*>Simulator Child: Are you sure that was the right move?*

*>Fae Sol: Like I said, that item is far too overpriced.*

Luden didn't know it yet, but this potion, the Magic Milk Bottle, was a bit of a quirky item. It was indeed a full-heal item under level 30, but it wasn't without drawbacks...

And Jisha'd learned this the hard way.

 

---

 

Two players stumbled through thick underbrush. Thorns, branches, and leaves plastered all over their bodies as they tore forwards panting uncontrollably.

*>Fae Sol: Syny, I'm almost dead! Why is there a wild boss here???*

This was supposedly a peaceful area, so why'd they have to come across such a powerful monster? What was this luck?

*>Synycal: Aaaaaah! Keep running! Don't worry, Jishy, I've got us covered! Take this!*

 

*>+1 Magic Milk Bottle* 

 

*>Fae Sol: Is it a potion?*

*>Synycal: Yeah. Just drink it!*

Jisha downed the bottle without a second thought.

*!!! Ugh... This isn't... healing...*

*>Fae Sol: Syny, what the heck is this?*

*>Synycal: Hahahahahaha!*

*>Fae Sol: Ugh, my head feels kind of weird... What did you give me???*

*>Synycal: It's the best potion ever! Eep!*

*>Party member Synycal has died!*

Syny tripped and fell in a whimsical manner, leaving her a sitting duck against this over-leveled wild boss.

*>Fae Sol: Ah... Come on...*

Shortly after, Jisha stumbled to the ground as dizziness took hold. She looked up to find the large monster swinging a club right at her face... and she couldn't dodge.

Only after did she find out that Syny had spent all her money on this rare potion only for it to expire within two hours...

"After all that work, I wasn't gonna just throw it away! Hmph!"

 

---

 

*Haah, was that really 11 natural years ago? It almost feels like yesterday...*

All those years ago, when she played Synergy... it was truly fun.

But after the beginning of the Great World War and humanity's race to research the third quantum field... Synergy became a necessity.

*Sometimes I wish I could go back for real...*

Sure, right now she'd gone back in time, but all the events that'd happened in her first life were still real. They lived on as memories, and these events and experiences molded Jisha into a far different person than what she'd originally been. It wasn't a true reset.

*Beggars can't be choosers, I suppose.*

Ignorance was bliss, but even if she remained ignorant, it wouldn't stop chaos from sweeping the world. Her future knowledge was paramount, so this situation was a blessing in this cruel reality.

But... while the world remained innocent, she could afford to have a little bit of fun, right? It'd been so long...

She looked at Luden who was reveling in his victory. What kind of face would he make when he discovered the truth about his item?

Kayla seemed to be a bit remorseful for selling such a scammy item, but she continued the auction nonetheless.

"This shiny new set of gauntlets brought to us by Covan's very own Saio! A perfect chance to get an edge up on all fledgling brawlers, the bid on this level 5 Epic item will start at 500 Copper!"

"500 Copper!"

"550 Copper!"

"600 Copper!"

...

"Why did a level 5 item appear now?" Castle asked.

"I think it's because the other items had level restrictions, and this one doesn't," Hearth Ember replied.

"Yeah, you're right," Jisha confirmed.

Items without level restrictions were often more valuable than those with. And since this item's rarity was "Epic", it was almost like a level 15 Common item.

Once again, Jisha wasn't too enthralled by it, but her group chat thought otherwise.

*>Dolphin Killer: We'll take it. 1000 Copper.*

*>Aphro Expo: Nah, we'll take it. 10 Bronzium, 75 Copper.*

*>Hutian Crest: Fellow friends, can't you see our proud benefactor is made of coins? Go all in! We want this!*

*>Simulator Child: You're so-! What makes you think you can say that?*

*>Hutian Crest: Isn't it obvious? It's not my money!*

*>Censer: Hutian. Fuck you.*

The audience's bids kept rising, and the group chat wasn't going down without a fight.

"10 Bronzium, 75!"

The rate of bids dropped significantly, but this didn't stop Luden!

"10 Bronzium, 80!"

*>Dolphin Killer: ... 11 Bronzium."

"11 Bronzium!"

...

"15 Bronzium!"

*>Hutian Crest: Haha, does he think he can fight us? 20 Bronzium, quick! Put it in.*

*>Fae Sol: *Sigh*, if you insist~*

"20 Bronzium!"

...

"Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 20 Bronzium!"

*>-20 Bronzium*

... and an audible slam echoed from across the hall.

 

---

 

"What did I pay you guys for?? The revenue you collected was abysmal, and the lack of info on this party is fatal! You hear me??"

None of his subordinates responded.

"It all comes down to the last item, then..." Luden sighed.

He looked at his coin pouch, and he a smile crept onto his face. He expected most bids to max out at around 10 Bronzium, but the previous item had cost him nearly 30. However... another item lost meant more coins saved for the finale!

"We're going all in."

"..."

