Bargaining with a Demon in Sector 13

Sector 13. Red Light District & Black Market.

Unlike the central district which glittered with magic crystals and pristine white skyscrapers, Sector 13 was the bowels of this city. The smell of wet trash, cheap herbal cigarette smoke, and Succubus prostitute perfume mixed into one suffocating aroma.

In a muddy narrow alley, a shadow landed with a pathetic thud.

That was me.

"Ouch... My shins..."

A Superhero landing using a grappling gun? Forget it. In reality, I swung like a sack of rice and landed crashing into a pile of garbage bags. Thanks, Agility Stat E.

I stood up, brushing rotten banana peels off my black suit. Fortunately, [Void Heart] hid my presence, so the thugs playing dice at the end of the alley didn't notice my arrival.

I put on the mask I brought.
A half-face Kitsune (Fox) mask, plain white without patterns. Simple, mysterious, and most importantly: covering my identity as Amon Von Zeroth.

"System, navigate to the encrypted message location."

A virtual red arrow appeared on my retina, pointing to an old building, a former textile factory whose walls were covered in graffiti.

---

[The Black Lotus Auction House]

The entrance was guarded by two Orcs wearing suits that were so small their muscles nearly tore the fabric.

I walked closer.
"Stop. Invitation?" growled one of the Orcs.

I didn't speak. I just held up my phone, displaying the red QR code sent by the mysterious sender.
The Orc scanned it with his bionic eye. Beep.

His attitude changed 180 degrees. He bowed stiffly. "Apologies for our insolence. VVIP guests are welcome to proceed to Basement Level 3."

VVIP? Who exactly invited me?

I stepped inside, passing through a dimly lit hallway accompanied by heavy jazz music. An old freight elevator took me down into the earth's belly.

When the elevator doors opened, the slum world from earlier vanished.
Replaced by a luxurious Baroque-style opera hall. Crystal chandeliers, bunny girl waitresses (Playboy style but armored), and hundreds of masked guests sitting on red velvet chairs.

I was escorted to a Private Box on the second-floor balcony. The perfect spot to look down without being seen.

"Mr. Fox," greeted a waiter carrying a champagne tray. "Your order?"

"Orange juice," I replied coldly. "I don't drink alcohol while working."
(Actually, because alcohol ruins mana absorption, and I didn't want to vomit again).

The auction began.
The host was a Dark Elf in skimpy clothing showing off her purple skin.

"First item! Young Wyvern Heart! Great for gentlemen's vitality!"
Bids popped up.
"100 Gold Coins!" "150!"

I leaned back bored in my chair. My wallet (the Zeroth family black credit card I stole) had an "Unlimited" limit theoretically. But I couldn't be reckless. Transactions here were tracked.

Item after item passed. Elf slaves, forbidden magic scrolls, illegal firearms.
Until finally... Item number 9.

"And now... Something rare for Alchemists and collectors of purity."

The Dark Elf removed the cover cloth from a glass box surrounded by freezing spells.
Inside, floated a bluish-white flower emitting a dim light like the moon.

[Lunar Flower (70 Years)]
[Quality: High-Grade]

"Lunar Flower from the Forbidden Mountains! Main ingredient for holy potions, curse cleansers, and... skin whitening cosmetics!"
The audience laughed.

"Opening price 5,000 Gold Coins!"

"Here it is," I whispered. My heart pounded. Without that, I'd die burned by the Saintess the day after tomorrow.

I pressed the button on the bidding tablet. [10,000 Gold Coins]

The audience gasped. Instantly doubling the opening price?
Silence for a moment.

"10,000 from Box Number 4! Is there—"

[15,000 Gold Coins]
A new number appeared on the main screen. The bid came from Box Number 1 across from me.

My eyes narrowed. Who was there?
In the game, the only characters who needed this flower besides me were... The Church.
Were there church agents here?

I pressed the button again. [20,000]

The opponent replied instantly. [30,000]

Bastards. They want to play money games with me?
I am Amon Von Zeroth. My family's money could buy half this country.

[50,000]

"Fifty thousand!!" shouted the Host hysterically. "A crazy price for a single flower!"

Silence on the other side.
Quite a long time. It seemed they were hesitating.

[55,000]

They were still fighting back. So stubborn.
Alright. I will destroy their mental state with one KO punch.
This isn't about the item's value. This is about dominance.

I typed a manual number.

[100,000 Gold Coins]

GASP. The entire auction hall held its breath.
One hundred thousand gold coins could buy a small island complete with its castle.
And I used it for a single flower.

Box Number 1 went silent. No reply. They gave up or ran out of funds.

"100,000... Going once... Twice... SOLD TO MR. FOX!"

The gavel was struck.

I sighed in relief. "Money is indeed the best superpower," I muttered while drinking my orange juice.
But my relief didn't last long.

The door to my private box opened.
Not a waiter.
But a tall woman in a blood-red evening gown whose slit revealed pale white thighs up to her hips. Wavy black hair, bright red lips, and she was holding a long cigarette pipe.

