Later that noon, Averton City—
The room was quiet except for the soft hum of the ceiling fan and the faint rustle of fabric as Arceus shifted on the bed. Sunlight filtered through the curtains in pale streaks, falling across the floor like lazy brushstrokes, but none of it reached his focus.
***
Because his world, right now—
Was filled with chimes.
***
Ding!
[Black has reached Level 16]
[Black has reached Level 20.]
[Black learned a new skill.]
[Black has reached Level 23]
.
.
.
[Black has reached Level 30.]
[Black learned a new skill]
***
And then—
***
Ding!
[Growth Pills will no longer be effective. The current creature has reached the maximum limit for artificial growth through external supplements.]
***
The notifications stacked one after another, cascading through his vision like a storm of glassy echoes, each one marking progress… and cost.
***
Arceus sat cross-legged on the bed, his posture steady, but his breathing slightly uneven from the constant focus. In his arms, Black clung tightly, its small body wrapped around him like a stubborn koala, refusing to let go even as its power surged silently beneath its fur.
***
Strangely—
***
Its size hadn't changed at all.
***
No visible transformation.
No dramatic growth.
***
Just—
Power.
***
Arceus exhaled slowly, prying one of Black's paws off his shoulder with mild effort as the creature resisted, letting out a soft, dissatisfied sound.
***
"Okay…" he muttered, finally freeing himself enough to sit properly. "That's eight pills."
***
He glanced at the empty space in his inventory where they had once been.
***
"I still have more…"
***
His gaze sharpened slightly, mind already calculating, already breaking down value like a merchant weighing gold.
***
"…but based on this rate…"
***
He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees.
***
"Seven to ten pills for Commander Tier."
***
A pause.
***
"Ten pills… five thousand coins."
***
His lips twitched faintly.
***
"…five hundred thousand credits."
***
The number lingered.
Heavy.
Tempting.
***
"Well… not bad," he admitted quietly.
***
His fingers tapped lightly against his thigh.
***
"I could sell this to rich clients for two… maybe three million credits per set…"
***
A beat.
***
"But—"
***
His expression darkened slightly.
***
"Two problems."
***
He raised a finger.
***
"First… we don't even know if it works on normal monsters."
***
His gaze flicked toward the system interface, thoughtful.
***
"Or if it's limited to system-created ones."
***
Another finger.
***
"Second…"
***
He leaned back slightly, staring at the ceiling.
***
"There are already growth supplements in the market."
***
His voice slowed, more analytical now.
***
"Beast cores. Special fruits. High-tier meat."
***
"They all boost growth."
***
A pause.
***
"But none of them… eliminate risk."
***
His eyes narrowed.
***
"This does."
***
That was the difference.
That was the danger.
***
The Growth Pill didn't just help.
***
It replaced effort.
Replaced danger.
Replaced the entire ecosystem of hunting, trading, and power scaling.
***
"And that," he murmured softly, "is exactly why I can't sell it."
***
His lips curved faintly.
***
"Same reason as Nemesis."
***
A quiet breath.
***
"I'm not strong enough."
***
The words sat heavy in the room.
***
After a moment, he shook his head, pushing the thought aside.
***
"Anyway…"
***
His gaze shifted back to his inventory.
***
"Better save the rest."
***
Then—
***
He froze.
***
"…Oh."
***
Something clicked.
***
"I forgot."
***
His eyes lit up faintly as he opened the Character Interface, scrolling down with practiced familiarity until—
***
A new tab.
***
Glowing softly.
***
**Nursery Pen.******
***
"…Right."
***
He tapped it.
***
The interface expanded smoothly, revealing ten empty slots, each one waiting, silent and promising.
***
No description.
No explanation.
***
"…Of course," Arceus muttered. "Trial and error it is."
***
He tapped one slot.
***
Instantly, images appeared.
Black.
Tempest.
Cloud.
Nemesis—no, not available.
***
He selected Tempest.
***
Ding!
[Tempest is detected to be in Epic grade. Daily Cost for Nurturing: 50 coins. Effects: (1-5 levels increase per day.)]
