Ash weaved between the crowd, stopping at some stalls to see if he would find anything interesting. Yet, for now, nothing he saw managed to stir his interest.

Even though the black market was considered a major hub of trade, the prices here were nothing short of astronomical. A simple piece of bread that would normally cost a single copper was being sold for an entire silver coin. Unlike the other continents, where one could choose to rely on online transactions, this place recognized only the weight of physical coins.

In the neutral continent, most people were runaways, wanderers, or outright criminals, so it was only natural that few had bank accounts to begin with. Here, gold, silver, and copper were the only true currencies, and nothing else held value.

As Ash watched the items being displayed on the stalls and in the shops, listening to merchants loudly praise their wares while buyers argued and bargained back, he could not help but wish for something else.

If there was some kind of Inspect skill with me, I might have been able to find a treasure hidden among the worthless trash being showcased here…

He truly wished he could create an Inspect skill or some ability related to it, but for now, he could only wait. As soon as he obtained the Rune in this continent, he would instantly create a skill like that.

And unlike the main characters he had once read about, who started their journeys with such convenient skills from the beginning, his own path was different. His starting point was harsh, and his story would no doubt have its share of bitter chapters before it turned for the better.

Anyway, this is most likely only the first layer, and if I want to find any precious items, I need to go deeper…

No matter which continent, the black market was always the same in structure, operating in layers that separated the weak from the strong.

The first layer was where common smugglers and thieves sold their stolen goods. Bargaining here was noisy, and among the piles of useless junk, one might occasionally stumble upon something useful. It was a place for the poor, the reckless, and those who had nothing left to lose.

The second layer was slightly more refined and offered better goods. One could expect to find solid steel weapons, low-grade enchanted items, rare herbs, and different poisons. It was the place where small guilds and wandering mercenaries came to buy tools that were reliable enough to survive, though nothing here could truly be called extraordinary. This layer belonged to those who had managed to rise just above the filth of the first.

The third layer went a step further, where the stakes grew higher and the rewards more tempting. Beast cores, blood of magical creatures, spell scrolls, and pieces of monster anatomy that could be refined into artifacts were traded here. It was dangerous, yet it was also where one first came into contact with the taste of true power.

The fourth layer was where influence and power openly gathered. To enter this place, one needed strong connections, and without them, there was no chance of stepping inside. The famous auction houses also existed here, making it the most peaceful and most comfortable place to conduct business. Wealth flowed freely here, and its value rivaled kingdoms.

And then there was the fifth and final layer, the one no one could casually step into. Even Ash did not know what to expect there, for no outsider was ever allowed entry. Only the executives of the black market held that privilege. Rumors whispered that the final layer hid the deepest secrets of the black market, but no one had entered there to confirm whether those whispers were true.

But Ash had different thoughts.

The last layer will be the place for the black market executives to live, and with how secure it is, I would say all the true goods of the black market are stored on the last layer...

How did he know? Well, you could say that was simply the perk of reading too many novels.

If he were the one in charge of the black market, he would have done the same thing. He would have placed all valuable items on the last layer and added a hidden security system, one capable of teleporting everything away the very moment an attack was detected. By the time an enemy broke through the defenses and finally reached the deepest floor, all the treasures would already be gone, leaving nothing but empty walls.

His thoughts drifted like this as he continued moving forward, eventually making his way to the second layer of the black market. He stepped onto a glowing teleportation array, watched closely by four heavily armed guards, and in a blink of light, his body vanished from the spot.

The entry fee was no small matter. Just to step into the second layer, Ash had to hand over one hundred gold coins. The rule behind it was clear. No beggars, no penniless wanderers, and no people with nothing to offer were allowed to enter.

But Ash's goal was neither the second nor the third layer. The third might have offered something of decent value, but Ash did not just want something decent... he wanted only the very best. So, without hesitation, he paid another thousand gold to pass into the third layer, and then an additional ten thousand to reach the fourth.

During this process, he also changed his appearance. The tattered cloak he had been wearing earlier was removed and replaced with a clean, expensive-looking one. He had worn the old garment to blend in with the crowd above, but such a look would have drawn suspicion here.

To remain unnoticed, one had to adapt to the surroundings. In the lower layers, looking poor helped you blend in. In the upper layers, only those who looked refined and confident would be ignored.

Naturally, a question arose—how had Ash even managed to enter the fourth layer when entry required both connections and invitations?

The answer was simple. He had found someone with the invitation letter to enter. As for that person, Ash had killed him in silence.

The man had been a Grandmaster, strong enough to terrify most. But before Ash, who possessed Absolute Concealment and Transcendent Step, his strength meant nothing. Killing him was not a matter of force but of patience, and patience was something Ash had in abundance.

After ending the man's life, Ash stripped him of his belongings and stored his body inside the very storage ring taken from his finger. Later, he casually disposed of it by tossing the ring into a sewer, ensuring that no trace would ever be found.

The man's identity did not matter to Ash. All he knew was that he had been a human named Adam Hart, and that knowledge alone was enough to discard him.

When Ash finally appeared on the fourth layer, the difference struck him immediately. The air itself felt different, cleaner and fresher compared to the suffocating stench of the lower layers.

The streets were wider and paved with smooth black stone, lanterns of glowing crystals lit the paths, and shops stood neatly in rows with elegant signs gleaming above their entrances. The atmosphere here was like stepping out of a slum and into the heart of a luxurious city district, where wealth and power spoke louder than anything else.

The space above stretched impossibly high, as if the very mountain had been hollowed from within. Jagged stone formations hung down like frozen spears, their edges sharp and threatening, glinting faintly under the soft glow of enchanted lights.

The sheer size of the cavern made Ash pause. He could not even be sure if this was a natural formation expanded over centuries or a colossal space carved out with deliberate intent by some ancient power. The ceiling arched so high it almost looked endless, like a cathedral of stone frozen in time.

Below, the ground opened into wide streets and sprawling plazas, each broad enough for large groups to move freely without colliding. Buildings of black stone and reinforced metal rose in straight lines, their designs neat and imposing. Some of the taller structures towered over the rest, their surfaces glowing faintly with runes of protection, light weaving across them like veins of power. They gave the entire place a sense of order and authority.

Along the avenues, smaller shops and clustered stalls spilled warm light from tall windows, illuminating the passersby. Together, they created a steady, pulsing rhythm of life that kept the entire layer alive with movement.

Above the streets, lanterns and magical orbs floated, some suspended by delicate chains, others hovering by enchantments. They gave off a gentle light, not harsh like torches, but steady and even, illuminating every corner while leaving little room for shadows. Compared to the dim and chaotic glow of the lower layers, this place felt refined, controlled, and carefully maintained.

The sheer scale of the fourth layer struck Ash with its weight. There was room here for thousands to walk without crowding, while the ceiling stretched so far above that it felt as if the sky itself had been buried underground.

This was Ash's first time entering the fourth layer. In his earlier visits to the black market, when he had come searching for a ride to the Dragon Continent, he had never been fortunate enough to find someone alone carrying an invitation. Without such a pass, this level had been closed to him.

Now things were different. The invitation stolen from Adam Hart made several things clear. Whoever Adam had been, he was expected to attend an auction in two days. That was where Ash was headed—the towering building rising above all others, the place where the auction would be held.

Before that, he needed to collect the auction catalog, a book that would list some of the treasures prepared for that day. Even glancing at it would give him an idea of the possibilities awaiting him.

His thoughts quickened with anticipation. This was not simply about attending an auction—it was a chance to gain access to the very best that the black market could offer.

Two days passed in what felt like a fleeting moment, swallowed by his preparations and his growing expectations.

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