The material supply district was the same chaotic, vibrant mess Lin Ke remembered. The air was still a thick soup of pungent monster parts and sharp alchemical reagents, all stewing in the warm, humid Jamaican night. But this time, as he walked the crowded streets, something was profoundly different. The district hadn't changed. He had.
He was no longer a desperate, unknown kid pinching every last credit. He was the champion, a professional with a purpose and, more importantly, the capital to make things happen. He moved with a quiet confidence, his gaze sweeping past the common junk, and made a beeline for that same dusty, reputable shop.
The shrewd old merchant was there, polishing a piece of bone with a stained rag. He looked up, his eyes initially dismissive, then widening in recognition.
"Well, well," the merchant said, his entire demeanor flipping like a switch. He dropped the bone, leaning forward with a greasy, respectful smile. "If it isn't the new champion himself. Lin Ke, is it? That final match of yours was the talk of the entire district. The trick with the hole in the ground… quite creative."
"I'm here for materials," Lin Ke said, cutting straight through the flattery, his tone all business.
"Of course, of course! For a champion, only the best. Name it," the merchant said eagerly.
"Ten vials of standard Active Cell Culture Medium," Lin Ke began. "And one High-Purity Geode. Five kilograms, minimum."
The merchant's eyebrows shot up. A geode of that size and purity wasn't for some amateur's pet project. This was serious, professional-grade stuff.
"A fine choice," the merchant said, his eyes gleaming with the promise of a big sale. "The medium will be 30,000 for the ten. As for the geode… I have an exceptional specimen that came in last week. Flawless crystalline structure. For you, Champion… a special price of 350,000 credits."
The number just hung there in the air. Enough to buy a luxury maglev car. A month ago, that number would have been a cruel joke from a different universe. Lin Ke didn't even blink. "I'll take it."
He held out his terminal. The merchant's smile widened. The transaction went through, a huge chunk of Lin Ke's winnings vanishing in an instant, but leaving plenty behind. The merchant carefully packed the vials, then retrieved a heavy, lead-lined box from a secure vault behind the counter.
As he handed it over, the merchant leaned in, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Champion. A man like you is clearly working on something big. A little free intel for a valued customer… my sources say the annual 'Starfall Auction' is next month. Private, high-end stuff, but a C-Rank with your reputation could secure an invitation. They say a… 'Fragment of a Fallen Star' is on the block this year."
Lin Ke's heart gave a single, hard thump. Fragment of a Fallen Star… Stardust Core… The connection was instant and electric. A new, viable path to one of his impossible ingredients lit up in his mind. This wasn't just a tip; it was a critical piece of the puzzle.
"Thank you," Lin Ke said, giving the merchant a nod of genuine gratitude. "I'll look into it."
He left the shop, the heavy box containing the final piece of his current project in his hands. The auction was a problem for Future Lin Ke. Tonight was for his first and most loyal partner.
Back in the sterile quiet of his lab, he laid the three components out on the steel workbench. The warm, earthy pulse of the Earthheart Crystal, glowing with a soft amber light. The cold, dense, shimmering weight of the High-Purity Geode, its facets glittering under the lab lights. The ten vials of clear, promising liquid. Everything was ready.
The Rock Vole, sensing the gravity of the moment, hopped onto the bench. It looked at the strange, powerful objects, then up at its master, its bright eyes full of absolute, unwavering trust. Lin Ke knew he was about to put his partner through another intense, potentially painful ordeal, but there was no fear in its gaze, only readiness.
He met his partner's gaze, and a confident, almost manic grin spread across his face.
"It's time, little guy," he said, his voice buzzing with the contained energy of a scientist on the verge of a breakthrough. "You've been with me through all of it. You trusted me when everyone else in the world saw trash. Now… it's time to unleash the titan I've always known was sleeping inside you."