Arya exhaled softly, a hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. The positive market feedback had given her a sense of relief. Indeed, success came only when one identified and honed a specialized niche.
Although she couldn't move as freely as others, the time spent recovering mana while others chopped wood wasn't wasted. She read and learned while they labored; both approaches yielded results, just in different forms.
Adding friends, however, was out of the question. Seeing the 99+ friend requests flooding her list, Arya ignored them all without hesitation. Motivation surged within her.
From the warehouse, she retrieved ten boxes of test tubes, brewed another hundred Magic Potions, and listed them for sale. The potions vanished within minutes. Her warehouse materials multiplied at a pace far surpassing what she could collect alone. One hundred fifty potions sold instantly, boosting her basic units by 1,500.
But she hit a snag: she had run out of test tubes. Her pot still brimmed with potion, but without containers, it was worthless.
Her pot had a capacity of around 20 liters, or 20,000 milliliters. With each bottle holding 10 milliliters, that meant 2,000 potions per pot. However, after boiling the mixture down, she was left with roughly 1,000 potions. Having sold only 150 so far, the remaining potion was far from sufficient for the 9,968 people in Channel 666. Seeing so many materials go unused made Arya uneasy, a feeling akin to losing out on potential profit.
As she contemplated a solution, she opened her friends list to delete all the requests from those looking for freebies. That's when she noticed an interesting message.
The sender's profile picture showed a thin-faced man with wire-rimmed glasses, slightly messy hair, and a tie around his neck. His homepage bore only the description: "Professional Merchant." Judging by his aura, he must have been a business elite back on Blue Star.
Roy: I have a large number of test tubes here. Add me if you need them.
Arya immediately accepted the friend request.
Roy: Big Boss Arya, finally! I'm thrilled.
Arya: How many test tubes do you have?
She didn't intend to chat—just to get straight to business.
Roy: 53 boxes.
Arya: Price.
She didn't care why he had so many, nor did she need to. Browsing his shop, she noticed he bought used test tubes at 2 units each. He clearly recycled resources—professional and efficient.
Arya adjusted her shop prices.
Roy: 5 basic units for ten tubes.
Arya: 3 units for ten tubes. I'll let you earn a bit; otherwise, I'd handle it myself.
Roy: Deal.
After some thought, Roy accepted. His goal was profit, and Arya's offer still let him earn. Harmony brought wealth; there was no need to haggle.
Arya: Handle acquisitions from now on. Send me a trade request each time you collect a box. We'll settle daily.
This method was simple, long-term, and efficient. Trade requests could even have self-destruct timers of 12, 24, or 48 hours.
Roy: No problem.
With that, the arrangement was set. Arya got her test tubes, Roy earned a profit, and both looked forward to smooth business ahead.
With over 500 test tubes in hand, Arya began bottling and selling immediately. Sales were phenomenal; products sold as fast as she could list them. She also discovered the stacking limit in each warehouse slot: 999. This made organizing basic materials—wood, stone, vines, soil, sand, and e-grade monster crystal cores—more manageable. Still, she needed empty slots for potions she might exchange for specific items.
Calculating her resources, she realized slots were still insufficient. She closed the exchange listing for stone, as her Shelter upgrade required only 100 units. Then, she set new trades: 10 Crude Magic Potions for 1 e-grade monster crystal core (limit of ten cores per trade) and 5 potions for 500 grams of food or bottled water (limit ten units per trade). These trades were clearly aimed at upgrading her Shelter.
Even knowing Arya's intentions, buyers had little choice. With over 9,000 people in the channel and far fewer goods, she had a captive market.
"This Arya must be making huge amounts of gold daily," someone commented.
"I calculated she's acquired at least six thousand units of materials so far."
"@Arya, can you consider lowering the price? Everyone's struggling. Aren't you taking advantage of this disaster?"
"Get lost! I'll be the first to deal with you if Arya stops selling Magic Potions," someone retorted.
"Where did this moral crusader come from? Kindly disappear."
"He's not entirely wrong. Shouldn't she lower the price when sales are booming? Discounting customers is also self-discounting."
"She's running a monopoly. Why would she lower her prices for you?"
Arya skimmed the comments and sneered. With a tap, she blacklisted the persistent complainers. Sticky customers early removed meant smooth business later.
She even updated her shop description with six simple characters: "Buy if you want, otherwise scram." The message made potential buyers wince.
"Tsk tsk, Arya has quite a temper," one observed.
"Not really. Getting rid of nuisances early benefits everyone," another replied.
"Isn't 10 Magic Potions or 100 mana points for one e-grade monster crystal core too little?"
"Not at all. I got lucky today and found a horned rabbit with an e-grade monster crystal core."
"Bro, trust me. Don't waste time on wolf packs. Broaden your horizons; many monsters are E-Ranked Demons."
"Really? I'll try tomorrow."
Arya's prices seemed harsh but practical. In Channel 666, moralizing spectators were few. The majority, hardened by their own survival struggles on Blue Star, were pragmatic. When action was needed, they acted decisively. The channel's chaotic nature tolerated no naivety.
Arya's monopoly was secure. Magic Potions flew off shelves as fast as they were produced. Her partnership with Roy streamlined supply, while her market strategy weeded out the unworthy. Those who mocked or complained were removed, leaving only serious buyers. In this way, Arya ensured her business thrived in a cutthroat, survival-driven environment.
Even amidst envy and skepticism, her enterprise flourished. Magic Potions, carefully managed stock, strategic pricing, and selective trading created a system both efficient and profitable. Arya had found her niche, mastered it, and ruled her market—unyielding and unapologetic.
In the chaotic landscape of Channel 666, Arya's monopoly wasn't just a business; it was a demonstration of strategy, foresight, and ruthlessness. And with Roy handling the logistics, nothing could slow her down. She had claimed her corner of the market—and she had no intention of letting anyone challenge her.