"Is something the matter?" Michael couldn't help but ask as he finished listing the names of the materials he had.
The middle-aged man behind the counter chuckled awkwardly.
"No, nothing's wrong. It's just... I don't recognize any of the names you just mentioned."
Michael's face fell, and a flicker of anxiety surged through him.
Does this mean I won't be able to sell these materials here? he thought nervously.
He wasn't worried about their value—how could materials used to construct monsters capable of going head-to-head with extraordinary-ranked creatures be worthless?
But the thought of not being able to sell them in this city was troubling.
It makes sense, though, Michael reasoned.
The Super Association branch here wasn't exactly a hub of resources.
From his daily browsing on the forums—though he hadn't had time to check his phone today—Michael knew Woodstone City was relatively backward compared to other cities even in the supernatural realm. Its resources and infrastructure lagged behind.
This was reflected in the city's lack of dimensional cracks—only three, all low-leveled.
It didn't compare to cities with larger populations or more valuable cracks, even if those cracks were fewer in number.
After all, two level 2 corrupted-type cracks could easily outweigh five level 1 corrupted-type cracks in terms of resource potential.
Will I have to travel to another city to sell these materials? Michael's thoughts began to spiral.
But before his concerns could grow further, the middle-aged man spoke again, and his next words brought a wave of relief.
"Though I don't recognize the materials you mentioned, it doesn't mean we don't have someone here who will. So, don't worry about not being able to sell anything," the middle-aged man reassured him with a smile.
Michael muttered, "Oh," feeling a little embarrassed.
He realized he had likely worn his thoughts on his face.
The man continued speaking, his tone light and professional.
"Based on what you said, I assume these materials are quite a lot and probably unique, right?"
Michael nodded in confirmation.
"Alright then, please follow me through this door," the man said, pointing to an entrance Michael had taken several times to meet with Brian.
He had also taken this path with the middle aged man before too when he brought monster corpses the last time.
However, from the man's tone, it didn't feel like he was giving directions to a stranger or newcomer, but rather following procedure out of habit.
Michael didn't think too deeply about it and followed the middle-aged man.
They walked through a familiar corridor lined with doors until they reached a location Michael was familiar with.
It was the underground storage space where he had made his first $100,000 from dimensional monster materials.
"Please wait here for a while," the man instructed.
"I'll bring someone who can likely identify what you want to sell. In the meantime, you can use this time to bring out the materials."
This wasn't their first trade so the middle aged man knew Michael's status as an Awakener and his storage space.
After saying what he has to say, with that, the man left.
Since Michael was already familiar with the space, he felt no discomfort staying there alone.
After a quick glance around the wide area, he began pulling out the remains of the gargoyles one by one, carefully arranging them according to their material type.
As he worked, Michael also made sure to keep his mana from leaking, just as he'd been doing since leaving Grace's counter.
Unfortunately, the middle-aged man earlier hadn't shown any reaction regarding his aura, so Michael still wasn't sure if he was doing it correctly.
While arranging the gargoyle remains, he used {Detect} on them again to confirm their information.
[Obsidian-Forge Alloy]
A blend of dark metals and obsidian-like minerals, offering a stone-like texture combined with flexibility and high durability.
Commonly used for constructing durable constructs or golems.
A lightweight yet durable fragment with blue-green veins, often used to craft mana-conductive tools.
Flexible, metallic plates as light as feathers, ideal for creating aerodynamic constructs.
Dense, black material prized for its ability to store and stabilize mana.
A smooth, patterned stone utilized in crafting energy detectors and amplifiers.
A pale, translucent stone with anti-gravitational properties, frequently used in levitation devices.
An irregular core marked by glowing runes, functioning as a power source for advanced machinery.
They should be worth a lot, right? Michael thought, feeling a mix of anxiety and anticipation.
A few minutes later, the middle-aged man returned, this time accompanied by a middle-aged woman wearing glasses and dressed in blue robes.
Robes weren't a popular style, even in this world, making her stand out even more.
And then there were the glasses…
Can supernaturals have bad eyesight? Michael thought, finding it slightly ironic.
He didn't have much time to dwell on the idea, though, as the woman suddenly appeared in front of him—or rather, in front of the materials he had laid out.
"Is this Obsidian-Forge Alloy?" a soft voice echoed.
The woman spoke calmly but with undeniable authority.
"Huh? …Um…yes?" Michael stammered, caught off guard by her sudden question and presence.
He answered absentmindedly, still processing her unexpected movements.
However, It didn't seem like she was paying attention to him, though.
Instead, her focus remained entirely on the scattered materials in front of her as she began to speak.
"This is quite a rare material, and it was created exceptionally well. However, it doesn't seem to have been made using the Federation method, yet it retains—if not surpasses—the same level of quality. It's uniquely crafted."
Michael was stunned by her observations.
How much can she infer in such a short time? he wondered, impressed though he understood only a part of what she said.
Noticing his confusion, the middle-aged man who had gotten closer leaned in slightly and whispered, "Miss Priscilla is a magic crafter and an exceptionally knowledgeable expert in magic in general."
Though Michael had already suspected that the woman was a cultivator, her quick recognition of the materials almost made him think she might be an awakener for a moment.
Her insight seemed uncanny.
The man's explanation prompted another thought.
Michael glanced at her again, this time more curious.
Third chapter coming in an hour! Along with tomorrow's three chapters, two bonus chapters will also be released for reaching the golden ticket and power stone milestones. Thanks so much for your support!