Awakening The Shadow; The Apex Era

The Given Condition

"I choose option two." He said without any hesitation, taking a deep breath.

As he chose option two, system says further,

[CHOICE CONFIRMED: ASCENSION PATHWAY SELECTED]

[REQUIREMENT: CELESTIAL LIQUID GEM - MUST BE OBTAINED WITHIN 24 HOURS]

[LOCATION: MERIDIAN ALCHEMY SHOP, EAST MARKET DISTRICT]

[PRICE: 300 GOLD PIECES]

The text faded, leaving Kieran alone in the courtyard. Three hundred gold pieces. He didn't have three copper pieces to his name talkless of three hundred gold.

But he knew someone who did,

Selene.

Twenty minutes later, Kieran found her in the academy gardens with Marcus Thorne. They were sitting close on a marble bench, his arm draped possessively around her shoulders. The sight twisted something in Kieran's chest, but he pushed forward.

“Her life doesn't concern you anymore. Forget her and focus on yourself”

"Selene. I need to talk to you."

She looked up, her expression souring instantly. "What part of 'don't contact me' was unclear?"

"I need money."

Marcus burst out laughing. "Oh, this is rich! The magical equivalent of a slug is begging now? Oh my goodness! This is incredible! I knew that you are always needy but you haven't begged. Now, I can finally satisfy my curiosity"

"Selene, I spent months buying you gifts, paying for meals, theater tickets, jewelry—"

"And?" She examined her nails, bored. "That was your choice, I didn't beg for it"

"I want a breakup f*e. Compensation for everything I spent on you."

The silence lasted exactly two seconds before they both erupted in laughter.

"A breakup f*e?" Marcus wiped tears from his eyes. "That's the most pathetic thing I've ever heard!"

Selene stood, her face flushed with amusement and anger. "You think you're entitled to compensation because you spent money on me? That's not how relationships work, you delusional worm."

"I gave you everything I had—"

"And I gave you months of my time and attention, which frankly, you didn't deserve!" She stepped closer, her voice venomous. "You should be paying me for the humiliation of being associated with someone whose magical presence is weaker than an earthworm!"

"I just need three hundred gold pieces—"

"Three hundred?" Marcus stood, towering over Kieran. "What are you planning to do with that? Buy yourself a personality? Some dignity? Maybe a shred of magical talent?"

"Selene, please—"

"Oh my god, he's actually begging!" She looked at Marcus, then back at Kieran with exaggerated pity.

“That's not much and I can barely spare you that, only if you would beg me, lick my shoe and call me “boss” Marcus proposed.

Keiran thought for a while. He might be desperate to unlock the God-level power and would do anything to secure it but licking his shoes? Hell no!

With Marcus' personality, there's no assurance that he would fulfill his promise after agreeing to his terms. He was only finding a way to humiliate him more. “I wasn't referring to you. Selene, please do quick”

"You know what? Fine. I'll give you a breakup f*e. Just to get rid of you and your pathetic face. I don't wanna see you again, not in this Academy, not anywhere in this life"

Marcus got more irritated as Selene offered to pay for the breakup f*e.

“He would be out of the Academy in three days, we have no reason to see his horrible face again “

She reached into her purse and pulled out a single bill. Ten dollars. She dangled it in front of Kieran's face like one might dangle a treat before a dog.

"Here. This is exactly what my months with you were worth. Actually, I'm being generous. You're more like a three-dollar experience."

Marcus snorted. "Three dollars? I wouldn't pay thirty cents. He's got the personality of moldy bread and the magical capacity of a deceased hamster."

Kieran snatched the money, his face burning. "You're really giving me ten dollars?"

"Take it and leave before I change my mind." Selene's smile was razor-sharp. "And Kieran? Don't ever approach me again. Looking at you makes me feel physically ill."

"Yeah, scurry along, rodent," Marcus added. "Before I accidentally step on you."

Their laughter followed Kieran as he fled the gardens, the ten-dollar bill crumpled in his fist.

He left the Academy, found a tree by the roadside and sat under it, thinking of whatever job he might do to earn him such a huge amount of gold in hours.

“Even stealing would not give me three hundred pieces of gold” he thought loudly before recalling the option of Easy-buy.

An option when you buy something and pay installmently.

“Yeah, I'll give it a try”

Fifteen minutes later, he stood before Meridian Alchemy Shop, its windows displaying dozens of glowing vials and crystalline containers. A bell chimed as he entered.

The shopkeeper, an elderly man with silver spectacles, looked up. "How Can I Help You?"

"Celestial Liquid Gem," Kieran said breathlessly. "How much?"

The shopkeeper's eyebrows rose. "Rare item. Three hundred gold pieces."

Kieran placed the ten-dollar bill on the counter. "This is all I have."

The shopkeeper stared at the money, then at Kieran, then back at the money. "You're short two hundred and ninety dollars."

"I know. But I need it. Desperately. Is there any way—"

"No credit. No payment plans. No exceptions." The shopkeeper pushed the bill back across the counter. "Come back when you have the full amount."

Kieran looked at the Celestial Liquid Gem behind the counter, glowing with ethereal blue light. So close. The key to god-level power, to everything he'd ever wanted, just beyond his reach.

Two hundred and ninety dollars short. Without the money, he wasn't getting the gem. Without the gem, he couldn't activate his god-level power, without activating the god-level power, he remains useless forever. What way?