Assimilate All Talents

Chapter 184: Crafter’s Battleground (Part 1)

While their squad was camping in the cave awaiting Lapis’ recovery, back in Crestal City, a certain tinkerer was trying to get rid of a pair of city guards from his doorstep.

Fabio raised his voice, "I’m telling you, I have nothing like that! Even if I did, I have a license to handle class L goods."

Class L goods referred to items of legendary rarity or other goods that could rival them in power. If someone unskilled handled such goods, many things could go wrong. For example, with the void root Fabio was hiding from the guards. If an incompetent craftsman tried to handle such an item, the likely result would be an explosion of void energy that erases everything within a two mile area.

The guard was still unconvinced. He pointed at the tied man on the ground. "Then why is this the eighth time that someone tried breaking into your shop?"

Fabio spread his arms in an exaggerated manner. "I don’t know! Ask him, not me!"

The guard didn’t respond. They had already questioned this thief and the others that were turned in the past week. None spoke of their purpose, and the ones that did only said they wanted a Lipon for themselves.

The guard could believe their objective was Lipons if they were normal thieves, but they weren’t. All the thieves Fabio had turned in were peak B-Rankers with ties to the black market. If they wanted a Lipon, they had the money to buy as many as they wanted.

His gut told him there was more to it, but they couldn’t just barge inside and search the place.

While the guard was staring daggers at the short man, the other defused the situation. "The city guards thank you for capturing these thieves. We will send more guards to patrol this street. If you want, we can also post guards in your shop to dissuade other thieves."

"No thanks," Fabio said plainly. He knew the guard’s true intention in offering that. If he accepted, the guards posted in his shop would spy around to find out what he was working on.

He then sent mana to a few of his creations, which hummed to life. A large metal golem with two duranium pillars for arms took position near the door. Two four-legged metal spiders climbed the walls to the roof, where they waited in silence. As a final measure, he opened a panel on the floor revealing over 50 metal humanoids. They weren’t as strong as the golem or the spiders, which could rival a peak B-Ranker, but they could easily overwhelm them.

Satisfied with the measures in place, Fabio grabbed a spatial ring that had his personal equipment. Where he was going, he needed ways to defend himself if needed. He also stored the void root in his ring. Even with all the defenses in place, there was no place safer than on his person.

’Luckily the void root isn’t volatile and can be stored in a spatial ring.’

The reason he activated his defenses was not to protect the void root but because no good craftsman leaves his workshop unprotected. He had other important projects he didn’t want others to steal.

Leaving his workshop, Fabio headed towards the slums. When he reached the entrance of the slums, he turned and entered a random alley. After making sure nobody was watching, he took out a funny looking hat from his ring. The rim of the hat was normal, but it expanded outwards, not unlike a bloated umbrella.

’Don’t want others to know I have connections to the black market.’

When he put on the hat, it whirred to life. The top half spun clockwise as it emitted clear waves of mana that surrounded Fabio. Once it reached its full activation, Fabio disappeared, concealing not only his appearance but also his odor and mana.

Making his way out of the alley, he went into the slums proper. Though called the slums, as the capital of the kingdom, it was still well maintained to a certain degree. The reason it was called the slums was not for what was visible to the public, but for what was hidden underneath.

Fabio weaved his way through the streets, avoiding bumping into any unknowing passerby, and eventually arrived at a food stand that was placed in front of an alleyway. A big, muscled man tended to the stand while every so often yelling his prices.

Without removing the concealing hat, Fabio whispered so only the man working the food stand could hear, "Lucky Cross."