My Disciples Think I’m Strong

The path to the black market.
As it was late at night, the fewer people there were, the more an eerie chill ran down my spine.

I’m not sure if it was because October had arrived and the weather was getting chilly, or because of the faint hostility lingering in the air, but it was an unpleasant sensation.
It felt like a murder could happen at any moment, prompting my hand to instinctively reach for my sword.

Without letting my guard down, I continued walking down the moonless path.

That’s how I arrived at the black market near the slums on the outskirts of Pretium.

Fortunately, there were no incidents on the way.
Something would definitely happen on the way back, but that was something to think about after acquiring the third hero.

The entrance to the black market was even more desolate than the path I had taken.
It felt like a test of courage. I felt like chuckling dryly.

From here on, it was a place where notorious criminals lurked. I had to be careful not to carelessly meet anyone’s gaze.
Especially for someone like me, who indiscriminately emitted Intimidation.

Just as I had my robe pulled low, a sudden voice called out.

“Who are you?”

‘See? Trouble has already started.’
“Are you talking to me? You must have two lives or something.”

…Would I be able to get out of here alive?

Since I had spoken, I had no choice but to look at the man who had (?) picked a fight. I tried glaring at him with some force, and the man swallowed a scream and started minding his own business.

“Hick—! No, my, my bad.”

‘Well, that’s a relief.’
“Watch your mouth. If you don’t want to die.”

I issued a warning to the man and walked past him.
Phew, good. I’m relieved.

“What the hell was that guy… Why would someone of that caliber be here… Could he be a knight?”

I stopped in my tracks at the man’s murmur and looked back.
A knight, huh? Such a misunderstanding couldn’t be allowed.

‘If there’s a misunderstanding, it could attract unwanted attention, so I should clear it up in advance.’
“Do I look like some lowly knight to you?”

…Huh? Didn’t I just insult knights with that remark?

“A, a lowly knight?!”

The man faltered and took a few steps back from me. He seemed utterly shocked.

“I can’t believe you’d look down on the Imperial Knights. Even the insane S-rank adventurers don’t disrespect the Imperial Knights…”

This was strange. The mage from the Magic House had said there was a concealment spell on my mask.

I touched my mask.
I had bought this mask while retrieving the staff from the Magic House, but it seemed it couldn’t conceal my Intimidation.

“Wha, what are you?”

‘I can’t tell you.’
“Those who try to learn about me end up dead by my hand. I guess you want me to kill you too.”

As I blatantly grabbed my sword, the man flinched and deeply bent his waist, as if he was about to slam his head into the ground.

“Kuhh! I’m, I’m sorry!”

‘Oh, he apologized first. What a gain. But I have no intention of telling him.’
“Don’t try to learn about me. Unless you want to bid farewell to your life.”

I turned away. I was in a hurry.
Speaking of which, did I clear up the knight misunderstanding? I hope so.

“Do I look like some lowly knight to you?”
“A, a lowly knight…?!”

‘He, he’s insane.’

That’s what Dex, the guild master of the Secret Garden information guild, thought.

He had only approached the man because he felt an ominous presence as he was on his way to Wirang’s Indulgence for the slave auction that happened once every few months.
But the man had suddenly threatened to kill him and was now insulting the knights representing the Empire.
From Dex’s perspective, it was simply outrageous.

‘The Imperial Knights represent the Empire’s knights. Each and every one of them has the combat prowess equivalent to an A-rank adventurer. For him to call them lowly… Even S-rank adventurers don’t disrespect them… Could he be capable of defeating the entire knight order by himself?’

“Wha, what are you?”

Trying to learn someone’s information was an informant’s instinct. He hurriedly covered his mouth after the thoughtless words, but it was too late.

‘I’m dead. Damn, my tongue was too long.’

“Those who try to learn about me end up dead by my hand. I guess you want me to kill you too.”

“Kuhh! I’m, I’m sorry!”

