They had been walking for about an hour when the group decided to take a brief rest on the glass plain. The strange echoing of their footsteps had begun to wear on everyone's nerves.
Nox sat cross-legged on the black glass surface, checking his equipment and trying to ignore the way his reflection stared back at him from beneath. The plague doctor mask made it impossible to read his expression, but his posture suggested deep contemplation.
"Umm, excuse me," Irene said hesitantly, breaking the comfortable silence.
"May I buy a Calamity-rank core?"
Henry looked up from where he was examining his daggers for damage.
"Hm, hey Nox, do you object to selling these two cores to Irene?"
The question made sense Nox had killed the pack leader, earning him one Calamity-rank core, while Henry had taken down the giant crystalline creature for the other. By hunter tradition, the cores belonged to whoever made the kill.
Nox looked up from his position on the glass floor.
"Well, as long as the price is not lower than the market price, I'm fine with it."
Henry burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha, Nox, you're really stingy when it comes to money, huh?"
"Well, life is money after all," Nox replied matter of fact.
"Umm, can the price be negotiated, Mr. Nox, Mr. Henry?"
Irene asked, her voice carrying a note of desperation that hadn't been there before.
Henry tilted his head curiously. "Why do you need them so badly?"
"Two Calamity cores will make me a lot stronger. Well, not on S-rank level, but I will be at the peak of A-rank. I'll be much more helpful to the team."
"Well, that's a good point," Henry said, looking to Nox.
"What do you think?"
Nox was quiet for a moment, then spoke with the kind of brutal honesty that cut through sentiment like a blade.
"All the monsters here are at least Destruction-rank at the weakest," he said.
"You can't even kill a trash mob here, and even if you got two cores, it won't be much different, right? You'll be able to kill one or two Destruction-rank at best, maybe three."
Irene's face flushed, but Nox continued relentlessly.
"How is that going to be worth it? Old Hans's skill is more useful here. Shouldn't he be the one asking?"
Irene bit her lips, her hands trembling with frustration. The truth of his words stung because she knew he was right. Even with the power boost, she would still be the weakest member of their group.
"Hey Nox, don't be too harsh on her" Henry said, his usual cheerful demeanor taking on a protective edge.
Nox sighed, and when he spoke again, his voice was gentler.
"I'm sorry, Irene, but you need to see the bigger picture. I don't want you to go and die here. It's my and Henry's responsibility to protect you guys, after all."
Hans and Irene both nodded, understanding the weight of that responsibility.
Henry scratched his head awkwardly.
"Well, Old Hans, do you want a core?"
Old Hans slowly shook his head.
"Sorry, I'm at ninety nine cores right now. If I digest more, I will advance to S rank. I'm already old. if I advance now, the chances are less than three percent. I don't want to do it if it's not absolutely necessary."
"Okay," Henry shrugged, but then his expression shifted to one of amazement.
"But you really surprised me, Old Hans. It's almost impossible for an A rank hunter to gather that many cores, and you even gathered ninety nine of them."
Hans smiled wryly.
"30 years of hunting will do that. I've been very careful with my advancement."
Nox considered this information, then spoke up.
"Then let's do it like this. I'll give my core to Irene, and you, Henry, give yours to Hans. If our lives are in danger and Hans has to advance, he'll have the chance. And Irene will get stronger. It's a win win."
Henry smiled broadly. "Sure, Nox, that's a good idea."
"Oh, and what's the market price of a Calamity-rank core?" Nox asked casually.
"Thirty million dollars," Henry replied without hesitation.
"Okay, Irene. You owe me thirty million when we get out."
Irene's eyes widened to the size of dinner plates.
"Thirty million?!"
"Hahahahaha, Nox, you really are stingy!" Henry laughed, slapping his knee. "You're giving her the core but still charging full price!"
"Business is business,"
Nox said solemnly, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
"Besides, she'll make that back in a few high-rank missions once she's stronger."
"I... I don't have thirty million dollars," Irene said weakly.
"Payment plan," Nox said generously. "Very reasonable interest rates. I'm not a loan shark."
Henry was still laughing. "You're going to charge her interest too?"
"Of course. Money sitting idle loses value over time. Basic economics."
Irene looked like she was reconsidering whether the power boost was worth a lifetime of debt. "Maybe I should just stay weak..."
"Too late," Nox said, pulling the dark, pulsing core from his inventory. "Contract's already been agreed upon. Verbal agreements are binding among hunters."
"They are not!" Irene protested.
"They are in my personal code of conduct," Nox replied with the solemnity of someone discussing religious doctrine.