Nikos and his group worked tirelessly for five days to repair the shop. The once-ruined storefront was now in a new condition.
Nikos spent 3000 gold to repair the damages and make the shop look better than ever. He supervised every aspect of the reconstruction, ensuring that no detail was overlooked.
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> Main < | Merchant System | Class | Inventory
Nikos Aarav – Lv. 27
Race: Human – Class: Intermediate Support
Gold: 30424 (- 3000)
System Credit: 102
---- SC Converter
Health Point: 1900/1900
Mana Point: 2800/2800
Stats:
Strength: 18 | Agility: 22 | Vitality: 19 | Intelligence: 28
Skill (44):
v Merchant – Talent Eyes, Sign a Shop, Portal Link Shop, Infinite Storage, Intermediate Resource Finder.
> Adept Crafting…
> Intermediate Support...
…
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The new shop was sturdier, with reinforced walls and improved security measures. Shelves were restocked, and the layout was optimized for customer flow. The front of the store now featured a more prominent display for potions, weapons, and magical items.
As Nikos took a moment to admire the restored shop, he remembered merchant skill he had neglected 'Sign a Shop'.
Let's use it now and see how it's work.
— Sign a Shop
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Signing a 1st shop on 'Oakheart' town?
| YES | — | NO |
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Nikos activated the skill, choosing yes, and watched as a golden light enveloped the shop in milliseconds before it's gone. He felt a surge of power and connection, knowing that his shop was now part of a larger network.
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!Success Sign a Shop
1. Oakheart
!Rewards
- 50 SC
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He opened check the skill descriptions. Then a brief system box appeared.
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Sign a Shop
Skill Type: System
Description:
Signing a shop allows you to connect all your available shops, creating a vast network that you can easily access. Increasing the shop efficiency, enhance customer reach, and create a greater control over inventory.
Effects:
- Portal Teleportation: You can teleport between your shops by combine the shop using 'Portal Link Shop' skill.
- Sharing Stock: Sharing stock between all of your stores.
- Managing: Manage all shop operations from anywhere around the world.
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This is amazing feature, with this you could control the worlds trading network easily. This system's capabilities are beyond my imagination, and there's still more features I need to explore in the future.
With the shop repaired and sign up complete, Nikos gathered his group for a crucial meeting. They sat around a large wooden table in the back of the store, the atmosphere tense with anticipation.
"Marielle, Liriel, Jarek," Nikos began, his voice calm yet commanding. "We're going to start our counterattack against the Alchemist Association. The first step is I need you to buy all the ingredients available in the market. We'll deprive the resources and drive up prices ingredients for all the potions."
Marielle nodded, her gentle demeanor hiding a core of steely determination. "Understand, Master. We'll ensure to get all the ingredients on the market, so the Alchemist Association can't get their hands on anything."
"The second steps it to spread more of the news of our store being attacked." Nikos continue. "We'll let all the people know, but don't name the culprit. With the situation, their minds will fill in the blanks by themselves."
Liriel nodded, understand the instruction clearly. Jarek clenched his fists with determination. "I will put in my besst effort to complete this task successfully, Mashter."
"Then, let's move." Nikos disimissed them.
The group nodded in agreement, went out to execute the plan.
Afterwards, Nikos goes into the Adventurer's Guild, he walk inside and the familiar hum of activity greeting him.
Adventurers of all types milled about, discussing quests and trading stories. He approached the notice board and pinned a quest to gather adventurers for missions related to the upcoming monster wave.
As he turned away, he spotted Reychard and Nori the guild's receptionist having conversations.
Reychard leaned casually against the counter, his eyes fixed on Nori with a look of admiration that he tried to hide. Nori was busy organizing a stack of papers, but she glanced up and smiled warmly at Reychard.
"Reychard, how are the preparations going for the monster attack?" Nori asked, her tone professional yet friendly to her childhood friend.
Reychard straightened up a bit, trying to appear nonchalant. "We're getting there, Nori. The party is on high alert, and we've been doing drills every day. How about the guild? Are we ready?"
Nori nodded, her eyes twinkling. "We're mobilizing everyone we can. The guild has been buzzing with activity. I'm confident we'll be ready when the time comes."
Reychard smiled, he said softly. "That's good to hear. We're going to need all the help we can get. It's going to be a tough fight, but with the guild's support, I think we'll manage."
Nori looked thoughtful for a moment. "I've been hearing a lot about the Lunar Vanguard improvement and help against the monsters."
Reychard chuckled, a hint of pride in his voice. "We do our best. But it's not just us. Everyone in the guild is stepping up. It's inspiring to see."
