Outside the system space, Razeal opened his eyes instantly on guard.
He was still seated on the bed, his senses heightened from the hours spent training. Glancing around the room, everything appeared exactly as he’d left it. The door was closed. No one was inside.
He was just about to curse out his system for dragging him out so suddenly for no reason when
Knock. Knock.
The sharp rapping on the door interrupted his thoughts.
"Co in," Razeal said calmly, already guessing who it might be.
The door creaked open, and Levy stepped in hesitantly. His face twisted into a weird expression as his gaze landed on Razeal, still sitting on the bed, ghost mask on, wearing that heavy, uncomfortable looking robe. Still, Levy didn’t comnt.
"Boss, it’s evening now. What do you want to eat?" Levy asked after a mont, voice laced with reluctance.
The way he said it like a butler asking a noble what they wished to be served made him visibly cringe inside, though he kept a neutral face. Cooking for soone wasn’t exactly what Levy imagined himself doing in life. Bad days, indeed. Selling himself for a few hundred D grade elental cores... what pathetic tis.
Still, no sha crossed his face.
"Oh, get sothing tasty. Definitely spicy. And coffee too the strongest you can make," Razeal responded, pausing only slightly before answering. He deserved a full stomach after all the effort he’d poured into training. And really evening already? How many hours had he spent in that space? Ti really flew inside.
"Umm... alright," Levy nodded, then added, "But how about I buy it from the place around the corner? They’re professionals might be able to cook sothing better than ."
"Do whatever you want," Razeal said, already licking his lips under the mask. "Just get it to in ten minutes."
The promise of good food ignited a rare spark of joy in him. He could already taste the spicy warmth on his tongue. He waited for Levy to turn and leave but Levy just stood there.
"What?" Razeal asked finally, unable to contain his impatience.
"I also got those monster cores you asked for," Levy finally said, almost like he’d forgotten, though the truth was he hadn’t. "But I wasn’t able to find any of higher rank."
From inside his coat, Levy pulled out four small, completely black orbs monster cores. Razeal stood up imdiately, eyes narrowing behind his mask.
He approached silently and took the cores from Levy’s outstretched hand.
"What rank monsters are these from?" Razeal asked, weighing the cores in his palm. They felt cold. Dense.
"All from E-ranked monsters," Levy replied, scratching the back of his head. "I was lucky to get even these. Not many people carry them around unless it’s for collection or trophies. One custor happened to have these this afternoon."
Razeal nodded slowly.
"What about the plan you said? The one to get more cores? Did you start that idea you were talking about?" Razeal asked, eyes sharp. If there was an easier thod of gathering cores without wasting his own ti, he needed it. That way he could focus on training, building his magic abilities too, and not worry about the hassle.
Levy hesitated, his expression shifting slightly. Then he sighed.
"That plan... yeah, I gave it so serious thought," he began. "But here’s the thing. If I actually announce that I’m exchanging small value stuff for monster cores, it might work for a day maybe even two. But after that... it’ll turn bad."
He paused, watching to see if Razeal would interrupt. He didn’t.
"We don’t have much to offer in exchange," Levy continued. "And demand might grow fast. Too fast. If we can’t deliver what people expect, it’ll backfire. People here... they get aggressive when they feel cheated. And if soone risks their life to hunt a monster expecting a reward, and we can’t pay up? They won’t just walk away. They might attack . Say I lied or scamd them. Even if I didn’t say it that way. Doesn’t matter."
Razeal heard Levy’s explanation and couldn’t help but sigh behind his mask.
He knew it. Of course it wasn’t going to be that easy.
"...Don’t you have a shop?" Razeal asked, rubbing his temple. "Why don’t you just sell your stuff for monster cores instead of normal currency or elental cores? Sell everything based on monster cores."
Levy looked at his mysterious masked boss like he was an idiot.
"No, boss. That’s not how it works. First off, I’m not so big na or popular figure. My shop is just a small ti stall no one cares what I sell or don’t. If I start doing that, people’ll just go to soone else who offers better prices with real coin," he explained. "Yeah, sure, it’d be a different story if I had sothing only I could offer, but I don’t. Not right now. So no it’s impossible."
"...." Razeal clicked his tongue but didn’t say more. "Alright. You can go."
Still caught up in thought, Razeal gestured for him to leave, then locked the door behind him.
After a mont of silence, he took the four black monster cores and focused.
Then, without wasting another second, he began absorbing them.
The mont he started, a cool, almost icy sensation ran through his veins. The dark mana surged into his body like a creeping fog, chilling and calm. In re seconds, all four cores had turned to crystal-clear glass, completely drained.
