chapter 55 panic in auction house
As Raven finished sealing the last of his Poison Potions, a notification popped up.
[You have gained experience from crafting. Your level has increased!]
[Level Up! You are now Level 3 (25% Progress).]
A slow smirk spread across his face. Alchemy wasn't just profitable—it was a power grind. While other players were still struggling to level up by killing low-level monsters, he had jumped straight to Level 3 just by brewing potions.
After three intense hours in the Alchemy Center, Raven finally leaned back, stretching his sore shoulders. The Silver Furnace had proven its worth, allowing him to craft potions at an efficient rate. The results were impressive:
75 Basic Health Potions
50 Poison Potions
His Alchemy Proficiency had increased significantly, pushing him closer to the next level. Each potion brewed had refined his technique, making the process faster and smoother.
But the real challenge wasn't just making the potions—it was selling them for the highest profit possible.
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Potion Statistics & Pricing
Basic Health Potion (Common)
Effect: Restores 50 HP instantly.
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Weight: 0.1 kg
Sell Price (NPC Vendor): 3 copper (Too low)
Sell Price (Players): 10 silver (High demand)
Poison Potion (Weak)
Effect: Coats a weapon with poison, applying Poison (Weak) for 30 seconds.
Deals 5 poison damage per second for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: None (Can be applied anytime)
Weight: 0.2 kg
Sell Price (NPC Vendor): 5 copper (Too low)
Sell Price (Players): 15 silver (Rare & powerful early-game advantage)
Raven stepped into the Viles Town Auction House, the grand structure humming with faint magical energy. The air smelled of parchment, ink, and a hint of frustration. Normally, this place would be bustling with independent merchants and solo players trying to flip their loot, but today, it was mostly quiet—except for a small group of players near the auction counter, loudly complaining.
They wore matching emblems—logistics members from different guilds, the backbone of any large-scale operation. Unlike frontline fighters who basked in glory, these players were the ones handling supplies, managing inventory, and ensuring their guilds had enough resources for battle.
And right now? They were miserable.
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Guild Logistics: The Unsung Heroes—And Their Growing Frustration
A heavily armored player slammed a parchment onto the auction counter, scowling at the NPC auctioneer. "This is absurd! There are no health potions left, and the ones that are here are going for 20 silver each! How are we supposed to keep our fighters supplied at this rate?"
Another logistics officer, a robe-wearing support player, groaned as he checked his guild's inventory. "We were supposed to have a full stock before tonight's dungeon raid. Do you know how many potions we need? At least 200! And what do we have? Five! Five overpriced potions!"
A thief-class logistics officer—likely responsible for managing rogue supplies—crossed his arms and sneered, "I swear, some alchemists must be hoarding stock on purpose. This isn't normal. Someone is playing the market."
The knight scoffed, frustration mounting. "Do these so-called alchemists not realize that without us, the economy collapses? We're the ones keeping guilds running, managing inventories, and handling trade routes! We don't even get to fight—we're stuck dealing with shortages, overpriced auctions, and people selling junk at ridiculous prices!"
The healer nodded bitterly, rubbing his temples. "Frontline fighters don't get it. They just demand, 'Give me 50 potions!' without knowing how hard it is to actually secure them. The only time anyone notices logistics is when something goes wrong."
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The Market Situation: The Perfect Storm for Profiteering
Raven listened, his lips curling into a knowing smirk. Guild logistics were struggling.
Potion demand was skyrocketing.
Supply was nonexistent.
Prices had inflated beyond reason.
And he held 75 Basic Health Potions in his inventory.
Raven pulled up the auction house interface, browsing the current listings. Just as the guild members had complained, only a handful of health potions remained—each priced at 15 to 20 silver. That was nearly ten times the NPC vendor price, but even then, they were vanishing fast.
Desperate guilds had no choice but to pay.
And Raven? He was about to capitalize on that desperation.
Instead of dumping all 75 potions into the auction house at once like a fool, Raven employed a calculated strategy.
1. List only 10 potions at a time – By keeping supply low, he would maintain high demand and ensure that every batch sold at inflated prices.
2. Price them at 12 silver each – Slightly lower than competitors, making his stock the first to sell while undercutting others and driving up urgency.
3. Wait for the panic to spread – As guilds rushed to buy, he could slowly increase the price, milking every silver possible.
With a few quick taps, he listed 10 Basic Health Potions at 12 silver each.
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Immediate Results: The Panic Sets In
Within seconds, one of the logistics officers noticed the new listing.
"Wait! Someone just put up ten potions—12 silver each!"
The knight scowled but clicked purchase instantly. "That's still a rip-off, but we need them!"
[10 Basic Health Potions Sold.]
Raven smirked. Too easy.
The healer groaned. "Whoever this alchemist is, they better keep listing more. Otherwise, we're screwed."
Raven chuckled under his breath. Oh, he would list more, alright. But only when the price was just right.
