Chapter 65

The purple fog that had spread below the basement remained as it was. However, unlike before when he couldn't see even a step ahead, Renok's eyes began to pierce through more. The composition of magic, the structure of the barrier. The moment he became curious about the contents beyond the essence of the purple fog that obscured his view, the shadow of an answer naturally appeared. A vague stall and the silhouette of someone sitting there could be seen in the distance. And it was distinctly different from the old man he knew. "........." But the face that appeared as the fog cleared was no different from the old man's face from last time. The old man, who had been looking up at Renok with a pipe in his mouth, grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth. "Oh, who's this?" "It's been a while." "A familiar face has come. Please, take a seat." "........." His reputation had indeed risen since the last time he came, so he had expected the treatment to be different, but he didn't expect it to be this blatant. The old man's act of bringing out a decent chair from behind the stall and preparing a seat for Renok was incredibly materialistic. It was surprising that despite his blatant attitude, he didn't come across as particularly despicable. Renok smiled wryly and sat down in the chair the old man had brought. "I've been listening to the rumors about our mage for a long time." The old man rubbed his hands together and his eyes sparkled. "I recognized you at first sight when you first came here. I knew you would become a very capable person, using your outstanding talent to sweep up money...!" "....Is that so?" He was sure that the old man used to criticize him, questioning whether he was dead or alive. The old man's attitude was now extremely polite, as if Renok's previous impression had been a mere illusion. "If you're making money, it's not a bad thing to cultivate your hobbies, is it? I've set aside some very good items for you. Friends who like smoking would go crazy over them." The old man began rummaging through the crowded shelves behind the stall. "I won't beat around the bush. Take a look." With that, the old man started placing various items, more than a dozen, on the stall. From those with brown, black, or deep green colors, to long, cigar-like items, and thick, solid objects. "I'll tell you what these items are used for." After placing the items, the old man began to explain each one briefly. Strength enhancement, mental focus, stamina increase... Each one temporarily doped the user's mind and body, but in return, caused a rebound effect later. The old man knew exactly what kind of drugs Renok was looking for. Among them, there were some that caught his interest with their novel approach. The old man, noticing Renok's gaze, quickly picked up the item and continued his explanation. A deep reddish-brown body with a black filter, encircled by gold in between—a cigarette that looked far from ordinary. "It's called Double Scarlet. Your taste is excellent. This is quite an interesting item, as the name suggests." "........." "Depending on how you inhale, it provides two completely different effects. While swirling the smoke in your mouth, it simply makes your senses more acute, but if you inhale deeply into your lungs... " The old man smirked. "You'll feel your blood rush backward." In short, it was a cigarette that produced different effects depending on whether you inhaled superficially or deeply. To Renok, it was an incredibly novel concept. Perhaps in a civilization where magical techniques had developed, such doping methods had been created. "Actually, this is more commonly used by psychics rather than mages or warriors. Since the relationship between magic and psychic powers is unclear, many psychics struggle to find ways to enhance their senses or physical abilities." This item could be a great partner for such friends, the old man said, offering the cigarette to Renok. "Would you like to try one?" ".....I'd like to see the other items first." For this visit, Renok had brought 20 million cells. Considering that he usually bought dozens at a time, he was willing to try items that cost hundreds of thousands of cells each. 'Even if I can't gain a physical advantage, I need to reduce the chances of being held back in future battles.' The stronger the opponent, the more he would encounter. As Renok's reputation and value increased, the requests he received would become more difficult and complex. Cashburn had helped make his range of activities no different from that of ordinary people, but now it was no longer enough. At the very least, he needed to achieve the physical abilities of a superhuman who could use magic. He didn't have high hopes. With his poor motor skills, attempting close combat would be a loss. Just something that could suppress pain and aid movement during battles. Renok knew very well how precious the brief moments of movement could be. 'I also need to consider the side effects... It's difficult.' Good effects often came with strong side effects, and vice versa. Items that balanced both were either rare or extremely expensive. The best approach was to choose one effect he wanted and find an item with minimal side effects. In the end, after much deliberation, Renok chose two types of cigarettes: the Double Scarlet the old man had recommended and Feather Fall. The latter made the body feel lighter and had a primary doping effect, making it a banned substance openly used by track and field athletes. Whether such a boost in agility would be useful in actual combat was questionable, but it was better than extreme painkillers like Defiler-2. He had many thoughts from his battle with Beck Clinton. In fact, everything Renok was doing now was essentially preparation for facing superhumans specialized in physical abilities. He wanted to avoid his frail body being a hindrance at the decisive moment. Of course, he knew that such measures wouldn't solve the fundamental problem. But to secure a victory now was to look forward to tomorrow. For Renok, a victory that was worse than a defeat didn't exist. This precarious balancing act was only valid on the premise that Renok would win every battle. Despite a few close calls, he had managed to hold on so far. "You look troubled." The old man, who was packaging the cigarettes, glanced up at Renok. "There must be a reason for a talented mage like you to seek such items. I understand." "........" "But you know, these are not simple medicines. They are more like balloons that inflate a single positive effect of medicine. If you misuse them... " The old man spread his arms wide and smiled coldly. "Be careful. I hope you come back in good shape next time." The old man's initial servile attitude was gone, and his face changed as soon as he thought the business was over. It seemed even that was just a form of entertainment for him. Renok smiled wryly without responding and immediately left the orchard. He knew that spending time pondering the old man's words was meaningless. The old man's warning wasn't entirely empty, but it wasn't out of genuine concern for Renok. It was just for the moment's pleasure, to see his reaction. Perhaps such an approach was the best way to survive in this city. Renok took out a cigarette from the case he had filled in his bag. Double Scarlet. Unlike Feather Fall, which he had bought to use intensively during battles, he chose this as a replacement for Cashburn. He had been thinking it was time to switch due to his tolerance to the drug, but the thought of completely switching to a new item made him feel conflicted. Would his body get worse? Would it affect his daily life? These were minor and awkward concerns, things he had never thought about or needed to worry about when escaping the factory. But from Renok's position, now that he had more things in his hands, it was natural to think about them. "........." Was he afraid of change? No, that wasn't it. Since opening his eyes in this world, the emotions Renok felt were always unfamiliar and fearful. So, he shouldn't hesitate. The happier the families around the botanical garden looked, the colder Renok's expression became. He was used to steadying his own heart. Renok's body quickly disappeared among the people. Clue Back to Sector 40. This area, filled with entertainment venues and clubs. The guest room of the Learta Club. Renok found Raoul and briefly explained what had happened. The involvement of the city government agents, the slush funds held by Councilor Rayson, and the terrorist organization Falsion, which had teamed up with the black mages. None of these were easy issues to resolve. "Such things have happened..." Raoul, listening to Renok's story with a serious expression, nodded. His worried expression made him look much older than before. "These are not easy problems to solve. The leader of those black mages... Craig, was it? Now that he's teamed up with Falsion, it's even more complicated." "I know what Falsion is." Falsion, a terrorist organization well-known even to the citizens of Balkan, was a group of wanderers who roamed unexplored areas, gathering criminals who survived by looting and killing, forming a large-scale organization. They were one of the most dangerous elements for those planning inter-city travel. In particular, the leader of Falsion, Jauan Odis, was a well-known figure even in the deep web, a high-risk criminal with a danger level equivalent to an A-level wanted criminal. Seeing Raoul's complicated expression, Renok waited calmly for