The number rang in his head multiple times, “30,000 coins”. It was a figure he had never achieved in his life before, and he was wondering just why it was so expensive. An advanced crystal was usually sold in the market for around 10,000 Credits. Usually the fee of creating something using the crystal would then cost around the same.
“If you don’t mind me asking, why is the price so high?” Quinn asked.
“I thought you were some spoiled rich snob with the way you placed those three advanced crystals out on the table like that,” Alex replied. “Look, I’m not cheating you. You probably thought that similar to the basic tier and the intermediate tier crystals, the cost to work on these would roughly be the same as the cost of the crystals. But the advanced tier crystal takes an incredible amount of time in comparison. Not only that, but you want me to make one weapon using all three.
“Some weapons and pieces of armour only need one. The second reason is the metals I’ll be mixing in with the beast crystal. I will have to purchase them myself, and while you can get away with putting cheap metals and mixing it in, it will only make the weapons’ durability low. With basic tier weapons and intermediate tier, you don’t have to worry so much. But with these beautiful things,” Alex said, looking at the crystals closely. His eyes were almost touching them.
“These, they need better treatment.”
From the way Alex talked about the crafting method and the way he looked at the crystals, he could tell that this person was a true forger who loved his craft. He was the right person for the job. The only problem was, how would Quinn come up with 30,000 credits?
Looking at Alex still staring at the crystals, Quinn started to think hard. He could always just use his influence skill and force him to create one, but it felt like an abuse of his powers. If he was to do that, then what would be different from him and all the other high-level students who forced the others to do things for them?
If he was going to work hard on something like this, then Alex deserved to be rewarded for it. The second reason, Quinn saw a light when meeting Alex. He didn’t want him to just work on this weapon, but maybe all future weapons. He couldn’t just keep using the influence skill on him to force him to do work whenever he wanted.
Finally, after a while of thinking, Quinn had come up with a plan. Though he was unsure whether it would work or not, it was the only thing he had.
“I can’t give you the money,” said Quinn. “I just don’t have that much but what I can do is give you these.” His shadow equip was activated, resulting in the smoke and a dark shadow to start appearing in the palm of his hands.
Alex immediately went to grab the spear that Ray had brought, thinking that perhaps he was going to try to force him into making things for him. It wouldn’t have been the first time it happened, and it surely wouldn’t be the last either.
But then, when the shadow disappeared inside Quinn’s hands, the gauntlets he wore were seen. They were still quite badly scuffed up from the fight with the Multiplier, so they honestly didn’t look that great.
“I’ll give you these,” Quinn said, handing them over.
Alex took a brief moment to have a look all over, and there were a few things he noticed but didn’t say anything. For intermediate tier weapons, it was some of the best quality work he had ever seen.
“Who made this?” Alex asked.
“I don’t know, I found it on a planet in a storage room, and that’s not the only weapon I have either. Not only that but these weapons seem to be one of a kind. On the market place, I couldn’t find anything that came close to or to like it. It’s the same with the other weapons as well. My suggestion is for me and you to become business partners.”
“Business partners?” Alex asked.
“Think about it, the fact that it isn’t on the market place means you could melt down these gauntlets and make a blueprint of them. Then after a few people start to use them and the word gets out, they would start to sell like hotcakes. It might take a while, but soon people will learn of your name.” Quinn said with excitement, trying his best to pitch his new idea.
“But gauntlets, they are not exactly the most popular item. I do agree that at some point it would have the selling effect you’re talking about, but that could take years. I checked the weapon and it has no marking, which is strange. Every Forger usually puts their marking on their work. Which is why I’m inclined to believe you about no one having this up on the market. Even if I did, putting my mark would claim the blueprint as mine.
“My problem is, what do you get out of this? You could sell a blueprint that hasn’t been distributed yet for a lot more money than what I asked for.” Alex said.
“To answer your first question. Don’t you remember, I said I have other items as well. For this deal how about I chuck in a pair of short swords?”
