Alex stared at the system notification.
Gigantification Level 3.
Seven times size.
He grinned.
"System..."
"You're actually insane."
He pulled out his phone.
Searched:
"How to upgrade contract beast skills"
Results loaded.
Top article:
"SKILL ADVANCEMENT - THE ULTIMATE GUIDE"
He clicked.
Started reading.
"Contract beast skills upgrade automatically when the tamer advances a full grade..."
"Example: 10th grade to 9th grade..."
"All beast skills +1 level..."
Alex nodded.
Makes sense.
Kept reading.
"However, upgrading skills BEFORE advancing grades is extremely difficult and expensive..."
His eyebrows raised.
"The most common method: Skill Fruits..."
"Each fruit costs 200,000 bucks..."
Alex's eyes went wide.
"WHAT?!"
He kept reading.
Hands shaking.
"Each Skill Fruit has only a 5% chance to randomly upgrade ONE skill..."
"Success is not guaranteed..."
"The upgraded skill is chosen randomly..."
"No control over which skill levels up..."
Alex did the math in his head.
200,000 per fruit.
5% chance.
That means...
Average of 20 fruits needed.
20 times 200,000.
Four MILLION bucks.
Just to upgrade ONE skill.
ONE.
His jaw dropped.
"Holy shit..."
He scrolled down.
More info:
"Despite the astronomical cost, Skill Fruits are CONSTANTLY sold out..."
"Major families buy them in bulk..."
"Black market prices often exceed 250,000 per fruit..."
"Bidding wars are common..."
Alex put down his phone.
Looked at his system.
Back at the phone.
Back at the system.
"I just..."
"I just upgraded a skill..."
"For free."
"By making monkey sounds."
He laughed.
Quiet at first.
Then louder.
"HAHAHAHA!"
Couldn't stop.
"I'M THE PROTAGONIST!"
"OF COURSE I AM!"
He stood up.
Pacing.
"Everyone else?"
"Paying millions!"
"Hoping for 5% chance!"
"Random skill!"
He pointed at himself.
"ME?"
"Do a quest!"
"Pick option three!"
"BOOM!"
"Guaranteed upgrade!"
He spun around.
"I even get to CHOOSE which skill!"
"Based on the reward!"
Still laughing.
"This is BROKEN!"
"Completely broken!"
Alex felt like his main mission for this trip was complete.
Sell the potions.
Done.
He checked his phone.
Bank balance: 1.9 million.
Grinned.
"Jackpot."
He stretched.
"Now just wander around."
Walked a few steps.
Suddenly remembered.
"Where'd Bob go?"
He thought about it.
Bob said he wanted to be a chef.
Must be at the food area!
Following the smell.
Passed some stalls.
Bought common potions.
Healing, stamina, mental recovery.
500 bucks total.
He checked the system.
Tried to see potion effects and skills.
Nothing.
"Guess street vendor stuff doesn't work."
"Only system-provided potions work."
"Or other high-grade ones for digestion."
"Whatever, not urgent anyway."
Kept walking.
Passed a spirit stone stall.
"10,000 bucks each!"
Alex bought 40.
Spent 400k.
Cultivation resources.
Gotta stock up.
The smell got stronger.
Food district.
Completely different from the poop restaurant.
Real food here.
Skewers.
Fried noodles.
Hot pot.
All kinds of snacks.
Looked delicious.
Alex swallowed.
"Smells amazing..."
Suddenly—
A voice.
"You're doing it wrong!"
"You should do this, then this, then that!"
Alex froze.
That voice...
Familiar.
Another voice.
Rougher.
Angrier.
"What're you babbling about?"
"Think you can do better?"
"Yeah I can!"
"Move!"
Alex turned.
A stall.
Crowd around it.
In the middle—
Bob!
He grabbed the owner's wok.
Started cooking.
Smooth movements.
Perfect heat control.
"See!"
"This is how!"
The owner's face darkened.
"This is MY stall..."
Bob ignored him.
Kept cooking.
Alex laughed.
"That idiot..."
But he noticed—
Behind Bob.
Two girls.
Carrying shopping bags.
Lots of them.
One of them—
Black hair.
Down to her waist.
Leather jacket.
Tight jeans.
Cold eyes.
Alex's eyes widened.
That's...
Raven?!
And Luna?!
Raven stood there.
Face ice cold.
Very cold.
Like...
Someone who just caught their boyfriend cheating.
Luna beside her.
Smiling.
But her eyes looked gleeful.
The crowd started buzzing.
"Damn..."
"She's hot..."
"Who is she?"
"Don't know."
"But gorgeous..."
More people noticed Raven.
Pointing.
Whispering.
A guy walked up.
Slicked hair.
Fancy suit.
Super confident.
Chin high.
"Hey beautiful~"
He blocked Raven.
"You alone?"
"Want big brother to show you around~"
Raven's eyes swept over him.
Cold.
Sharp.
The guy paused.
But kept smiling.
"Don't be so cold~"
"I'm—"
"Move."
Raven's voice was ice.
The guy's face stiffened.
"You..."
Raven walked around him.
Stood behind Bob again.
The guy stood there.
Face ugly.
"Tch."
"Acting all high and mighty."
Bob still cooking.
Another guy approached.
Designer clothes.
Spirit stone ring.
Arrogant as hell.
"Hey miss~"
He stepped right in front of Raven.
Blocking her view.
"I'm Young Master Li."
"My dad owns three shops in North District—"
Raven looked up.
Stared at him.
The guy thought he had a chance.
Smiled wider.
"So what do you say?"
"Want to—"
"Not interested."
Raven looked away.
The guy froze.
"I wasn't done—"
"Not interested."
Raven repeated.
Voice colder.
The guy's face flushed red.
