NOVEL NEXT Chapter 153: Chapter 153: The Black Market
A desolate settlement located near a barren forest, with only a handful of rundown houses barely qualifying it as a gathering place, welcomed a mysterious figure draped entirely in a black cloak today.
The figure entered a building resembling a tavern. Dust covered the tables and chairs inside, with the exception of the counter where an elderly man stood, which was remarkably clean.
Judging by the old man's attire and hairstyle, one could imagine he might have been quite dashing in his youth. But time had stolen his looks, leaving only wrinkles that seemed to carry countless untold stories.
Approaching the counter, Ron presented the identity card given to him by Shadow.
The black market—a place where members of Team Rocket, League trainers, Pokémon hunters, and even assassins could coexist peacefully.
The origins of the black market were shrouded in mystery. All that was known was that every vendor here operated under the protection of a powerful figure, whether they were tied to Team Rocket, the Pokémon League, or the Hunter's Guild.
Because of the presence of these dominant factions, the black market had thrived to this day. No one dared to start a fight here, as it would only disrupt everyone's income.
What drew people most were the variety of rare items and resources available.
For instance, tools for Elite-level Pokémon, high-quality Pokéblocks, and even pseudo-Legendary Pokémon.
The old man set aside the wine bottle he was cleaning and took Ron's identity card, scanning it with a device that resembled a card reader but had an added screen.
After confirming the card's affiliation with Fuchsia City, the old man put the device away, then gestured toward a small door to the side.
"Go on in. There's only one rule in the black market: no fighting. Violate it at your own risk."
Having said that, the old man paid Ron no further attention, returning to polishing the wine bottle with a tenderness as if caressing a lover.
With a slight bow, Ron stepped toward the small door.
During the brief encounter, Ron felt an intense sense of danger emanating from the old man.
Initially, Ron assumed that such a receptionist role would likely be filled by expendables—people who could be discarded at any time.
But meeting the old man had changed his mind. That suffocating aura of danger reminded Ron of the Elite Four trainers he'd encountered in the past.
Just this alone was enough for Ron to treat the old man with respect.
As Ron passed through the small door, Kirlia informed him that a Psychic energy had enveloped him. Moments later, Ron disappeared from where he stood.
"We've arrived."
A strange voice echoed in Ron's mind, likely belonging to the Psychic-type Pokémon that had just teleported him into the black market.
Pushing open the door, Ron was momentarily dazed, thinking he'd entered a bustling town.
Bright lights illuminated streets teeming with people.
If not for the figures cloaked like Ron, no one would have guessed this was the infamous black market.
Fortunately, before arriving, Ron had obtained a layout of the Fuchsia City black market from Shadow. Otherwise, it would've taken him some time to familiarize himself with the place.
The market was broadly divided into four sections:
Pokémon Area: For buying and selling Pokémon.
Item Area: Featuring tools and equipment.
Resource Area: Offering items like Pokéblocks, Pokémon food, rare berries, or specific foods required by certain Pokémon.
Auction Area: Containing various auction houses that occasionally held sales, as well as shops selling rare items, like human-skin masks.
Transactions in the black market required League coins. Thus, Ron had converted his accumulated Hunter's Guild contributions and part of his League contributions into League coins beforehand, leaving only 10,000 League contributions as backup.
Ron's first target was clear: the Pokémon Area.
He instructed Kirlia to stop using her Psychic powers to scan their surroundings, concerned that sensing the thoughts of Pokémon treated as merchandise might affect her negatively.
"Looking for a Ditto below Elite level? Let me check for you."
"Yes, we have three in stock. Would you like to inspect them?"
"Yes, please."
Ron entered a shop selling Pokémon and quickly located the Ditto he sought.
Three Ditto of similar size were placed in cages before him, allowing Ron to choose freely.
Ron didn't have many requirements for the Ditto, leaving Kirlia to scan their attitudes toward humans.
On this matter, however, Ron was overthinking.
Pokémon sold in such shops had all undergone special conditioning, removing any hostility toward humans.
Ron selected the Ditto with the best aptitude, paid the bill, and left the shop, heading straight for the auction area.
Not that any auction had caught his eye—he was aiming for shops that sold human-skin masks.
Since encountering Lukino's human-skin mask, Ron had devised a new plan: using Ditto and these masks to assume multiple identities.
If negotiations with both the League and Team Rocket failed, this would allow Ron to maneuver more flexibly.
Entering a small shop, Ron was hit with the pungent smell of chemicals.
Inside, human-skin masks hung on the walls, creating a scene straight out of a horror movie.
Thankfully, Ron had mentally prepared himself beforehand and showed no signs of unease.
At the center of the shop was a small table, a rocking chair, and a drunk-looking man who appeared to be in his forties or fifties. Whether this was his true face was uncertain.
"500,000 League coins per mask. No haggling. Pick whatever you like."
The man took a sip from his flask and addressed Ron.
"Got anything premium? These masks won't cut it."
After examining the masks, Ron found their quality far inferior to Lukino's.
For something that could determine his survival, Ron wasn't stingy and immediately asked for higher-quality goods.
"Picky, aren't you? Fine, I've got better ones. 2 million per mask. How many do you want?"
The man exhaled alcohol fumes as he eyed Ron, as though trying to see through his cloak.
After rummaging through a drawer, he pulled out three premium masks along with a small vial of powder.
"Pay first, then take the goods."
In the black market, Ron wasn't worried about being scammed. He quickly made the payment and began learning how to use the masks from the man.
A few minutes later, satisfied, Ron left the shop and headed for his final destination.
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