**Chapter 7: The Economy of Shadows**
The sensation of teleportation was like being pulled through a straw inside out.
Then, gravity returned.
Zayne's boots hit cobblestone.
He didn't stumble. He stood perfectly still, letting his inner ear recalibrate. The air here was different—cleaner, sharper, smelling of ozone and baked bread.
[Welcome to the City of Beginnings (District 9).]
[You are the first Player to arrive.]
[Reward: +500 Reputation.]
Zayne opened his eyes.
He stood in a massive circular plaza made of white marble. Towering above him were buildings that defied architecture—spires of glass and steel twisting around ancient stone fortresses. Floating airships drifted sluggishly through the sky, and the hum of mana conduits vibrated in the ground.
It was breathtaking.
It was also empty.
The thousands of other survivors from the Tutorial wouldn't arrive for another five minutes. They were busy looting, crying, or organizing.
"Five minutes," Zayne checked his internal clock. "Enough time."
He didn't head toward the massive golden building marked "Adventurer's Guild." That was a trap for newbies—a place to get registered, taxed, and assigned to rookie parties.
Zayne turned left, heading straight into a narrow, dirty alleyway sandwiched between a tavern and a blacksmith.
He pulled the hood of his grey initiate rags up.
The alley twisted and turned, the light from the plaza fading into shadows. Rats (normal ones, not monsters) skittered away from his boots.
He reached a dead end. A brick wall covered in graffiti.
Zayne didn't turn back. He walked up to the wall and knocked on a specific brick—the third one from the left, fourth row up.
*Knock. Knock-knock. Knock.*
A silence. Then, a slat in the wall slid open. A pair of yellow, reptilian eyes peered out.
"Lost, little human?" a raspy voice hissed. "The nursery is back that way."
Zayne didn't speak. He reached into his inventory and pulled out the **Black Market VIP Card**. He held it up to the slat.
The reptile's eyes widened. The slit slammed shut.
*Rumble.*
The entire brick wall groaned and began to sink into the ground, revealing a staircase leading down into the earth. Blue torchlight flickered from below.
"Welcome, honored guest," the voice changed instantly—from mocking to obsequious.
Zayne descended.
The Black Market was less a shop and more of a subterranean bazaar. Shady figures in cloaks haggled over illegal artifacts. A demon was selling vials of poison. A dwarf was polishing a gun that hummed with dark energy.
Zayne walked past them all, heading to a booth at the far end titled **"The Silent Ledger."**
The shopkeeper was a goblin in a tailored purple suit, wearing a monocle. He was currently counting a stack of gold coins.
"We are closed," the goblin said without looking up. "Inventory check."
"I have fresh materials," Zayne said, placing the **Minotaur's Horn** on the counter. "Boss grade. Tutorial variance."
The goblin paused. He sniffed the air. He looked at the horn—massive, curved, and still radiating the heat of the berserk state.
"Steel-Skin Minotaur..." The goblin adjusted his monocle, picking up the horn with trembling hands. "Fresh kill. Less than ten minutes old. And... cleanly severed?"
He looked up at Zayne, seeing only a Level 12 human in rags.
"You killed a Tutorial Boss solo?" the goblin whispered.
"Price," Zayne cut him off. "I'm in a hurry."
The goblin cleared his throat, regaining his composure. "Standard rate is 2,000 coins. But since it's fresh... 2,500."
"4,000," Zayne countered. "And I won't tell the City Guard about the illegal Spirit Dust you're hiding under the counter."
The goblin froze. He narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
"A customer."
The goblin gritted his sharp teeth, then sighed. "3,500. Final offer. I have to make a profit too."
"Deal."
[Transaction Complete.]
[+3,500 Coins.]
[Current Balance: 8,500 Coins.]
Zayne was now richer than most Level 20 players. In the early game, money was power.
"I need gear," Zayne said. "Light armor. High agility scaling. And a cloak with 'Obfuscation' magic."
The goblin nodded, sensing a whale. He ducked under the counter and pulled out a bundle of black leather and cloth.
"Night-Walker Set. Leather armor reinforced with shadow-silk. Defense is average, but it gives +10 Agility and +5 Stealth. The cloak blocks 'Observe' skills from anyone under Level 30."
Zayne ran his hand over the fabric. It was cool to the touch.
[Item: Night-Walker Tunic (Uncommon)]
[Item: Night-Walker Leggings (Uncommon)]
[Item: Shroud of the Nameless (Rare)]
"How much?"
"For the set? 6,000."
Zayne tossed a bag of coins onto the counter. "Done."
He equipped the items immediately. The grey rags vanished, replaced by the sleek, form-fitting black leather. He threw the tattered cloak over his shoulders. The hood cast a magical shadow over his face, obscuring his features.
He looked like an assassin. A ghost.
[Agility: 30 -> 40]
[New Skill: Passive Stealth (Low)]
"Pleasure doing business," Zayne said, turning to leave.
"Wait!" The goblin called out. "I... I buy information too. If you are truly the one who cleared the Tutorial..."
Zayne paused. "Not interested."
He walked back up the stairs.
He emerged into the alleyway just as the bells of the City Plaza began to ring.
*GONG. GONG.*
A massive roar of voices erupted from the plaza. The portal had opened for everyone else. Thousands of confused, traumatized players were flooding into the city.
"Where are we?"
"Is it over?"
"I need a doctor!"
Zayne stood in the shadows of the alley, watching the chaos. He was invisible to them. He was geared, funded, and informed.
While they were looking for help, he was looking for the next objective.
He pulled up his quest window.
[Main Scenario Quest: The Tower of Trials.]
[Objective: Reach the 10th Floor.]
[Time Limit: None.]
"The Tower," Zayne whispered.
Most players spent weeks training on the ground floor before daring to enter the Tower. It was suicide to go in immediately.
Zayne adjusted his gloves.
"Let's go say hello to the first floor."