Lilith," he whispered through the shadow link.
"Maintain surveillance. Nyx is priority — keep her safe."
The cold voice of his shadow maid replied immediately.
"Understood, Master."
Nyx pouted faintly from across the room, arms crossed.
"Running off to play without me?"
Sion's lips curled in a faint smirk.
"Someone needs to guard my bad habits… you'll do."
Before she could protest further, Sion activated his new ability — Phantom Counterstep. The moment his foot moved, his presence faded, vanishing from casual sight. To the inn's other guests, it was as if he simply ceased to exist for a fraction of a second… then slipped quietly out the door.
---
Arenfall's Black Market — Midnight Veins
The black market of Arenfall wasn't advertised — it was whispered about, hidden beneath the city's worn streets in twisting alleys, concealed doorways, and forgotten basements.
But with his system and predatory instincts, Sion had no trouble navigating the signs:
Flickering violet candles.
A crow feather nailed to a crooked doorframe.
The faintest trace of forbidden magic in the air.
Moments later, he descended worn stone steps into a hidden network of tunnels — the Midnight Veins.
Merchants cloaked in shadows whispered over crates of stolen artifacts, dangerous herbs, enchanted weapons — everything illegal, cursed, or forgotten found its way here.
His system flickered:
[SYSTEM SCAN: Black Market Detected]
Notable Vendors:
✅ Bloodsteel Smith — Crafts illegal enchanted weapons, rumored to work with cursed materials.
✅ Veilbreather — Mage specializing in hidden enchantments and identity-concealing spells.
✅ Memory Broker — Seller of stolen memories, skills, and mental fragments.
✅ Organ Harvester — Best avoided… unless desperate.
[Caution: Environment High-Risk — pickpockets, assassins, and bounty hunters present.]