[You have absorbed four E-grade monster cores (Second Rank).]
[Dark mana successfully absorbed: 100%.]
[New Affinity Unlocked: Necrotic Affinity (Very Light).]
[Increased very small necrotic affinity after absorption.]
[Increased very small shadow affinity after absorption.]
[Host Mana (MP) Stat has been Updated.]
[From Mana: E ➔ D-]
A rapid burst of notifications flooded his mind. But what caught him off guard was the sudden internal shift, like sothing cracking open from deep inside. It wasn’t painful. In fact, it felt good. Real good.
Razeal placed a hand on his chest. "What was that just now, system? That felt... weird."
[Do not worry, host. That sensation is the result of your mana pool evolving. You’ve advanced from E rank to D rank. Your dark mana has now increased in purity and density. This is a qualitative change a good thing.]
Razeal exhaled in relief. "Fhe That’s good, then."
He rembered the first ti he absorbed a D grade core. Even at a 100% absorption ratio, it had only pushed him up to E rank. That was when the system explained he needed ten tis the usual mana volu to level up, thanks to his absurdly powerful potential. At the ti, Razeal had thought it was bullshit and part of him still did but the system insisted it was advantageous long term.
Still, his mana was mostly idle for now. He didn’t have any skill that directly required it. So even with the upgrade, it wasn’t like he’d suddenly blast teors or teleport.
Then his eyes caught another line from the system.
"System, I awakened another affinity? What does that an exactly?" Razeal asked, lifting one of the drained cores up to the light.
[Yes, host. Out of the four monster cores you just absorbed, three carried necrotic affinity while one held shadow affinity. That is how you gained Necrotic Affinity.]
"Alright, so what does it actually do?"
[Apologies, host. I am restricted from disclosing detailed affinity descriptions.]
Razeal groaned. "Damn you, motherf... whatever."
He didn’t dwell on it too long. Knowing the system’s restrictions, he’d only waste ti trying to bypass the limitation. But it did sour his mood. He was always curious about the unexplained parts of his potential. To know that he might be growing in a direction he couldn’t fully grasp? It was frustrating.
Razeal leaned his head back and stared at the ceiling. "If only I had a high enough mana stat, I could explore these affinities further. Maybe even seek out an SSS-ranked villain and get so answers... but that’d be a waste of ti right now."
He shook the thoughts away. They were distractions.
His stomach grumbled faintly, reminding him that dinner was on its way. Levy should be returning soon. Maybe after eating, he’d dive back into training. He didn’t want another interrupted session. With a deep breath, he just stretched his arms.
Deciding to clear his head, Razeal walked out of his room, moving silently down the stairs. The eerie ghost mask still hid his face, and his heavy robe swept against the steps with every motion. He entered the down shop quietly.
Levy was behind the counter, dealing with a a weird looking custors, but paused mid-sale when he noticed Razeal entering. starteled
"You want sothing, boss?" Joy asked, surprised maybe even a little startled as he shifted his gaze from the custor to Razeal.
"Well..." Razeal didn’t really know what to say. In truth, he wasn’t sure himself why he’d co downstairs.
"I guess it’ll still take ten minutes for them to prepare your order, boss. Maybe just wait a little longer?" Joy said, assuming Razeal was hungry and ca down because of that.
"Yeah, yeah... go ahead." Razeal waved a hand, gesturing for him to continue his work, then slowly let his eyes wander across the shop.
The custor nearby gave the two an odd glance. Boss? he thought. Why’s Joy calling soone ’boss’? But he shrugged it off.
Razeal’s gaze drifted across the shop again.
Razeal’s gaze drifted across the shop again. Everyone knew Joy, or "Levy" as Razeal called him, as the friendly owner of this odd little shop Joy’s Lil’ Shop. Even tho levy himself called himself small businessman. In fact, Joy had made a na for himself as a quirky but sowhat popular shopkeeper, selling everything from socks to swords.
His eyes passed over shelves packed with arrows, blades, even a few pieces of worn-looking armor mounted on the walls. Nearby, rows of small boxes and shelves displayed potions, dusty books, random groceries, alchemical materials, and even basic study supplies. The place was a chaotic ss of everything and nothing clearly not a professional outlet, but not quite useless either. Just two of everything, stuffed in every corner of this large room. And sohow, despite the disorder, it all felt... full.
"Brother Joy," the custor short, with thick black hair leaned over the counter and whispered, "I ca to ask if you’ve got that special potion... y’know, the one that makes you forget soone completely?"
"Oh? That kind of potion?" Joy’s voice lowered conspiratorially. "Why would you want sothing like that, Brother Bobby? Everything okay?"
