Black Market

Max kicked off his shoes and let out a deep breath. 

He sat on his bed, running a hand through his hair.

'Justin did what he wanted.'

Max frowned. 

But strength alone wouldn't be enough. Power wasn't just about fighting—it was about resources. And if there was one thing Max knew for sure, it was that money made things a lot easier.

'Well, I don't have rich parents, so I'm gonna need money.'

Stocks were probably the best bet. He already knew what was about to happen—he just had to take advantage of it.

'What would I need… Potions, for sure. Equipment, definitely. Artifacts. The stronger they were, the more expensive, but the right one could make all the difference.'

'What stocks to start with…'

'Axion.'

They were about to crash soon. 

Max exhaled. 'That settles it.'

…

Max walked through the bustling streets of Valthesis, eyes scanning the crowds as he checked his balance.

Student: Maximus Augustus

Balance: 978 C

Could be enough. But not nearly enough to make what he had in mind work.

He needed more—way more. And the best way to get it? Run a dungeon. A low-ranked one to start, just to get a feel for it.

Max continued down the street, his boots tapping lightly against the cobblestone. After a few minutes, he came across a stall selling hooded scarves.

"Five Crowns for each one," the vendor said with a tired smile.

Max nodded, selecting an all-black scarf and handing over the Crowns. The man didn't even glance up, as if it wasn't worth the effort to engage further.

Max wrapped the scarf around his neck, then spotted a mask stand nearby. The vendor's assortment was simple, but Max was looking for something specific—a black mask. He quickly bought one, the fabric cool to the touch as he adjusted it to cover his face.

'Rule one of the black market: Don't let anyone know your identity.'

With his new gear in place, Max felt a little more prepared for what lay ahead.

…

Max walked through the narrow alleyway, the dim glow of the streetlights barely reaching him. At the end, a large black door stood, looking out of place in the quiet street.

Klung. Klung. Klung.

He paused, standing still as the sound echoed from behind the door. After a few moments, it creaked open, and two men in dark suits stepped out. They scanned Max, their eyes calm but observant.

'They're C rank.' Max thought, noting their sharp focus.

One of the men spoke, his voice deep but steady. "What are you here for?"

Max replied without hesitation, "I saw a crow fly over here at midnight."

The man didn't react much. "Crows fly all around here at night."

Max nodded. "Because the wolf howls at the moon."

The two men exchanged a quick glance, then nodded in unison. Without a word, they opened the door wider, allowing Max to step inside.

Max walked through the quiet hub, a place where the only sound was the faint shuffle of footsteps on the floor. Stalls lined the walls, but no one spoke, their faces hidden beneath hoods or masks, their movements deliberate and cautious. The silence was almost oppressive, broken only by the occasional clink of metal or the soft scrape of a chair.

'Words can't even describe this place…' Max thought.' It looks so cool.'

He moved through the stillness, the air thick with a strange sense of anticipation, until he reached a bar at the far end. The bartender didn't acknowledge him as he took a seat on one of the stools, his eyes downcast, as if everyone here knew the value of silence.

Max rested his head on his right hand, staring at the counter for a few minutes, then switched to his left, letting the time pass without a word.

A hooded man slid onto the stool beside him, his presence barely noticeable despite the emptiness around them.

"How can we help you?" the man asked, his voice low, cutting through the silence like a whisper.

Max turned toward him, keeping his tone steady. "I'm looking for an information broker. Silas."

The man didn't respond immediately. He simply turned his head slightly to look at Max, his face unreadable beneath the hood.

"Are you sure about your request?" His voice was quieter this time, more measured.

Max gave a small nod, his expression calm. "Positive."

The man sighed softly, the sound almost inaudible in the quiet, then stood up.

"Silas will be with you soon. We hope he satisfies you with his service."

Max nodded back, not speaking as the man faded into the stillness.

Fifteen minutes passed in the stillness of the bar before the door creaked open again. A taller, hooded man walked in, his presence almost imposing despite the silence. He moved with confidence, his footsteps steady as he approached the counter and slid into the seat next to Max.

