"I need a loan," Kaizen said, his finger resting on the black card.
The merchant stared at him. He chewed his wheat stalk slowly, shifting it from one side of his mouth to the other.
"A loan," the merchant repeated. "And this... is the collateral?"
"No," Kaizen corrected, leaning in. "That is the liability."
The merchant paused. A slow, greasy smile spread across his face. It was the smile of a shark sensing blood in the water.
"You're a crazy bastard, aren't you, kid?"
The merchant leaned over the counter, his potbelly pressing against the wood.
"People kill to get into Zenith Academy. Families bankrupt themselves just for a chance at the entrance exam. And here you are, using your ticket to heaven as a gambling chip in a dump like this."
"Do you know what happens if you default?" the merchant hissed.
"I do," Kaizen said calmly.
If Kaizen didn't pay back the money, the merchant would walk to the Academy gates and present the card.
The Academy, obsessed with its pristine reputation, wouldn't allow a scandal involving unpaid debts to a black market fence. They would pay the merchant immediately to silence him.
And then?
They would expel Kaizen. Or, considering the severity of "shaming the institution," they might just arrange a tragic accident in the next dungeon crawl.
"It's a death sentence," the merchant chuckled. "You're handing me a loaded gun and pointing it at your own head."
"Only if I miss the payment," Kaizen shrugged. "I don't plan on missing."
The merchant laughed. A rough, hacking sound.
"I like you. You've got guts. Or brain damage. Either way, it's entertaining."
The merchant spat the wheat onto the floor.
"I'm Gino. Now, what do you want?"
"Crowns," Kaizen said. "Ten thousand."
Gino whistled. "Ten grand? For a student? You planning to buy a wyvern?"
"Supplies," Kaizen answered. "Potions. Stamina elixirs. Hiking gear. I have a... condition."
He tapped his chest. His [ Mild Asthma ] debuff was already flaring up just from the dust in the shop. Climbing a mountain without chemical assistance wasn't brave; it was suicide.
"And the term?" Gino asked.
"Two days."
Gino raised an eyebrow. "Two days? To generate ten thousand crowns? Kid, unless you're robbing the treasury, that's impossible."
"That's my problem," Kaizen said. "What's the vig?"
Gino grinned, revealing gold-capped teeth.
"Ten times."
Kaizen didn't blink. "One hundred thousand crowns. Due in forty-eight hours."
"Deal," Gino said, slamming his hand on the counter.
Inside his head, Gino was dancing. 'This kid is insane! He's definitely going to default! I'm going to get paid by the Academy either way! It's free money!'
Gino raised his left hand.
On his pinky finger sat a ring. It was gold, gaudy, and inset with a massive, crimson ruby that glowed with faint mana.
He waved his hand.
Flash.
Ten heavy silver coins appeared on the counter with a satisfying clink.
Kaizen stared at the ring.
'Spatial Storage Ring,' he noted. 'Inventory space. No weight limit. Instant access. I need that. I need that so bad.'
He looked at the coins.
[ Silver Crown ] Value: 1,000 Copper Crowns each.
"Can you break one?" Kaizen asked. "I need small change for the bus."
Gino rolled his eyes. He waved his hand again. One silver coin vanished. Ten copper coins appeared in its place.
"There. Happy?"
"Very," Kaizen scooped the money into his pocket. He pointed at the merchant's hand. "By the way, how much for the ring?"
Gino looked at his ring, then at the broke student.
"Two million," Gino deadpanned. "Plus tax."
"Right."
He grabbed his backpack and turned to leave.
"Pleasure doing business with you, Gino."
"The pleasure is all mine, walking corpse!" Gino called out cheerfully. He picked up the ID card and kissed it. "I'll be seeing you in two days! Or your obituary!"
Kaizen walked out through the bead curtain.
Clack-clack.
The alley was different now.
The eyes were gone. The malice had evaporated. The thieves who had been stalking him were nowhere to be seen. Word traveled fast in the Scrapyard. The kid was a VIP client of Gino. Touching him was bad for business.
Kaizen walked back down the muddy lane, clutching the coins in his pocket.
'Step 1: Money secured.'
'Step 2: Don't die before Monday.'
He stopped.
Sitting on a crate, staring blankly at the sun, was the emaciated man with the Fire Demon's rusted pan.
Kaizen looked at the man. He felt a pang of pity.