"You rember I told you about that girlfriend I had?" Bobby’s shoulders slumped. "Well, she dumped a few days ago. And now I just... can’t forget her. She keeps popping into my head. It’s ssing up."
Bobby leaned in further as if Joy was a therapist. He clearly needed soone to talk to and Joy seed to be his chosen listener.
Joy dropping his voice low. "Ohh? That kind of potion? Why would you want sothing like that, Brother Bobby?" His tone was quiet, almost conspiratorial.
"You rember, right? Last ti I told you I made a girlfriend..." Bobby sighed. "Well, she dumped a few days ago. I can’t get her out of my head. She keeps coming back in my thoughts... and it’s ssing up. Maybe if I take sothing like that, it’ll help move on."
He made face like he was sharing the weight of the world. Razeal could see it on his face heartbreak with nowhere to go.
Joy nodded slowly, lips pursed in thought. "Ahh... that. Well, I don’t have anything like that here, unfortunately."
Bobby straightened imdiately, face falling. He looked like he expected that kind of answer. Useless shop, he probably thought. Always empty of the things people actually want.
But just as he was about to turn and leave, Joy stopped him.
"Hey, hey, Bobby, wait up, bro. I got sothing better. Way better. At least hear out."
Bobby paused, suspicious but intrigued. "What is it? Can it help ?" His voice was skeptical, brows furrowed. This guy? Having sothing useful?
Joy didn’t answer imdiately. Instead, he turned around, rummaged behind the counter, and returned with a greenish liquid in a sealed one liter bottle. He set it down in front of Bobby with a grin.
A foul stench wafted from the bottle.
Bobby recoiled instantly, hand covering his nose and mouth. "Ugh what the hell is this? Poison?"
"No, no! Not poison!" Joy replied with an overly confident grin. "It’s goblin blood."
"Goblin... blood?" Bobby stepped back warily. "What the hell does that have to do with ?"
Joy voice hushed like he was sharing sacred knowledge. "Listen to , naa. Don’t you wanna hurt her? Since she hurt you? She must be enjoying your heartbreak ..This... this’ll help you."
Bobby blinked, starting to get the wrong idea.
Joy saw it and quickly clarified.
"Not like that!" He chuckled. "Look, every ti you think of her or she cos to your mind, drink a sip of this. Trust it’ll make you nauseous. Violently nauseous. So over ti, your brain’ll link her with the feeling of throwing up."
"Now picture this," Joy continued, animated like a salesman on a mission. "She walks up to you soday, maybe to say hi or show off. And you? Without thinking bam! You throw up right in front of her. Psychological nuke, her self-esteem’s gonna take a serious hit."
He grinned wider. "Think about it. Instead of you looking like the dumped, heartbroken guy, you’re the one disgusted by her. She’ll start questioning everything. Might even co crawling back."
"She’ll get so confused, maybe even start wondering if you dumped her."
He winked. "That, my friend, is real mind warfare."
Joy’s grin was beaming now, full of bullshit and brilliance alike.
Oddly enough... it seed to be working.
Bobby’s eyes began to shimr with excitent, as if he’d just discovered the ultimate revenge spell.
"Boss Joy! You’re a genius! How did you even think of sothing like this?" Bobby exclaid, gripping the bottle with a newfound sense of purpose.
"So, how much for this miracle, Brother Bobby?" Joy puffed out his chest proudly.
"What?! Ten copper coins?! Boss, that’s way too expensive!" Bobby protested. "Goblin blood only costs one copper outside!"
But Joy’s smile didn’t falter.
"It’s not about the price, Brother Bobby. It’s about pride. Imagine, this bottle could win you your dignity back! If it were , I wouldn’t blink at giving a gold coin for sothing this personal. This isn’t a potion it’s the pride of a man."
Joy’s mouth just wouldn’t stop spouting crap. But sohow, it worked.
"Yes! Yes, Brother Joy!" Bobby’s eyes lit up even more, like he’d drunk a confidence elixir.
"Here’s twenty copper coins!" he declared proudly. "Let show that girl what real self-esteem issues look like. She cos around every day, acting like I’m still stuck on her? Let’s see how she reacts when I puke on sight!"
Bobby stord out of the shop, bottle in hand, muttering curses and victorious insults under his breath.
Joy chuckled, picking up the coins from the counter. "Easy money, easy money," he said under his breath with a satisfied smirk.
Razeal, listening from the side, felt his lips twitch under the mask. Where the hell does he co up with this kind of nonsense?
No wonder this shop’s still running, despite not having a single useful item.
Bullshit, after all, is also a talent.
A good talent.. Wait it can co to use!! Suddenly he thought of sothing
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