His subordinates' morale was waning. Initially, they'd been confident in the amount of in-game currency they collected. By their estimates, no single clan should have more than 10 Bronzium at this time. The worst case scenario was that they lost one item.

But reality treated them very differently! The wealth they'd gathered with confidence was paltry in front of this mystery adversary. It wasn't just Luden's pride on the line but also theirs as professionals.

The cart wheeled the final item of the auction out onto the center of the stage.

It was the grand finale. The audience could only look out in awe.

Though it was a much-awaited item, nobody was expecting to win. Another fierce back and forth between the two titans was bound to commence.

However, before Luden could place his bid...

Before the auctioneer even spoke a word...

"60 Bronzium."

A girl's clear, calm voice pierced through the audience.

Despite how quietly she spoke, everyone heard it clearly.

The voice carried unyielding tenacity, but the audience couldn't believe their ears.

"Huh?"

"Did I hear that amount right?"

They thought they'd seen the limit only to be shocked again. Disbelief struck, but this was definitely real! After all, you couldn't bid more money than you had.

"How is that possible?"

60 Bronzium, or over 6000 Copper, was casually thrown out. The voice was powerful yet carried no hint of ego.

This person was simply here to pick up what was theirs all along.

The hall was silent.

There was no competition. The one they assumed to be a dark horse was the true titan all along.

"... Sold to the anonymous Beyonder for 60 Bronzium!"

And just like that, the auction was over.

 

---

 

The group chat burst into flames after Jisha's bid, but she ignored it and silently stared at the stage.

*Why is this here?*

The item she'd purchased was a dagger, and it wasn't an ordinary one. Everyone likely thought it was just a level 10 magic weapon, but in reality, it was the best dagger in the game below Tier 1.

As long as one had enough shards of the correct element, this dagger's performance could be upgraded for many, many levels to come.

Jisha opened her direct messages and responded to a mountain of unreads from a certain someone.

*>Fae Sol: I've got your gift.*

*>Synycal: Whaaaaaaaat? You remembered? You???*

*>Fae Sol: ...*

She wanted to retort, but...

*Heh... I'll just let her enjoy the moment.*

Syny Cytem, also known as Synycal in the game, would, alongside Fae Sol, become a very well-known player in the future. In her past life, Syny had become one of the greatest dagger wielders in the game... And this was only after she was indecisive about her class for so long. If Jisha could nurture Syny's talent at an early stage, how monstrous would she become?

And though Synergy professionals didn't exist yet, Jisha was certain that Syny would stand above all future pros if she was trained properly.

*I can't wait for that day... It's not too far away.*

The worst-case scenario was one year of training, but she most likely wouldn't even need that long.

When you begin learning a skill, whether it be a game, craft, hobby, or something else, you will struggle. In the very beginning, you are... well, a beginner.

But if you train properly, you can easily exceed average.

A large subset of the population, regardless of what they practice, are not practicing optimally. If you receive guidance on *how* to and how *not* to practice, you will avoid practicing improperly. This puts your fundamentals at an unshakeable standard. Without proper fundamentals, it's impossible to reach a high level. How high can a tower truly reach without a proper base?

In Synergy, when nobody had a clue about any optimizations, those who would rise above were either lucky to have found an optimal path or had exceptional talent in some area. But what if someone who already knew all optimizations fostered a protégé? The results would be astounding.

Of course, Jisha wasn't going to write any guides, at least not ones that were available for the public. The information she knew about the future was worth an unfathomable amount of money. It was suicide to simply give it away. This information was only to strengthen herself and those important to her.

And this gift was one of the first steps.

*>Fae Sol: Everyone, meet me near the stage.*

*>Censer: ... Yes.*

Jisha's cloaked figure made its way down the stairs, and the crowd scattered to make way. This person had even defeated Luden, so she obviously wasn't to be messed with! Tales of this mystery player who'd shown up and taken out an oppressive guild would be recounted nonstop the rest of the day.

On the right side of the stage was a tunnel with a door at the end of the hall. As this tunnel was guarded by a Sentinel, players steered clear from the area. After leaving the crowd behind, Jisha knocked on the door twice before it swung open.

A mystified Kayla awaited on the other side.

"She told me you'd be coming... It really is you..."

"Sorry?"

Jisha confusedly tilted her head to the side; Kayla was spouting some nonsense under her breath.

Kayla snapped back to attention, realizing she still had a role to fulfill.

"Ah, well, here are your winnings," she said as she gestured towards a brown bag secured with sturdy string.

"Thank you, but I'd like to wait for five others to arrive. Would you mind letting them in?"

"Of course."

This room was under strict security, and there was even a Sentinel inside. Typically, only one auction winner would be granted entry at a time to prevent any mishaps, but there were exceptions.

Before long, a vigorous knocking resounded throughout the room. Kayla opened the door and five disgruntled players floundered inside.

 

---

 

"Give us the stuff."

"We know your identity, so you're truly dead if you try running off!"

"They're all here, so relax," Fae Sol said as she took the first item out of a bag - the health potion called "Homeopathic Twine Remedy."

