After Colin and the others finished breakfast, Old Black Heart brought over a burly brute about as sturdy as Kase.
"This is one of the Hundred Eyes Gang's men," Old Black Heart explained. "If you don't return by tonight, the gang will let those Dwarves know just what kind of trouble they've stirred up."
Colin said, "If we get the chance, we'll help out."
"I hope those words become my lifeline soon," Old Black Heart said from behind the counter, letting out a yawn.
Colin looked at the big man standing to the side and said, "Shall we get going, then?"
The man just nodded. He seemed to be the silent type.
The three of them set out together.
They walked all the way to the sewage outfall mentioned during the Dwarves' ruckus.
The area around the outfall was hardly pleasant. The stench of mixed excrement and garbage was dizzying, and foul-smelling sewage trickled out like a small stream.
Besides them, many northern refugees were also standing in front of the sewage outfall.
"Would a Shaman really live in a place like this?" Kase grew more suspicious.
Colin, who was also a little worried, led the other two forward.
"Hold on, what are you here for?"
As they approached the outfall, a gruff voice called out from the side.
Looking down, they saw the source of the voice: a tough-looking figure standing beside the outfall.
The fellow only came up to Colin's chest. Beneath a shiny, bald head was a wrinkled face and a large white beard that covered half of it. His skin was the color of grayish-white cement.
Though he wasn't tall, his shoulders were absurdly broad, and his muscles looked almost freakishly developed.
"We're here to sell monster parts, Mr. Dwarf," Colin said. "And I heard you're hiring for a job."
Just then, a group of well-equipped Adventurers walked out from inside the sewage outfall.
They were dressed in fine Plate Armor and Leather Armor, and their weapons were several times more luxurious than what Colin and Kase carried.
They all wore expressions of disappointment and anger. As one of them passed, he swore at the Dwarf by the entrance, "If you don't want to hire anyone, then don't fucking spread the news, you damned Dwarf!"
The Dwarf shrugged, then looked at Colin and said, "Still looking for work?"
"Of course." Colin paid the little interruption no mind.
The Dwarf chuckled. "Take the first left and look for the old Dwarf in the Alchemy Room."
Colin nodded and walked into the sewage outfall.
Following the Dwarf's directions, the three of them made their way to an underground room.
Though they could still faintly smell the sewer's stench, the room's furnishings were no different from a common Potion shop, complete with a proper-looking counter and shelves filled with Potions of all colors.
This wasn't surprising.
Thousand Masts City's sewer system was extremely well-developed. Beneath it lay a massive Underground City that had yet to be fully explored, and many gangs and smugglers liked to put down roots in these places hidden from the light.
It was common knowledge among the residents of Thousand Masts City that the world below was just as bustling as the one on the Surface.
An old Dwarf standing behind the counter asked, "What have you got?"
Colin took the Frost Star Grass from his pocket and waved it in front of the Dwarf.
He continued, "I heard you causing a scene at the herb shop. You said if someone could get this for you, you'd teach them Magic."
"Then why'd you put it away?" the old Dwarf bellowed.
"If you want to teach Magic, you've got to know Magic first," Kase said, crossing his arms.
The burly man standing to the side added, "I'm with the Hundred Eyes Gang. The Hundred Eyes Gang is watching this transaction."
The old Dwarf looked the group up and down.
"So this is a human city. Gangs, hah!" he scoffed, then said, "My name is Donkexes. If you really want to learn, follow me."
With that, the fellow hopped off the stool behind the counter and swayed as he walked out of the room.
The group followed him out.
They walked through several more crooked, foul-smelling sewer tunnels.
Just as Colin was beginning to think he'd been tricked, the Dwarf, Donkexes, led them to a large underground hall.
Inside the hall was a long table and a few chairs scattered about.
A pile of crooked mugs littered the tabletop. Only two Dwarves sat at the long table; one was polishing a piece of Plate Armor, while the other, seated at the head of the table, was fiddling with a Flintlock Pistol.
Colin looked at the Dwarf fiddling with the pistol.
'The familiar salt-and-pepper beard and black hair… isn't that the Dwarf from the blacksmith shop in Flint Village?'
Both Dwarves looked over at the same time.
The Dwarf polishing the Plate Armor didn't look too pleased.