***
Arceus blinked.
***
Then leaned back slowly.
***
"…You've got to be kidding me."
***
His fingers pressed against his temple as he started calculating again.
***
"Fifty coins per day…"
***
"Ten days…"
***
"Five hundred coins…"
***
His eyes widened slightly.
***
"…Commander Tier."
***
A long silence.
***
Then—
***
"Ugh."
***
He groaned, dragging a hand down his face.
***
"This is way better than Growth Pills."
***
The realization hit him like a slap.
***
The system wasn't just giving him tools.
***
It was giving him tiers of efficiency.
***
And he had almost missed this one.
***
Ding!
[Select the number of days you wish to place Tempest in the Nursery Pen]
***
Arceus tapped his finger lightly against his knee.
***
"Eight days until the exam…"
***
"…Seven is enough."
***
He selected it.
***
[Tempest is placed in the Nursery Pen]
[350 coins are deducted]
***
Next—
***
Cloud.
***
Ding!
[Cloud is placed in the Nursery Pen.]
[350 coins are deducted]
***
The interface dimmed slightly as both slots activated, faint progress indicators appearing beneath them like slow-burning fuses.
***
Arceus leaned back again, his gaze drifting to the corner of the screen.
***
[40,388 Coins]
***
"…Still rich," he muttered under his breath.
***
He was just about to close the interface when—
***
Ding!
***
[Order Received: 1x Luminous Direwolf Egg, 1x Terran Direwolf Egg, 1x Hydro Direwolf Egg, 1x Electral Direwolf Egg, 1x Blazing Direwolf Egg, 1x Shadow Direwolf Egg.]
[Total Transaction: 240,000 Credits]
***
Arceus froze.
***
"…What?"
***
He blinked.
Once.
Twice.
***
Then leaned forward.
***
"No mistake…"
***
The numbers remained.
Bold.
Unapologetic.
***
"Two hundred and forty thousand credits…"
***
His brows furrowed deeply.
***
"Who the hell is this guy?"
***
His tone lowered.
***
"Throwing money around like this… even after I raised the price?"
***
A pause.
***
"…Same buyer?"
***
He quickly checked the ID.
***
Confirmed.
***
"…It is him."
***
A slow smile crept onto his face.
***
"Interesting…"
***
He stood up, moving toward his inventory with renewed purpose, his steps slower now, more deliberate.
***
This wasn't just a customer anymore.
***
This was a pattern.
***
He scrolled past clutter—
Materials.
Food.
Furniture.
***
Until—
***
A small box.
***
Old.
Forgotten.
***
He opened it.
***
Inside—
***
Business cards.
***
From another life.
***
He picked one up.
***
Clean gold lettering.
***
**Origin Pet World******
Trusted Egg Broker. Exotic Creatures. Guaranteed Potential.
***
His old number.
Still active.
***
Arceus stared at it for a moment.
***
Then—
***
His eyes gleamed.
***
"If it's really you…"
***
His voice dropped into something sharper.
***
"…then let's play this properly."
***
He moved quickly now.
***
The packaging interface opened.
A polished wooden box appeared.
***
He placed the Direwolf eggs inside carefully, one by one, adjusting their position, ensuring they rested securely within the soft cushioning. His movements were precise, almost ceremonial, as if preparing something far more valuable than just merchandise.
***
Then—
***
He paused.
***
The card.
***
He slipped it in.
***
Right on top.
***
Like a signature.
A whisper.
An invitation.
***
A baited hook.
***
His lips curved into a quiet grin.
***
The box closed with a soft click.
***
He opened NovaMart, navigated to his seller panel, and tapped—
***
**Ready to Send to Fulfillment Center.******
***
Done.
***
He leaned back slightly, exhaling through his nose.
***
"Tomorrow morning…"
***
His gaze drifted toward the window, where the sunlight had begun to fade.
***
"…let's see if you bite."
***
Somewhere far away—
***
A deal was about to begin.
***
And neither side—
***
Planned to lose.