Jayden sat cross-legged on his bed, the blue glow of his holo-tab casting sharp shadows across his freshly showered face. His damp hair dripped onto the sheets as he scrolled through the internet, looking for places he could sell the beast corpses he had. He explored the marketplace listings, each flick of his finger displaying new disappointments.
"Wanted: C-Rank or higher beast crystals - 8,000 credits each"
"Purchasing B-Rank beast hides - no lowballs"
"Need B and C-Rank organs for research - serious inquiries only"
He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling through his nose. The dozens of E and F-Rank corpses stored in his inventory might as well have been trash for all the good they were doing him.
"If only I could find someone who wants lower rank beasts," he muttered, tossing the holo-tab aside. It bounced on the mattress, the screen still displaying yet another dead-end listing.
He was about to collapse back onto his pillow when a flicker of movement caught his eye. The holo-tab had refreshed automatically, displaying a new ad that made his breath hitch:
[BLACK CLAW RESTAURANT - PURCHASING ALL RANKS OF BEAST MEAT]
"No corpse too small! Premium prices paid for fresh kills!"
"Visit our Market District location - open 24/7"
Jayden snatched the device back up so fast he nearly dropped it. His fingers flew across the interface, pulling up the full details. The restaurant specialized in exotic beast meat cuisine, apparently needing constant supply for their high-end clientele. And they weren't picky about ranks.
A slow grin spread across his face.
In three movements he was off the bed - jacket shrugged on, shoes shoved onto his feet without untying the laces, holo-tab stuffed into his pocket. He paused only to check the address before heading out of the house, door slamming behind him.
The Market District bustled with midday activity, the air thick with the mingled scents of spices, roasting meats, and the underlying metallic tang that always lingered near the butcher shops. Jayden wove through the crowd with single-minded purpose, following his nav marker until he stood before an imposing building.
The sign above the entrance depicted a stylized beast's claw dripping crimson, the words "Black Claw" glowing in ominous red neon.
"Looks like I'm at the right place." he muttered, checking out the structure of the building.
The restaurant loomed over the Market District like a predator surveying its territory. Twelve stories of tinted obsidian glass reflected the afternoon sun, its facade broken only by the occasional streak of crimson neon that pulsed like veins across its surface. The entrance was flanked by two massive sculptures—life-sized Howlers frozen mid-snarl, their polished onyx forms gleaming under strategically placed spotlights.
Jayden exhaled, his feet clicking against the blood-red marble pathway leading to the entrance. The automatic doors parted with a whisper, revealing an interior that made even his senses momentarily overload.
The lobby was a cathedral of culinary excess. A three-tiered crystal chandelier shaped like a descending swarm of Glowmoths cast prismatic light across the space, each facet refracting rainbows onto walls paneled with rare Crimsonwood.
The floor was a single massive slab of black marble veined with gold, so polished he could see his own wary reflection staring back at him. The place was almost as magnificent as Penelope's restaurant. Almost.
"Welcome to Black Claw, sir." The hostess's voice was smooth as aged whiskey. She stood behind a reception desk carved from what looked like a single mammoth tusk, her emerald-green dress contrasting starkly against the restaurant's dark palette. "Do you have a reservation?"
Jayden shook his head. "I'm actually here about your procurement notice. I have beast corpses to sell."
The hostess's perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose slightly, but her professional smile never wavered. She tapped something on her holographic interface. "Of course. Chef Moreau handles all acquisitions." Her manicured nail pointed toward a discreet archway to the left. "Please follow the tasting corridor to the inspection kitchen. He should be finishing the midday tasting menu by now."
Jayden nodded politely and turned to walk towards where she'd directed him to.
The "tasting corridor" turned out to be a sensory gauntlet. Glass walls displayed culinary masterpieces being prepared in real-time—a sous chef torching the fat cap on a Thunderboar ribeye, another carefully plating what looked like a liver pâté on black truffle wafers. The air was thick with competing aromas: smoking woods, caramelizing sugars, and the underlying metallic tang of premium beast meat.
Jayden's stomach growled despite himself.
At the corridor's end stood a heavy steel door marked "INSPECTION". The moment Jayden pushed it open, the controlled chaos of a professional kitchen assaulted his senses.
Chefs moved in perfect synchronization around stainless steel workstations, their shouts and the clatter of knives forming a discordant symphony. At the center of it all stood a man who could only be Chef Moreau—tall enough to loom over his staff, his muscular frame barely contained by his double-breasted chef's whites. A jagged scar ran from his left temple down to his jawline, pale against his olive skin.
