Chapter 93: Name Your Price
Keld leaned back in his chair, studying the floating text above the table with an expression that was half admiration, and half calculation.
The image of the Dragon Plate floated beside the description, slowly rotating for a 360 degree view.
"Well, well, well," Keld said at last, his voice a low hum. "How much would it take to get the location of this... free dungeon that you found, my good friend?"
He leaned forward. "Name your price. I’m sure we can come to an arrangement on how much you think is acceptable."
"Forget about it," Wade said mildly from beneath his hood. His voice carried just enough indifference to mask his eagerness. "So, what do you think of the gear?"
Keld exhaled, rubbing his chin. "It’s beautiful, I’ll grant that. But let’s be realistic. Bone gear is fickle. And sometimes, it’s too heavy for most mages. So, for that, I’ll offer you... fifty thousand coins."
Wade’s head tilted slightly. "Fifty?" he repeated slowly, as if testing the sound.
Then he chuckled. "Keld, that’s barely above pawnshop price. You know as well as I do that this isn’t ordinary bone."
"The structure’s draconic. Even a fraction of a drake’s durability makes it sturdier than most high-grade steel plates. Let’s not pretend otherwise. It’s an insult to the gear."
Keld smiled faintly. "And yet, if it were so desirable, you’d have a dozen buyers clamoring for it. Instead, you’re here, selling to me."
Wade leaned back, mirroring the merchant’s posture.
"We both know why I’m here. It’s because you understand the value of discretion. But if you think I can’t make this sale elsewhere, feel free to withdraw your interest."
"I don’t want to sell in the public eye, but don’t mistake that for desperation." He gestured towards the projected stats. "+200 HP. That alone is worth more than forty thousand."
"Add the fire resistance, the natural hardness, and the durability enhancement, which, by the way, doesn’t hinder the flexibility of the plate, and this is worth at least a hundred thousand coins."
Keld’s brows rose. "A hundred thousand?!" He let out a laugh that was filled with disbelief. "You’re bold, stranger. Too bold by the words you’re saying."
"Even if I found a buyer who wanted it, they’d never pay that much, even with the war coming. People want agility, not heavy armor. They’re investing in mobility gear and ranged damage, not more weight."
Wade folded his hands. "And what happens when the horde reaches Hiving’s walls? When they realize speed won’t save them from fire and claws?"
He leaned forward, voice low. "They’ll want protection. They’ll need protection. And you, Keld, will be the only merchant with a Dragon Plate in his stock. I’m sure with your skills, you’ll be able to sell it for double."
Selling it for double was a stretch, but Keld stared at him, his fingers drumming against the table. "You’ve got the mouth of a guild negotiator, you know that?"
Wade gave a small shrug. "Just a man who understands supply and demand."
There was a long pause, both men watching the other like predators circling. The lamplight flickered, creating a slightly tense atmosphere.
The merchant finally broke the silence. "Seventy thousand," he said. "Final offer. That’s already more than I’d usually pay for something like this."
Wade tapped a finger against the tabletop, feigning thought. In truth, his mind was already running calculations.
Even seventy thousand was fair profit, but he knew there was still more room to squeeze.
The war fever in Hiving was just beginning. By tomorrow, merchants like Keld would be desperate to stockpile rare items.
"Eighty," Wade said at last. "Not a coin less."
Keld exhaled heavily, shaking his head. "You really are stubborn."
"I’m consistent," Wade corrected smoothly. "You buy this for eighty thousand now, and by daybreak, it’ll look like the best deal you ever made. I’d bet on it."
Keld stared at him a moment longer, the silence stretching between them until, finally, the man sighed and extended his hand. "Eighty thousand, then. You win again."
They clasped hands, and the air shimmered around them as Wade activated Exchange.
[Exchange Initiated]
[Transferring: Dragon Plate → Keld]
[Receiving: 80,000 coins → Wade Barrett]
[Exchange Complete]
With the help of the skill, the items switched owners. Gold coins settled into Wade’s inventory, and the Dragon Plate vanished into Keld’s.
Keld gave a low whistle. "You’re going to bankrupt me one of these days."
"Look at you. Acting as if you’re not also making a killing from this deal. No matter how much you complain, I’m not taking it easy in the negotiations," Wade replied with a faint grin.
"You caught me." Keld chuckled.
The humor between them lasted only a moment before a familiar chime filled Wade’s mind.
