Falcon felt a bit overwheld when the Rank 2 woman called them 'Sir', but Felix didn't feel much as he had even killed a Rank 2 before.
"It's our first ti in the castle, can you please show us around the place?", he asked politely.
The maid nodded and gestured them towards one of the brightly lit corridors.
"Sure. This path leads you to the various facilities of the underworld while the others are for different purposes."
She brought the two deeper into the corridor, pointing at the many chambers on both sides and introducing their utility.
"That one is the Training Hall where fighters of all the ranks can train and compete with each other, that one is the Forbidden Library which...."
She continued guiding them as they traversed the whole corridor and returned to the Great Hall.
Pointing at the other corridors, she ntioned.
"Those paths are strictly confidential and only allowed for the higher-ups of the Underworld. If you're seen there, then you'll be punished by the guards and may even face death. So please refrain from going there. That'll be all, I hope you understood everything."
The maid bowed a little to show her professional behaviour and walked away leaving behind the dubious pair who glanced at each other in wonder.
"What's so special about those paths, huh? Is there like a hidden secret kept there?", Falcon remarked with a curious face.
"That may be the case...."
Felix replied as he turned around towards the only corridor available to them and started walking deeper.
"Well, why don't we go have so fun for now."
*****
The Black Market.
Inside a naless shop situated at a corner of the whole place.
A middle-aged woman was stirring the contents of a huge pot in the middle of the room.
Before her stood two n, the charismatic Mr.Dealer and an anxious Steve.
They patiently waited for the woman to do her work, moving their eyes along the stirring stick of hers.
A few minutes later, she stopped and cleaned her hands as she moved over to the counter.
"So, what can I do for you?", she asked staring at the two.
Mr.Dealer walked forward along with Steve and pointed at the boy.
"Check his nerves, you'll find out...."
Samantha, the black market's alchemist, raised her brow in confusion as Steve gave her his hand which she lightly grabbed.
Her face turned serious a few seconds later when she sensed the chaotic and unstable nerves of the boy.
"This..."
She turned towards Mr.Dealer with a frown, who shrugged and replied unsurely.
"Don't ask . I'm no expert in that field that's why I brought him here."
Steve beca anxious watching their interaction as he was worried about his condition.
"Umm...Miss Samantha, is my situation critical? Or is there so hope for ?"
Samantha contemplated with a visible frown on her face for a few seconds before responding.
"You're nerves are completely damaged to the point of rupturing, which ans you can't cultivate in the normal way anymore. This is not the first ti I've co across such a condition but...."
Steve's eyes lit up thinking there may be a possible cure to his problem, but her next words froze him.
"....I've never seen soone recover from it."
She looked at the boy with pity as he struggled to keep a straight face, and then turned to the side.
"Don't you have many tricks up your sleeves? Why don't you try helping him?"
Mr.Dealer who had a serious face sighed as he shook his head.
"I'm helpless too. You're the only one I could think of upon seeing his condition..."
The two of them continued conversing with each other, while Steve sunk in his thoughts.
'Is this it?..... Is this my end? Will I never be able to grow strong anymore? Stuck in the Rank 1 forever?....'
His face turned pale and his head shook due to the intense emotions he was going through.
The two adults in the room noticed his state and stopped talking as they glanced at each other in worry.
"Is there nothing you can do?", Mr.Dealer hushed at her.
Samantha gave a wry smile while shaking her head.
Raising his head, Steve took a deep breath to shake off his thoughts and turned toward the alchemist with a forced and helpless smile.
"Miss Samantha, I can't live like this. I have yet to experience so much in life and grow more stronger than I already am. I have to face the guild wars with my teammates and there's also the unknown danger lurking around."
His eyes turned red in sadness as he almost begged on his knees.
"There must be sothing you can do! It doesn't matter what happens to or what challenges I may face from here onwards, if there's a way to treat , then please....please tell !"
He pleaded with her pitifully, making her awkward as she scratched her cheeks.
Mr.Dealer too glanced at her intensely, hoping she could help the boy.
Under the heavy pressure from the two of them, Samantha gave up and muttered in hesitation.
"This...I won't recomnd you this but it's the only thod I have."
Steve's eyes lit up again as he rapidly nodded.
"I'll do it! I'm willing to do anything to recover and get stronger."
Samantha remained quiet seeing his persistence and finally yielded when he didn't back down at all.
With an exhausted sigh, she stepped into her cabin by the side and brought out a bunch of similar vials of potions from there.
Placing the vials on the counter, she made a solemn expression and started explaining.
"I don't have a cure for your condition but that doesn't an others don't. That's why I suggest you visit an established place like the Royal Capital or sowhere to find sothing to treat your nerves."
She then pointed her finger to the potions and said.
"As for these potions, they have good news and bad news. The good news is that they can temporarily reawaken your nerves which ans you can fight how you normally do, and the bad news is that these only work for one month. After which, your nerves gets completely damaged to the point of no return."
Samantha warned the boy who had started to get excited even when she told him its drawbacks.
"I'm saying it again. If you're not confident in finding yourself a cure within a month, then it's better you don't use any of these potions.
So, are you still going to do this?"
Steve stared at the vials as he contemplated with a serious face.
Mr.Dealer on the side showed a complicated face as he expressed.
"Steve, I think you should reconsider this. Taking such a risk will not benefit you, where a simple mistake can bring you down to nothing."
The boy on the other hand was feeling complex inside as he didn't understand even his own thoughts.
A part of him wanted to refuse to use the potions which scread danger, while a part of him wanted to face the challenge and prove by himself that he could find a cure.
As he drowned in his thoughts, he rembered the battle which created all of these problems.
'That ti I couldn't do anything at all...'
The Rank 2 bandit's mocking face appeared in his mind, which had haunted him the entire night yesterday.
Shaking his head, Steve turned toward the alchemist Samantha as he ca to a decision and gave her his answer.
"I..."
*****
The Underworld Castle.
Felix carefully opened a large door and walked in along with Falcon a step behind.
They looked around and found themselves inside a bar-like lounge where a dozen people sat around in silence.
Huge beautiful chandeliers hung from the ceilings, brightening the room with ambience and the scent of fresh flowers from the different juices on the counter lingered in the place.
Felix and Falcon stood stupefied at the entrance as the door slowly closed on its own.
With a strange voice, Falcon muttered with visible confusion on his face.
"Umm...Phantom, did we end up in the wrong place or sothing?"
Felix woke up to reality at his words, as he quietly took a few steps back and opened the door of the room again to check what was written on there.
And there before his eyes was a label on the door terd 'Training Hall', which made him widen his eyes in surprise as he walked back beside Falcon.
"I don't know what to say...."
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