Overwhelmed by the suffocating pressure, Dex reflexively bent his waist.
Praus issued a brief warning to him before turning and walking away.

As the receding footsteps grew fainter, Dex sank to the ground in relief, his back already drenched in cold sweat.

‘This… I shouldn’t have paid attention to something like a slave auction. I need to learn that person’s identity. At the very least, he’s an S-rank adventurer. That arrogance wouldn’t make sense unless he had that level of skill!’

The man struggled to stand and spoke.

“That’s it!”

‘Come to think of it, there have been rumors about an eighth S-rank adventurer for the past few months. Their identity hasn’t been revealed yet, but could it be… Is he really the eighth one?’

Recalling the Intimidation he had felt, he was filled with elation. A greed for such fresh information began to burn in his eyes.

“Come out.”
“You called, Master.”

At his words, guild members who had been hiding in the shadows revealed themselves.

“You barely managed not to flee. That ‘person’ must have already detected your positions.”
“It seemed so. He even sent Intimidation our way.”
“The sheer Intimidation almost broke our ‘Silhouette’ technique.”

Silhouette was a stealth skill that any Secret Garden member could use, allowing them to hide in shadows or shade.

The members clicked their tongues as they recalled the man.
They were in awe of his ability to instantly detect their positions and send Intimidation their way.

However, contrary to their awe, they had only felt his Intimidation because they happened to be in his line of sight.
In other words, they were gravely mistaken.

“Guild Master Dex, do you remember the Dingk murder case from a few days ago?”
“Yes, I remember.”

The black-haired man who had killed Dingk, the man infamous for trying to kill several apprentice knights, in a single strike.
A man who had risen like a meteor in the underworld overnight.

‘At the time, the slum people said it was astonishing how he killed without moving an inch.’

“Due to the concealment spell on his mask, we couldn’t get a clear look at his face. But when we compared his physique, it matched to some extent.”
“What… The man who killed Dingk in a single strike?!”
“Not with certainty. It was too dark to see clearly, and he was wearing a robe, so we couldn’t be sure. But his hair color, head size, shoulder width, and stride felt similar.”

‘If it’s him, that’s a huge deal. Dingk’s level was enough to defeat not only the Imperial Knights but also B-rank adventurers. But beyond his ability to instantly shatter our Silhouette and the imposing presence he showed us, which rivaled an S-rank adventurer… It would make sense for him to look down on the knights.’

“Find out about that person immediately. But you must not let him notice you tailing him under any circumstances. If he realizes we’re tailing him, the entire guild could be destroyed.”

‘This information will be expensive. Very expensive. Even if he’s not the eighth S-rank adventurer, someone of his caliber is worth risking our lives for.’

Dex smirked as he began issuing orders to his subordinates.
Praus, on the other hand, was completely unaware they were an information guild, solely wishing for a low auction price.

The sign bore letters far removed from Korean.
To my eyes, they looked like Arabic.
But thanks to Praus’s memories, I could understand them.

Wirang’s Indulgence.
The massive tavern where slave auctions were held.

I had finally arrived.
It had a brighter atmosphere than the typical black market.

Well, this was a place knights frequently visited for drinks, and it was right next to the red-light district.
Glancing at the pink lights visible around the corner, I recalled my original purpose.

I only needed to buy one.
Please let me be able to finish it for 1,300 gold!

“Ahem.”

I cleared my throat to ease my tension and proceeded forward.
At the tavern’s entrance, two burly men stood idly.

“What brings you here today?”

As I approached, one of the men blocked my path.

“I’m here for the slave auction.”

I spoke with my head lowered. I didn’t want to unnecessarily cause trouble with my Intimidation.

“Unfortunately, this is a place where the scale of money differs. Some proof of status—”

Jingle.
I opened my money pouch, revealing the gold coins. Seeing the very hefty pouch, they exchanged glances and took a step back.