"Silas, here at your service." His voice was deeper than Max had expected, smooth but carrying an undercurrent of authority.

Max didn't waste time. "I need a broker."

Silas raised an eyebrow but kept his expression neutral. "My commission is 5% of all profits. Depending on the work, the terms could go up."

"That's fine." Max replied without hesitation.

Silas studied him for a moment, his gaze steady. Max seemed calm, collected, but there was something about him that didn't quite fit. For someone to ask for a broker with such high demands, it wasn't typical. This wasn't a common request.

Silas leaned in slightly, his voice lower now. "What's your plan?"

Max leaned back in his seat, thinking through his words. "First, I want to put all my money into Velroix stocks. Axion is about to take a dive, but Velroix is going to soar." He glanced at Silas. "You'll handle the investing for me. I want to remain anonymous."

Silas took a moment to process this. He was quiet for a beat, his eyes narrowing slightly as he considered Max's words.

"That's your plan?" Silas asked, doubt slipping into his tone.

Max nodded, waiting for him to speak.

Silas felt a strange tension rise in his chest. This wasn't just an ordinary request. Betting against a giant like Axion and supporting a smaller company like Velroix? It seemed like a foolish gamble. But then again, that's why Max came to him — no other broker would have taken the risk. Silas had his doubts, and everything in him screamed that this wasn't just about stocks.

He couldn't deny the request, though. It was against the principles of being a broker to turn someone down, especially with a payment on the line.

Silas's mind raced. 'Is this person going to kill someone important?' His instincts told him no — he didn't think Max could take down a high-profile target, at least not without making a mess. Still, there was something about him that gave off a feeling of control.

'Does he know something I don't?' Silas thought, his hands resting on the counter. 

"Okay, so how much are you planning on investing?" Silas asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Right now, I have just under 950 crowns," Max replied, his gaze steady, unaffected.

"950?" Silas repeated, his voice tinged with disbelief. "That's... that's barely enough to get started."

Max nodded, not fazed. "I'm aiming for more. My goal is to eventually reach anywhere between 10,000 to 100,000."

Silas blinked, taken aback. What kind of small-time investment is this? he thought, trying to wrap his head around Max's words.

"Well, how exactly do you plan on making that kind of money?" Silas asked, raising an eyebrow.

Max leaned back, his expression unfazed. "I'm going to run a dungeon and—"

Suddenly, Silas fell off his chair, landing with a dull thud. He lay there for a second, staring up at the ceiling as if contemplating his life choices.

"Oh, what have I done to deserve this?" Silas muttered, his voice a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

Max couldn't help himself and burst out laughing. He watched Silas in amusement, shaking his head.

"It'll be fine, you just have to trust me," Max said between laughs. "Let's talk specifics."

Silas groaned but climbed back into his seat, rubbing his temples. "Fine. Let's get this over with."

"I still need your help with something else," Max continued, his tone now serious. "I need a monster corpse broker."

"Checks out," Silas said, nodding, his tone flat as if resigned to the absurdity of the situation.

"I'm going to do an F-ranked dungeon," Max added.

The words hung in the air for a moment before Silas's eyes widened in horror. "F-ranked… oh no." He paused for a long beat, staring at Max. "Well, F-ranked monster corpses usually go for about a thousand crowns... five thousand for boss monsters, and maybe a hundred thousand for a core, depending on its size. But, if you're shooting for ten thousand at least, you're going to need storage big enough to hold about ten monster corpses. You sure about this?"

Max met his gaze without hesitation. "Wouldn't have asked for you if I wasn't."

Silas studied him for a long moment, his brow furrowed. This was risky—stupid even. But something about the way Max spoke... there was no doubt in his eyes, no uncertainty. And that was both unsettling and strangely reassuring.

"Alright," Silas sighed, sitting back in his chair. "Since you're my only client, I'll help you however I can. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Max extended his hand, a sharp contrast to Silas's wary gaze.

"We've got a deal," Max said, his voice steady.

Silas hesitated, then reached out to shake Max's hand. There was a strange weight in the air, a sense that both of them knew they were about to dive into something far more complicated than either could predict.