The journey to Nocturne's End took three days.
Nix flew in his Phoenix form, carrying Leon and Kazan on his back. From above, forests gave way to barren plains, then steep cliffs rising like giant fangs. The air grew colder. The sky grew greyer.
Leon sat behind Kazan, his eyes fixed on the horizon. On his chest, the pendant still glowed faintly.
"You're nervous," Satan whispered.
Leon didn't answer. But his fingers gripped the Phoenix feathers beneath him tightly.
Kazan, sitting in front, didn't turn around. But his voice was clear amidst the roaring wind.
"First time in Nocturne's End?"
Leon nodded. "You?"
Kazan didn't answer immediately. His eyes narrowed at the black mist in the distance. "Been there before. Once."
Leon waited for more, but Kazan said nothing else. Only stared ahead in silence.
"He carries many secrets," Satan whispered.
Leon didn't answer. Everyone had their own secrets.
---
They arrived as the sun began to set.
But Nocturne's End wasn't what Leon had imagined. From a distance, the city looked like two worlds turned back to back.
Above, marble towers rose high, glittering under the twilight sun. Stained glass windows reflected colorful light, creating artificial rainbows in the city's sky. Between the towers, glass bridges connected one grand building to another. Crystal lamps began to light up, illuminating the upper streets with golden light.
Below, everything was different.
Dark. Slum-like. Black stone buildings stood irregularly, like broken teeth. The streets were narrow, muddy, filled with brownish puddles. Smoke billowed from low chimneys, adding to the already thick haze in the air.
Nix landed in the lower district. His feet touched the muddy ground, and Leon immediately covered his nose.
A stench of garbage. A stench of blood faintly wafting from dark alleys.
"This is Nocturne's End," Nix said, already back in human form. His red hair glowed faintly in the darkness. "Or rather, its lower side."
Leon looked up. From here, the marble towers looked like castles in the sky. "Why didn't we land above?"
"Because we're not rich," Kazan answered coldly. "And because the one we're looking for is here."
Nix walked ahead. "Follow me. I know a safe place."
---
They walked through alley after alley. Passing a group of masked men playing cards in a corner. Passing a half-naked woman tugging at Kazan's arm before being driven away by his cold stare. Passing stacks of woven baskets emitting a metallic smell.
Leon almost asked what was inside. But Kazan had already covered his nose.
"Don't ask," he said.
Leon didn't ask.
Occasionally, he looked up. Through the gaps between the lower buildings, he could see the light of crystal lamps from the upper city. Bright. Warm. Far from where they stood.
"This city has two faces," Satan whispered. "One for those in power. One for the oppressed."
Leon clenched his fists. "I know what it's like to be oppressed."
"Then you know what you must do."
---
After walking for quite a while, they stopped before an old tavern. Above the door, a wooden sign swayed gently in the wind.
"Blue Flame Tavern," Leon read.
Nix opened the door without knocking. A small bell above it rang.
From inside, a gruff voice greeted them.
"Coming this late? Tables aren't even clean yet!"
Leon stepped in. Behind a wooden counter, an old man with a thick mustache stood with his hands on his hips. His eyes were sharp, scanning them one by one.
But when he saw Nix, his expression changed.
"Damn Phoenix... you're still alive?"
Nix smiled faintly. "Hello, Elliot. I brought guests."
Elliot Williams—the tavern owner—grumbled, but his eyes had already shifted to Leon and Kazan.
"Come in. Sit. Don't make noise." He turned to the back, fetching some cups. "You here for business? Or straight to asking for help?"
Kazan sat on a wooden chair, placing his sword on the table. "Information."
Elliot scooped tea into cups. "Information isn't free."
"I know."
Elliot placed the cups before them. His eyes lingered on Leon for a long moment.
"You're the new one? The one with that power?"
Leon didn't answer. His hand unconsciously touched the pendant around his neck.
Elliot sighed. "Young man. Coming to this city with such an innocent face... you'll be eaten alive."
Nix took his cup. "He's not alone."
"Hmph." Elliot sat across from them. "Fine. What are you looking for in Nocturne's End?"
Kazan unfolded a small map, pointing at one spot. "The arena. Bloodsport Bets."
Elliot blinked. "The arena? You want to be a contestant?"
"Not me. Him." Kazan pointed at Leon.
Elliot stared at Leon. Then laughed. "Him? With that face? He'll die in the first round."
Leon lifted his face. "I won't die."
Elliot stopped laughing. His eyes narrowed. "You sure?"
"I don't have a choice."
A moment of silence. Elliot observed Leon for a long time. Then he sighed.
"Fine. I'll help. But before you can enter the arena, you need a name. An identity. Without that, you're just food for them." He turned to the window. Outside, the lower city was growing dark, but the upper city was still brightly lit. "But that's not my problem right now."
Leon frowned. "What do you mean?"
Elliot looked at him. "The prisoner you're looking for—she's not in the arena. She's sealed in the Nexus. A special place in the city, heavily guarded."
Kazan's eyes sharpened. "The Nexus?"
"An underground prison. Accessible only to those with clearance. Or..." Elliot looked at Leon. "...to the arena champion."
Leon blinked. "Arena champion?"
"The city's ruler loves spectacles. Every year, they hold a tournament. The winner is granted anything they ask for. Including access to the Nexus." Elliot leaned back. "That's the only way to get close to that prisoner without fighting the entire city's army."
Kazan clenched his fist. "So you're telling him to become champion?"
Elliot smiled faintly. "Or do you have another way?"
Leon and Kazan exchanged glances. There was no other way.
"Alright," Leon said. "I'll join the tournament."
Elliot nodded. "Good. But there's one more condition."
