Seeing the rude and boisterous player whistle as he walks out of the hall, pretending to be satisfied, Menchi looks worried, her brows raised a little.
"What are you doing... you spent almost a million FC. We just earned six million, and you have already spent one," she recounts, sighing. "Benezia, why are you not interfering?!"
"I do not disagree with Alex. Though expensive, you yourself know why I didn't interfere," Benezia replies calmly.
"Yeah, come on," Alex whispers, smirking. "I came out ahead on that one. I'd even have paid the full two million. What a fool. He knew my exact thoughts. I'd pay almost anything to help you out. We're going all the way to the end of the system. This fool knew that, and still sold it for a mere 850,000 FC? What a moron."
He then calms down, looking serious.
"This item is so rare, I haven't seen it at all in the market, and neither have you or Benezia. Months of looking, and we didn't spot something like that once. How can I not accept that offer under these circumstances? Now you are both just one step away from the Gold Rarity... I swear, I'll get you there as well."
"... thank you," Menchi whispers, looking guilty, her eyes dropping for a second.
The next player steps forward, a woman in her twenties, looking quite confident.
Offering five different Purple items with good, but not too outstanding effects, Alex denies her kindly, keeping it brief.
However, Tereza ends up buying a Deep Purple cloak, raising stats, and increasing MP regeneration for a modest sum of 90,000 FC.
The next player also offers just various Blue and Purple items, including skillbooks, but nothing that stands out or even remotely interests Alex.
That's just meh...
The fifth player offers just three lower-ranked Blue items for prices starting at 50,000 FC. Not even hiding his intentions, he smirks at Alex, full of confidence. "Wanna buy anything? Better hurry up, or I'll double the prices."
"Fuck off!" Alex says, now outright angry.
The other two had reasonable offers, but this guy was just here for the show and the negotiations. Probably a spy, or at least someone fishing for information. Fuck him.
Without having to say anything, one of the goblins uses his stick on him, expelling him from the audience instantly.
"That player will receive a two-year ban from the Union," Softspark declares loudly, spectating a little distance away.
Another player suddenly backs off. "Sorry, I... I—I, uh, have u—urgent business to attend to." He nervously stutters, backing off.
"..."
Leaving just a single player standing, Alex, now a little disappointed, curiously inspects him. He's older, and his face is partially covered by a hood.
"Congratulations to you youngsters," he says, causing Benezia's gaze to turn serious.
"Youngster..." She repeats. "Surely you are jesting."
"In terms of Realm time and experience—I am not," the man replies. "I have just a single item to offer to you. I will state a price. Should you accept, the deal proceeds. Should you reject me, I'll walk away instantly."
"No negotiation?" Alex questions him. "I don't like this.... Do you know how trading works? It's a two-way street. Are you creating a show now?"
"I am not. I am merely not interested in negotiating or arguing. I am trying to sell you this item because I desperately need FC. I am not willing to reduce my asking price by a single FC. You can accept or reject my deal; it's entirely up to you. I promise you it's not a trick or tactic. I will simply walk off if you are not interested. I promise you, I am completely serious and without bad intentions."
"..."
Slightly annoyed, but also weirdly curious, Alex nods. "Go ahead, then, my friend from the hood."
"If you repeat a joke on that level again, I'll walk away without presenting the item..." the hooded man responds in an ice-cold voice.
"..."
What a buzzkill... I mean, he looks like a hardass. Can I maybe still negotiate? I feel he is a little tense.
Alex then stares at the system screen in front of him, seeing the item's description.
[Leylin Farlier's Bloodline Extraction Syringe]
World: Warlock of the Magus World
Quality: Deep Gold
Effect: Attempts to steal the bloodline of a target. This Syringe needs to be inserted into the target's body for 10 seconds before it draws any bloodline. Aborting the process wastes the item in question. Should the process succeed, a new, unique item will be generated.
Effect: To achieve any reasonable chance of success, the target needs to be weakened and must be unable to resist. Even then, the bloodline will never be as strong as the original the target possesses.
Effect: There is a high chance that a corrupted, weakened, mutated, or no bloodline at all will be extracted. The stronger the target and the more unique the bloodline in question, the less effective this item will be.
Warning: This Item has a high chance of failure.
Note: Being an unsuccessful experiment, designed by Leylin Farlier's AI chip, this syringe is merely capable of stealing bloodlines, granting anyone without one the ability to integrate it into their own body.
"So much to read," Alex complains, sighing, despite having already finished reading through it.
This item... I need it... Maybe we can come up with a plan?
Jewel, this is your part: communicate with Benezia. I want this item, but I am not too sure if I should buy it, especially at this price. The effect seems random, unpredictable, but with a lot of potential. Most importantly, I believe my LUK will make it quite viable!
Princess Jewel is relaying Soulmate's message: He wants the item, as he believes in its potential and suspects his LUK will make it viable for him. However, he is not sure, as it seems random and unpredictable. He wants Benezia's input in trying to lower the price.
"Three Million FC," the hooded man states, declaring it proudly.
"You're breaking my balls here..." Alex mutters unconsciously, causing the man to immediately frown at him.
