And with that, they instantly found themselves back on the streets of Abyss heaven, outside the bone hall.

Thinking of that power that could instantly teleport them in an out without their resistance, Damien felt more and more the abyss hid all kinds of monsters

"Amazing, it seems I need to get stronger!"

Clenching his fists, Damien looked at Isabelle and thought of his parents still waiting down below

Although he was much stronger with his physique upgraded and having broken through seventh order

However what happened now was just another reminder that he couldn't afford to become complacent

"Isablle, let's hurry up and get the new equipment"

"We can't afford to waste too much time here in the abyss" said Damien

To which Isabelle nodded, her burns seemingly glowing under the abyss sun.

...…

Time soon passed, and after reaffirming their desire to grow stronger, the both soon made their way to the market side of abyss haven

Under Damien's constant analysis with the system, they began to chose all kinds of items

At least until he found a good forge and could use the items in his storage, these would have to make due

"Master," Isabelle whispered, touching the fine fabric of her new coat.

"Are you sure? This costs fifty cores."

"Buy it," Damien said, tossing a handful of crystals onto the merchant's table.

They stood in the center of the Market of Madness, a chaotic bazaar of tents stitched together from monster hides, lit by floating skulls filled with blue fire.

Damien was in his element.

With the massive payout from the bonehall and the cores harvested from the sewers, he was currently walking around with over 600 Abyss Cores.

In the surface world, this was enough wealth to buy a small town. Here, it was enough to barely buy survival.

"Leviathan Leather," the merchant, a hunchbacked goblin with three arms hissed, stroking the black coat Isabelle was trying on.

"Resistant to acid. Lightweight. Stylish."

"And it doesn't look like a maid outfit,"

Damien noted approvingly.

Isabelle looked at herself in a cracked mirror.

The coat was sleek, armored at the shoulders and chest with black chitin plating.

She looked less like a servant and more like a Vanguard.

"Thank you, Master," she said, smiling happily.

"Don't thank me yet," Damien said, moving to the next stall.

"We have a bridge to cross."

He stopped at an Alchemy stand. The bottles here didn't glow red or blue like typical mana or health portions.

Instead they glowed a dull, calming grey.

"Sanity Potions," Damien said.

"Grade A. How many do you have?"

The Alchemist, a hooded figure with tentacles for a beard, blinked.

"Grade A? That is expensive, stranger. Only the deep divers use those."

"I'll take your entire stock."

Damien dropped a bag of 300 Cores on the table.

The Alchemist's tentacles quivered. He hurriedly swept the cores away and pushed a wooden crate across the counter containing twenty sealed vials.

Isabelle frowned.

"Master, your physique makes you immune to the Abyss madness. Why do we need so many?"

"Currency," Damien whispered, stashing the crate into his Void Gem.

"I have a feeling that the lower we go into the abyss, the more sanity potions become valuable" He tapped his temple.

"If my guess is correct, then getting this many early can save us a lot of trouble once we get to the deeper levels."

Not explaining to much, they then went to the next stall

And then the next

And then the next

Soon an hour had passed and with them finishing their shopping, Damien decided not to rest and headed toward the Northern Gate, the exit that led to the Bridge of Rot.

As they walked the crowd parted for them. The rumor of the "Rat King Slayers" had spread fast.

But as they reached the edge of the market, a figure stepped out from the shadows of a collapsed building.

It was Rax. The old guard with the scarred face and the insectoid eye.

Unlike last time they met, he wasn't wearing his armor. He looked haggard, his hands shaking.

He blocked their path, with tears in his eyes he fell to his knees.

"Please," Rax croaked, his voice rough.

Isabelle's hand went to her dagger. "This guy who's been following, shall I kill him?"

"Hold on," Damien said, raising a hand.

He looked down at the kneeling guard.

"Rax we know you've been watching us ever since we came back from the gardens ," Damien said coldly.

"You followed us when we went to the sewers. Give me one reason why I shouldn't cut you down here."

"My daughter," Rax sobbed, pressing his forehead into the dirt.

"The Corpse Collector... he took her."

Damien paused.

"He demands a toll," Rax explained, looking up with his desperate, multi-faceted eye.

"Fresh bodies for the bridge. I... I couldn't pay. So he took my girl. He said if I don't bring him a 'strong soul' by midnight, he will add her to the pile."

Rax looked at Damien.

"I tried to sell you out because you were strong. I thought if the Lord killed you, I could scavenge your body and trade it for her."

"Oh? Is that so," Damien mused. "Stupid, but honest."

"please! Help me, I can help you too!" Rax pleaded.

"I know the Collector's weakness. Help me... please. You are going that way anyway. Just... save her."

Hearing this, Damien looked at Isabelle.

"What do you think?"

Isabelle glared at Rax. "He tried to kill us."

"Indeed, but then again he's a father," Damien shrugged.

"Desperation makes people do stupid things."

He stepped forward and grabbed Rax by the collar, hauling the heavy guard to his feet.

"Get up."

Rax blinked, tears leaking from his human eye.

"You... you will help?"

"I'm crossing the bridge," Damien said, dusting off Rax's shirt.

"And the Collector is standing in my way. If I happen to find your daughter while I'm dismantling him... consider it a bonus."

He leaned in close, his cross-shaped pupils glowing.

"But Rax?"

"Y-yes?"

"If you betray me again," Damien whispered,

"I won't just kill you, I'll make you experience a fate worse than death"

Rax nodded frantically.

"I swear! On my blood!"

Damien released him.

"Good. Then lead the way."

He drew his Pantheon Sword, pointing it North.

"Let's go pay this Collector a visit."

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