"Ha, that's mine. Give it here," Hutian Crest said as he confidently strode forwards.

Fae Sol gave him a kind smile and placed the potion directly in his hands.

"Um..." Hutian Crest grimaced. She wore a pretty smile, but how could he relax? Something felt amiss, but he couldn't pinpoint what.

"Hey, hey, don't be shy," she said as she gave him a congratulatory pat on the arm. "Enjoy your bitter potion, alright? Next!"

As if it were a soup kitchen, she handed out an item to each of the five guild leaders. None of them got away without receiving a smile and a pat on the arm.

"That concludes the trade, then?" Simulator Child said as the last item was given out.

"Pretty much," Fae Sol replied. "But..."

"... What are you planning?"

"Hm... Do you remember how much money you spent?"

"We spent 20 Bronzium," said Censer.

"Oh? Very good. Anyone else know?"

...

No response.

Why was she asking this now?

"*Sigh*, I had low expectations, and you still let me down..."

The guild leaders looked at each other awkwardly. This should have been the end of the deal, right? Was there something they missed?

"You all seem like financially responsible individuals, you know? So much so that you even dug into my personal account just to win some auction items. Naturally, don't you think you owe me something?"

"Pft... That's what it is?" Hutian Crest guffawed. "Once we pooled our money, it was ours to spend. So what if I spent more than I put in?"

"That's curious coming from the person in the most debt. You owe me 10 Bronzium, you know?" (a/n - so many of these numbers are messed up, i'll have to go back and review the entire arc and fix everything. right now they're pretty much just placeholder values. will be updated some other time, + fix other miscellaneous errors)

"Huh?"

"Do I have to remind you? You all pooled your money into *my* account. As a fiscally responsible individual, I know exactly how much *I* spent."

"Then you can only blame yourself for overspending," Censer said. "We don't owe you anything."

"Why not? Was there a binding contract anywhere?"

"..."

"Anyway, Censer, you also owe me 10 Bronzium. How tragic. And you, Aphro Expo... You owe 7 Bronzium, 65 Copper."

One by one, Fae Sol recited every guild leader's "debt" to her - the amount they spent subtracted from the amount they contributed. This meant she perfectly recalled the initial contribution as well as the amount spent by all 5 players...

The guild leaders stared blankly. What was the point of doing all this tedious arithmetic? Why was she going out of her way to torture them with this meticulous information?

Finally, the recitation came to an end.

"All of you understand what's happening right now, correct?"

"..."

"You're all deep in the red," Fae Sol said as she lowered her voice. "You are indebted to me and are to pay me back this value by this day next week!"

"...?"

"She's crazy."

"As if something like that would happen."

...

Fae Sol kept ranting, but the guild leaders tuned her out. What the heck was she talking about? Sure, she had some combat capability - they'd witnessed it firsthand before the auction. But what gave her the confidence to threaten all 5 of their guilds simultaneously?

"Alright, so how much do we owe you?" Aphro Expo said, deciding to humor her for a bit.

"Hm... You all clearly aren't taking me seriously, are you?"

"Pft... What do you mean? Of course we are..." Hutian Crest said as he tried containing his laughter.

"Well, I supposed it's not a serious matter," she said as she shrugged in an exaggerated manner. "Why don't I just ask you next week?"

"Okay... And... you'll find us how, exactly?"

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Fae Sol said with another smile.

"..."

Something was off, wasn't it? What gave her the courage to speak like this?

The guild leaders stared at the person standing in front of them once again - she was just a young girl. After taking a good look at her, they determined her words were simply borne of unfounded confidence.

"Whatever, let's go," Simulator Child said.

The 5 guild leaders turned to leave, and as they stepped out into the hallway, Fae Sol spoke from behind them once more.

"Don't forget!" she said cheerily. "Prepare the funds by next week!"

"Tch..."

"What a simple-minded girl."

"Truly idiotic."

...

 

---

 

Jisha sighed as the door closed behind the guild leaders. She wasn't expecting them to show her any face, but this was worse than she imagined!

*Looks like they'll have to repay me many times over!*

In one week, these guild leaders would likely have a sizeable wealth built up while not being too far away from each other. Once that time came...

*Hehe... I'm so lucky *those* were in the shops here.*

What specifically was she referring to? How would she find their bases in order to... er, *kindly* ask for a reimbursement?

Simple - it all came down to when she gave each of the guild leaders a pat on the arm. Because when she did...

*>-1 Small Lightweight Tracker*

*>-1 Small Lightweight Tracker*

*>-1 Small Lightweight Tracker*

...

*>Name: Shahar's Nightwalker*

...

*>Abilities:*

...

*>Shahar's Blessing (Rank 0) - Item Cloak: Mask the Presence of up to 10 Rank 0 Consumable-type items by 99% per week. Items cloaked: 5/10. Cooldown: 1 week. Upgrade this ability using Shards of Darkness. Shards: 0/1.*

They'd walked off thinking they'd emerged victorious, but little did they know that there was only one true winner of this auction.

She would definitely find them!