"Are you declining my offer?" he asks in a raised voice.
"... No, I mean... well, at that price..." Alex replies meekly. "Give me a chance to even read it first, okay?"
Shrugging, Alex pretends to read while glancing at a Benezia.
Well... I am not sure... this is a lot of FC... but maybe we should take it? Since he doesn't negotiate, we don't have much of a choice, right?
Soulmate intends to buy it, as he thinks the man will not budge or negotiate.
"Well, since you are not interested in a negotiation, this is the time to bid you goodbye," Benezia says, standing up, shocking the man and even Alex.
???
"Let's go home. I have quite a few suggestions on how we can spend our FC that we set aside for purchases more effectively," Benezia declares confidently.
What is she doing?!
"You... do you let your Supporter decide for you? What kind of player are you?" the hooded man says, staring at Alex, clearly surprised.
Did she... predict this? I thought this guy wasn't gonna haggle. I smell a chance.
"Now you are insulting me?" Alex snaps at him. "I think this item is quite interesting, and I'd like to own it, but you yourself said no haggling. We already have quite a few debts and various people to pay."
He exhales, looking stressed. "You know, I don't even remember how many contracts I signed with my guild and the Union. Frankly, I can't pay you three million FC, and I can't go into... more debt. So as much as I'd like to buy it, I can't. Benezia told me my limit, and that's changed now too."
"And what is your limit?" the man inquires, seemingly calm, but his eyes are slightly twitching.
Is he... angry? No... he is desperate! That item... is it perhaps hard to sell? I mean... who would buy it? It's a random chance item... without my LUK, I wouldn't even pay 1 million for it. I need to lower the price, but I have to pick something believable, or else he'll really just walk off.
"It was exactly 2.5 million... before my last purchase. It's now at exactly 1,650,000 FC."
"You... how can you earn so much money and then have nothing left?" the man asks, shocked, unable to believe what he's hearing.
"Look... how do you think we obtained all these items?!" Alex asks, pretending to be angry and frustrated. "Extreme risks, debt, borrowed items, and heavy use of consumables. How else do you think I can get items worth around 7 million FC?"
He pauses slightly, "I'm not a wizard, Harry."
The man's face now gets visibly red in rage.
Too much; better go with the carrot after the stick.
"... sorry, that was a bad joke indeed," Alex admits, rubbing his head. "Either way, take it or leave it. It's not like I will, or frankly can, negotiate either." He points vaguely toward the line that had been there earlier. "You should have lined up first. I might have been able to pay you more. Also, I know you said not to argue or negotiate, but we're kinda past that, aren't we? Your luck-based item is not worth the full three million. It's a huge gamble. I only want it because I still lack an item with an innate skill, and I think Devil Fruits are too risky. Also, my teammate already has one, so it's not like I want to add another one and a potential weakness into the mix."
"Give me something else then," the man demands.
"Not like I have anything. I just sold everything at the auction, remember?" Alex asks, lying through his teeth, without even thinking.
"True..." he says, reluctantly agreeing with Alex.
What?! Wasn't he here?! Don't tell me he... he joined only for the fruit?! A solo player? I still have the [Hades Hammer] left!
"Though... I could offer you a Small Soul Crystal. That's literally all I have left. I used up everything else," Alex suddenly says, acting as if he's remembered something at the last second.
"I can throw in thirteen Green Quality and fifteen White Quality dishes," Menchi says, raising her hand, before clarifying, "Our whole remaining stash, which I hoped to turn into more FC. Should be worth a good 50,000 to 75,000 FC."
"..." Looking completely torn, the man grits his teeth. "Contract... go into debt."
"I refuse," Alex denies him. "Sorry, as much as I like the item, I won't go into even more debt. I don't want it that much. Also, I don't even think I'm allowed to... I think the last contract from Glimmerwhisk mentioned something about additional loans. Take it or leave it."
"... You... fine, it's a deal! I want it all, though. Every last dish from your cook and the Soul Crystal," he says, pain all over his face.
A swift trade later, and Alex holds the [Leylin Farlier's Bloodline Extraction Syringe] in his hand.
"Maaaaan... completely broke," Alex says, looking exhausted. "I thought I was gonna be rich... Now all my money is gone."
"You... be grateful, you brat!" the man angrily yells before walking away. "Enough. I need to get out of here. Just seeing your face makes me sick."
With the man leaving, Alex's face finally reveals a devious smile.
"Alex... you are outright evil..." Tereza says, holding back her laughter. "Benezia and Menchi also participated, shame on you. The poor guy... though I still think we paid a lot. He should be grateful."
"No," Benezia states. "Even at three million FC, this item would have been worth a purchase, as it holds tremendous potential—especially in a player's hands that rely on LUK."
"Ah!" Tereza remembers. "You are right! So the chances of obtaining a bloodline are..."
"Pretty damn good!" Alex finishes her thought, grinning.
"Hehe, now with the remaining funds I'll upgrade my last two items and then... I'm ready for the next mission!" Alex says, now looking extremely confident.
Also... I can finally obtain an Innate skill of my liking!
Princess Jewel demands chicken to celebrate! ❤️
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