"Did you hear? That guy Ketsuhyō actually smashed straight into a steel plate in the black market. He's begging for mercy right now."
"That's a rare sight. But I'm more curious—whose head is that iron-hard, daring to start a fight in the black market?"
Relying on both his strength and his insidious personality, Ketsuhyō was considered a notable figure in the black market—someone with real presence.
No one expected him to trip so badly today, not only falling flat on his face but getting beaten half to death in the process.
The news spread rapidly through the black market, and the crowd gathering around the scene grew larger by the minute.
Everyone was curious—curious about who had taken down the ruthless, scheming Ketsuhyō, and even more curious about which madman had the nerve to challenge the black market's authority head-on.
"That kid who taught Ketsuhyō a lesson looks really young. Beating him like that… must be someone from an exorcist family, right?"
"So what if he is? Haven't we seen that before?A while back, some exorcist-family brats caused trouble here too. I heard they were from top-tier exorcist clans. And how did that end? Arms and legs all broken.Young people are just too impulsive—blood rushes to their heads way too easily. Still, Ketsuhyō's probably miserable too. Not only did he lose face, he'll be bedridden for days from those injuries."
As more people gathered, what happened on Ketsuhyō's side quickly alerted the so-called black market enforcers.
After witnessing the black market's methods firsthand, most people here had learned to behave. Because of that, the enforcers' job was usually quite easy.
The enforcers had no real names. Instead, they were identified by the prefix "Black", followed by a number.
When several figures dressed head-to-toe in black—faces hidden behind masks—appeared, the surrounding crowd instinctively parted, opening a path for them.
In the black market, no matter how strong you were, no matter how powerful your backing, if you wanted to survive here, you had to show these enforcers respect.
Because they represented the face of the powerful forces operating behind the black market.
And anyone qualified to be an enforcer was never weak. Otherwise, how could they possibly keep the notoriously unruly black market merchants in line?
"Lord Black Thirteen, it's me—Ketsuhyō! We even drank together before!"According to black market rules, the deal between me and these two was already settled—money paid, goods delivered. But he wasn't satisfied with the product and suddenly tried to go back on the deal. He even started a fight right here in the black market! This is a blatant insult to all of you!"
The moment Ketsuhyō saw the three black-clad enforcers arrive, the panic he'd shown earlier vanished completely.
At the very least, he knew his life was safe now.
And even better—among the three enforcers, there was actually one he recognized.
Though enforcers were high-ranking figures who usually didn't care about small fry like him, the fact remained: Ren Kuroda had made the first move.
That alone meant these two kids were finished.
"No, that's not what happened!""It was Ketsuhyō who violated the agreement and sold us defective yokai serum. He also verbally abused us first. That's why Ren— I mean, Kazuma-san—couldn't hold back and acted! We didn't start trouble on purpose!"
Hearing Ketsuhyō shamelessly twist the truth, Yuina Yako hurried forward to explain.
She'd heard her sister mention before that the forces backing Tokyo's black market were enormous—possibly even supported by several top-tier exorcist families or factions.
Ren Kuroda might be a hero of the Tokyo district, but Yuina also knew he came from a fallen exorcist family. No matter how strong he was individually, he couldn't contend with multiple major powers standing behind the black market.
And since this whole incident started because of her, Yuina stepped forward, intending to argue—and even shoulder all the blame herself.
But before she could finish even half a sentence—
One of the enforcers slapped her hard, sending her flying.
Black market enforcers wielded absolute authority. They didn't care who was right or wrong.
They only cared about one thing: who broke the rules.
"I don't care what happened between you," the enforcer said coldly."But once you step into the black market, you obey its rules.You were the one who chose to make the first move. According to black market law, your four limbs will be broken."
In the black market, rules were everything.
Anyone who violated them would receive no mercy—just like those exorcist-family members from before.
That was exactly why Ketsuhyō had been provoking Ren and Yuina so desperately.
"Kid, I suggest you put me down right now," Ketsuhyō sneered."I've got a bit of a relationship with one of these enforcers.If you behave, I might even ask him to make it quick when he breaks your arms and legs—save you some pain—"
Splurt.
A massive spray of blood erupted.
Ketsuhyō's arrogant voice cut off mid-sentence—because his head had been crushed like a watermelon, exploding under Ren Kuroda's grip.
Ren hadn't originally planned to kill him.
