Chapter 111: Invisible Hand

The battle at the Thunder Ruins had not only raised the levels of the entire Abyss Squad and secured a crucial Legendary-grade blueprint; it had also confirmed something that Aiden already suspected.

The rate at which his attributes were growing was becoming terrifying.

With more than 80% of his attributes coming from Soul Essence Absorption, every powerful enemy he killed would strengthen him at a rate far beyond that of an ordinary player. The stronger his opponents became, the faster he would grow.

It was practically cheating.

And that abnormal growth would become his greatest advantage when facing the behemoths that would dominate the future.

However, Aiden understood that individual strength alone would not be enough to completely dismantle the deeply entrenched Dragon Sovereign Guild.

Military pressure could weaken them.

Intelligence suppression could blind them.

But economic strangulation could cripple them.

If he wanted to truly bring down the Dragon Sovereign Guild, he needed to attack it from every direction at once.

He wanted Damien to understand what it meant to be brought to his knees by the lack of a single coin—and what it felt like to watch an entire system begin collapsing around him.

After returning to his new, more concealed stronghold—a partially renovated safe house hidden deep within Ashford City’s underground drainage network—Aiden immediately contacted the three core intermediaries of the Dark Abyss black market through an encrypted channel.

"Boss, you have your orders."

The virtual image of [Coinlord] appeared first. The merchant wore his usual shrewd expression, but there was now a clear trace of respect in his eyes.

As Dark Abyss continued to expand, Coinlord had come to understand more and more clearly just how terrifying the mysterious boss behind the organization really was.

Aiden didn’t waste time with pleasantries.

"I need you to use all liquid funds currently available to the black market, along with part of the Gold Coins we’ve previously stockpiled, to execute a secret acquisition operation."

A list appeared on the encrypted channel.

It contained more than a dozen materials, each accompanied by an enormous acquisition target.

The virtual images of [Phantom Eyes] and [Old Smoke] appeared one after another. Both of them glanced over the list, and a trace of confusion appeared on their faces.

The materials were strange.

Most were obscure, unpopular goods that currently had almost no demand.

For example:

[Withered Leaf Vine]: Commonly used in low-level antidotes. Demand was minimal.

[Moonlight Moss]: Grown only in damp caves under specific conditions. Used as an auxiliary ingredient in several obscure shadow potions.

[Star-Fall Slag]: A low-probability byproduct of forging Rare-grade equipment and above. Its applications were extremely limited.

[Inferior Elemental Core — Various Types]: Occasionally obtained by dismantling elemental creatures below Level 15. Aside from a handful of alchemists conducting experiments, almost nobody had any interest in them.

[Rotten Core]: Dropped by certain undead creatures around Level 20. It emitted a foul odor and was generally considered useless trash.

The materials had almost nothing in common.

Their individual prices were low, and demand was negligible.

Yet Aiden’s requested quantities were enormous.

It was practically a market-wide sweep.

"Boss, these materials..." Coinlord hesitated. "Their current market value is extremely low. If we start purchasing them in such quantities, wouldn’t that—"

As a merchant, he instinctively disliked this kind of hoarding.

There was no obvious profit in it.

Aiden didn’t explain.

He simply asked, "Are the funds sufficient?"

"More than sufficient."

Coinlord immediately straightened.

"Dark Abyss is bringing in Gold Coins every day from the sale of enhancement potions and strategic guides. Our cash flow is extremely healthy."

"Then execute it."

Aiden’s voice remained calm.

"The acquisitions must remain covert. Use multiple anonymous accounts. Purchase in small batches across different markets and at different times. Don’t create any obvious price fluctuations, and don’t attract the attention of the major guilds."

He paused.

"Complete at least 80% of the list within five days."

"Understood."

The three intermediaries answered almost simultaneously.

None of them asked another question.

They had already learned that whenever this mysterious boss gave an order, there was usually a reason far beyond what they could see.

A silent economic war had begun.

Over the following days, strange buyers began appearing throughout Ashford City’s major trading markets, auction houses, and even the countless player-run stalls scattered throughout the surrounding regions.

Their targets were extremely specific.

They only purchased the obscure materials listed by Aiden.

They were generous buyers, rarely haggling over prices, but they deliberately kept individual purchases small enough to avoid attracting attention.

At first, nobody cared.

