Dawn broke over Storm-Wall.
The city smelled like barbecue. Specifically, zombie barbecue.
The fires had died down. The Undead Legion was gone.
Reduced to ash, XP, and loot.
I stood in the center of the Royal Plaza.
I wasn't alone.
King Varic, Lord Azure, Iron-Jaw, and the entire surviving nobility stood before me.
They looked like wet dogs. Muddy, bloody, and terrified.
Behind them, the Royal Guards kept their hands on their swords, shaking.
I sat on a pile of rubble. I was cleaning my fingernails with the Void Fang.
"So," I said, breaking the silence.
I pointed the dagger at the King.
"Who has the calculator?"
King Varic stepped forward. He tried to look regal, but his crown was crooked.
"Young man," Varic began, using his 'Dad Voice'. "You have done a great service for the Kingdom! We will grant you the title of—"
"Stop," I interrupted.
I tapped the air. A holographic contract appeared. The one they signed under duress.
[Contract: The Salvation Tax]
[Terms: 50% of Liquid Assets.]
[Status: Pending Payment.]
"I don't want titles, Varic. I can't buy mana crystals with 'Honor'."
I stood up.
"Open the Vaults."
Lord Azure stepped in. His face was purple with rage. "You extortionist! You took advantage of a crisis! This contract is void!"
"Is it?"
I looked at the System.
[System Judgment: Contract is Valid.]
[Penalty for Default: Soul Harvest.]
"If you don't pay," I smiled, "The System repossesses your heart. Literally."
Azure paled. He knew the System didn't bluff.
"Fine!" The King shouted. "Take it! Take it all!"
[Transaction Initiated.]
It was beautiful.
A stream of golden light shot from the Royal Treasury and the Guild Banks directly into my inventory.
[+5,000,000 Gold.]
[+100,000 Mana Crystals.]
[+500 Rare Material Crates.]
My net worth didn't just go up. It went vertical.
I was now richer than the Kingdom itself.
"Pleasure doing business," I said.
I turned to leave.
"Wait!"
A woman's voice cut through the air.
It wasn't the King.
It was Seraphina.
The Saintess walked through the crowd. Her white robes were spotless (holy magic repels dirt, lucky her). She held her golden staff like a weapon.
The crowd parted.
"Oh look," I sneered. " The Battery has arrived."
Seraphina stopped five feet from me. Her blue eyes bore into mine.
"You killed him," she said softly.
She didn't specify who. We both knew.
Arthur. The Hero. The guy she was supposed to marry/save the world with.
"I did," I admitted. "He was in my way."
The Nobles gasped. "Murderer!"
I glared at them. They shut up.
"Why?" Seraphina asked. She wasn't angry. She looked... curious. "You could have just let him fail. Why stain your hands?"
"Efficiency," I said. "Arthur was a bottleneck. I removed the bottleneck."
I stepped closer to her.
"Are you going to Smite me, Saintess? Try it. I have high Magic Resistance."
Seraphina looked at my Red Hand (The Usurper).
Then she looked at the mountain of loot I had just extorted.
She did something unexpected.
She kneeled.
"I pledge my staff to you," she said.
DEAD SILENCE.
The King dropped his scepter.
Lord Azure choked on his own spit.
"What?" I blinked. "Excuse me?"
"The Prophecy says I must follow the Strongest," Seraphina said, looking up with dead, fanatical eyes. "Arthur was weak. You... are absolute."
She extended her hand.
"Use me. I can heal. I can buff. I can amplify your mana."
[System Alert]
[Character 'Saintess Seraphina' requests to join your Party.]
[Potential Utility: SSS-Rank Support.]
[Risk: She is crazy.]
I looked at her.
She was beautiful. Perfect. The dream waifu of every player in the forums.
I felt a pang of disgust.
"Get up," I said cold.
She stood.
"I don't do 'parties'," I said. "I don't do 'friends'."
I leaned into her ear.
"But I do hire Employees."
I opened a trade window. I tossed her a bag of 100 gold.
"That's your retainer. Your job is to shut up and buff me when I tell you to. If you try to 'fix' me, or 'save my soul', or preach about the Light..."
My eyes flashed red.
"I'll loot your Talent and leave your body for the slimes."
Seraphina shivered. A blush crept up her neck.
"Understood... Master."
Gross.
"Don't call me that. Call me Boss."
I turned back to the crowd.
"Now. Step two."
I looked at the Guild Leaders. Iron-Jaw. Vesper. Azure.
They were staring at Seraphina like she had grown a second head. Their greatest asset just defected to the villain.
"You're all wondering what I'm going to do next," I announced.
"I'm not joining the Azure Dragon."
"I'm not joining Iron Blood."
I raised my hand. The Ring of the Void Monarch flared.
"I am declaring a Monopoly."
[System: Guild Creation Protocol.]
[Name: ______________]
I spoke the name clearly.
"[Avarice]."
[Guild Established: Avarice.]
[Guild Master: Cain Cross.]
[Member Count: 2.]
"From this moment on," I said, my voice amplified by magic. "If you want a Dungeon Clear? You pay Avarice."
"If you want a Boss Item? You buy from Avarice."
"If you want to survive the next Wave?"
I smiled.
"You better start saving up."
Lord Azure stepped forward. He was trembling.
"You think you can fight the entire world alone, boy? The Empire of Frost will invade. The Church will condemn you. The Interstellar Species are watching!"
"Let them come," I said.
I turned to Seraphina.
"Buff me."
"Yes, Boss."
[Skill: Angelic Blessing.]
[Stats +50% All.]
I felt the power surge.
I looked at the massive stone statue of the First King in the center of the plaza. It was 50 feet tall. Solid granite.
"This statue is ugly," I noted.
I drew the Void Fang.
I didn't walk to it.
I slashed the air.
[Skill: Infernal Guillotine (Max Output).]
A wave of purple fire and kinetic force tore through the plaza.
It hit the statue.
CRUMBLE.
The statue didn't just break. It disintegrated. The top half slid off and crashed into the palace gates.
Dust cloud.
The Nobles screamed and ducked.
When the dust settled, the statue was gone.
In its place, I had carved a single word into the base of the pedestal with the force of the blast.
MINE.
"Class dismissed," I said.
I started walking toward the city gates.
Seraphina followed a step behind, clutching her gold coins like a treasure.
"Where are we going, Boss?" she asked.
I checked the Dungeon Map I had scammed Azure with earlier.
"Azure purchased the location of the 'Crypt of Whispers'," I said.
"Yes. They are mobilizing an expedition now."
"Good," I grinned.
"We're going to get there first."
"But... didn't you sell it to them?"
"I sold them the map," I corrected.
I pulled out a teleportation scroll from my inventory (stolen from the Head Mage's pocket during the confusion).
"I didn't sell them the Loot Rights."
"We're going to clear the dungeon, steal the final reward, and leave the empty chest for Lord Azure to find."
[Dopamine Spike: Petty Spite.]
I tore the scroll.
Blue light engulfed us.
As we faded away, I saw Lord Azure screaming orders at his men, rallying them for a dungeon run that was already doomed.
Sucker.
[Teleportation Complete.]
[Location: The Screaming Woods.]
[Danger Level: High.]
We appeared in a dense, fog-covered forest.
Bones littered the ground.
"Boss," Seraphina whispered. "Something is watching us."
"I know."
I looked into the mist.
A pair of glowing yellow eyes stared back.
[Target: Forest Guardian (Bear Variant)]
[Level: 30 Elite.]
It roared.
I cracked my knuckles.
"Seraphina."
"Yes?"
"Don't heal me."
I drew my dagger.
"I need to test my new damage numbers."