The sound of the p echoed through the car, and theckey flinched, clutching his cheek as he bit back a gasp of pain.


    "Know your ce," Floozk said coldly with a icy gaze as he fixed theckey with a withering stare. "Aleman might have earned a sliver of my fondness, but you are not in a position to question my decisions. Remember that."


    Theckey nodded quickly with reddened face as he muttered with a strained tone, "Yes, sir."


    As the SUV continued its journey, Floozk leaned back in his seat.


    For the first time in a long while, he had met someone who didn''t buckle under his presence, someone who saw value in integrity even when facing someone as powerful as himself. It was a rare quality, one that intrigued him.


    "Aleman," he murmured to himself.


    ...


    ...


    As thete afternoon melted into a soft, golden evening, August found himself back at Digital Haven, the neighborhood inte cafe he hade to think of as his unofficial office.


    The cafe buzzed with its usual eclectic crowd: gamers hunched over keyboards, students with textbooks open, and a few frencers quietly focused on their screens.


    The background murmur and the faint aroma of coffee mixed with a sense ofmunity, giving the ce an ambiance of familiarity and calm that feltforting to him.


    August stepped inside, ncing around as he adjusted his scarf, and made his way to the counter. Now that he was back in his neighborhood, he didn''t need to hide his face anymore.


    Remi, the cafe''s owner, looked up from her spot behind the counter and immediately lit up with a warm, yful smile.


    "Back again?" she teased with a twinkle in her eye. "At this rate, I''ll have to start charging you rent."


    August chuckled with a rxed expression as he approached the counter. "Wouldn''t be the worst thing in the world. At least it''de with free coffee, right?"


    Remi leaned forward, resting her elbows on the counter. "Depends on how many deals you''re closing in my cafe," she joked. "Seems like business is booming for you these days, Mr. Mysterious."


    "Something like that," August replied with a smirk. "Today was… interesting." He kept his words vague, but the memory of his earlier encounter with Floozk still lingered, giving his statement an edge of excitement.


    Remi gave him a curious look as her smile widened. "Interesting, huh? Well, d you seem alright, whatever ''interesting'' means."


    They shared augh, and August found himself grateful for her easygoing presence.


    With a nod, he headed toward one of theputers in the back corner, settling down in the chair and logging into his ount on the game-rted social tform.


    As his profile loaded, he was greeted with a new notification: his profile had received a five-star rating from Mr. Whitford, the buyer of the Bronze Shortsword. August''s lips quirked into a satisfied smile, feeling a sense of aplishment.


    It was his first sessful sale in this world—a significant milestone and a reminder that he was finding his footing here.


    Just then, a steady stream of messages began flooding his inbox. Prospective buyers, gamers, and collectors all sent inquiries, some asking if the Bronze Shortsword was still avable, others simply wanting to know if he had more items to sell.


    With a quick flick of his mouse, August updated the sword''s status to "Sold," smirking as he watched the messages continue to pour in despite the change.


    A hundred thousand dors.


    The thought rolled around in his mind with a sense of satisfaction. In his previous life, it would have been a trivial amount, but here, it felt like a step in the right direction.


    August had always known how to handle money and it felt invigorating to build something from scratch again. But he couldn''t bask in the sess for long.


    The looming deadline with Damon hung over him like a shadow. He needed four hundred thousand more in less than two weeks.


    As he pondered his next move, August''s gaze drifted over to the message board.


    Damon had told him to pay five thousand dors for now even though August owed way more so he obviously needed to make more money.


    But August didn''t n to stop there. Enders Light had be more than just a game for him; it was a means to build an empire.


    Determined to capitalize on his recent sess, August decided to list more items for sale.


    Unlike other yers, who could only extract Legendary-grade items to reality, August''s unique ability allowed him to materialize anything from his inventory, regardless of grade. This gave him an edge few others could match.


    In Enders Light, item grades were strictly organized by rarity and power:


    - Common


    - Iron


    - Umon


    - Bronze


    - Unique


    - Diamond


    - Rare


    - Legendary


    - Mythical


    These grades represented a spectrum from basic, everyday items to the god-like power and scarcity of Mythic items.


    For most yers, even obtaining a Legendary item was a feat worth boasting about. Only a handful number of yers had ever achieved this and these were the same yers who had acquired real-life abilities.