Nori's smile widened. "You're too modest, Reychard. You've been a big part of that inspiration. Keep up the good work."
Reychard's cheeks turned slightly pink, and he looked away, trying to hide his embarrassment. "Thanks, Nori. That means a lot coming from you."
As Reychard and Nori continued their conversation, Nikos approached the counter. Nori's smile widened when she saw him.
"Sir Nikos, it's good to see you. How's the store?" she asked.
Nikos returned her smile, a hint of pride in his voice. "It's back in business, Miss Nori. We've made some improvements, and things are looking good."
Reychard hearing that, his is expression one of genuine relief. "Glad to hear it, Sir Nikos. We were worried when we heard about the news."
Nikos nodded, his expression serious. "It was a setback, but we're stronger for it. I'm here to recruit some adventurers for a few special missions. We need to gather more ingredients and prepare for the upcoming monster wave."
Reychard and Nori nodded understand the busy situation in the town preparing for the monster waves attack.
"By the way, Sir Nikos, how about a drink tonight? We could talk more about the town preparations, and we could use some relaxation." Reychard offered.
Nikos nodded in agreement, a small smile playing on his lips. "Sure, I'm in need of a nice drink."
As the two friends finalized their plans, Nori watched them with a knowing smile. She could see the bond of trust and respect between the two, then she decided to go back to her works.
Meanwhile on the market.
Marielle and Liriel walked through the bustling market, each with a determined look in their eyes. The market was a vibrant place, filled with the sounds of vendors hawking their goods and the chatter of townsfolk and adventurers.
Brightly colored stalls lined the streets, showcasing a variety of wares.
Their mission was clear: buy every available ingredient and subtly spread the rumor about their shop's destruction. They moved methodically, visiting each stall and purchasing all the ingredients they could find. The vendors, seeing the urgency and the amount they were buying, began to ask questions.
At the first stall, Marielle greeted the vendor, an elderly woman with a kind smile. "Good morning, Martha. We'll take all the healing herbs you have."
Martha raised an eyebrow. "All of them? That's quite a lot, dear."
Marielle nodded, her tone serious. "Yes, we need to restock urgently."
Martha's expression softened with concern. "I heard about your shop. I'm so sorry, dear. Who would do such a thing?"
Marielle's eyes filled with genuine sadness. "We don't know yet, but it was a devastating blow. We're just trying to get back on our feet."
As they moved to the next stall, Liriel's frustration became more apparent. She approached a vendor selling rare magical mushrooms and roots. "We'll take everything you have."
The vendor, a middle-aged man with a thick beard, looked surprised. "Everything? That's a hefty order."
Liriel nodded, her voice edged with frustration. "Yes, we need it all. Our store was attacked, and we lost everything."
The vendor's eyes widened. "Attacked? That's terrible! Do you know who did it?"
Liriel shook her head, her eyes narrowing. "Not yet, but we have our suspicions."
The vendor leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "It must be those Alchemist Association bastards. They don't like competition."
Liriel didn't confirm or deny, simply nodding and handing over the gold.
They continued their rounds, buying ingredients and subtly spreading the word about the attack. At a stall selling rare flowers used in high-level potions, Marielle noticed a group of adventurers whispering and pointing in their direction. She approached the stall and began selecting flowers.
One of the adventurers, a young woman with a bow slung over her shoulder, stepped forward. "Marielle, we heard about your shop. Is it true it was attacked?"
Marielle nodded, her voice tinged with sorrow. "Yes, it's true. We've lost so much."
The adventurer looked angry. "Who would do such a thing?"
Marielle sighed, her eyes downcast. "We don't know for sure, but we suspect foul play from those who don't want us to succeed."
The adventurer's companions murmured among themselves, anger and sympathy evident on their faces. "If you need any help, let us know," the young woman said.
Marielle smiled gratefully. "Thank you. We appreciate your support."
As they made their way to the last stall, Liriel's patience was wearing thin. She approached the vendor, a tall man with a scar across his cheek, and quickly bought all his stock of rare roots and herbs. The vendor, sensing her frustration, asked, "What happened, Liriel? You seem on edge."
Liriel took a deep breath, her eyes flashing with anger. "Our store was attacked. Everything we worked for was destroyed."
The vendor's face hardened. "That's unforgivable. If you find out who did it, you let me know. We'll make sure they pay."
Liriel nodded, her voice tight. "Thank you. We'll keep that in mind."
As they finished their rounds, Marielle and Liriel regrouped, their bags filled with ingredients. They exchanged a look of determination and made their way back to the store.