Alex was thinking hard, and Quinn could see this, it seemed like his plan was about to work, but there were a few more details he needed before getting him to agree.
“As I said, we would be business partners. In return, I will do everything to protect you.” Quinn said lifting up his level 6 power watch. “As well as that, I would want a royalty. Let’s say 30 percent of all your sales, and you make me my advanced weapon for free.
“You could, of course, carry on your day here as a talented forger, and when you leave school, you may get scouted to work for a top Faction, or maybe even one of the big four, but is that all you want to do? Work for someone else?
“This is your chance to start the grounds to make your own company. I know you care a lot about making the perfect weapon, and not mass producing it like the others. This can be our selling point of why our weapons work better. So what do you say? Do we have a deal?”
Quinn’s offer sounded very enticing to Alex. He had always struggled with credits before and truthfully, he wanted to work on an advanced weapon because he had never done one before. Only practiced it in theory in his head. It was rare for such a student to be given this type of offer.
Honestly, Alex loved Crafting weapons so much that he would have done it for free for Quinn. The reason for giving the price was to cover the cost of the materials but thought that if someone was able to get three advanced crystals easily like that, they should also have plenty of Credits.
“If you bring me those short swords, and I check they are the same as these gauntlets, and there are no forger markings, then we have a deal,” Alex said.
With that, Quinn quickly headed off to his room to use the remainder of his credits to purchase two more intermediate crystals.
“Sorry Vorden, you’re gonna have to wait a little longer.”
Then while accessing the shop, the two short swords appeared in front of him once again. It had cost him all his credits, but it was a lot cheaper than paying 30,000 coins.
Before Quinn had returned, Alex did a little research of his own. He tried to look at the marketplace, to see if anyone was selling anything similar. It was hard to tell just from a photo and description, but even the design was something he just couldn’t find online.
It was a real opportunity for him to sell them.
Quinn, with the short swords in his hand, was heading back as soon as possible. He had thought about doing this before with someone. The problem was, he was afraid. Since the equipment belonged to the system, he was pretty sure it was related to the vampires. Selling such equipment to the whole world, could cause him trouble.
But, he knew it would take a few years before that was to happen, and it looked like the vampires would reach him before then.
Once returning, Quinn handed the short swords over to Alex. Once again, he checked them over and found no Forger marking, and just like with the gauntlets, they were better than any intermediate tier weapon he had ever seen.
“Well, you kept your word so I will keep mine,” Alex said as he reached out his hand. The two shook hands and from today onwards they would be business partners.
“So, how long do you think it will take for you to make a beast weapon for me?” Quinn asked.
Alex started to do the calculations in his head. The melting process, ordering of the metals, making a design.
“About two weeks.”
“Two weeks!” Quinn shouted, expecting it to at most take a few hours. It certainly was different from how Logan did things. He was itching to try out his new weapons as soon as possible, but if this was how long it would take, then that’s how long it would take. He couldn’t change that fact.
Still, he was in a good mood. He had little money left, but that didn’t matter. If things worked out, perhaps in the future he would be a tycoon that would be able to compete on Logan’s level.
‘How much money does Logan even have?’ He started thinking about all the things in his room, ‘and just how much are one of those gaming pods again?’ Not only did every military base have a room full of the VR pods, even the people on the outside enjoyed playing it. ‘Maybe I won’t surpass him.’ Quinn thought.
With the day over, Quinn thought he would get one of the best nights of sleep he ever had. A few hours into the night, and into his sleep, he was suddenly woken up by a strange smell.
He looked to his right, and Vorden was still there, sleeping away.
‘Phew, I guess everything’s okay.’
But the strange smell hadn’t disappeared, and he knew what it was straight away. Another Vampire.
‘Have they come already, should I wake up Vorden? No, why would they reveal their presence to me and why not just attack me?’
Getting out of his bed, Quinn slowly started to follow the scent.
****
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