Black Market

Ray was browsing through his phone while perched on a rooftop in the day. "There's a black market having an auction soon, I wonder if I should go."

He scrolled through the news and saw a warning to people who wished to against the wishes of Malphus.

"Diamond Night, a known lackey of Malphus has began to go hunt rebels like crazy. They originally only moved against assassins but something has changed. Do not become a rebel, this knight is simply too powerful to fight," it read.

"Hmm," Ray scratched his chin. "It's an awfully coincidental time considering my message of help to Celine."

He began to consider possibilities and eventually decided to treat Diamond Night as Celine. The timings were too coincidental and the merciless slaughter the Diamond Night had committed for Celine's character from what Ray remembered.

"She didn't seem like she liked humans or had any morals at all, so Diamond Night could definetly be her," he mumbled.

He shrugged it off in the end. Whether or not Diamond Night was Celine didn't change anything for him. He would focus on something else for now.

"I don't have any money to auction but I think I should still go to strengthen my connections. If I know who gets the strong items then I know who to avoid as well."

Ray put on a simple plain mask nearby and began to depart to the black market for fun. He had no intentions of buying anything but wanted to observe the people instead.

Rows and rows of stalls where people sold cybernetic enhancements that would have severe effects on a persons lifespan showed themselves. Of course, these stalls also sold illegal radioactive parts and basic manuals for magic that almost tempted the moneyless Ray.

Dozens of people in robed hoods traversed the walkways. Fights occasionally happened and Ray never stayed for too long at them. He was still wanted by criminal organizations which were thriving around here.

After a while, Ray decided to go to the auction and bumped into a person but immediately apologized.

"Sorry!" He said to the individual he bumped into. They wore a black hood and had a chilling glare but it wasn't directed at Ray.

He saw them staring at a sign for one of the items at the auction. It wasn't of very high value but it would still be bid on. The item was.

"Scarlet's miasma"

The individual didn't seem to mind Ray at all. They never even batted an eye towards him while purely focusing on the item.

"Do you want the miasma?" Ray asked in his disguise.

The cloaked figure who had been walking away turned for just one second while nodding in affirmation. Then, the duo began to part ways.

However, Ray suddenly felt his body move impulsively as he took a confident step forward and put his hand on the disguised figure's shoulder.

"Uhh- I can help get that item, let's go to the auction together," he stuttered.

Ray hadn't understood why he moved impulsively. But for some reason, he guessed it was because he knew this figure was strong and could be an ally.

He could've never guessed the reason why he knew this was because he felt Celine's distinct divinity in the area. It was something that he had come in contact with before and it radiated Celine's presence which was why he thought of the cloaked figure as an ally.

"You have money?" cloaked Celine said because Ray didn't look like he had a great status.

"No," Ray sighed. "But I have a plan! I can make a distraction for you while you walk in there and take the miasma on your own. You seem strong enough and the black market thugs won't chase you for long because the item isn't even the most precious one they have."

Celine mused over the myserious stranger's plan for a moment. She didn't want to get help from others but it would be especially convenient right now with her low time limit.

"Don't take too long, I will wait for your distraction."

She didn't know why she was being helped but welcomed it regardless. She hoped the cloaked man himself also had a way to escape because Celine liked to pay debts back.

Without any hesitation, Celine found herself sitting in the public auction, waiting. She knew she would be strong enough to take the miasma but not enough to escape. She had to thank the mysterious man later.

…

"I'm so fucking dumb," Ray softly cursed while setting something up.

"Helping a random stranger based of off a feeling. Now, no matter what happens I'll piss somebody off. Either the black market or the powerful figure is gonna be mad at me."

In the end, Ray ran from place to place while setting up explosives made with his sigil. "It's a good thing I learned how to make dynamite," Ray thought.

The sigil of creation had a clear limit of knowledge in order to create. It was easier for Ray to strengthen his affinity than it was for Aria but his sigil also required intensive knowledge on what he would make as well.

The sigil of telekinesis Celine had was the inverse of this. If lightning affinity is assumed to be the basis for how difficult it is to strengthen affinity, then creation affinity was easier to strengthen but had a limitation of knowledge, while telekinesis affinity was harder to strengthen but easier to use.

For example, Celine had a harder time understanding and strengthing 'telekinesis' than Aria when she connected with lightning affinity, but it was easier for Celine to use telekinesis in battle. It was the inverse of how it was easier for Ray to understand creation but he had limitations of knowledge.

All magical affinities were created the same. One might be easier to learn but harder to use.It was a law of the universe.

Nevertheless, Ray had just finished putting down the last dynamite.

The black market would be in for a show.

"I wonder what they need that miasma for though," Ray wondered.