Chương 58: Shopping

"So, who else are you looking to invite?" Mateo asked between bites of some sort of mystery meat. They had ordered the 'special', but the shop owner refused to specify what it actually was. Evel didn't mind too much since it tasted quite good.

"Just you so far." Evel shook his head. Mateo was the only person he really knew in the city, and even then, he had only known him for a day.

"Say," Evel began, swallowing his own mouthful.

"You said you had a bunch of mining friends, right?" Mateo began choking on his food and coughed to clear his throat.

"Y-yeah. Tons of them, why? There's Toan, and… others."

"Well, if there's anyone who seems capable of working at the circus. Someone dexterous, flexible, strong, or anything that would make for a good show. In the end, as long as they're trustworthy, I'd be alright with them. Everything else can be learned." Mateo nodded solemnly, "I'll ask around…" Mateo changed the subject back to their lives, and they enjoyed the rest of the meal while discussing memories of the past.

Evel of course didn't reveal the whole truth to Mateo, but he avoided directly lying as much as possible. After that, they walked around the shops. Evel occasionally made conversation with the owners of the various stalls, as well as a few passersby, but the overall mood was too dreary, so he didn't get a chance to really know anybody. Still, he observed the best he could and learned as much about the culture as possible. After another hour of roaming and occasional chatter, Evel parted ways with Mateo.

"I'll see you around!" Mateo excitedly waved goodbye. Evel began his own return, finding himself in front of the bridge once more. The moment his eyes met those of the two guards, they immediately averted their gazes. Evel began his ascent up the bridge, one calm step at a time. This time, he didn't need to summon Eth.

"W-welcome s-sir!" One of the guards managed. Evel turned to him and paused once his eyes met the guards. These guys are terrified of me… this could be an opportunity to learn something.

"State your names."

"Hugo." The one to the right immediately replied.

"Lenox." The other was quick to follow.

"Good. I'll ask questions, you answer." Evel commanded.

"Yes, sir!"

"Why are you stationed here?" Evel asked.

"We don't know, we just follow orders," Hugo replied.

"What do the two of you know of the western slums?"

"N-n-nothing! We know nothing!" Lennox replied, his voice shaky. Lennox lightly tapped his fellow guard, and the two straightened up once more. Do they think I'm part of the operations happening in the west and I'll silence them? This is annoying…

"Oh? You don't know anything?" Evel pushed once more, hoping one of them would crack.

"No!" Evel internally sighed. As far as the slums went, that was the biggest thing he still needed to learn. Then it was all things in Upper-Ichor. Still, these guards may be useful in the future, so he didn't push it too far.

"Good, keep it that way." Evel continued walking, leaving the two guards at his back. Just as he passed them, he paused and looked back.

"Don't think I don't see you when I'm not here." The two guards straightened even higher as their faces paled. Evel turned back around and allowed himself a subtle smile. It wasn't necessary, but the more fearful they were, the easier it would be in the future. He continued through the alleyways and made a quick stop at Steven's store for a few extra pairs of clothes and more undergarments before arriving back home. After a shower, Evel sat at the desk beside his table.

Let's see, to check incoming messages, I need to press… Beep. A still picture of Avid was projected on the space above the VTR. He was wearing a simple black t-shirt and no longer wearing the crescent moon necklace. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. And to listen to it, I have to press… Beep.

"Hello Evel, apologies for the late introduction. I expected Albert to handle it, but…" Evel's eyes gaped open. It was like Avid was right in front of him! Diana had mentioned something about the military's communication technology being amazing, but it was completely different to see it in person!

"To be honest, there's nothing in particular we're looking for you to do." Avid's moving image continued.

"Dissent has been very quiet over the past decade, but since a few seasons back, we've been getting reports of some suspicious activity. There's nothing concrete for now, but…" Avid's image took a deep breath.

"But there's a chance that the horrid attacks of 14 years ago, which claimed over fifteen thousand lives, may be repeated. Based on just how many cities we're seeing activity in, it may be even worse." Evel took a sharp breath. More than fifteen thousand lives – a ridiculous sum.

"Dread Horizon." Avid's voice deepened.

"That's the name of the leader of the organization. Outside of Ultor's forces, this individual is considered the biggest danger to the fabric of society. Their motivations remain a mystery, but based on Alaric's reports, this individual could possibly one day rival the Emperor of Tempor and The Archon of Ultor." Evel winced. This level of knowledge seemed far too high for someone like him. The power of the two leaders? And he'd be responsible for stopping such an organization from achieving its goals?

Evel shook his head. He was getting in way over his head right now. The responsibility wasn't just his. He was one of many strings in an extensive net seeking information; the heroes of Tempor would be the actual combatants.