She wasn't wearing a mask.
She didn't need to. In this underworld, her face was the law.

Carmilla Sanguine. Vampire Queen of Sector 13. Information Broker.
And in the game, she was a Level 40 Sub-Boss.

"One hundred thousand gold," said Carmilla with a wet-husky voice that was seductive, walking in without permission and sitting on the sofa right across from me. "You are very wasteful, Young Master Zeroth."

My heart stopped for a second. My mask? Void Heart?
"Who is Zeroth?" I asked calmly, my voice altered by the voice changer in the mask.

Carmilla chuckled, a sound like bells in a graveyard.
"Your fox mask is cute. Your presence concealment magic is extraordinary. The status deceiver ring on your finger? Clever."

She leaned forward, blowing cigarette smoke into my face. The smoke smelled of roses and iron blood.
"But for a Kindred like me... the smell of your 'cursed blood' cannot be hidden. Your blood is sweet, Amon. Sweet and rotten at the same time. The scent of despair."

Damn. I forgot Vampire Sense of Smell. They could smell family lineage from a single drop of dried blood on my bandage wounds.

I took off the voice changer, but kept the mask on. No point denying it.
"Miss Carmilla," my voice returned to the cold Amon. "You sent this invitation?"

"Correct," Carmilla crossed her legs. "I heard there was a crazy student who humiliated the Mad Bomber Viktor and manipulated Princess Frosheim. I was curious. And it turns out, the little bastard Zeroth who used to only know how to waste money, now has the guts to enter my lair."

"I bought my item. Transaction complete. What do you want?"

"I want to warn you," Carmilla's smile faded, replaced by a sharp serious look.
She pointed towards Box Number 1 across the hall—my bidding opponent earlier.

"Do you know who you just defeated?"

"Don't care. Poor people, maybe?"

"That was a representative of The Shadow Order," whispered Carmilla.
"They needed that flower for a summoning ritual the day after tomorrow. And you just snatched it."

The Shadow Order. The heretical cult group that became the main antagonists in Arc 2. They were crazy, sadistic, and vengeful.

"They won't let you go home with that flower, Darling. The moment you step out of this building, three Rank-B Assassins are already waiting for you in the alley."

Three Rank-B Assassins?
I am Rank-F. Without magic (due to Mana Poisoning). There are only the Gacha item 'Courage Cigarettes' with 19 sticks left, a Grappling Gun, and Smoke Bombs.
Dead. Definitely dead.

I stared at Carmilla. "You're telling me this. Means you have an offer."

"Smart," Carmilla snapped her fingers.
"I can smuggle you out via my secret VIP route. Straight to the safe district border."

"The price?"

"A debt of gratitude," Carmilla's red eyes glinted cunningly. "One Favor. In the future, I will ask one thing of you. Whatever it is, you cannot refuse."

This is a classic trap. A Favor from a Villain to a Vampire usually ends with 'Give me your blood' or 'Kill Duke X'.
But if I don't agree, I'll be minced by Assassins outside.

Survival now > Problems later.

"Fine," I answered firmly. "One Favor. As long as it doesn't make me die ridiculously or destroy my world."

"Deal," Carmilla stood up, extending her hand gloved in black silk.

I shook her hand. Cold.

[System Notification: Contract Formed with Carmilla (Vampire Queen)]
[Quest Updated: Escape Sector 13 safely.]

"Follow me, Partner," Carmilla grinned, revealing small fangs. "Let's see if the future 'Final Boss' can run as fast as he brags."

We walked towards a secret door behind the wine rack.
Just before the door closed, I looked back.
In Box Number 1, a figure in black robes was staring straight at me. No face, only darkness beneath the hood. And he was sharpening a serrated dagger with slow, threatening movements.

My gut told me, starting today, my list of enemies had added yet another terrorist organization.
Ah, the beauty of a popular life.

---

30 Minutes Later. In a Luxury Apartment Sector 4.
(Not the Zeroth house, but a 'Safe House' Amon bought via an anonymous account this afternoon)

I made it home without losing any limbs, thanks to Carmilla's rat tunnels. In my hand was the box containing the Lunar Flower.

"Only 40 Hours left before Aerith arrives," I placed the flower on the mini lab table I had prepared.
"Time to become an impromptu Alchemist."

I took off my jacket, rolled up my shirt sleeves, and stared at the small cauldron in front.
Tonight I won't sleep.
I have to brew the [Elixir of False Saint].

"But before that..."
I opened my pants pocket, taking out my phone. There was a new notification on the school news.

[HOT TOPIC: Helios Academy Forum]
Thread: "Who is Zeroth really? Monster or Trash?"
Top Comment (User: IceIceBaby): "He... is annoying. But he knows something we don't."
Second Comment (User: FireSwordGal): "I will defeat him! He was just lucky yesterday!"
Third Comment (User: HolyLightFanboy): "He is a blasphemer! Stay away from him!"

I laughed hollowly. "The world is waiting for you to fall, Amon. Don't disappoint them."

With renewed determination (and suppressed fear), I lit the burner under the cauldron.