Vengeance of the Returner

"God of darkness... I am here soliciting an answer."

Nix said standing inside the chamber of darkness that didn't possess a slight bit of light. He was certainly very enraged after getting to know that Corrupted gods were behind what he had to go through.

{Ask}

As the gruff voice entered his ears he began talking.

"Was Feroz khan your pawn?"

Nix asked in a low tone.

{Indeed, I was the one who made him do the bidding.}

"I see, Can I know the reason behind it?"

{Pushing you to the point of death was something I did for you to understand that you needed power.}

He couldn't say anything he just nodded his head and said.

"Thank you for answering..."

Nix said immediately left without further indulging in the conversation. He was angry and anxious plus he wasn't able to do shit about it. Al-zalam didn't say anything and just laughed as he walked out of the gate.

{Haha, You will have to seek me again soon.}

He sought power because of the incident that happened in saragame but, after knowing that the corrupted gods were behind and getting to know it first hand from the Al-zalam himself he felt like he was hit by the reality. There was only one thing that kept on tingling his heart.

It was the question about the meaning behind his miseries. Is it only him? Perhaps many people suffer just like him? those were things that kept on stabbing his heart. Was his purpose of life destined to be swept away by others' will?

'I need to do something about this... Awakening entropy, How the hell am I supposed to do that.'

He muttered sitting on the side platform of the road puffing his cigar.

'Are there people like me? What am I destined to be? Is destiny something that cannot be manipulated?'

He questioned himself gazing at the people that were busy minding their own business. He didn't have a proper goal. What would he do after killing Feroz? Complying to some powerful entity? serving self-proclaimed gods for them to achieve their goal?

He rose from his place and heaved out the smoke and muttered.

"Uff! I need to be as tactical and careful as possible. If necessary I need to be ready to do shit."

From now on he'd be pushed down and trampled on more often as such he'd need to become more monstrous than they could ever imagine. They in the sense the servants and apostles of gods. So, he chose to take action and not feel dreadful about the multiple problems he'll be facing.

He unsheathed his dagger and called out for Astaroth. 

"Yo man, Astaroth..."

{Haha, Isn't it ironic? You cannot do things alone as much as you like to do so.}

"Alright, You said you want to know about the things around here right? I'll help you and in exchange help me."

{Good choice}

"First do you know about Outsiders?"

{Outsiders? What is that?}

"I am an outsider and belong to the faction called outlaw who does evil things, at least that's what the people believe and it's not completely wrong though. Well, Outsiders are transmigrated from another world Nah, more like abducted here for serving a certain purpose for the so-called gods... I am from a world called earth."

He then continued about angels and devils and finally finished explaining about the treaty of conservation.

{Another world huh? Truly magnificent... Those gods went to the extent of summoning people? and you are implying that no higher-level existence lives in the Mid world?}

"Yes"

{Haha, It's Ironic how those gods made a deal with us by sealing us in the underworld only to get themselves sealed in Ether.}

"Alright now tell me about gods... Are they similar to humans with magic? How powerful are they?"

{Hmm, Insolence... You are still a child so it has to be expected. Now, Gods, dragons, celestial beings...  The conservation theory you mentioned already holds the answer. They are far from what you can see in the mid-world. So I assume you understand what I am trying to convey.}

"Hah, I get it! Never even have the slightest idea of going against them..."

{Hmm, you are quick. But that doesn't mean you have to rely on and comply with them to live in the mid-world does it?}

"But, I don't have any authority nor do I have the power to go against their followers."

{Buts and excuses will only throw you down and restrain your growth. This mentality is what makes you weak. I want something interesting, not just ordinary folk who struggle just to live on... Outgrow yourself so that you can live as you want. I am not willing to help you for free. Do you understand?}

"Easier said than done and I understand"

{I've already lived such an adventurous life during my young days. All you have to do is do some hard work.}

"Well, I am ready to do shit If I can get over from these shackles."

