Gabriel's encounter with Damien went smoothly. After selling the skills, he also sold the weapons and monster cores.
In the Realm of Ascendency, monster cores were used to craft gear, fuel enchantments, and enhance equipment.
Although they were valuable, their worth paled in comparison to skills. Weapons were even cheaper, as blacksmiths could easily craft them using monster cores.
"How did you get all these drops again?" Damien asked, a puzzled expression on his face.
"I have my ways," Gabriel replied, not intending to delve deeper into the topic. It would be foolish to reveal his cheat. Though Damien was trustworthy and ethical, Gabriel wasn't willing to take any chances.
If news about his Talent were to spread, various factions and guilds would come after him—something he wanted to avoid during the early stages of the game.
"I see," Damien muttered with a suspicious look as he sifted through the cores and examined the weapons.
He didn't press further, recognizing that Gabriel didn't want to talk about it.
Moments later, after going through everything, Damien cleared his throat.
"Okay, in total, everything comes to about 35 bucks. Would you prefer a quick transfer or cash?"
"Cash."
Since he didn't have a bank account yet, it was the only feasible option.
Some time later, after a handshake and agreeing on a future date to supply more skills and treasures, Gabriel departed with a whopping 35,000.
It might not seem like much to some, but for someone from a poor background now rising in the gaming industry, it meant a lot.
As he left the black market, his grip on the bundle of cash tightened. His mind drifted to his family—his mother, father, and little brother—and he couldn't help but wonder how they'd feel about his absence.
Or… could it be he'd already been replaced?
Well, he would never know until the game officially launched.
'I wonder how they're doing,' he thought absentmindedly, hopping into a cab that took him straight to the nearest hotel.
"Hey, stop right there!"
"I expected this," he muttered, frowning as a security guard approached with a look of disgust.
"I'd like to get a room," he said, deliberately raising the lump of cash for the guard to see.
The guard's expression shifted instantly. He smiled brightly.
"Sure, come in."
After paying for a short stay of about three hours, the first thing Gabriel did was take a long, foamy bath to wash away the dirt and grime his body had accumulated over the years.
Next, he got rid of the unwanted hair on his body.
Fortunately, the luxurious hotel bathroom was stocked with top-notch grooming tools, so the process was swift and efficient.
Once done, he used the hotel's errand service to purchase a fresh pair of clothes—a black top and pants with a pair of boots.
Some time later, he checked out.
The guard and receptionist's mouths dropped open in shock when they saw the handsome red-haired male with electric blue eyes step out.
"Is that… is that the same scruffy guy from earlier?" the receptionist gasped.
"I...I think it is," the guard murmured, dazed. "Is this… the power of a bath and a haircut?"
Unaware of the whispers, Gabriel walked past them calmly and said,
"...Thanks for the stay."
"You're always welcome, good sir!" the guard beamed.
As he passed through the double glass doors, the receptionist couldn't help but cry out with flushed cheeks.
"Sir… if you ever lose your way, my heart is in room 204."
---
After exiting the hotel, Gabriel quickly took a cab to the Adventurer Guild to submit his quest.
As usual, the guild entrance was crowded with adventurers chatting about their day's journey.
His ears picked up a particular conversation.
"That red creature… it's like nothing I've ever seen before."
"Forget the summon—look at him. He's got this vibe, like… like he's some fallen noble or dark prince or something."
"Dark prince my ass, he looks like a homeless demon with a death stare."
From the content of their discussion, it was easy to tell they'd probably seen him summon [Grizzlenaught], but he ignored them.
"Hey wait, that guy… why does he look familiar?"
As soon as he passed, one of the adventurers pointed him out.
"You're right. Now that I look at him, he looks exactly like that homeless demon!"
As Gabriel stepped into the Adventurer Guild hall, the noisy crowd didn't go silent, but the shift in atmosphere was immediate.
"Hey… who is that guy?"
"I've never seen him before."
"He's handsome!"
"God took his time with this one. Red hair, blue eyes? He looks like a limited-edition character skin!"
He remained expressionless as he approached the quest counter and placed his form on the table.
"Submission for Quest #023," he said flatly.
The receptionist blinked, struggling to remain professional. "Uh—r-right! Let me just, uh… pull that up."
After a couple of seconds, she asked, "Sir, if you don't mind me asking… what happened to the rest of your teammates?"
"They're perfectly fine. They should return in a few minutes."
Just then, Darius and Vera stepped in. The moment their eyes landed on Gabriel, their expressions turned ugly.