The chef was elbow-deep in what looked like a Wolverine Stalker's thoracic cavity when Jayden approached. Without looking up, Moreau barked, "If you're another damn health inspector, the permits are on the wall!"
"Hunter," Jayden corrected. "Here to sell."
Moreau's hands stilled. He extracted them from the carcass with a wet sound, wiping gore on his already-stained apron before turning. Dark eyes assessed Jayden with clinical precision. "Show me what you have to offer." he muttered, already getting down to business.
Jayden summoned all the beast corpses in his inventory, depositing the haul onto the nearest stainless steel table with a series of meaty thuds.
The corpses were twenty in total... Thirteen E-Rank, five F-Rank, and the corpses of the D-Rank Serpenthis and Wolverine Stalker.
The kitchen's ambient noise cut out abruptly as every chef within eyeshot stopped to stare.
Moreau showed no such reaction. He didn't even care that Jayden had brought the corpses out of thin air. He simply picked up a handheld Analyser from his belt and began methodically examining each carcass. The device emitted soft pings as it confirmed the ranks of the beasts.
"E... E... F... D..." The chef muttered to himself as he worked, his scarred fingers probing muscle density and checking ligament flexibility. When he reached the Howlers, he actually smiled—an expression that looked vaguely painful on his normally stern features.
"Clean kills," he noted, examining the precise claw marks on the throats. "No bullet wounds to ruin the meat. And they're all fresh..." His dark eyes flicked to Jayden, eyeing him up and down. "...You took these down bare-handed?"
Jayden flexed his fingers unconsciously. "Something like that." he shrugged.
Moreau made a noncommittal noise and finished his inspection. Finally, he pulled a small holopad from his pocket and tapped out some calculations.
"My offer: 10,000 credits per E-Rank corpse, 5000 per F-Rank, and 50,000 per D-Rank." He paused. "And I'll throw in an extra 5000 for the Howler glands—they're intact, which is rare."
Jayden did the math, adding the prices, plus the bonus... 260,000 in total. Not bad for a few corpses, but still nowhere near what he needed.
As if reading his mind, Moreau added, "Of course, if you could provide larger quantities..."
Jayden's attention sharpened. "How large?"
The chef stroked his chin, leaving a faint smear of blood. "My suppliers are... unreliable lately. I could use fifty E-Ranks and ten D-Ranks delivered within the week."
Jayden raised a brow. "And the pay?"
"1000,000 credits." Moreau replied.
The number hung between them, almost too good to be true. Jayden's mind raced—that was more than enough credits to cover for the Astral Rider. But his schedule was tight, and he could only go hunting a few times. So hunting that many beasts would mean...
"You'll have them in two weeks." Jayden heard himself say.
Moreau's grin widened. "Good, then we have a deal." he muttered. "Come, let's process the payment for these ones."
He motioned for Jayden to follow him as he led him into the inner office and at the end of the room.
After a few minutes, Jayden walked out of the restaurant, just as his holo-tab chimed with a payment notification. 260,000 credits now sat in his account, and he would receive a lot more in two weeks time.
"Y'know, i think i might become a professional hunter later in the future." he muttered to himself as he walked home.
[Why's that?] Luna giggled. [Is it because of the pay?]
Jayden shrugged. "Maybe." he muttered with a subtle smirk. "But... money is not my main concern."
....
Later That Night
Jayden lay sprawled across his bed, the day's exhaustion weighing on him like a physical thing. After dinner, he'd spent hours strategizing how he would get the beast corpses in a short time frame.
A map of the hunting ground in Jade cityhovered above his holo-tab, marked with potential hunting routes and beast nesting sites. Fifty E-Ranks was doable—he could clear that in two days if he pushed himself. But ten D-Ranks? That would require venturing deeper into the forest than he usually dared, into territories where the trees grew so thick they blocked out the sun.
His holo-tab chimed, shattering his concentration. The screen displayed a new message. One from Cassandra.
[Going shopping tomorrow at noon. And as my trusted white knight, I need you to escort me, hehe. Don't be late! XoXo]
Jayden groaned, rubbing his temples. He'd almost forgotten about his bodyguard duties. The timing couldn't be worse—every hour spent babysitting Cassandra was an hour not spent hunting. But the contract was clear: public places took priority.
As he turned off the holo-tab, he closed his eyes, the image of the hoverbike burning bright behind his eyelids.