{Good...I'll help you with the exchange of it I need you to bring me a mortal body}

'A small price to pay for salvation.'

He mumbled and said.

"Fine by me. So we have a deal then?"

He needed help to become more skillful. He had already fought with people with a lesser stat pushing him to an edge with their skills as such he understood he was weak even though he was strong with his stats and buff. If he didn't have those cheats he'd have very much died way back in the forest of scrutiny.

{Indeed, I don't go back on my word... Now coming back to the leveling thing you mentioned. Why don't you try leveling up on your own?}

"I feel like for now I need to become more efficient with skills. If I want to hunt beasts to level up again."

{Hmm, It is not wrong to put it that way. A warrior who is far skilled in his swordsmanship even though he is physically lacking can win over someone higher in the physical level.}

"Alright, I kind of wanna know about the underworld... You'll go there after you regain your power?"

{I cannot go until I die here.}

"I see... " Nix said jokingly with a smirk on his face.

"Anyway, Imma go pick some slaves. Let's talk later..."

Nix said and inserted the dagger into his pouch and took a stroll for a few minutes and entered a dark street where a slave selling center was located.

"Faether? weird..."

He mumbled after reading the name board of the slave business center. 

The building was quite large enough to contain at least twenty slaves in cages on a single floor as it is a double-storey building. There may be forty slaves. And there were about ten plus people guarding them.

As soon as Nix entered, a fat man with a big bloated belly and thick mustache walked towards him with a smile. He was wearing a suit and had a walking stick in his hand and seemed probably in his mid-forties. His eyes firstly scanned Nix up and down from head to toe and that was enough for anyone to understand that he was already estimating Nix's worth.

"Welcome sir, How may I help you?"

The merchant asked.

A clan needs to go through multiple processes to open up a business unlike the natives of the city. The three other clans do possess business but only on a small level which gives them a little bit of passive income only enough to run their clans. There were certainly many complex things in Empyrean that were hard to comprehend for Nix. It's not like he didn't try to understand though.

"I am looking for combat slaves."

Nix said, scratching his cheek.

"Alright follow me, sir."

Receiving the fat man's reply Nix gave a slight nod and followed him deeper into the building. Unlike Nix's expectation, the slaves were excellent in condition. No, It Cannot be stated that they were in excellent condition. Let's surmise they seemed like they were decently treated and had a bit of life in their eyes. Anyways they are all forced into becoming slaves. So it's the end of the hypothesis. 

The Fat man entered a room and Nix followed him. Six cages were actually covered with black cloaks. So he was not able to see what type of racial kin there was inside it.

The man opened the first cage and said.

"Now this piece here is a Reynard kin, a subspecies of beast kin. One of the rare kin in our continent. These are quick-witted in battles and good in close combat."

[PRIVATE ABILITY ~Truth eye activated]

Nix nodded his head and gazed at the Reynard girl with his hand rubbing his chin after activating his truth eye. She was quite petite and a bit short. She possessed long ears that of a fox's and fluffy tail and she was chained plus her clothes were tattered and she was unconscious.

"What do you say, sir?" The fat man asked with a greedy grin to milk Nix's money since he estimated his worth by his armor and the weapons he was carrying.

But, Nix didn't show any satisfaction. 

"Please show me any other slave you have... It's okay if it's costly." 

"Alright sir, we got you covered! I believe you will find something you need..." The man said hesitantly with a slight disappointment

He opened up the next few cages and Nix didn't find anything satisfying since he observed the other slaves with the truth eye.

"I am sorry sir. We only have one unsold stock in the basement and it's quite a defective product..."

"Then show me that."

Nix said indifferently the man nodded his head and began talking.

"If you say so, sir."

The fat man said with hesitation and opened another door that connected to the basement of the building. In a distance was something monstrous tied with multiple chains letting out an ominous pressure that piqued Nix's interest...