Aim for the Stars, Land on the Moon

Offering to buy the materials for five hundred gold coins had already been very generous, at least according to the shop master's estimation.

Typically, A-rank monster parts were sold for around two hundred gold coins at first market price. The prices usually went up depending on the rarity, quantity, or uniqueness of the monster parts.

He couldn't deny the fact that the monster parts Vyn brought were truly rare and in large quantities. They were exceptional finds, the kind that could fetch a high price.

Because of this, he decided to offer that amount. He had been quite generous with his offer, trying to establish a favorable ground with this customer. He hoped to get more deals from him in the future, even though it might not be profitable this time. But who knew that such boundless greed could be hiding behind the innocent-looking face of this boy?

"You should be well familiar with the market price of these materials. Five hundred gold coins, which I offered, is already over the top. I'm sorry, I can't purchase these materials for nine hundred gold coins."

Vyn listened to the shopkeeper's words. He obviously agreed that nine hundred was an absurd amount. But he was only trying to aim for the best out of this deal. They said aim for the stars so that if you fail, you will land on the moon. This was the logic he was working with.

"Eight ninety," Vyn said, trying to sound reasonable.

"…."

The shop master stared at him, his face blank.

"Eight seventy," Vyn tried again, lowering the price a bit.

"…."

Still, there was silence from the shop master.

At this point, the shop master couldn't help having second thoughts about the deal. Was this guy really worth negotiating with? He looked as rigid as a stone, not relenting at all.

But if he missed out on this opportunity, he couldn't tell when he would have the chance to get a single piece of A-rank material again.

"Look, I'll be honest with you," the shop master said, trying to sound sincere. "I wouldn't have gone beyond five hundred gold coins, but I am eager to pull this through for the sake of future relationships. You can also tell I am very interested in these materials. I am offering five fifty. This is my last offer. I'm not willing to go beyond that."

"Deal."

Vyn's answer came abruptly and swiftly, which was very puzzling. With a blossoming smile on his face, he went over to the shop master, who was looking at him in confusion, and shook hands.

The shop master didn't know what to make of the situation. This guy, who had been so calculative ever since the negotiation began, had suddenly accepted his offer as soon as he increased the price by fifty gold coins.

More puzzling was how the tense and rigid expression he had displayed throughout the negotiation had suddenly vanished, replaced by a rosy smile and excitement, as if he had just won the lottery.

'Did I just get ripped off?'

The development of events led him to this logical conclusion. Staring at Vyn, the shop master couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

It was logical to bear some resentment against this young man who seemed to be expertly honed in the very essence of business, akin to a corrupt politician. Yet, despite the initial frustration, he found the situation quite amusing.

From what he could deduce, Vyn couldn't possibly have a simple background. The experience he had shown in the negotiations was remarkable. For someone like Vyn to make even an experienced businessman like himself suffer a loss was no small feat.

The shop master couldn't help but acknowledge his skill. It was no wonder powerful figures backed him.

"I will have the gold coins prepared. Please be patient for a while," the shop master said to Vyn, pulling out a transmission token and sending out instructions to his staff.

Vyn nodded in response, his mind already shifting gears. A thought struck him. At that moment, he realized he didn't have any good armor or equipment at his disposal. Although he had been kicked out of his guild, he planned to resume dungeon hunting soon and needed good equipment.

His preferred combat style was a combination of sword and shield. In the past, he had used low-level equipment that constantly needed repair and reinforcement after every dungeon raid.

It wasn't his fault, he had been quite poor, living from hand to mouth during those times. He simply didn't have enough money to afford good gear.

But now, the situation was different. From the sale of this A-rank material, he was getting a huge amount of gold. There was no longer an excuse to use low-quality equipment.

A moment later, an attendant entered the shop with a small bag full of shimmering gold coins. The shopkeeper handed it to Vyn, who suppressed his excitement. He took his time to conduct a thorough examination, ensuring not a single penny's worth of gold coin was missing.

Satisfied, he transferred the coins to the small pouch he had used to bring the monster materials. He exchanged final greetings with the shopkeeper, promising to return for future deals, before exiting the shop.

Vyn exited the shop with hurried steps, scanning his surroundings keenly to avoid any possibilities of being followed. He moved through the Trade Market in a series of concentric patterns, a tactic to throw off any potential pursuers. Finally, he arrived at a large shop, an armory where equipment was sold.

As soon as Vyn arrived, he was greeted by a young man, the attendant of the armory. The attendant's face lit up with a welcoming smile, and he ushered Vyn inside.

Inside the armory, the atmosphere was lively. Several people were huddled over different sections of the large hall, each examining various pieces of equipment they were interested in. The air buzzed with conversations.

Vyn's eyes roamed the room, taking in the sight of glistening swords, sturdy shields, and shining armor, each piece promising to be the key to survival in the harsh world of dungeon hunting.

"We have all categories of equipment available here, and at the very best quality. What type of equipment do you wish to buy, sir?"

The attendant gave a brief introduction and then asked with a polite smile.

Vyn paused for a while, taking in the opulent surroundings of the shop. He didn't have any doubt that the very best equipment was sold here.

This shop had quite the reputation in Ravencrest and was known for its high quality and standards. There was a saying that a good meal can only be brought to fruition by plenty of money. The same was true for good equipment.

The price one had to pay for getting standard equipment from this armory was by spending a huge amount of money, way above the average cost. It was a small fortune just to purchase a single item from this place.

Even with the pricey nature of this armory, several people still flocked to it like flies to honey. They were drawn by the promise of the best gear.

As rankers and adventurers, it was only natural for people to seek out the best for themselves. In Ravencrest, what was the need for saving money when there was a probability that the next dungeon they entered might be their last? It was better to spend one's money on increasing the chances of preserving their life rather than saving it. This was the thinking of most people.

But for Vyn, it was the opposite!

He would never have dreamt of stepping foot in this kind of armory, even if he was threatened with death.

As someone who lived from hand to mouth, every penny was precious. There was no way he was spending his hard-earned money on some fancy equipment like some rich brat when there were countless other ways to obtain them.

He was resourceful and always found alternative methods to equip himself without emptying his pockets.