NOVEL NEXT Chapter 50: Chapter 46
"It's amazing…" Akira muttered as he entered the black market, taking in his surroundings. Situated below a mall, this underground market was vast—at least as large as a football field. With some laser lights, Akira mused, the place could almost pass for an upscale club.
The market was divided into various sections: gambling, weapons trading, and even some shadier dealings. But the highlight was undoubtedly the fighting ring, or "black boxing," where brutal matches were the main attraction.
Every person here had a unique look or style, as if each carried a story of their own.
Akira didn't rush in. He made his way to the central ring, the heart of the black market.
"Hit him on the chin!" someone in the crowd shouted.
Akira turned his gaze to the ring, where two men were locked in a fierce battle inside an iron cage. Both fighters used quirks. One man was suddenly kicked into the metal fence, where he convulsed and fell unconscious, likely from the electric current running through the cage—an added measure to prevent anyone from escaping. As the defeated fighter lay motionless, the crowd erupted with chants of, "Finish him! Finish him!"
Akira observed these people with a cold gaze. Their disregard for life stirred anger within him. It was clear that death was commonplace here. To survive in this arena, one would need to be ready to risk it all, with no guarantees of safety.
Above the ring, a large LCD screen displayed the names and rankings of the top fighters. The number-one-ranked fighter was "Iron Fist."
The rankings read:
1. Iron Fist
2. Death's Scythe
3. Qiao Beiqiao
4. Clifford
5. Murder Girl
6. Ichiro of Kitazo Road
7. Snow White
8. River King
9. Skeleton Killer
10. Xu Xian Trident
These fighters dominated the underground scene, often referred to as the "Underground Heroes." Despite their prowess, most people outside this world knew little about them. Akira felt a growing curiosity. If these fighters were indeed as strong as their reputations implied, they might even challenge his perception of power.
In the black market, the top fighters were divided into three tiers: the "Three Emperors" represented the top three fighters, the "Seven Sages" were the following seven, and the "Five Kings" were fighters aspiring to rise in the ranks and make a name for themselves.
Curious about the fighters he was seeing, Akira turned to a large man nearby. "Hey, do any of the Three Emperors or Seven Sages include those two fighters in the ring?"
The man glanced at Akira skeptically, sizing him up. With his Tiga Ultraman mask and dark cloak, Akira looked like someone who either belonged here or was trying very hard to seem like it. "Are you new here?" the man asked, clearly unimpressed.
"Yeah," Akira replied casually. "I'm here to figure out what I'm up against. Don't want any surprises."
"Thought so," the man said, scratching his chin. "Those guys in the ring? Nobodies, really. The Three Emperors and Seven Sages don't usually show up at this time, and the Three Emperors especially haven't been seen for a while."
"Why's that?" Akira pressed.
The man seemed pleased to be imparting his knowledge. "You don't just go challenging the Three Emperors. Their ranks are solid, untouchable. 'Iron Fist,' the number one, was unbeatable five years ago, and hasn't shown his face in a year. Some say he's overseas taking high-paying assassination jobs…"
The man's voice dropped to a whisper. "Then there's 'Death's Scythe.' People are terrified of him. Every time he fights, the ring ends up smeared with blood."
Akira's curiosity deepened. These top fighters sounded almost mythical in strength. "So, why haven't I heard of them until now?"
The man shot Akira a disdainful look. "Professional Heroes don't stick their noses here. The black market has powerful backers. If you've never heard of the fighters here, it's because you were still dealing with small stuff. You weren't ready for this level."
Akira felt a strange clarity settle over him. He had spent so much time focused on the Heroes Academy and the Villain Alliance that he hadn't realized there were entire worlds hidden just out of sight.
"You look like you're here to enter the ring yourself," the man said with a smirk. "But you don't seem all that strong. Careful you don't get yourself killed."
"Think positive, big guy," Akira replied with a grin. "If I win, I'll treat you to a meal."
"Really?" the man asked, intrigued.
"Sure, but I'll need you to tell me more about these top fighters. I don't want any surprises." Akira gave him a friendly pat on the back.
"Name's Pingyuan Xiongda. You can call me Xiongda," he replied. "What's under that mask, by the way?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Akira replied with a chuckle.
Xiongda rolled his eyes. "So, you're serious about challenging the Three Emperors, Seven Sages, and the Five Kings?"
"Why else would I be asking you all this?"
As Akira turned toward the ring, Xiongda could only shake his head in disbelief. Challenging the most powerful fighters in the black market was a fool's errand—but then, Akira looked like he might just be crazy enough to try.
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