[Location: The Skies over Zimara]
[Status: Cruising Altitude.]
The HMS Death-rattle was no longer a Necromancer ship.
I had painted it black. I renamed it the HMS Profit Margin.
With the new Aether Converter installed, the engines purred like a kitten. A kitten that ate souls, but still.
Below us lay the Golden Desert.
And in the center of the dunes, the gleaming jewel of the East: Zimara.
The City of Merchants. The City of Sins.
It looked like Venice built on sand. Canals flowed with magical water. The buildings were made of gold-veined marble.
"It's beautiful," Seraphina whispered, looking over the railing.
"It's a trap," I corrected. "Every brick down there was paid for with a scam."
I checked my inventory.
[Gold: 5 Million.]
That was a lot in Oaklan. In Zimara? That was entry-level money.
"Sylvia," I called out.
Sylvia walked out of the bridge. She was wearing a desert outfit I bought her (silk, exposing the midriff, very 'Harem Anime' aesthetic). She blushed when I looked at her.
"Yes, Master?"
"We need weapons. Not swords. Mana-Guns."
"Zimara controls the patent on Magitech firearms," Sylvia explained. "They don't sell to foreigners. Only Licensed Dealers."
"And who is the biggest Dealer?"
"The Gold-Tooth Syndicate. Their leader is a Goblin Kingpin named Gallywix."
"Gallywix," I smiled. "I know him."
In the game, Gallywix was a Quest Giver who would betray you 100% of the time. He sold you faulty guns that exploded in your hand.
"Take us down," I ordered. "Park in the VIP dock. I want to make an entrance."
[Location: Zimara Grand Bazaar - VIP Dock]
We landed. The sheer size of the ship cast a shadow over the market.
Dock workers (Orc slaves) rushed to secure the lines.
A customs officer; a fat man with six rings on one hand waddled up the ramp.
"Halt!" he shouted. "Docking fee is 10,000 Gold! Plus a 'Foreign Vessel' tax of 50%!"
I walked down the ramp.
I didn't speak. I tossed a bag at his face.
THUD.
It hit his nose. Coins spilled out.
"Keep the change," I said, walking past him.
The officer scrambled for the coins, forgetting about the tax. "Welcome to Zimara, My Lord!"
We walked into the Bazaar.
It was a sensory overload. Spices, perfumes, shouting, music.
"Fresh Wyvern meat!"
"Potions! Guaranteed to cure baldness!"
"Slaves! Elf slaves, barely used!"
Seraphina gripped her staff tightly. "This place is unholy."
"It's capitalism," I said. "Same thing."
We navigated to the Black Market District.
A massive steel door guarded by two Ogre Bouncers blocked the way. A sign read: "Gold-Tooth Syndicate. Members Only."
The Ogre grunted. "Password?"
I didn't have the password.
So I used the universal key.
I held up the Soul-Eater's Fang.
"The password is: I don't stab you in the eye."
The Ogre blinked. He looked at the glowing, ghostly dagger. He looked at my eyes.
"Correct," he grunted, opening the door.
[Inside Gallywix's Office]
Gallywix sat behind a desk made of solid diamond. He was smoking a cigar that smelled like burning money.
He was a goblin, but fat. Wearing a tuxedo.
"Well, well," Gallywix chuckled, his voice like grinding gears. "A human who threatens my guards. You have balls, kid. Or a death wish."
"I'm looking to buy," I said, sitting down uninvited.
"Everyone is looking to buy. What do you need? Poison? Intel? A night with a succubus?"
"Guns," I said. "Rifles. Specifically, the X-99 Mana Snipers."
Gallywix stopped smiling.
"The X-99? Those are military prototypes. Illegal to export. If the Trade Federation finds out, I lose my license."
"I need 500 of them."
Gallywix choked on his cigar.
"Five hundred?! Are you starting a war?"
"Yes."
"Kid, those cost 20,000 Gold each. That's... let me calculate..."
"Ten Million Gold," I finished.
"Do you have Ten Million Gold?"
I leaned forward.
"No."
Gallywix's face darkened. His hand moved under the desk (toward a panic button).
"Then get out. I don't do charity."
"I don't have gold," I said calmly. "I have something better."
I pulled an item from my inventory.
