#40 – Black Dragon Nest
“Hmm… Searching for someone, eh…”
Ryu shook his head and shrugged his shoulders.
“Sorry. We don’t keep track of everyone who comes in here.”
“Well, we’ll just take a look around then.”
“Wait a minute.”
Ryu raised his hand to stop Grafios.
“Even if I don’t know, there is someone else who might. And I can introduce you to him.”
“Huh.”
Grafios raised one eyebrow.
He was clearly suspicious of Ryu. It could be a trap… After all, what did he have to gain from guiding them?
Ryu felt their suspicions and shrugged again.
“I just don’t want strangers like you to wander around aimlessly, and get into trouble. Especially since it’s our people that will likely come out with injuries.”
Ryu stood up on the stairs and brushed the dust off his pants.
“Just so you know, this is a large, intricate place. I wouldn’t recommend you trying to search it corner to corner.”
Yukito and Grafios looked at each other and nodded.
“Mister. You’re an easterner, aren’t you?”
Ryu said as he walked ahead of them.
“…Uh, I think so.”
Ryu looked over his shoulder at Yukito with an odd expression at this vague answer.
“I was abandoned in the mountains when I was a baby. And so I don’t really know where I am from.”
If he was being honest.
He had thought he looked like that, because they were the features he had in his previous life.
However, thinking about it rationally, he should have a father and mother in this world too. And so when it came to their origin… Well, they were most likely from the east.
“Ah, a common story.”
Ryu chuckled as he continued to walk.
“Among the immigrants, many end up dropping out of society. Compared to the imperials, it is harder for us to find work and housing. Raising a child on top of that? What a joke.”
Ryu chuckled. But it seemed self-deprecating.
“Don’t get me wrong. We don’t hate the empire. The majority of easterners are out there working and living normal lives. It’s the exceptions that are here. Those who were crushed and failed.”
Black Tower Dragon. In a way, this eastern mafia was acting like a safety net in the empire…
Yukito turned his eyes to one of the buildings along the street. A single woman was looking out of a window.
But she was not an easterner. Likely…she was from Yugrile.
“We do not reject those who come here. As long as they obey the rules. …Except for people like you, who are carrying weapons.”
“I see.”
Indeed, that might be the natural reaction.
Probably everyone here had scars and scabs.
“Here we are.”
Yukito was surprised by their destination.
It was a restaurant. And not a large or fancy one. Like a small Chinese restaurant you might see anywhere.
“Well, we do work behind the scenes. It’s best to keep things locked up.”
Ryu went through the red curtain and glanced towards the owner, who bowed, before going to the back.
In the back, there was an old iron door.
“Welcome. To the other side of Phoenix Town.”
He opened the door.
There was darkness, and a staircase leading underground.
A dark and empty hallway…. And then another door. But after that, the scenery changed completely.
“A casino?”
Under the lights of the glimmering chandelier. Rolls of banknotes flew.
Roulettes and card games. And all of the customers who were playing were wearing masks. However, judging from their appearance, they were likely imperials…
“Over here.”
Ryu led them through the groups of people to another back door. A tall bodyguard stood there. He looked at Yukito and Grafios, but then bowed his head to Ryu and opened the door.
Behind it, there was a grand entrance hall that was decorated in an eastern style.
“Ryu…”
“Hey, Chen.”
I thin man was waiting there.
Chen pushed up his glasses and looked at them.
“…Who are they?”
“Guests. They are searching for someone.”
“Really… What is the meaning of this, Ryu? To bring complete strangers here. Even for you, this is not allowed.”
Chen sighed with exasperation and took a step forward.
“Please take your leave now. We have nothing to tell you. Especially…”
He turned to Grafios. His eyes shone sharply behind the lenses.
“As a Hunter, you should know. This is our turf. I don’t know who you are looking for, but you surely would not expect us to sell our own?”
However, Yukito shook his head.
“Sorry. But we have our reasons. We can’t just…”
Just then, something came flying towards his head.
Yukito caught it with his bare hand.
It was an iron nail, painted black.
Someone then descended into the hall. Men. Wearing strange black clothes.
They were clearly no ordinary men. He had not been able to sense their presence at all until now.
“Hey, Chen!”
“Take him in. As for his responsibility, we can discuss that later.”
Ryu tried to object, but the men in black then escorted him to the next room.
As Yukito watched, Grafios threw down the nail in his hand and whispered.
“…They are Black Tower Dragon assassins.”
Their trump card.
It was said that they were stronger than A-Rank Hunters.
No target of theirs had ever survived. The strongest and most vicious group of assassins.
“…Seems like you aren’t going to let us leave here.”
“Oh, you will leave. However…perhaps not with your lives.