A Game of Wits

The shop master was quite taken aback by Vyn's bluntness. As the owner of such a large and luxurious merchant shop, as well as several other shops in the trade market, he was used to being treated with a great deal of respect.

His renown and prestige were well-known, and despite his fairly young age, people usually felt a certain amount of pressure when conversing with him. The weight of his reputation often made others nervous. But this young man before him seemed quite different, almost indifferent to the usual expectations.

There was something about Vyn that the shop master couldn't understand, a strange feeling that he couldn't quite put his finger on. It was an elusive quality that piqued his curiosity. He couldn't help but contemplate it as he stared at Vyn intently.

From Vyn's eyes, he could almost feel something fiery, a burning intensity that smelled like something he was familiar with.

'Determination?'

He thought, the realization dawning on him. Yes, it couldn't be mistaken. But what was this boy so fired up about? What was driving this fierce resolve?

"Of course, this is a well-reputable establishment. We don't discriminate here. What business have you come for?"

The shop master stated, putting on an amiable smile that looked perfectly rehearsed. His practiced demeanor was meant to put customers at ease, yet there was a calculating sharpness behind his eyes.

Vyn's expression didn't ease in the slightest. Instead, he wore a more serious look, his features set with determination.

"I have the materials of a monster I estimate to be an A rank here with me that I'm willing to trade. Whether or not we can make this possible is up to you,"

He said, trying to look as nonchalant as possible, though his eyes betrayed a spark of intensity.

"Oh really? Does that mean you're not sure of the exact rank of the materials?"

The shop master raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued even further.

"Well, I can't tell exactly, but I'm almost fully sure it should be up to an A rank," Vyn responded, trying to maintain his composure.

The shop master had a slight look of disappointment. The fact that Vyn wasn't certain was a cause for doubt, and coupled with the fact that A rank monster resources weren't a mere joke, made the situation even more puzzling.

A rank monsters were no ordinary beasts. The amount of power they commanded dwarfed every other rank combined. Another thing was that A rank dungeon portals were very rare and only frequently appeared in Ravencrest due to the high amount of magical energy it took to form one.

Even when they did appear, it took a whole party of A rankers or a single Saint to be able to clear them because each monster in the dungeon would be at least an A rank level, not to mention the dungeon boss, which was an unimaginable entity entirely.

The shop master couldn't help deepening his suspicion the more he thought about this.

"Well, can I have a look at the materials?" he asked, leaning slightly forward with keen interest.

Vyn remained silent for a while, his gaze locking with the shop master's. It was a tense moment, each trying to read the other.

Vyn was acting overly cautious, trying to portray an impression of experience and rigidity. He wanted to appear unyielding and knowledgeable, while the shop master was full of curiosity, trying to decipher Vyn like a complex book. It was a battle of wits, with no one ready to give in. The room was thick with unspoken words and guarded intentions, each man holding his ground.

"Sure."

Vyn finally replied after a moment of silence. He then opened the small storage pouch, a seemingly ordinary bag but holding extraordinary secrets.

Carefully, he began to bring out the materials one by one. First, he revealed two pitch-black, large, and pointy horns. Each horn was about half the size of his body, gleaming ominously under the dim light. Next, he produced a large, glowing red core, pulsating with an eerie energy. He continued to pull out sharp claws and several other mysterious materials.

Seeing the sheer quantity and size of the items Vyn was extracting from the storage pouch, one would be baffled at how they had fit into such a small bag. But this was no ordinary pouch. It was imbued with ancient runes that mimicked space magic, granting it the capacity of a small room.

As Vyn continued to unload, a significant portion of the room he was in filled with the materials, and a sharp, monstrous aura permeated the air, making it thick with an intimidating presence.

The shopkeeper's expression changed dramatically as Vyn brought out more and more items. His face showed profound shock and elation, his eyes widening with each new piece revealed. As someone well-versed and experienced in the trade industry, he could tell these were no ordinary materials. Each item was rare and valuable, their origins shrouded in mystery.

Quickly, the shopkeeper sprang up from his seat, his excitement barely contained. He approached the pile of materials with eager steps, almost delving into them headfirst. However, he restrained himself at the last moment, maintaining a semblance of professionalism. He looked at Vyn with a mixture of awe and curiosity and asked,

"Can I check them out?"

"Sure, go ahead."

Vyn replied, trying his best to sound as nonchalant as possible. Inside, he was curious to see the shopkeeper's reaction to these rare items.

Hearing Vyn's answer, the shopkeeper swiftly proceeded to inspect the materials. He bent over the pile, his hands trembling slightly with excitement. He moved from one material to another, his expression shifting swiftly with each discovery. His face flickered from shock to excitement, his eyes lighting up with each new item he examined.

After what seemed like an eternity, the shopkeeper stood up, holding the large red core in his hand. He contemplated its significance, the weight of his thoughts evident on his face.

"Hmm… From what I can see, this is no ordinary monster," he said, his voice filled with reverence. "The mere fact that I'm not familiar with it or can't identify it speaks of its uniqueness."

He flicked his finger on the core, causing it to emit a faint, resonant hum. Glancing at Vyn, he continued, "But from what I can tell, this must have been a very ferocious and hard beast to deal with. I can feel the faint lingering monstrous intent on these materials. It is an intent to destroy, devour, and rip apart the very heavens and the earth beneath its feet!"

His voice grew louder and more intense with each word he spoke, his passion almost overwhelming.

The blazing fire in his eyes made Vyn feel a mix of amusement and irritation as he found the situation quite cringe. If not for the importance and status of the person in front of him, Vyn would have cursed out long ago for the profound delay he had endured.

"So, how much are you offering for it?" Vyn asked, his voice tinged with impatience.

"Not yet!" The shop master's response was almost instantaneous, as if he had been waiting for this exact moment.

"Do you understand what this is? This isn't something to rush about. This might be a new discovery that could alter the very course of history!" His eyes widened with excitement, and his hands trembled slightly as he spoke.

'Just give me a damn offer!'

Vyn thought, feeling the urge to scream his frustration out loud. He could almost see his precious time slipping away.

Before Vyn could voice his thoughts, the shopkeeper had already darted over to a bookshelf on the side of the room. He grabbed a large, dusty book that seemed to be filled with records about monsters. The book looked like it hadn't been touched in years, and Vyn wondered if it might fall apart right there.

The shopkeeper flipped through the pages hurriedly, making Vyn question if he was actually reading anything or just pretending. The pages rustled loudly, filling the room with a flurry of paper. After what felt like another eternity, the shopkeeper finally closed the book with a loud thud and looked up, his face contemplative.

"Just as I thought," he said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "There doesn't seem to be any record of such a beast!"

Vyn's patience was wearing thin. He was tired of watching the shopkeeper indulge his curiosity and excitement while ignoring him. It felt like he had been standing there forever, isolated and forgotten. Just as he was about to speak up, the shopkeeper turned to him with a serious expression.

"You said this is an A-rank monster. Were you involved in killing it?" he asked, his eyes narrowing as he examined Vyn.

"Do I look like I can kill an A-rank monster?" Vyn retorted, raising an eyebrow.

"… No, you don't."

The shopkeeper admitted after a moment of silence, his face showing a hint of embarrassment.

"…"

The shopkeeper took a brief moment to size Vyn up from head to toe. It was a logical assessment.

Vyn did not bear the demeanor or appearance of a high-ranker in Ravencrest. He looked like he was in his late teens, still quite young. It should be almost impossible for him to have achieved the status of a high-ranking adventurer at such a young age. There was only one logical explanation.

"You are representing someone or a group!"