It wasn't a weapon. It wasn't a gem.
It was a scroll.
[Item: Blueprint - The Aether Engine (Optimized)]
This was the schematic I analyzed from the Slime Boss drop. It showed how to build an engine that was 300% more efficient than current tech.
"This," I slid the scroll across the table. "Is the design for the engine in my ship."
Gallywix picked it up. He adjusted his monocle.
He scanned the runes.
His green skin turned pale. Then red. Then sweaty.
"This... this combustion ratio... it's impossible. It uses 1/3 the fuel!"
"It's proprietary technology," I lied. "I invented it."
"If I mass-produce this..." Gallywix whispered, drooling slightly. "I could bankrupt the Airship Guild. I could own the sky."
"Exactly."
I snatched the scroll back.
"The Blueprint for 500 Rifles. And 100,000 rounds of ammo."
"And," I added. "Delivery by tomorrow."
Gallywix looked at the scroll. He looked at me.
Greed warred with caution.
Greed won.
"Deal!" Gallywix slammed his hand on the table. "But if this is a fake, I'll have you skinned and sold as a rug!"
"If it's a fake," I smiled, "You can keep the rug."
We shook hands.
[Trade Complete.]
[Item Acquired: Shipment Contract (500 X-99 Rifles).]
I walked out of the office.
"Master," Sylvia whispered. "Why did you give him the engine designs? Now the Goblins will have superior ships!"
I laughed.
"Sylvia, Sylvia."
"Did you look closely at the blueprint?"
"No..."
"I omitted one tiny rune in the cooling system."
"What does that do?"
"It means the engines will work perfectly for about 100 hours."
"And then?"
"And then they explode with the force of a tactical nuke."
I checked my watch.
"Gallywix is going to mass-produce them. He's going to sell them to every major guild."
"In one month, half the airships in the world are going to fall out of the sky."
Sylvia stared at me. She looked terrified.
"You... you sabotaged the global transportation network? Just to get some guns?"
"Disruptive Innovation," I corrected.
"Now come on. Let's go see the Sights."
[The Plaza - 1 Hour Later]
While waiting for the shipment, we walked through the slave market.
I wasn't interested in slaves.
But then I saw Her.
In a cage in the center of the square.
A woman with fiery red hair, fox ears, and nine tails.
[Target: Kitsune (Nine-Tailed Fox)]
[Name: Ahri (Original, I know)]
[Status: Sealed. Cursed.]
[Price: Auction Only.]
In the lore, she becomes the "Disaster of the East." She breaks out, burns the city down, and becomes a Raid Boss.
Currently, she was chained, wearing magical dampening cuffs.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" A slaver approached me, rubbing his hands. "A genuine Monster Girl. Very rare."
"How much?"
"Starting bid is 1 Million."
I looked at Ahri. She looked back. Her eyes were full of hate. Pure, unadulterated hatred for humanity.
She snarled at me.
Perfect.
"I'll take her," I said.
"Sir, the auction is tomorrow..."
"I said," I drew the Soul-Eater's Fang. "I'll take her."
"Security!" the slaver yelled.
Four Orcs charged me.
I didn't even turn around.
"Sylvia. Freeze."
"Seraphina. Blind."
[Ice Nova.]
[Flash Bang.]
The Orcs were frozen and blinded in one second.
I walked up to the cage.
I cut the lock.
Ahri lunged at me, claws extended. "Die, human!"
I caught her wrist.
[Trait: The Usurper.]
I didn't steal her skill.
I poured mana into her.
"Calm down, foxy," I whispered.
"I'm not here to enslave you."
"I'm here to offer you a job."
Ahri froze. "A job?"
"Yes. I'm burning down the Northern Empire next week."
I grinned.
"Want to come along and light some fires?"
Ahri looked at my eyes. She saw the madness. She saw the fire.
She grinned back. A predator recognizing a predator.
"You're crazy."
"I'm rich," I corrected. "Same thing."
[System Notification]
[New Party Member: Ahri (DPS - Fire/Illusion).]
[Harem Count: 3.]
"Let's go," I said. "We have a war to start."
[Chapter 13 End]
[Quest Complete: The Arms Deal.]
[Reward: 500 Sniper Rifles.]
[Bonus Reward: Global Economic Sabotage.]