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Chapter 64: The Better Hub
🕑 Added 2025-07-03 14:58:25 +0000 UTCA silver fountain sprinkled clear water in the middle of the open town-like area. The cavern was the largest one Vivi had seen in the dungeon—around a fourth of the size of the hub. The Union’s grounds were far more colorful. Brick paths had been paved into the otherwise stale ground, and establishments almost resembled buildings. There were wooden shacks and stall-like structures used for storage. Ether-powered lamps lit the pathways with clear lighting.
There must have been a hundred or so demons present in Aang’s Hub. The place wasn’t cramped, but there were a lot of people. Some of the demons were working on projects—woodworking, sharpening swords, cleaning streets. Others waited in line for shops. A few lounged around, resting where there was space.
Ven grinned, seeing Vivi’s reaction. “If you get bored of hunting monsters, you’re free to come work for one of our work masters. The minimum pay for a full contract is a hundred and twenty ether a week. Not much, but you’ll live. Assuming you’re better than everyone else at the job you’re looking to secure.”
To Vivi’s right, a nimrod guardsman wearing a green jacket stood with his spear high. Eight more guards like him were stationed around the hub. All in all, the defenses and enforcement here seemed light. Everyone was locked at three hundred ether, and there wasn’t much that could be used as a defensive fortification. A good attack could have cleared Aang’s Hub quickly.
Still, the place was in order. Vivi couldn’t spot any fighting or blatant discrimination in the open. She guessed that the hub must have been defended by elite members—breakers such as Ven—that only showed themselves when real threats arrived.
“The Union’s biggest selling point is the canteen,” Ven said. “Members receive one free meal per day. That’s why most of our members keep paying membership even if they have no other purpose here. As nimrods, it’s easy to pay fifty ether each month for cheap food. Gathering ingredients is a hassle and not always profitable, but it’s what keeps the Union running.”
“The Union seems nice,” Vivi said. The air down here felt a lot lighter, despite the musty dungeon taste in her lungs. It was a nice change of pace from the total chaos of Zand.
But even if the mood in the air was nicer, the demons here were still nimrods. They knew Vivi had a bounty, enough of a bounty to apparently pay for two months’ worth of food, and nobody liked Eem. The fiend kept holding staring contests with nearby demons, showing her tongue at those that looked hostile. The people Vivi passed certainly weren’t allies. And walking next to Ven only added to the amount of attention she received.
“Some say the Union used to be greater,” Ven said. “I wouldn’t know. I joined Zand five years ago. But we’re certainly not doing bad. We’ve only had a few riots during the three years I’ve been an official.”
Vivi kept following Ven to the back of the Union’s hub. This tour wasn’t what she was here for. The Union would have been a nice place to join on her first day in Zand, but right now, its benefits were nearly useless to Vivi.
“The Union is just a front for you,” Vivi said, speaking quietly. “You have no reason to stay as an official.”
Ven’s smile fell to a more serious look. “It is a front. But not just a front. I spend more time here than I do in the hidden dungeon. The Union is my home.”
They walked in silence before reaching another pair of curtains at the back of the hub. Ven passed through and entered a descending tunnel.
“This area is known as Aang’s private hunting ground,” Ven said. “Entry is allowed only for Union officials. I often bring in people for scolding or threats here. Rumors will say that I brought you here to threaten you about debts. Will that work with you?”
“Yes,” Vivi said.
Ven nodded, and they walked for another half a minute. The tunnel was monotonous and undecorated. It eventually led them to a spacious cavern. A respawn zone.
A lone demon in plate armor was dueling an ethereal bear. He wielded a gigantic non-runic steel greatsword. His swings carried tremendous force, though his ether reserves seemed to be locked at three hundred. He was pushing back the bear that had an aura at least three times larger.
“Oh, wow,” Lucius said. “That knight is skilled. You can tell from his swings. And the way he controls ether… He might have reached the first elevation.”
Ven paid the knight no heed. He led Vivi to a linen tent in the corner of the cavern. She lowered her head slightly as she entered. Once inside, the tent was spacious enough that she could stand. In the middle was a low circular table with cushions to act as seats and a dim ethereal lamp. Ven pushed ether through the lamp’s runes, lighting it up more brightly.
“Can we speak now?” Vivi asked. She stayed on her feet for now.
Ven sighed. “I thought I told you to wait for a week.”
“I can’t,” Vivi said. “My soul is in debt. You scanned it by yourself. I need to earn a hundred thousand ether in under a year. Otherwise, I’ll die.”
“And it seems you can also hide ether,” Ven said.
Vivi thought before speaking. Ven wasn’t an enemy. She had to trust him for now. “Yes. I can wield ether that is not in my reserves. Just like Andre can.”
“We have confirmed Andre’s ability,” Ven said. “The Stewards have tried, but they have no proof. Can humans also hide skills?”
“That depends,” Vivi said. “My skill is hidden. The Stewards will not catch it.”
“You’re a powerful nimrod,” Ven said. “Gangs are slowly acknowledging your presence. Anyone with a skill will either be hunted or recruited. If your skill is what you wished to offer, I will gladly make a deal for it.”
“No, I am not offering the skill,” Vivi said. She thought about her words, then said, “Runeswords are valuable in Zand, right?”
“Runeswords?” Ven asked. “Of course. Runeswords are just as valuable inside Zand as they are outside.”
“How much would you offer for a two-runed sword of top quality?”
Ven gave her a look. “We don’t buy stolen runeswords. They bring in more trouble than they’re worth.”
“It’s not stolen,” Vivi said.
“Which runes?” Ven asked.
“Sharpness and swiftness,” Vivi said, making something up. “A classic duelist’s sword. The veins are carved with a Hank’s pattern and looped. It’s fresh out of the smithy. How much can you pay for a sword like this?”
Ven studied her expression. He didn’t seem to understand the jargon. A proficient runesmith would know what a Hank’s pattern was, but loops were for inside-carving only.
“Do you have this sword to show?” Ven asked.
“No,” Vivi said. “I wouldn’t risk bringing one to potentially enemy territory. I am scouting for prices, that’s all.”
“If the sword is as good as you’d claim…” Ven said. “And if it really isn’t stolen from someone influential, I can throw an offer of ten thousand ether.”
Vivi’s thoughts froze. She re-processed what she’d heard. Ten thousand ether?
“That’s a decent offer,” Lucius said. “But I think he implied that he has more.”
How does he even have so much? Vivi asked. Ten thousand is insane!
“Ten thousand is a lot, but it’s not that much,” Lucius said. “I’ve seen top-notch runeswords sell for more. Nimrods are all locked in Zand. Their income comes solely from this dungeon. Actual influential demons with more sources of income would offer far more.”
“That…” Vivi began, “is a decent offer. I could sell it to you. But only because I trust your gang more than the others. I don’t want to deal with people that will use the sword to kill innocents.”
“If it’s a legitimate sword that you own, my gang will place an offer,” Ven said. “But as we’re in Zand, I struggle to see how you’ve obtained a runesword that you own.”
Vivi thought about her answer. Her heart was starting to race. Could runesmithing really have a future down here? The demons didn’t have access to spirit blades. They didn’t have a God that provided them with a replacement for runesmithing. They were still actively using runeswords.
“The sword I was talking about,” Vivi said. “It doesn’t exist yet. I still need to make it. I’m a runesmith. Bring me to a smithy, and for ten thousand ether, I’ll craft you the most powerful weapon in this facility.”