"This is the one who got the Frost Star Grass, but he wants to see what we're capable of first," Donkexes said, pulling out a chair and sitting down.
The Plate Armor Dwarf shouted, "Are you kidding me? A Half-Orc?"
"Not me, the human wants to learn," Kase said with a wave of his hand.
Colin stepped forward. "Let me see what I can learn here. Then I'll decide whether or not to give this to you."
The Plate Armor Dwarf burst out laughing.
Then he suddenly slammed the Plated Gauntlet in his hand onto the table and roared, "By Moradin's forge, how much longer must we endure this humiliation?! Is there no one in this city with a discerning eye? Or are all humans just a bunch of idiots?"
"Calm down," Donkexes said.
"Donkexes, I can't calm down!" the Plate Armor Dwarf continued to complain. "Skills our ancestors considered priceless are now only worth a few Gold Coins, and we still have to be picked over by these idiotic pink-skins!"
Even the good-natured Colin couldn't stand being berated for no reason.
He said, "I'm not forcing you, and your own people were the ones who made the offer."
"Then leave! All of you, get out!" the Plate Armor Dwarf waved his hand dismissively.
Kase grinned. "Perfect. We'll just say this bunch of Dwarves are a pack of frauds."
The Plate Armor Dwarf retorted, "We are not frauds! Our skills simply aren't for idiots!"
'These Dwarves are unbelievable,' Colin thought, growing irritated. 'It's not like it'd be any different to just find those retired Mercenaries.'
He glanced around the room.
The Black-haired Dwarf at the head of the table just kept silently polishing his Flintlock Pistol, as if he couldn't hear the commotion in the room.
Donkexes took a lens cloth from his pocket and started wiping it.
He said quietly, "If you could pull out tens of thousands of Gold Coins right now, we wouldn't have to put up with any of this. Don't forget, we've been here for over a month, and now we're living in the sewers like rats!"
Not to be outdone, the Plate Armor Dwarf shot back, "If it weren't for those damned old codgers refusing to sponsor us…"
"Enough," the Dwarf at the head of the table said softly.
Though his voice was quiet, the two bickering Dwarves immediately fell silent, as if their argument moments before had just been an act.
"In truth, the Frost Star Grass isn't our goal."
The Dwarf continued, "We're looking for long-term partners. I know the nature of you Surface Adventurers. We need you to inform us in advance whenever you leave the city or go to other places.
Then, we'll commission you to collect some materials along the way. Of course, all the materials must be given to us, and we won't pay you a single cent for them."
At those words, Colin found it unbelievable. 'For that Dwarf to say something like that without even blushing… he must have some thick skin.'
'After all, materials from many monsters are worth a lot of money. Isn't a condition like that just trying to get something for nothing?'
'No wonder those Adventurers who left earlier were in such a bad mood.'
Since he had already come all this way, Colin asked, "So… what's the compensation?"
"Magic, Swordsmanship, Firearms, Armor. As long as you want to learn, we will provide you with free training," the Dwarf said.
Kase yelled, "You still haven't answered our question! Are you guys actually skilled?"
"You said you wanted to see what we're capable of…"
With that, the Black-haired Dwarf raised his Flintlock Pistol without warning and aimed it at the Plate Armor Dwarf.
BANG!
A cloud of acrid white smoke burst forth.
In that instant, Colin vaguely saw a spark flash within the smoke.
The smoke cleared.
The Plate Armor Dwarf was holding the Plated Gauntlet he'd been polishing in front of his left arm. A new black mark marred the gauntlet's previously clean, smooth surface.
'The bullet just now hit the gauntlet…'
'No, the Dwarf used the gauntlet to block the bullet!'
'Is that something a person can actually do?' Colin swallowed hard.
The room was silent for a moment.
"These Dwarves really are the real deal," Kase's voice sounded by his ear.
"What about you?"
Questioned by the Plate Armor Dwarf, Colin asked in confusion, "Me?"
"What are your skills? I told you, we don't teach our techniques to any old Mortal!" the Plate Armor Dwarf shouted.
Silence fell over the room.
'How am I supposed to demonstrate that?'
Colin frowned. 'Should I just unleash an [Emerald Flame Sword] for them right here and now?'
Just then, the Black-haired Dwarf's deep voice slowly rang out.
"He's no mere Mortal. He is the recent hero of Flint Village… the Wolf Hunter."