"You..."
"Do you know who I am?!"
"No."
Raven said flatly.
"Don't want to know either."
The guy trembled with rage.
"You—"
Luna tugged at him.
"Come on, come on~"
"Our Raven's not interested~"
The guy gritted his teeth.
Turned and left.
Then a third guy.
Fourth guy...
Alex hid in the crowd.
Watching.
Mind full of questions.
What's going on?
Why are they with Bob?
Raven's expression...
Something's wrong.
Very wrong.
She looks angry.
But why?
He thought back—
Wait.
Earlier...
At the black market entrance.
I kissed Ivy.
Gave her a spirit stone.
Bob said he'd wait outside.
At that time...
Raven and Luna...
Did they...
See it?!
Alex's face changed.
"Shit."
But he quickly recovered.
"Wait."
"I'm not her boyfriend."
"Just regular friends!"
He relaxed.
"Why am I panicking?"
Straightened up.
"Right."
"Just friends."
"It's fine."
Alex started pushing through.
Getting closer.
A man noticed him.
Saw the bra mask.
Paused.
Laughed out loud.
"Haha!"
"Look at that guy!"
People turned.
All laughed.
"What the hell..."
A tall skinny guy walked over.
Looked Alex up and down.
"Dude."
"Don't tell me..."
"You want that beauty's number too?"
Crowd burst out laughing.
"Him?"
"With that mask?"
"Those rich guys all got rejected."
"What's he supposed to be?"
The skinny guy shook his head.
Face full of mockery.
"A woman like that..."
"You think you can touch?"
"Keep dreaming."
Pointed at the mask.
"Especially wearing that thing."
More laughter.
Alex shrugged.
Walked around them.
Kept pushing forward.
Laughter behind him.
"Look at him..."
"So funny..."
Alex ignored it.
Just kept walking.
Got to the front.
Bob still cooking.
Raven standing nearby.
Face very cold.
Alex stood at the edge.
Watching.
Bob finished the dish.
Plated it.
"Here!"
"Try it!"
Handed it to some onlookers.
They took a bite.
Eyes lit up.
"Holy shit!"
"Delicious!"
"This smells amazing!"
Bob grinned proudly.
"See?"
"What'd I tell you!"
He pointed at the owner's original dish.
"Now try that one."
They tasted it.
Faces changed.
"This..."
"No comparison..."
"Completely different league!"
The crowd got excited.
"Bro!"
"Make some more!"
"Yeah!"
"I want to try!"
"I'll pay!"
More people crowded around.
All wanted Bob's cooking.
The owner stood there.
Face getting darker.
Livid.
"ENOUGH!"
He shouted.
Pulled out his phone.
Called someone.
"Hello?"
"Yeah."
"Come to my stall."
"Someone's messing with my business."
"Bring some guys."
Hung up.
Smirked at Bob.
"Kid."
"Just wait."
Less than three minutes.
A group of thugs rushed over.
Over ten of them.
Muscular.
Mean faces.
Tattoos.
Vicious.
Surrounded Bob and the two girls.
The crowd immediately scattered.
Didn't dare get close.
The lead thug.
Bald.
Neck thick as a leg.
Walked up to Bob.
"You the one?"
"Messing with my bro's business?"
Bob swallowed.
"I..."
"I was just helping..."
"Helping?"
Baldy sneered.
"So you're saying my bro can't cook?"
"I..."
Bob tried to explain.
Baldy waved his hand.
"Kneel."
"Apologize."
Bob froze.
"What?"
"I said KNEEL!"
Baldy roared.
"Apologize to my bro!"
Bob's face flushed.
"Why should I?!"
"I didn't do anything wrong!"
"Still talking back?"
Baldy rolled up his sleeves.
"Guess we're doing this the hard way."
Right then—
Raven stepped forward.
Stood in front of Bob.
Eyes ice cold.
Sharp.
Luna followed.
Protected Bob.
Two girls side by side.
Full presence.
Baldy paused.
Then laughed.
"Oh."
"Got two little beauties protecting you?"
He looked Raven up and down.
"Not bad looking."
"How about..."
"Have a drink with me?"
"We'll call it even?"
The thugs all laughed.
"Boss has good taste!"
"This girl's hot!"
Raven's eyes got colder.
Hand already at her waist.
Ready to fight.
Luna also on guard.
Tension rising.
Right then—
Options appeared for Alex.
[Option One: Add fuel to the fire! Watch Raven show off her skills!]
Reward: Small amount of spiritual power
[Option Two: Just leave. Go home, cultivate, and sleep. They'll be fine anyway.]
Reward: Vine Potion +1
[Option Three: Speak up for justice! Help them solve this! And cheer up Raven while you're at it!]
Reward: Teleportation Potion +1
Alex looked at the options.
First one?
Small spiritual power?
"Too stingy."
Second one?
Vine potion?
"I can have as many as I want later."
He looked at the third.
Teleportation potion.
Eyes lit up.
"This thing..."
"Used it before."
"Lifesaving treasure!"
Without hesitation.
Picked three.
Alex pushed through the crowd.
Walked forward.
People immediately noticed him.
Saw the bra mask.
Laughed again.
"Haha!"
"He's back!"
"What's this idiot doing?"
The skinny guy pointed at him.
"Hero saving beauty?"
"Him?"
The fat guy couldn't stop laughing.
"Look at himself!"
"Those guys are Rank 10 Beast Tamers!"
"What is he?"
Another person shook his head.
"Plus..."
"Even if he saves them..."
"You think she'd like him?"
"Wearing that mask..."
"Total loser..."
"Keep dreaming."
Laughter everywhere.
Alex ignored them.
Kept walking.
Step by step.
Through the crowd.
To the front.
Stood before Baldy.