"Dissent has recently been reported to be hiring allies throughout Tempor, and although we've caught a few cases, it would be foolish to believe we've caught them all. Most are even far beyond my level. Our jobs are simple: present ourselves as hireable, join them, then get as much information as we can. Agent will pay fairly depending on the quality of information – even if it's information they already have." Evel immediately realized a major problem.

If Dissent wasn't in Ichoris, then would he have no way to earn additional credits?

"As for other forms of payment." The voice continued, as if reading his mind.

"The other Banners compete fiercely with each other within cities. If you can get information, then Agent can sell it to an interested buyer via Anonymous–another Banner. If I recall correctly, the branches of Redigo and Prachar have a particularly fierce competition amongst themselves in Ichoris. Agent takes a cut based on the negotiated amount, but the rest of the sale is all yours." That alleviated some worries.

"If you're looking for any information that the Imperium isn't selling, you can offer to buy from the VTR in the exact same way. It's an expensive device that most Core staged individuals aren't afforded, so keep it hidden and safe when you're not home. As far as the mission goes, that's it. Should you be able to join Dissent, more information will follow, likely from higher up. Good luck." Beep. The transmission ended. Evel leaned back on his chair as his thoughts rushed around in his mind.

Redigo and Prachar are in a fierce competition. Dissent may offer me a job, I need to set up the circus properly, I need to train with Albert, I need to train my ability, and I need to study up and learn more about how everything works. Evel straightened his back and stretched his neck. He'd manage. Right now, he needed to get an understanding of his buying options. After studying the guidebook a few times over, Evel began pressing buttons on the VTR.

He read through all the options of all the things that he could buy. A few items immediately crossed his mind. […] Unlocking Core Stage | 300 Credits Basics of Martial Arts | 100 Credits Basic History of The War | 50 Credits Danger Zone: The Squalling Dessert | 600 Credits Danger Zone: Slack-Stone | 850 Credits Danger Zone: Second Sun | 1000 Credits Danger Zone: Heaven | 1500 Credits […] He immediately disregarded the information on the Danger Zones.

He may need Slack-Stone's information later, but for now, it wasn't a priority. The three other items were all things he was curious about. Although he had unlocked his Core ability, he didn't know what had actually triggered it. The martial arts could help him improve his fighting skills, supplementing his learning with Albert. As for the history of The War, it was difficult not to be curious when every citizen's life was defined by the constant, ongoing war against Ultor.

Yet for some reason, Ultor had never attacked any major cities, at least those that Evel lived in. How could a power-hungry nation that lacked a bottom line and was looking to constantly advance not have already attacked major cities, as Dissent is doing? Tempor is not to be underestimated. In the end, Evel disregarded all three of these items. He didn't need to know the secrets of unlocking the Core stage anymore.

Anything to do with martial arts, he should ask Albert first, and although knowing history was nice, he wasn't on the level where it would make any difference to him. Instead, his eyes went to the next big-ticket item, one he was very excited about. Advancement to Weaver | 1000 Credits Half of everything he had. Still, this one felt like a no-brainer, despite the steep price. However, he wouldn't be able to earn many credits for a long time; his circus hadn't begun being set up yet.

He still had to remain highly cautious. For example, the book could be useless until he was already on the threshold of advancement. He didn't want to waste so many credits on something that didn't help him right away. He kept browsing until he found another that piqued his interest, something he felt he needed. Basics of Consumables | 200 Credits He had seen a lot of other items, potions, ichors, and elixirs, but didn't really understand what they did.

200 wasn't cheap, but Evel needed outside support to keep up with the likes of Bremin, Diana, Elena or the others. Albert had also mentioned during training that the knowledge from this book was one of the most essential. He kept looking. Acies Weapon | Based on specification Acies… that's the Banner Diana went to. A weapon he needed no matter what. Without his crossbow, Evel didn't feel as secure, despite being in a prosperous city. But he couldn't just carry a crossbow around with him; it wouldn't do.

Not to mention that it wasn't all that impressive a weapon. He had only bought it for 50 or so credits, and now he had much more he could spend. Evel made his decision on what he'd buy first. He'd get the Basics of Consumables, as well as describe the specifics of the type of weapon he was looking for. At the very least, a price would help him decide on how he would be able to spend the rest of his money. With the press of a few buttons, the screen read out another command. | Input a book | Is this…

Looking around the room, he found a neatly stacked pile of books. None of them had a cover nor writing. He placed the book in the slot and pressed it again. With a flash of Energy, the book had transformed into the item Evel had wanted to purchase. Basics of Consumables. Technology is… amazing.