Ali sat in the stands, his eyes lazily following the Frenchman as he dodged and weaved between the relentless onslaught of vines attempting to grab him. The giant moved with surprising agility, his bare feet digging into the sand, leaving deep impressions behind.
Meanwhile, Ali's mind was elsewhere.
'What to do with Jacob…'
His fingers tapped idly against the stone seat, his expression impassive as he ran through the possible outcomes.
'Getting the item isn't the problem. That part is easy. Once I give Jacob the ring, Jacob would leave the Air Guild and join the Adventurers' Guild. But that meant Jacob's value would drop immediately to me.'
'It would be better for me if he stayed.'
'Having a connection within one of the five guilds—especially one as powerful as the Air Guild—would be an invaluable asset in the long run. The further he ascended in Paradise, the more crucial it would be to have someone on the inside.'
'But getting Jacob to stay wouldn't be simple. The coward wouldn't agree without some kind of strong guarantee from me .'
Ali's sharp black eyes flickered down to the arena floor, where the Frenchman had just lunged forward, making a beeline for two massive, snake-like vines that had just shot toward him.
Then, something unexpected happened.
A golden necklace around the Frenchman's neck began to glow brightly, and in that instant—
The vines crashed into each other, missing him completely.
Ali's lips curled into a slight smirk. 'Luck-based skills….'
His thoughts drifted back to Jacob.
'If I deal with the merchant hunting them on the third level before Jacob ascends, he'll stay in the Air Guild. That much is certain. But knowing him, he'll still want something extra. I'll give him the ring. After that…'
Ali's fingers clenched into a fist.
'I'll just threaten him into obedience.'
Down below, the Frenchman dodged another incoming vine, his wild grin stretching across his face. He was closing the distance.
Then—
The golden die appeared again, spinning above his head.
Ali's gaze sharpened.
The die landed on six.
Immediately, the Frenchman's expression shifted into pure exhilaration.
The Nature Guild woman's eyes widened as she realised what was coming. Desperately, she slammed her foot into the sand, summoning a thick wooden trunk from the ground—a massive tree that shot up between them like a wall.
BOOOOOOM.
The Frenchman's fist obliterated it on impact.
Splinters and chunks of wood exploded in every direction as the shockwave from the punch carried through, crashing into the Nature Guild woman before she could react.
She barely had time to summon more vines to protect herself before—
SPLAT.
A burst of red mist filled the air.
Ali didn't blink as he watched the upper half of her body explode into a mess of gore, leaving behind nothing but a pair of legs still standing in place.
A few spectators gasped in shock. Some looked away. Others muttered in hushed voices.
Ali, on the other hand, was completely unfazed.
'A power that amplifies or reduces strength based on luck…? That'd be annoying to fight against'
He exhaled through his nose, already losing interest, and rose from his seat. He had more important things to do.
As he walked out of the arena, his interface pinged with a message from Jacob.
Ali opened it without breaking stride.
A detailed report on the merchant.
Ali's lips curled slightly.
The Merchant Guild's trading centre was the busiest place on the entire second level of Paradise. A sprawling network of intersecting streets, lined with hundreds of stalls and stores, each one packed with items, artefacts, and gear from countless different worlds.
Ali walked through the main road, his presence impossible to ignore.
Every pair of eyes followed him.
Some out of curiosity, others out of fear, and some out of admiration. His reputation had spread fast—too fast—and now, wherever he went, people whispered his name.
He ignored them.
'So he has a daughter…'
Ali's gaze remained on the report, scanning through the details.
'She's in the Merchant Guild as well, but she wants to leave.'
Wants to explore. To enter new worlds. To chase after adventure.
He continued reading.
'The merchant gave her the ring as an item that could save his stubborn daughter's life out in the dangerous worlds.'
Ali almost laughed.
It was so much easier than he expected.
This wasn't a trade dispute. It wasn't some cutthroat business deal.
It was just a father trying to keep his daughter safe.
Ali stepped into a clothing store, casually browsing through the selections. He still had a date tonight, and he wasn't about to show up looking like a bum in an expensive restaurant.
He chose his outfit and swapped his black tuxedo for the outfit.
Finally, he reached his destination.
A small, unassuming shop at the end of the street.
The sign above the door was faded, the paint chipping, but the inside was filled with rare artefacts—each one neatly displayed with a handwritten description of its abilities.
Ali pushed open the door.
DING.
A small bell rang, signalling his arrival.
At the counter, a young woman sat hunched over, a small dagger in hand, carving away at a piece of wood.
Without looking up, she called out—
"Dad, you have a customer!"
A deep voice responded from upstairs.
"I'll be down in a moment."
Ali's eyes drifted over the displays.
A blue necklace caught his attention.
— "Reduces the cost of Water Spear by 20%."
'Water Guild item.'
Another one—a dagger with a deep green glow.
— "Uses Spirit to release a poison cloud with neurotoxins."
Everything in the shop had a purpose, each item meticulously handpicked for those who could afford them.
But Ali wasn't here to shop.
STEP. STEP. STEP.
Heavy footsteps descended the stairs.
The merchant entered the room, a man in his early fifties, with black hair streaked with gray and a well-trimmed beard. His tired eyes flickered toward Ali—
And widened in shock.
The reaction was immediate. Recognition. Fear. Uncertainty.
"Hi—"
He stopped mid-greeting, his breath catching in his throat.
His daughter, confused by his reaction, finally turned to see what had him so stunned.
The moment she laid eyes on Ali—
Her entire face lit up with excitement.
"ALI?!"
Ali raised a brow. "You know me?"
"Of course! Who doesn't know you?!"
Her voice was brimming with energy, her violet eyes shining with admiration.
"I watched your duels! You were amazing! How did you do that move where you—"
Before she could launch into a full-blown rant, her father clamped a hand over her mouth, offering Ali an apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, sir. She gets carried away…"
Ali barely nodded, his eyes flicking to the gold ring on her index finger.
There it was.
"How can I help you, sir?" the merchant asked cautiously.
Ali's gaze drifted past him.
He pointed.
"The mask."
Hanging on the wall behind the merchant was a sleek black mask, its surface traced with golden lines, forming an intricate enchantment. The same golden lines as the ones he saw on the gloves Jacob offered him.
The merchant nodded. "Lisa, get the mask down."
The girl, clearly annoyed, dragged over a stool.
Ali raised his hand.
The mask flew into his palm.
Both father and daughter stared in shock.
Please donate some of your power stones, it would help my ff massively.
Five chapters ahead of webnovel on patreon.com/Rondo312