Ding!
[Trade Recorded.]
[Total Profit: 765,000 coins.]
[Cosmic Value: +5.]
[Taking advantage of the economic boom that comes with a war, you have made deals and profited in ways that shouldn’t have been available to you. You’re a true merchant!]
[Balance: 10.]
Wade’s eyes flickered subtly, the faint blue reflection of the text gleaming from under his hood.
He could feel the rush of satisfaction, that silent thrill that came every time the Dimensional Ledger acknowledged his success. Now, he had ten points, enough for another key.
He stood abruptly, his chair scraping softly against the stone floor. "That’ll be all for tonight."
Keld raised a brow. "So soon? You’ve been making a killing tonight, I’d think you’d want to celebrate."
"Another time," Wade said quickly, already turning away. "Appreciate the business."
Keld laughed, shaking his head as he watched him go. "I swear, one of these days, you’ll sell me the moon if I’m not careful."
But Wade barely heard him. His focus was locked on the new screen shimmering faintly in front of his eyes.
[Congratulations, Merchant. Your recent trade has exceeded all thresholds of profitability.]
[As a reward, you may select a Dimensional Key. Each key opens the gate to a dungeon of unfathomable depth. Choose wisely.]
[Available Dungeons:]
[1. Obsidian Key - Unlocks the Dark Labyrinth, a shifting dungeon of endless black stone, where shadow beasts lurk and every wall hungers. Beware, adventurer, for not every step is assured, and not every shadow as it seems.]
[2. Blood Key - Unlocks the Blood Crucible, a dungeon where rivers of lava forge monsters of fire and iron. They seek to drag visitors into the depths, to join them in the lakes of eternal damnation.]
[3. Storm Key - Unlocks the Tempest Spire, a vertical dungeon of jagged platforms suspended in a roaring eternal storm. Lightning forges monsters mid-strike, and every ascent risks being hurled into the abyss below.]
[All dungeons offer great rewards and are single layer dungeons.]
[Please select your key.]
[Note: This transaction costs 10 cosmic value points, and would reset the difficulty, introducing the Law of Diminishing Returns. Getting another key would require double the effort in trades.]
Wade’s heart was still beating fast when he stepped out into the night.
The city was quieter now, with most people not wanting to spend their nights out in taverns, after the news of the coming war.
There was an atmosphere of waiting, like the entire city was holding its breath, but Wade didn’t care. His attention was elsewhere.
He kept walking aimlessly, half-listening to the sound of his boots against stone as he looked through the glowing options before him.
Three choices. Again.
The Obsidian Key. The Blood Key. And the Storm Key.
The first two he recognized, but the third was new. A replacement for one he hadn’t taken before.
That meant that until he chose a key, it would always appear in the options. Which also meant that whether he liked it or not, one day, he would have to claim all these keys.
His gaze moved to the Blood Crucible. His brain was already conjuring images of what could be inside.
Rivers of lava, unending heat, and monsters forged from metal and fire. It was simply a deathtrap for anyone without both fire and heat resistance.
He’d improved his defenses since then, but he was not sure if it would be enough to gamble with magma.
He moved to the Storm Key. The Tempest Spire. He imagined vast platforms hanging in a thunderstorm, with lightning bolts powerful enough to shatter anything.
Even with his new agility and teleportation skills, there was nothing that said one of those falling lightning couldn’t strike him. There was just too much risk involved.
That left the Obsidian Key, which opened the Dark Labyrinth.
From the description, it was a dungeon of shadow and deception.
He imagined corridors of black stone that shifted and twisted, and monsters made of darkness, lurking at the edge of sight.
Dangerous, yes. But not random. Not chaotic like the storm or the lava. Simply put, it was a place of traps, cunning, and survival.
That meant it was a place that could be learned.
That made it his kind of dungeon.
With a faint smirk, Wade stopped walking and raised his hand.
"Obsidian Key," he said softly.
The screen flickered once, and a single notification appeared.
Ding!
[Congratulations! You have chosen Obsidian Key!]
A muted flash of dark light appeared in his palm, solidifying into a long, jagged key of obsidian glass that reflected no light. It felt cold and heavy.
Wade grinned beneath his hood.
He now had another dungeon. Another opportunity.
The night wind rustled through the empty streets as he slipped the key into his inventory and vanished into the dark.