I Became a Mafia in the Academy

Chapter 288

I could feel the eyes around me starting to turn toward me.

Gazes filled with curiosity, anticipation, and wonder.

I wonder if they're all looking in this direction thinking the same thing.

‘I wonder who this new guy is.’

‘Who is he, and why is he dressed like that?’

‘You can't come here unless you're a big name, but……what's his villain's name.’

"I frequent the black market a lot, but you know what, I'm suspicious of something I've never seen before, so I'd like to know what your name is."

The first thing he did was actually ask me for my name.

It's not that hard to give a name, after all, so I don't think it's a big deal.

"Dark Spirit."

His body twitches at my answer.

"What? You're Dark Spirit? That's ridiculous. Dark Spirit definitely doesn't show itself to anyone……."

"You're bothering me, if you don't believe me, check with Dolce Puppet. He's the one who let me in here."

"……damn it."

At the mention of Dolce Puppet's name, he stiffened.

He scratched his head, shaking it from side to side in confusion.

"No offense, I've never seen you before, I was just curious."

As if that wasn't enough to summarize the situation, he immediately dropped his hostility and stepped back.

"So, are you done with……now?"

"You're not going to kill me for seeing you, are you?"

"……."

I said nothing, just stared at my opponent, bored.

The shaking black smoke and the glowing blue eyes pierce through him but I didn't want to put him under any pressure.

"I can't believe Dark Spirit is out in the world, man."

Eventually, he turns and walks away. I shake my head at the sight of him, then turn my head once more, and before I know it, the gathered gazes have returned to their respective seats.

Or, more accurately, averted eyes.

This should be enough.

The Villain Alliance was sure to be shaken up by this and rightly so.

Dark Spirit known to heroes and villains alike as Fear had officially revealed itself.

"Huh? Dark Spirit? You're Dark Spirit?!"

Suddenly, a flash of light flashed before my eyes and something appeared…a creature that didn't read the atmosphere around it and charged.

It had a short body, wings on its back, and a face full of mischief.

"Wow! I never thought I'd see Dark Spirit here, I need your autograph. Huh? Huh?"

"……Peak."

"Huh? You know me? Wow, I'm flattered."

I scratched my head in confusion and calmed my panic.

No, why in the world would she come out here?

“I never imagined that Dark Spirit would show up, so I guess all the other guys here have similar thoughts…hmm……”

As she muttered that, the creature that had been flying around me floated down to my eye level and nodded.

"Well, I guess you're right!"

Just as I was thinking, "What did she see that made her feel that way?" I remembered the shoes I was wearing.

Black Mist, my shoes, newly crafted from the core of Dark Spirit.

If she's close to the spirits, she must have identified me as Dark Spirit by the aura they emit.

‘This is an unexpected stroke of luck.’

I ask, because I now have another hand to hide, another way to prove my identity.

"By the way, Dark Spirit, why are you here, huh? Can I ask?"

What's the point of asking when you're already asking?

I didn't really feel the need to answer, but the other person was on ‘that' Peak.

There was no reason for me to say no, and there was no need to make a big deal out of it.

"I'm just here to get something. Fairy."

"Hmph~ I see you need something too. What is it you're trying to get by showing up like this? Can't you tell me?"

"Why should I tell you?"

"Aye~ I was just curious. Yeah, it's kind of interesting, isn't it, that this is the first place you've ever shown up, even though the executives of the Villain Alliance called you that, and you never showed up."

The fairy chattered on without pause.

Chuckling at that, Peak spun around and added.

"You, you might be quite busy today."

With that meaningful remark, she waved.

"Well, bye-bye~ see you later!"

I couldn't believe she just walked up to me and said hello, and then disappeared.

Or rather, I should say it was fairy-like.

Now that I'm at the Black Market, I've come to realize how many different people I meet.

Now, I started to notice the chatter around me with every step I took and the fear that surrounds me just by walking.

The name ‘Dark Spirit’ was enough to make many villains feel afraid.

‘Well, it's certainly an effect.’

Transform fear into power, and infuse it into the Ancient Berserker's Ring to create an aura of fear.

Perhaps, just walking around me will send a chill down their spines?

‘Hmm?’

A stall in the corner of the market caught my eye.

A fist-sized stone emitting a faint blue light, it was what I was looking for, a moonstone.

I glanced up and saw a man at the stall.

The owner was looking at me, shivering for some reason.

"This one. How much?"

"What? Uh. Uh, it's, uh, 1.5 million credits."

"1.5 million credits?"

That's cheaper than I thought, I was thinking.

"1.1 million! I can't cut you any more than that! I mean, I have to make a living, don't I?"

For some reason, the price has suddenly dropped.