But Ketsuhyō's two-faced behavior disgusted him beyond tolerance.
As a half-demon, Ren had never considered himself a good person. With Ketsuhyō repeatedly provoking them—and given his vindictive, cunning nature—Ren decided it was better to eliminate him outright.
He wouldn't leave Yuina with future trouble.
Ketsuhyō's death instantly plunged the surrounding spectators into utter shock.
Sure, people died in the black market every day. That wasn't unusual.
But because of the rules, anyone who wanted to kill usually waited until their target left the black market.
This young man, however, was insane beyond belief.
He killed Ketsuhyō inside the black market—
And did it right in front of the enforcers.
This was nothing short of grinding the faces of the black market's backing powers into the dirt.
"You dare—!"
"Kid, if you manage to walk out of the black market alive today, I'll call you 'Dad' every time I see you from now on!"
Without question, Ren Kuroda's actions completely enraged the three enforcers.
As the absolute authority of the black market, they were figures everyone tried to curry favor with.
When had they ever been humiliated like this?
Merchants like Ketsuhyō, with C+-rank strength, were already top-tier combatants within the black market.
And as enforcers tasked with suppressing troublemakers, their average strength was B-rank or higher.
Right after killing Ketsuhyō—before the three enforcers could even fully enter combat stance—
Ren Kuroda's figure suddenly appeared right in front of them.
In the instant their expressions shifted to shock, Ren raised his hand and slapped the enforcer who had struck Yuina earlier—sending him flying.
The terrifying impact launched the enforcer backward, smashing through several stalls before he finally stopped.
When he struggled to his feet again, his mask was completely shattered—and several teeth had fallen out.
"That slap," Ren said calmly,"is for hitting my friend.I'm returning it to you—with interest."
"You want to break my limbs?With just the three of you—barely scraping B-rank spiritual power?"
They hadn't seen how Ren appeared beside them.
They hadn't seen how their companion was struck.
But the moment he was sent flying, the remaining two enforcers reacted instantly.
Leaping backward to create distance, they launched their counterattacks.
"East—Āgato! West—Sudāguang!South—Kṣitigarbhā! Sudāmani!Lightning Strike Talisman—by command of the law!"
One enforcer formed hand seals, rapidly chanting a long, complex incantation.
With a thunderous roar, a massive bolt of lightning crashed down from above—aimed directly at Ren's head.
"Gods of Blades, I humbly request your blessing!"
The other enforcer drew a long sword, forming seals as he chanted. The blade erupted in blinding light, clearly empowered by divine protection.
With renewed confidence, he leapt forward, closing the distance in an instant—and swung the sword down at Ren.
Before the swordsman even reached him, the lightning struck first.
Thunder shook the air, and the onlookers scattered in panic.
This was no joke.
A lightning spell cast by a B-rank exorcist—even collateral contact would tear flesh apart.
Facing the descending thunder, Ren Kuroda calmly raised a single finger.
Crackling arcs of lightning danced across his fingernail.
The next instant—
A white bolt of lightning shot upward at terrifying speed, colliding with the descending thunder and shattering it completely.
As for the sword-wielding enforcer—
His empowered blade was casually caught between Ren's two fingers.
"That's impossible! Are you even human?!" the enforcer screamed.
The glowing blade felt as if it had struck solid steel. No matter how hard he pushed, it wouldn't budge even an inch.
Then Ren drove a kick into his abdomen.
The enforcer was launched backward like a cannonball, accelerating as if shot from a railgun.
The sword flew from his hands—
Yet it remained neatly pinched between Ren's fingers.
Lifting the blessed blade, Ren casually unleashed a slashing wave of spiritual energy.
The crescent-shaped arc skimmed along the ground at blistering speed, racing toward the final enforcer—the one who had just cast the lightning spell.
Still reeling from the shock of seeing his spell effortlessly destroyed, his body hadn't even begun to move.
The slash was terrifyingly powerful.
If it hit directly, the so-called enforcer would be cut clean in half.
"Azure Emperor of the East, Crimson Emperor of the South!White Emperor of the West, Black Emperor of the North!Yellow Emperor of the Center!Big Dipper, Three Terraces, Heavenly Stars, Five Emperors—grant protection!By command of the law!"
Just as Ren's energy slash was about to strike—
Another incantation suddenly echoed across the battlefield.