Reset After Solo Clear: Shadow Master Rebirth

Selling the Loot

"Let me see the items first. Don't rush into negotiating a price before you know what they're worth."

The material shop owner, an elderly man with a thick beard and glasses perched at the tip of his nose, held out his hand, waiting for Nox to place his goods on the counter.

Nox took out several items from last night's dungeon and placed them one by one on the worn wooden counter.

"Three Bone Reaver feathers, and one crystal core from a Bone Sovereign."

The old man picked up one of the feathers, turning it beneath the lamplight as his brows slowly drew together.

"This quality is too good," he muttered, eyeing Nox suspiciously. "Ordinary Bone Reaver feathers aren't this clean, especially when they still have energy residue that hasn't dissipated."

"It's from a Bone Reaver, I killed it last night," Nox replied flatly.

"What level are you?" the man asked, narrowing his eyes.

"Twenty-four."

The shop owner let out a short, disbelieving laugh. "The Bone Reavers in the dungeon I'm thinking of are at least level thirty-five for a solo run. Are you telling me you killed them by yourself at this level?"

"I wasn't alone," Nox replied, choosing not to explain anything further about Erebus.

The man continued staring at him suspiciously. "Most players around your level make money by repeatedly grinding low-level monsters or working as item couriers for other players. Nobody sells boss-tier loot this valuable with a character this young."

"Where did you really get these?" the shop owner pressed, his suspicion growing stronger.

"The dungeon," Nox answered shortly, with no intention of giving him any more details.

The man crossed his arms, clearly dissatisfied with such a brief answer. "I've been running this shop for twenty years. I know stolen goods, glitched items, and legitimate items the moment I hold them. This doesn't fit any category I've ever come across."

Nox was silent for a moment before taking the last item from his bag, a deep purple crystal core that still emitted a faint pulse of energy.

The shop owner immediately fell silent when he saw it, his mouth hanging slightly open.

"This..." His voice became far more cautious. "This is a high-tier boss core. Are you seriously telling me you got this from an ordinary dungeon?"

"Not an ordinary dungeon. It came from a dungeon that supposedly no party has ever survived," Nox replied.

The man stared at Nox for a long moment. The suspicion in his expression slowly changed into something more cautious, something that looked almost like respect.

"All right," he finally muttered, carefully placing the crystal on a velvet cloth. "I won't ask any more questions. But let me explain how the market works around here first, so you don't get cheated by someone else."

Nox nodded, listening carefully.

"Ordinary equipment is priced according to rarity and durability. Potions depend on their effects and duration. Instant healing potions are usually the most expensive. Materials like monster feathers and hides are priced by grade. The highest grade can sell for ten times the price of ordinary-grade materials."

"What about dungeon rankings?" Nox asked, remembering a rumor he had once heard.

"Every dungeon has a danger rating from one to ten. The dungeon you're talking about, if I'm not mistaken, has a rating of nine. Only the major guilds dare attempt it, and even then, they usually bring fifteen people or more."

"I went in alone," Nox murmured.

The shop owner looked at him again, this time for much longer, as though trying to process who exactly the young man standing before him really was.

"There are auction systems for rare items like this too, but if you need money quickly, I can buy it directly from you right now at market price."

"What about guilds?" Nox asked, remembering some of the major names he had heard before the reset. "I heard there are guilds capable of organizing expeditions into high-rated dungeons."

"Crimson Dawn Legion and Order of the First Light," the shop owner replied with a nod. "The two largest guilds on this server. They have access to specialized armories, high-level healers, and even information channels about new dungeons before they're officially announced to the public."

"Why doesn't everyone join guilds like that?"

"Because they're selective, you have to pass a strict test, or at least have a reputation that stands out. Not everyone can just walk in and join."

"How much?"

The shop owner entered several numbers into his transaction screen and showed the result to Nox.

[Offer: 2,400 Coins]

Nox stared at the number for a long moment.

"Two thousand four hundred." he repeated.

"That's already a high price because of the rarity of the core, If you sell it through an auction, you might get more, but you'd have to wait several days for bidders," the shop owner explained.

"I'll take it now," Nox replied quickly, unwilling to waste the opportunity.

[Coins: 2,412]

Nox stared at the number as something resembling relief slowly spread through his chest, a feeling he had not experienced in a long time, not since the reset had erased everything he once possessed.

Finally. Now we can have a proper dinner, Erebus murmured from within his shadow, sounding satisfied. 

"Not just that," Nox replied quietly as he stepped out of the shop, his stride considerably lighter than before. "Now I can start rebuilding everything."

He looked at the still-bustling city streets, seeing them differently this time. He was no longer an outsider merely passing through. He was someone who had just been given a starting point from which to stand again.

"Equipment shop first," he muttered, remembering the chainmail he had been unable to afford just a few hours ago. "This time, I can buy it without crying over the price."

Don't forget those leather gloves, too, Erebus added, his tone clearly mocking the earlier incident.

"I remember," Nox grumbled, though the corner of his lips lifted slightly. "You don't have to keep reminding me."