Kazan's eyes sharpened. "What?"
Elliot stood, walking to the window. Outside, twilight was giving way to night. Oil lamps began to light up in the lower city, casting long shadows on the muddy streets.
"Before you can register, you need a name. An identity. And for that..." he turned. "...I need you to do something for me."
"What?" Leon asked.
Elliot looked at him. "Tomorrow morning, go to the slave market in the lower city. There's a little girl there. In fox form. Buy her, or kidnap her—I don't care. Bring her here."
Leon frowned. "A little girl?"
"She matters to no one. No one will come looking for her." Elliot returned to the table, pouring more tea. "But I can't bear to watch her die there."
Kazan stared at Elliot for a long time. "You have a kind heart, Elliot. That's bad for business."
Elliot snorted. "I'm not kind. I just don't like seeing children crammed into cages."
---
The next morning, Leon and Kazan went to the slave market.
Nix stayed at the tavern—he said he was too conspicuous. And Elliot was right. The slave market wasn't hard to find. Just follow the stench and the sound of crying.
They walked through narrow alleys, past piles of garbage and dirty puddles. Above them, the marble towers of the upper city still stood majestically, morning light reflecting off stained glass windows. Beautiful. Distant. Like another world.
Leon walked between wooden cages. Inside, creatures from various races crowded together, their necks chained, their eyes empty. Some were still crying. Some had already fallen silent.
Leon clenched his fists.
"Don't," Satan whispered. "You can't save everyone."
Leon gritted his teeth. "I know."
Kazan walked beside him, his face expressionless. But his eyes—his eyes moved quickly, observing every corner, every guard.
"There," he said quietly.
Leon turned. In the farthest corner, in the smallest cage, a figure was curled up.
White fox ears. Tangled hair. A thin body covered in wounds. Her eyes—dazed, empty, but still seeing.
Leon approached.
The girl looked up. Her eyes widened. Not with hope—but with fear.
Leon knelt before the cage. "I won't hurt you."
The girl shrank back, hitting the iron bars. Her body trembled.
Behind Leon, a heavy voice sounded.
"Want to buy? A hundred silver coins."
Leon turned. A fat man with a whip at his waist stood behind him, grinning widely. "She's still young. Still strong. Good for rough labor—"
Kazan was already before the man. His sword wasn't drawn, but the tip of its sheath pressed against the man's throat.
"Open the cage," Kazan said, his voice cold.
The man froze. "Y-you—"
"OPEN."
With trembling hands, the man opened the cage's lock. Leon reached out his hand to the girl.
"Come. I'll get you food."
The girl stared at his hand. Then her hand—small, thin, covered in wounds—slowly reached for it.
Leon grasped it gently.
---
On the way back, the girl walked beside Leon, her hand never leaving his cloak. Occasionally, she looked back, as if afraid of being chased. Occasionally, she looked up, staring at the towering marble towers.
"Do you have a name?" Leon asked.
The girl shook her head slowly.
Leon smiled faintly. "Raina. Do you like that name?"
The girl stared at Leon. Then, for the first time, her eyes weren't empty.
She nodded slightly.
---
They were almost back at the Blue Flame Tavern when a woman's voice called out.
"Wait."
Leon and Kazan turned. A woman with fiery red hair stood in the middle of the street, hands on her hips. Her clothes were simple, but the fabric was expensive—a luxury unusual in the lower city. Her sharp eyes looked at them—or rather, at Raina.
"You stole that slave from the market?"
Leon shook his head. "We bought her."
The woman approached. "Bought her? Or freed her?" Her gaze shifted to Kazan, then to Leon. "You don't look like a slave buyer."
Kazan's hand moved toward his sword. But Leon stopped him.
"I just saved a child."
The woman stopped. Her eyes lingered on Leon for a long time. Then, slowly, a faint smile appeared on her face.
"You're not like the others in this city."
"Neither are you."
The woman laughed softly. "Celestia. Celestia Asmodeus."
Leon was startled. "Asmodeus? One of the seven royal demon noble families?"
Celestia seemed to read his thoughts. "Don't worry. I'm not like them." She looked at Raina. "Take her somewhere safe." Her eyes returned to Leon.
"I know many things in this city." Celestia stepped closer, lowering her voice.
"Nocturne's End isn't easy to enter. But if you truly want to survive here... be careful. Those in power don't like losing what's theirs—even if it's worthless."
She turned, her red hair billowing in the wind. Above her, the marble towers of the upper city still stood majestic—but for the first time, Leon saw them not as beauty, but as walls that divided.
---
That night, at the Blue Flame Tavern, Raina sat in a corner, eagerly eating warm soup. Elliot stood by the stove, adding more food. Kazan sat near the window, watching the streets. Nix had disappeared—he said he was going to look around.
Leon sat before Elliot.
"Tomorrow, you can begin," Elliot said without turning. "Tournament registration opens in the morning."
Leon nodded. "Who do I need to see?"
Elliot turned, placing a plate of bread on the table. "Zenless Mammon. The arena master. Also a prince of the Mammon Kingdom." His eyes fixed sharply on Leon. "He's not easily fooled. So you must be ready. A false name, a new appearance—everything."
Leon looked at Raina, who was starting to doze in the corner. "I'm ready."
Elliot sighed. "Young man... you don't even know what you're facing."
From outside, the small bell above the door rang. Nix entered, his face serious.
"I saw something," he said. "In the upper city. They're preparing something for the tournament. A prize for the winner."
Leon turned. "Xuánhú?"
Nix shook his head. "Not necessarily. But they said... access to the Nexus. The main prize this year."
=== CHAPTER 18 END ===