The dawn of a new day slowly streamed through the windows of the used-goods shop at the edge of Paldia. The smoke and chaos from last night's monster invasion had already faded away, leaving behind only the players' tremendous achievement in defending the starting city.
Yet... the hottest topic among every player on the server, as well as on the real world's forums, wasn't defeating the boss or leveling up.
It was the "used-goods shop at the edge of town" and "Sean, the Dark Merchant"!
Lumiel's streaming video showcasing the power of the Silent-Engraved Thunder Wrath Staff had rocketed past a million views within a few hours. Tens of thousands of players across the server now knew that if they wanted a new type of item with god-tier options that had never existed in the original database, they had to come to Paldia!
Jingle...
The shop's doorbell rang softly in the early morning. Sean, who was sitting and sipping herbal tea while checking his material inventory, looked up. The people entering the shop were none other than Sing Lek, the leader of the Golden Lion Guild, and Lumiel, the famous female streamer. The two walked in together, noticeably more respectful than they had been on their first visit.
"Good morning, Mr. Sean..." Sing Lek greeted him, clasping his hands and bowing slightly in respect. "The Bloodthirsty Leather Armor you forged for me last night... It saved my life and the lives of countless guild members during our clash with the wolf boss."
"My staff dealt incredibly massive damage too!" Lumiel smiled sweetly, her turquoise eyes sparkling. "Your shop's reputation has already become a legend in Paldia, Mr. Sean. Players from the neighboring cities are flocking here by the dozen!"
Sean set down his teacup and gave a faint smile. "That's a good thing... The more people who come, the more materials and junk items I'll get."
Sing Lek and Lumiel exchanged glances for a moment. Then Sing Lek decided to step forward and swiftly set a roll of genuine leather parchment on the counter.
"Mr. Sean... The two of us, representing a major guild and the independent player groups in the Paldia region, would like to offer you a Perfect Trade Alliance." Sing Lek spoke in a serious tone. "We'll monopolize the farming of rare materials, ores, and junk items from across the entire continent and deliver everything to you alone. We'll also keep the area in front of your shop secure and make absolutely sure no Player causes any trouble!"
"And what do you want in exchange?" Sean asked evenly, though he already knew the answer.
"First priority when ordering B-rank and A-rank equipment!" Lumiel answered immediately. "We need the strength to lead an expedition party along the route to Arcadia Capital, the next high-level area!"
Sean looked at the contract in front of him, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the counter. Having a major guild continually supply him with materials, along with people guarding the shop's entrance, would let his Dark Merchant Forge skill advance by leaps and bounds. More importantly, it would help him establish a power base that the system administrators wouldn't dare touch so easily anymore!
[Perfect Trade Alliance proposal detected] [Contract accepted: Access to the regional material transport route acquired!]
"Deal... I accept your offer." Sean reached for the pen and signed the contract. "Starting today, this shop will officially become Paldia's Dark Market Hub!"
Neither Sing Lek nor Lumiel could hide their delight. They both knew that controlling the supply line for Sean's items was the key to becoming the top players in this world.
Yet... just as the negotiations were reaching a happy conclusion, Sean's purple-black System notification window flashed into existence once again. But this time, it hadn't come from the Game Master... It had come from his own forge skill!
[World-Level Alert: Awakening of an Ancient Code Fragment detected at the underground ruins of Arcadia Capital] [Abnormal code extraction condition: To advance the Dark Merchant Forge skill to its highest level (Lv. 3), you must possess the Mechanical Dragon Heart hidden in the capital!]
Sean narrowed his eyes as he stared at the System message before him. A profound light gleamed in his eyes.
Paldia was only a small starting point. Defeating the two GMs last night had shown him that the game's System still concealed a vast number of mysteries and secrets. And if he wanted true freedom... he would have to expand the Dark Market's influence all the way to the capital!
"You said you're heading to the capital, Arcadia Capital?" Sean raised his head and addressed Sing Lek and Lumiel.
"Yes... We'll set out in three days," Lumiel replied.
Sean stretched his lips into a faint grin and pulled an A-rank Admin-Forged Judgment Shield from beneath the counter, placing it prominently on the table. Both Players stared at it, completely dumbfounded!
"Then... get ready." Sean spoke in a commanding voice. "Because the next branch of the Dark Market... is opening in Arcadia Capital!"