No, I don't know why they're only selling moonstones for 1.1 million, but I have nothing to lose.

"Okay, I'll take the deal."

I handed him the equivalent of 1.1 million credits in cash.

"Ah, yes, thank you!"

And with that, I put the moonstone in my cube and walked away.

It was a good start.

The next item I needed was a Night Shard.

I wonder if Night Shards are in low demand? The stalls didn't seem to be selling them.

‘I'll have to go to the auction house.’

But there was still some time before the auction so I decided to do a little kid shopping while I was here.

Besides, just walking around is a good way to absorb the fear, so it's good to be prepared just in case. For example…….

"What the hell are you doing?"

I'm sure there will be some who will try to test me.

That's the nature of being a villain.

With the weight of the name "Dark Spirit," I expected there would be people who would try to take me down and make a name for themselves.

But I thought that was after everything was over……. “I never thought there would be an asshole attacking me at Dolce Puppet’s Black Market.”

"If I knock you out, they'll probably try to recruit me rather than punish me anyway, so why should I worry about that?!"

"Foolish."

He would have to knock me down for the assumptions themselves to be true, so what kind of confidence did he have?

So much fear all around me.

-Sshhhhhhhhh.

I slipped into the shadows and moved behind him.

I activate the Abyssal Flame Ring.

I unleash all the power I've accumulated by absorbing fear, and in an instant, the creature's body is engulfed in black flames.

"Eh?!

Since he attacked out of nowhere, I didn't bother to adjust his firepower.

"Gmaan……!!! I was wrong……! Please Kaaaagh!!!"

I look at the near-dead creature and extinguish the flames.

"Ugh…… ugh…… ugh……."

It was only a short time, but the flames burning through the light and the Aura for fuel had reduced the creature to nothing but a puff of air.

As if that weren't enough, the fear from the surroundings was transformed into aura and flowed into me.

"──Do not interfere."

I say, but somehow the path opens up instantly.

"……That guy. He's an A-list villain, and he just burst into flames."

"It's not just a simple fire……What kind of skill is that?"

"That's Dark Spirit……."

What? The guy who just fell was an A-class?

It seemed like he was still alive after being hit with a bit of excessive use of black flame…it seemed like he was quite strong.

But isn't that what compatibility is all about?

Anyway, things are going pretty well. With this, no one will ever suspect that I'm not Dark Spirit.

As I continue on my way to the auction house on the third floor, a familiar-looking man blocks my path.

"Dark Spirit, I thought you were already in trouble?"

It was Doll from Dolce Puppet, manning the entrance.

"Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing……like that," he replied, nonchalantly.

The Doll then pointed to the right and said.

"You should go in there, not here. There are quite a few people who would be scared if you were over here."

……I can't argue with that.

"Where are we headed?"

"It's a VIP room. Probably better than the crowded coach."

"…… Okay."

Well, I'll take what I can get.

They were offering to change me from economy to first class for free, so why not?

At that moment, the doll's expression changed again.

"I'll take you this way, please put this on."

His voice changed to that of a man, and he led me to the VIP room.

"Hmph."

The VIP room was elevated compared to the regular seats.

There were chairs spaced at regular intervals, and a number input device on the armrest where you enter your bid.

There was a crowd of people below, so if I went down there, I don't think I would have done business today.

Everybody would run away.

"Huh? Dark Spirit? Are we meeting again? Hi!"

A figure waved her arms at me from the seat next to me.

Peak, the fairy I met earlier.

Most of the VIPs here wore masks, but she was unmasked and smiling with excitement.

I guess there's no point in wearing a mask anyway because of her unique body shape.

The other VIPs turned in my direction with more interest than fear, perhaps because Peak had called me ‘Dark Spirit.’

-Come on, customers who have traveled all this way, you've been waiting a long time!

Just then, a woman's voice came from the front.

I look down and see a woman on the stage, holding a microphone and emceeing.

-Today, we would like to thank you all for coming to the Puppet Market, and now we will begin the auction of items that can only be found here!

-Crack! Crack!

The woman banged her gavel, signaling the start of the auction.

The items on offer are valuable items that are hard to find in the marketplace, or items that have unusual uses that make them difficult to sell……..

-Yes! Three million credits! Any more? Then the Shard of Night is sold to guest number four for three million credits!

-Crack, crack, crack!

Night Shards are also hard to come by, but since there aren't many uses for them, I was able to get them quickly and at the right price.

Well, I wonder where there would be a big guy who would go after the item that ‘Dark Spirit’ bid on.

But the real fun is in the second half of the auction.

-And finally, our auction has reached the second half, and the first item of the second half is──

Kwaang────!!!

It was the beginning of the auction house raid.