors? You've grown to be quite the rude man." Sylvia rolled her eyes.
"Sorry, but a lot's been on my mind lately. This kid did me a favor I can't ever repay, and now I'm in the process of fulfilling my end of our promise. Give the kid a job, he'll need it if he wants to survive."
Sylvia's eyes were initially apprehensive, but she quickly realized that there was no point resisting. Despite his nihilistic attitude, he was a surprisingly stubborn man. "Fine then, I've received some news of a small-scale weapons trade near Area 1. Some small-time gangsters have been stealing goods from the Western faction [Testament]. Go and take back the stolen goods and capture the thieves alive. Meet the client at the Abandoned manufacturing plant in Area 1. The reward is 50,000 Dan."
Dan is the currency used throughout both Mathers City and The Hole. The average monthly rent for a resident of Mathers City was roughly 600 Dan. Such a vast amount of money could feed a small family for at least a year or two.
"Why are they giving out such a hefty reward for such a trivial mission? Are the stolen goods truly that important?"
"Beats me, but it's a damn good job. So how about it Derrick, wanna take up the job?"
Testament...Ying told me about them. They're the big-shot gang who run the Western Faction of The Hole. It's said their political power rivals that of MetaCorp itself! Building a relationship with them is necessary if I want to find clues about Outworlders.
"Very well, I'll take on the job without a doubt."
Derrick and Ying trained for the next two weeks in many fields of magic. Derrick first learned proper spiritual flow and spirit flame reinforcement, the process of enhancing certain physical capabilities with spirit flames.
The second lesson Derrick learned was basic application ability. Derrick's former ability, "Overflow", could only be created due to his lack of proper control over his spirituality, as well as his reckless behavior. For now, he would stick to a simple conjuration ability, the ability to create small objects such as knives and chains. It was an ability with a low-skill floor but could become a truly deadly ability in the future.
"Where are we going today?" Derrick asked.
"Today we'll be heading to Old Caroline. It's the breeding ground for all things Underworld, though it only scratches the surface."
"Oh, and just so you know, we'll be entering through the backdoor. The guys who almost killed me are some hot shots within a certain gang, so I'll have to lay low for a bit."
Big shots? Didn't this guy say that he was a low-level mercenary without any friends? Why was he targeted by such important people? Perhaps that early claim was a lie…Derrick criticized Ying's behavior inwardly.
"I've never asked, but what is the city called? It must have a name."
"The city that you've seen so far is known as Mathers City. It's a pretty name the corpos use to hide their incompetence. Where we're going now is the true face of the city, The Hole. If you want answers, you'll find them there."
As they approached the backdoor of The Hole, Ying knocked on the rusted door five times. A piece of metal at the door's peephole slid to the side, revealing a glaring pair of eyes.
"Password?"
"Above and below, we are the exception."
Upon hearing the cryptic phrase, the door cracked open with the grating sound of metal rubbing against metal. Before them was the labyrinthine lawless zone known as The Hole.
It was a city of tangled streets and towering structures where certain roads came to a dead end with no explanation or seemed to go on for eternity. Its atmosphere held an enigmatic allure, drawing Derrick into a world of promise and peril.
They walked through the smokey haze of The Hole before stumbling upon a dilapidated bar. The neon sign atop the bar read "OLD CAROLINE". At the seats with torn leather, a shady customer with short black hair and an androgynous face drank a glass of wine. They had four arms and two mouths, similar to the demons of Japanese myth in Derrick's original world. They were a member of the Witch tribe, one of the five major races of this world.
"It's been a while, doc. Why'd you stop coming by The Hole recently?"
"Let's just say that I've had my handful with some company." Ying pointed his thumb towards Derrick, who was frightfully standing behind him. "Say hello to my companion."
The strange customer let out a smirk. "My, hello child. My name is Sylvia. Let's just say I'm an associate of doc here. It's a pleasure to meet you."
That voice...so it is a girl. Wait, why am I thinking about that right now? I should be presentable if I want to make new allies.
"Hello, I'm Derrick Foster, a friend of Gi."
Derrick nervously replied.
"Gi? Is that what you call yourself now?" Sylvia looked at Ying with curious eyes.
"That's none of your business. I just came here to ask for a little favor. A job, if you will."
"Hmm? You haven't come to see me in over a week, and now you're asking for favors? You've grown to be quite the rude man." Sylvia rolled her eyes.
"Sorry, but a lot's been on my mind lately. This kid did me a favor I can't ever repay, and now I'm in the process of fulfilling my end of our promise. Give the kid a job, he'll need it if he wants to survive."
Sylvia's eyes were initially apprehensive, but she quickly realized that there was no point resisting. Despite his nihilistic attitude, he was a surprisingly stubborn man. "Fine then, I've received some news of a small-scale weapons trade near Area 1. Some small-time gangsters have been stealing goods from the Western faction [Testament]. Go and take back the stolen goods and capture the thieves alive. Meet the client at the Abandoned manufacturing plant in Area 1. The reward is 50,000 Dan."
Dan is the currency used throughout both Mathers City and The Hole. The average monthly rent for a resident of Mathers City was roughly 600 Dan. Such a vast amount of money could feed a small family for at least a year or two.
"Why are they giving out such a hefty reward for such a trivial mission? Are the stolen goods truly that important?"
"Beats me, but it's a damn good job. So how about it Derrick, wanna take up the job?"
Testament...Ying told me about them. They're the big-shot gang who run the Western Faction of The Hole. It's said their political power rivals that of MetaCorp itself! Building a relationship with them is necessary if I want to find clues about Outworlders.
"Very well, I'll take on the job without a doubt."
