Monopoly wasn't about owning a boardwalk. It was about owning the water in a desert.
Arthur stood waist-deep in the glowing green sludge of the Toxic Sewers. The air here was so poisonous that even the rocks were hissing.
[Environmental Damage: -32 HP/sec]
The damage numbers floated above his head like a ticker tape. -32... -32... -32...
It was annoying, but manageable. With 32% Resistance (12% Trait + 20% Boots) and nearly 9,000 Max HP, Arthur could stay here for almost five minutes before needing to retreat.
No one else could survive ten seconds.
Arthur reached into the muck and pulled out a fist-sized clump of glowing moss.
[Material: Verdant Filter Moss]
Rarity: Uncommon
Description: The core ingredient for [Potion of Major Poison Resistance].
Market Value: High.
"Forty-two," Arthur counted, stuffing it into his backpack.
He waded further. He wasn't looking for moss anymore. He was looking for the source.
According to the map Vance gave him, there was a "Crystal Node" in the deep sector.
He found it behind a waterfall of sewage. A cluster of jagged, emerald crystals growing out of a corpse of a massive crocodile.
Arthur used his Serrated Dagger to pry them loose.
[Material: Concentrated Venom Crystal]
Rarity: Rare
Use: Alchemy / Enchanting.
He mined until his inventory was full. He mined until his HP dropped to the 30% safety line.
"Time to cash out," Arthur grinned behind his makeshift gas mask (a rag soaked in neutralizer).
He climbed out of the sludge, his boots dripping green slime. He checked his status.
Level: 4 HP: 2,800 / 9,200 (Regenerating...)
He was walking out with roughly 50,000 Credits worth of materials. And the best part? The Ironblood Cartel was waiting outside, desperate for exactly what he had in his bag.
Sector 7 Market Zone - The "Safe" Plaza
The Plaza was chaos.
Hundreds of players were shouting, trading, and recruiting. But the mood was grim.
"LFG Sewers! Need Healer with Purify!" "Buying Antidotes! 800 Credits! Please!" "Selling Goblin Dagger - Will trade for Poison Resist Potions!"
Arthur stood in the shadows of an alley, observing. He wore a heavy hooded cloak he'd scavenged from a dead mage corpse in the tunnels. He pulled the hood low.
He spotted the Ironblood Cartel booth. It was the biggest tent in the market.
Vance wasn't there, but his Quartermaster, a fat man named Gus, was yelling at a group of gatherers.
"What do you mean you can't get the moss?" Gus screamed. "The Main Raid Team is stuck at the Sewer Entrance! We are burning 100 Credits a minute on potions! We need ingredients to craft our own!"
"It's too toxic, Gus!" a gatherer pleaded. "We step in, we die. The damage is 50 per second!"
"Useless trash!" Gus slammed his fist on the table. "I'll pay double! Triple! Just get me the damn moss!"
Arthur smiled under his hood. Demand: Infinite.Supply: One.
He walked up to the booth. He bypassed the line of sweaty gatherers.
"I have stock," Arthur said, pitching his voice lower than usual.
Gus looked down at the cloaked figure. "Get in line, scavenger. If you have a handful of herbs, I don't have time—"
Arthur opened his inventory. He didn't dump everything. That would crash the price. He placed ten bundles of [Verdant Filter Moss] on the table. The glowing green light reflected in Gus's greedy eyes.
The chatter in the tent stopped.
"Where..." Gus swallowed. "Where did you get these?"
"Does it matter?" Arthur asked.
Gus reached out, but Arthur slapped his hand away.
"Business first," Arthur said.
"Right. Right." Gus wiped sweat from his forehead. "Standard buy price is 200 Credits per bundle."
Arthur laughed. It was a cold, dry sound.
"I heard you offering triple a minute ago," Arthur said. "That makes it 600."
Gus's face turned red. "That was rhetoric! 300. That's the best I can do."
Arthur swept the moss back into his bag. "I'll sell to the Silver Wings guild then. I hear they're trying to overtake you."
"Wait!" Gus panicked. If the rival guild got the resistance potions first, the Cartel would lose the First Clear race for the Sewer Dungeon. Vance would skin him alive.
"500," Gus hissed. "500 Credits. Cash. No questions asked."
"600," Arthur countered. "And I have Crystals."
He placed one [Concentrated Venom Crystal] on the table.
Gus's eyes nearly popped out. That was the ingredient for Permanent Resistance Potions.
"Deal," Gus whispered, looking around to make sure no one else saw. "Come to the back."
Inside the VIP Tent
Arthur walked out ten minutes later.
His backpack was lighter. His digital wallet was heavier.
He had sold 20 bundles of Moss and 5 Crystals. Total Profit: 25,000 Credits.
To put that in perspective, a Rank F Common Sword cost 1,000. A house in the safe zone cost 10,000. He had made a fortune in ten minutes.
But Arthur didn't want a house. He didn't want a sword.
He walked to the System Auction House terminal in the corner of the plaza.
"Search: Permanent Stat Boost," Arthur typed.
The list was short. Most people used Attribute Points from leveling up. Items that gave stats were incredibly rare and expensive.
[Elixir of Giant's Strength]
Effect: Permanently grants +2 Strength.
Stock: 1
Price: 12,000 Credits.
"Buy," Arthur commanded.
[Skill Book: Shield Bash]
Effect: Deal damage equal to 50% of your Armor Value. Stuns target.
Stock: 1
Price: 8,000 Credits.
"Buy."
He had 5,000 left. He bought a [Ring of Minor Agility (+2 Agi)] for 4,000.
He walked back to the alleyway and drank the Elixir.
[Strength Increased: 8 -> 10 (Permanent)]
Finally. He wasn't dependent on temporary potions anymore. He had natural Strength 10. He could use [Heavy Strike] whenever he wanted. He could wield Brutus's mace without penalty.
He equipped the mace. It felt light.
[Status Update]HP: 9,250 / 9,250Str: 10 Agi: 11 (9 + 2 Ring) Vit: 25
Arthur looked back at the Cartel tent. Gus was probably celebrating, thinking he secured the resources to conquer the sewers.
Little did Gus know, he had just funded the monster that would take the throne.
Arthur's phone buzzed. It was a message from the System.
[Global Event Triggered][The "Tower of Trials" will open in 24 hours.][Location: Sector 7 Center.]
Arthur's eyes narrowed. The Tower. In the novels, that's where the real gear was. The God-tier sets.
"I need Level 5," Arthur said. "And I need to clear the Sewer Boss before the Tower opens."
He turned back toward the toxic zone. The Cartel had potions now. They would be coming.
He had to get to the Boss first.