    Its rarity wasn''t just in-game but also allowed it to be extracted into reality. The higher the grade, the greater the demand and value, and the more impactful it was when used in real life.


    But August''s extraction ability broke the rules, granting him the power to bring out anything—regardless of grade—into the real world, a privilege that gave him both versatility and control.


    With this advantage in mind, August leaned back in his chair, focusing his thoughts as he summoned the familiar system interface.


    A transparent screen materialized before him, showing his in-game inventory in vivid detail. Each item was listed in neat rows as though he were still inside the game.


    ---


    [Inventory]


    - Golem Core Shard


    - 1500 Gold


    - Health Potion x12


    - Mana Potion x10


    - Enhanced Dagger (Bronze)


    - High Tier Health Potion x5


    - High Tier Mana Potion x1


    - Dark Orb


    - Rank Up Card


    - Leather Armor


    - Umon Toxic Dagger


    - Danting Pendant


    - Runic Sword (Unique)


    ...


    ---


    August''s eyes skimmed over the items thoughtfully, assessing each one''s potential.


    Some were too valuable or useful to part with, but others held a value that was more financial than practical to him. He quickly zeroed in on a few items that he knew would appeal to collectors and power-seekers alike.


    He first recalled the Basic Dagger, a simple Common-grade weapon he''d extracted in an earlier experiment.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    While unremarkable by in-game standards, it was still a fully functional de with a sharp edge and sturdy construction.


    Even at the lowest grade, he knew it would be worth something in the real world, especially to those who wanted a taste of in-game weaponry.


    He decided to list it for twenty thousand dors—an essible price point that would still bring him a tidy profit.


    Then, his gaze fell on the Runic Sword, a weapon of the Unique grade that he had earned from the vige chief afterpleting a rare quest.


    This wasn''t just any weapon; it was one that grew in power alongside its wielder. The sword''s true allurey in its ability to send out a powerful reddish arc of magic with each swing—a feature that, while impressive in the game, would no doubt be just as striking in reality.


    After some deliberation, he set the price at five hundred thousand dors. He knew the price was high, but he was confident it would catch the attention of the serious collectors and high rollers out there.


    He could almost envision the way this weapon would look when wielded in the real world. Its magical glow casting a mythical light and the red arc slicing through the air.


    The thought sent a thrill through him.


    He then moved on to the Umon Toxic Daggers. These dual daggers had a mild poison effect—a unique trait that slowed and weakened opponents without causing lethal harm. They also reduced HP consecutively.


    They''d served him well in the early stages of his gamey but had been reced by his new Enhanced Dagger, which was of Bronze grade.


    He listed the Umon daggers for eighty thousand dors, knowing that their poison effect would make them attractive to potential buyers interested in their strategic advantage.


    Satisfied with his selections, he began drafting detailed descriptions for each item:


    - Basic Dagger (Common): A reliable, sharp dagger suitable for defense or practical use. Durable and easy to handle.


    - Umon Toxic Daggers: Dual daggersced with poison. These daggers weaken and slow enemies with each strike.


    - Runic Sword (Unique): A legendary de capable of leveling up alongside its user. Emits a powerful red magical arc with each swing. In the game, it requires one to be of the warrior or knight ss but in real life, you have nothing to worry about.


    With each description, August could practically envision the appeal of these items, especially the Runic Sword, which he knew would be the centerpiece of his sales.


    As he hit "Submit," he watched with satisfaction as the items went live, immediately attracting the attention of curious gamers.


    As he leaned back, a sense of aplishment filled him. Not only was he leveraging his extraction ability to build wealth, but he was tapping into an unexplored market, a ce where virtual value tranted into real currency.


    After onest check of his messages, August logged out, closing down theputer and standing up.


    He cast a nce around the cafe, his gazending on Remi, who was busy serving a customer but caught his eye, giving him a cheerful smile and a wave.


    "You leaving so soon?" she called out with a yful tone.


    "Yeah, but don''t worry, I''ll be back to raise the rent soon," he replied, shing a grin.


    Remiughed, shaking her head as she returned to her customer. Her eyes lingered on him with an unspoken warmth while he waved goodbye.


    It was alreadyte in the night.


    Due to his rush, August didn''t notice that he''d left something on the desk where theputer he just used was positioned.