The Second Wave: Raising the Price
Raven leaned against the auction house counter, watching the desperate guild logistics officers scramble for potions. They had no idea he was the seller.
The first batch of 10 health potions had sold instantly, proving that guilds were in full-blown panic mode. The moment one logistics officer grabbed them, the others rushed to refresh the auction page, hoping for more.
But Raven didn't immediately list another batch. He let them sweat.
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The Desperation Builds
The knight gritted his teeth. "Damn it! That was barely enough for one squad! Where the hell are the rest?"
The thief-class logistics officer tapped his fingers impatiently. "We need at least 30 more potions before our tanks can move out. If we don't find them, our entire raid plan is screwed."
The healer groaned, rubbing his temples. "You don't understand. We're not the only ones struggling. Other guilds are in the same situation. The second another batch appears, they're gonna snatch them up instantly."
Raven smirked. Exactly as planned.
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Strategic Pricing: The Next Move
Since the first 10 sold instantly at 12 silver each, Raven raised the price slightly before listing the next batch.
[You have listed 10 Basic Health Potions at 14 silver each.]
The moment they appeared, one of the logistics officers immediately clicked purchase.
[10 Basic Health Potions Sold.]
The knight cursed. "Damn it! That price went up!"
The thief scowled. "I knew it! These sellers are price-gouging us!"
The healer sighed in frustration. "Doesn't matter—we still need more. We'll take whatever we can get."
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The Final Price Surge
Raven chuckled to himself. The guilds had no choice but to keep buying. They had already committed to the raid, and without potions, they couldn't afford to go in.
Since the first two batches sold instantly, Raven pushed his strategy even further:
[You have listed 10 Basic Health Potions at 16 silver each.]
Despite their complaints, the guild logistics officers rushed to buy again. They had no time to hesitate.
[10 Basic Health Potions Sold.]
The thief slammed his fist on the counter. "We just paid 16 silver per potion. This is a damn monopoly!"
The knight exhaled sharply. "Doesn't matter. If we don't buy them, someone else will."
The healer clenched his jaw. "Fine. Just grab whatever shows up next."
Raven smirked. They had taken the bait completely.
With only 45 potions left in his inventory, he knew exactly what to do. Raise the price one more time—and watch them scramble.
The Final Squeeze: Milking Every Silver from the Desperate Guilds
Raven casually browsed the auction house interface, pretending to inspect weapon listings while silently enjoying the growing frustration of the guild logistics officers.
They were stuck.
They had no reliable supply of health potions, yet their guild leaders were demanding them. With a dungeon raid on the line, they couldn't return empty-handed. Even at ridiculous prices, they had no choice but to keep buying.
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Guild Logistics: Breaking Under Pressure
The knight sighed, checking his remaining guild funds. "We've already spent over 300 silver on potions, and we're still short. We'll have to cut into our emergency budget."
The thief scowled. "We're wasting money because of some greedy alchemist playing the market."
The healer rubbed his temples. "At this point, I don't care. We need at least 20 more potions before the raid starts." He glanced at the auction listings again. "Damn it! Nothing new yet!"
The tension among them was growing.
And that's exactly what Raven wanted.
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The Perfect Moment: Raising the Price Again
He let them sweat for a few more minutes. Let them panic. Let them think they had bought out the last available stock.
Then, at the perfect moment—just when they were getting desperate—he listed the next batch.
[You have listed 10 Basic Health Potions at 18 silver each.]
The moment the listing appeared, the knight immediately clicked buy without hesitation.
[10 Basic Health Potions Sold.]
The thief groaned. "Damn it! It went up again!"
The healer clenched his fists. "This is straight-up robbery! But what can we do? If we don't buy, we lose the raid."
The knight cursed. "We need 10 more potions at minimum. If another batch shows up, buy them instantly—no matter the price."
Raven smirked. Now, they were fully trapped.
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The Final Blow: Testing Their Breaking Point
Since the last batch sold instantly, Raven pushed his luck to the limit.
He listed the final 10 potions at a ridiculous price:
[You have listed 10 Basic Health Potions at 20 silver each.]
There was a brief moment of hesitation. The guild members exchanged nervous glances.
20 silver per potion was insane.
But they were already committed. They had no other options.
With a frustrated growl, the knight gritted his teeth and clicked purchase.
[10 Basic Health Potions Sold.]
The thief threw up his hands. "I can't believe we just paid 20 silver per potion. This is a goddamn scam."
The healer groaned. "Whoever this alchemist is, I hope they choke on their profits."
The knight sighed in defeat. "We're done here. Let's go before we spend even more."
As the group stormed out of the auction house, Raven leaned back and checked his balance.
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Total Profits:
75 Health Potions Sold
Price Range: 12–20 silver each
Total Earnings: Over 1,100 silver
He had just made a fortune.
And the best part? He wasn't done yet.
Because while these guilds were struggling to stay alive…
He had 50 Poison Potions ready to sell next.