The materials were practically worthless to most players. If someone was willing to spend money taking them off their hands, the sellers were more than happy to empty their warehouses.

But as the days passed, merchants with sharper instincts began noticing something unusual.

Materials such as [Withered Leaf Vine] and [Moonlight Moss] were gradually disappearing from the market.

Not all at once.

Not dramatically.

Just steadily.

A merchant might have found hundreds of units available one day and only dozens several days later.

When some merchants realized what was happening and tried to purchase a few batches themselves, they discovered that the available supply had already become noticeably tighter.

Prices began climbing.

At first, the increase was barely noticeable.

But it continued.

And that was exactly what Aiden wanted.

The market remained calm on the surface, while beneath it, an invisible hand steadily drained its reserves.

The major guilds didn’t notice.

Their attention was focused elsewhere.

Five days passed.

Dark Abyss had completed more than 85% of Aiden’s requested acquisitions.

Its enormous cash reserves, combined with its network of covert purchasing channels, had allowed it to sweep up a staggering quantity of the obscure materials without revealing the identity of the true buyer.

The resources were quietly divided among several hidden warehouses.

The materials sat there in silence.

Waiting.

Like a trap that had already been laid.

And soon, someone would step into it.

Dragon Sovereign Guild Headquarters

Inside the strategic conference room, Damien stared at the guild’s latest resource report on the holographic display.

His brows were tightly furrowed.

The repeated losses against the Abyss Squad, the growing anxiety among guild members, and the enemy’s unpredictable counterattacks had already slowed the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s development considerably.

More importantly, the elite teams were beginning to suffer from shortages of equipment enhancement materials and combat consumables.

"We need to raise the average strength of our elite teams as quickly as possible."

Damien tapped the table.

"Selene, how is the mass-production plan for the Elemental Resistance Potions and Basic Strength Enchantments you submitted earlier?"

The guild was preparing for the difficult team content expected to appear soon, including the Flame Abyss.

At the same time, the Dragon Sovereign Guild needed better ways to deal with the Abyss Squad’s unusually powerful mage.

Mass-producing elemental resistance potions and strength-enhancing enchantments had therefore become a priority.

Selene immediately brought up the relevant data.

"Sir, the plan has been finalized. We’ve already obtained the formulas for the Basic Fire Resistance Potion and Basic Strength Enchantment Scroll through our internal channels. We’re currently gathering the required raw materials."

Several materials appeared on the holographic screen.

Among them were [Withered Leaf Vine], a primary ingredient for the resistance potions; [Star-Fall Slag], an important medium for the enchantment scrolls; and [Inferior Fire Core], which could improve the success rate of the enchantment process.

"Good."

Some of the tension left Damien’s face.

"Have the procurement department acquire these materials in bulk immediately. I want enough potions and enchantments prepared for two hundred people within three days."

"Yes, sir."

The head of the procurement department immediately accepted the order.

But less than half a day later, the conference room doors were thrown open.

The procurement director rushed inside.

His forehead was covered in sweat, and his face had gone pale.

"Sir! We have a problem!"

Damien’s expression darkened.

"What happened?"

The man swallowed nervously.

"Several key materials on our list..."

His voice trembled.

"They’re out of stock."

The room fell silent.

"Which materials?"

"[Withered Leaf Vine], [Star-Fall Slag], [Inferior Fire Core]... and several auxiliary materials."

The procurement director’s breathing became increasingly hurried.

"They’ve almost completely disappeared from the market. The few remaining stocks are being sold at absurd prices."

"How high?"

"Ten times the previous price."

He hesitated.

"Some listings are already twenty times higher."

"What?"

Damien shot to his feet.

A chill ran down his spine.

Garrett immediately grabbed the procurement director by the collar.

"You useless bastard! What is the procurement department for? Why didn’t you stockpile these materials earlier?"

The man looked ready to cry.

"Commander, a few days ago these materials were practically worthless! Nobody wanted them! How were we supposed to know someone would suddenly—"

"Enough."

Selene interrupted them.

Her fingers moved rapidly across the holographic interface as she pulled up market data from several regions.

The more she examined the numbers, the more serious her expression became.

"Sir."

Everyone turned toward her.

"The situation is real."

She enlarged the market charts.

"Starting approximately five days ago, an unknown amount of capital began quietly purchasing these materials. The purchasing pattern is extremely consistent."