“My apologies, sir. Please, enter.”

Money really was the best, after all.
Moreover, the slave auction system’s lack of identity verification was very convenient.

This place often received visits from nobles whose public image was important, so anonymity was maintained to protect the nobles’ sordid private lives.

That’s why masks were worn to conceal faces.

“You must pay the basic drink fee to participate in the slave auction. The charge is ten gold coins. Please keep that in mind.”
“I’m aware. Don’t worry.”
“Any weapons you’re carrying will be held by us. Once inside, follow the instructions of the guide.”
“Got it. I’ll do that.”

Since none of them had the Emotion Perception skill, they would probably just see my sword as an ordinary blade.
I could rest assured.

“Yes. Then. May you find a good slave.”

At times like these, an arrogant tone really helped.
The brutes would probably think I was some noble’s son.

I passed through the gate and entered the tavern.
As the men had said, a neatly dressed female guide was standing at the entrance. She bowed to me.

“Welcome. May I ask your purpose for visiting Wirang’s Indulgence?”
“The slave auction.”
“I see. Please go to the bartender and say ‘slave,’ then pay ten gold coins. We will hold onto your weapon. It will be returned to you once the slave auction ends, so please rest assured.”
“I’ll do that.”

I handed my sword over to her.
I casually took a seat at the single table where the bartender stood.

“One slave here.”

At my words, the bartender briefly glanced at me before preparing a drink, moving in a flashy manner.

“One Slave, coming right up.”

He handed me a glass filled with a black liquid. I placed ten gold coins on the table.
He took them with a smile and placed a numbered placard in front of me.

It read ’87’.
So nearly ninety people had gathered for this slave auction.

Just how premium were the slaves for nobles to go crazy over them?

I silently looked at the glass and pondered.
Then, out of curiosity, I picked it up and took a sip.

It had a sweet, sour, and slightly salty taste. Like wine made from grapes.
As someone who only knew of soju and beer as alcoholic drinks, I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
I set the glass down.
I tried to relax my eyes as much as possible to suppress my Intimidation and looked around. I wasn’t sure if it was working, but I gave it a try.

Everyone was conversing politely, as if they were at a party or banquet. Some were quietly drinking.

However, there was one person who particularly caught my attention.
A tanned man wearing an outfit with his chest fully exposed, flaunting his beefy muscles.

Even at a cursory glance, the air around him felt different. Was it just because there were a lot of women around him?
…Ugh, he’s even groping their chests?

Was that an S-rank adventurer?

“Geez.”
“Sir, are you sighing at a place like this?”
“Mind your own business.”

The bartender looked at me.

“Your sigh sounded too heavy to simply mind my own business. For now, why don’t you forget all your worries from outside and enjoy this moment?”

‘I wish I could enjoy it. But this is a matter of life and death for me.’
“Don’t worry about it. I know what I’m doing.”

“As you wish.”

He smiled faintly in response.

By the time I had finished the drink in my glass, the atmosphere in the tavern began to change.
Two large wooden shelves that had displayed liquor suddenly moved, revealing an entrance in the wall.

Through it, a man wearing a goblin mask emerged, his shoes clopping on the floor.

“Good evening, everyone! We will now begin the 3rd Slave Auction! Those with placards, please enter! Seating is first-come, first-served! The closer you sit, the better you’ll be able to see the slaves, so I recommend hurrying! Now, come on in!”

The goblin-masked man snapped his fingers. The people holding placards began filing in one by one. Even the beefy man I had been closely watching entered.
The goblin man checked each person’s placard as they entered, repeatedly bowing his waist.

“Welcome, Bidder #56.”
“Bidder #31, welcome.”

I rose from my seat.

“May you have a good time.”
“A good time… I certainly hope so.”

I snorted at the bartender’s words and stood in front of the auction entrance.

“Bidder #87, welcome.”

It was starting now.
Please, let this go smoothly. Really.