As Zack returned to the room where the mages were gathered, he couldn't help but notice the furrowed brows and disapproving glances directed his way. The room, once clean and orderly, now bore the signs of recent carnage. Dirt and grime covered the surfaces, and a foul stench hung in the air.
The mages, who had been deep in discussion before Zack's arrival, now regarded him with a mixture of concern and disapproval. They were clearly taken aback by the state of the room and the smell of death that filled the air.
There were no explicit rules forbidding what Zack had done. After all, they were in a world where survival often depended on extreme measures. But there was an unspoken understanding among the hunters that certain actions were to be avoided for the sake of maintaining order and respect within their ranks.
"I want to sell all of these," Zack declared. "You can discount my money for the cleaning here."
In the end, the mages didn't make a fuss and just called the support team that handles monster materials. During that time, Zack just waited outside until they dismantled the monsters. Before long, that receptionist showed up, and she saw the support team's look of annoyance.
"The next time we are waiting for you, we will only bring the necessary parts here," the receptionist said.
"I will remember that," Zack said. "How much can I gain from that?"
"There are 130 pairs of wings, each costing one hundred credits. The total was supposed to be thirteen thousand, but cutting from the extra work that you gave us, you will receive 12.500 credits," the receptionist said. "Follow me."
Barely able to contain his excitement, Zack wondered at the unexpected windfall he had earned. In just a single afternoon, he had made six times more than what he usually earned in an entire month of hard work. With 120 hours of work, he could earn two thousand credits. The realization left him buzzing with exhilaration.
Despite the temptation to let the newfound wealth go to his head, Zack knew better. He understood the value of money, especially in a world where resources were scarce, and survival often depended on one's ability to secure them. Instead of splurging recklessly, he decided to take a more prudent approach and carefully plan how to use his earnings.
For Zack, the extra credits represented an opportunity to invest in his future. With a thoughtful expression, he began to consider his options. Alternatively, he could invest in training and information, honing his skills to become an even more formidable fighter.
"Do you guys sell the anti-blood knives? How much are they?" Zack asked.
"Five hundred credits," the receptionist said.
"I want twenty of them, then," Zack said. "You can add the rest to my account."
The woman looked at Zack wondering if he was mad… why would he buy so many when it was clear that he was a solo hunter. Still, it wasn't her job to talk about that or ask. So, she just sold Zack the knives.
The blades of the anti-blood knives were made from a rare, shimmering metal that seemed to glint with a faint silver hue in the light. Razor-sharp and perfectly balanced, they gleamed with an otherworldly brilliance that hinted at their formidable nature.
The handles of the knives were wrapped in supple leather, providing a comfortable grip for the wielder. Etched into the handle were magic symbols reminiscent of ancient runes, which imbued the knives with their anti-blood properties.
Once he finished his business there, Zack decided to head home in a hurry. The sun was already setting, so he would have to look for a hotel for the night instead of a place to rent. That would work fine as well if he keeps earning that much. Once he reached his room, Zack found his things in front of it. The landlord didn't like the fact that he was taking his time, apparently.
There was a hotel on the other side of the block and a restaurant in front of it, so Zack had dinner there and then returned to his room. That had been a long day, but it passed so fast. Still, his heart was beating with excitement.
"I can keep using the Valkyries guild services for a while since the XP is still enough, and they aren't interested in recruiting guys," Zack thought. "Still, selling and buying information is a thing, so soon enough, people will start to bother me with their nonsense. To deal with that, I can either ignore them or I can just keep killing monsters and gathering just a small amount of materials to sell. It isn't like I need a ton of money to live, after all."
The second option seemed like a massive waste of time for Zack, who wanted to kill as many monsters as possible… So, he didn't have to keep thinking for too long before he decided that it was better to do everything in his power just to improve faster.
The idea of getting carried away by his newfound power wasn't something that he was considering. Still, Zack knew that with high enough levels, few people would have the chance to bother, and if the big shots decided to do anything, it wouldn't be quiet. Their reputation would sink to the bottom of the ocean. Reputation also was everything to the guilds.
"Tomorrow, I will do my best to reach level ten. I guess I will have to explore the city more and attack some places with a lot of the monsters. The cooldown of Auto Aim is the same, but it works for forty seconds now. But I only have twenty knives… at least the ones that won't lose their edge thanks to the blood," Zack thought. "Wait a minute, if I keep increasing my strength… perhaps even nails will become as deadly as those knives…"