Her eyes narrowed.

"The buyer has been targeting almost exactly the materials our current production plans require."

The room went silent.

Selene continued.

"We were too focused on hunting the Abyss Squad to notice."

Nobody spoke.

They all understood the implications.

Without sufficient elemental resistance potions, clearing the Flame Abyss would become significantly more difficult. Their progression would slow, and so would their ability to secure the resources inside it.

Without Basic Strength Enchantments, the plan to improve the physical output of their elite teams would be delayed.

But that wasn’t the most frightening part.

Someone had anticipated what the Dragon Sovereign Guild would need.

And they had begun buying those materials before the guild itself had even started its procurement operation.

"It was the Abyss Squad."

Garrett’s eyes were bloodshot.

"It has to be them! Who else would use such a dirty tactic?"

Damien slowly lowered himself back into his chair.

His knuckles had turned white from how tightly he was gripping the armrest.

For the first time, he felt as though an invisible hand had closed around the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s throat.

Military attacks were straightforward.

If an enemy attacked his forces, he could send more people.

If they killed one of his members, he could mobilize ten more.

But this was different.

There was nothing he could directly fight.

No enemy formation.

No battlefield.

No target to destroy.

Just a market that was suddenly running dry.

"Investigate."

Damien’s voice was cold.

"Find out who’s manipulating the market."

He looked toward Selene.

"Mobilize every intelligence network we have."

Then he turned toward the procurement director.

"And you—buy the materials."

"From other cities. From independent players. From merchants who have been hoarding them."

His eyes were hard.

"I don’t care how much it costs. Get the supplies we need."

"Yes, sir."

Both Selene and the procurement director answered quickly.

But they knew exactly what this meant.

Materials that had once been nearly worthless would now consume a massive portion of the guild’s budget.

And the longer the shortage continued, the more expensive they would become.

The Dragon Sovereign Guild wasn’t merely buying resources anymore.

It was paying a premium simply to maintain its previous rate of development.

Underground Safe House

Aiden calmly reviewed the report sent by Coinlord.

The market prices of several materials had skyrocketed.

The Dragon Sovereign Guild’s procurement department was scrambling across the city, offering increasingly ridiculous prices in an attempt to secure enough stock.

Aiden showed no visible reaction.

He simply lifted a cup of water purified through [Ancient Alchemy] and took a slow sip.

"Boss."

Coinlord’s voice carried barely contained excitement.

"Those materials we’ve stockpiled... Should we start selling?"

He almost laughed.

"The profit is already more than twenty times our original investment!"

"Don’t sell."

Aiden’s response was immediate.

"Keep them sealed."

Coinlord’s expression changed.

Aiden continued.

"Also, release the small supply of Basic Fire Resistance Potions and Basic Strength Enchantment Scrolls we prepared earlier."

He gave the next order without hesitation.

"Sell them through secret channels to the medium-sized guilds that have been suppressed by the Dragon Sovereign Guild."

Coinlord’s eyes widened.

"At three times the current market price."

"Limited quantities only."

There was a brief silence.

Then realization spread across Coinlord’s face.

His expression transformed from confusion into outright admiration.

"Brilliant!"

He nearly leaned toward the screen.

"Not only do we make a fortune, we strengthen the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s potential rivals at the same time. And while they’re struggling to secure their own supplies, we’re giving their opponents exactly what they need!"

His voice rose with excitement.

"Boss, that’s—"

Aiden ended the communication.

He had no interest in listening to Coinlord continue.

His gaze shifted across the safe house.

In one corner, Luna was carefully practicing the fundamentals of enchanting with the materials Aiden had provided.

The Legendary Stormbringer Cloak blueprint rested safely in their possession.

The military pressure had already begun.

The intelligence network was already in place.

And now, the economic noose had been tightened around the Dragon Sovereign Guild’s neck.

Aiden leaned back slightly.

The trap was complete.

All he had to do now was wait.

Let the Dragon Sovereign struggle.

Let it spend its reserves.

Let it burn through its resources trying to escape.

Because the harder it fought against the invisible restraints, the tighter those restraints would become.

A faint, cold smile appeared on Aiden’s face.

When killing an enemy, why rely only on a blade?

Sometimes, the most terrifying way to destroy an opponent was to leave them alive long enough to realize that every path to survival had already been taken away.