As Timothy stepped through the door, he found himself montarily stunned.
It wasn't just a room, it was a full-fledged exhibition hall tucked away on the first floor of the Hunter Association's building.
The space stretched farther than he expected, cleanly lit with sleek, modern panels that cast a cold but dignified glow on everything within.
Rows of raised glass displays lined the hall, each showcasing an assortnt of items, so humble, others quietly radiating power.
Weapons of all kinds: swords, spears, gauntlets, and even strange experintal firearms, were arranged neatly on stands.
Armour pieces hung like preserved art, light leathers, reinforced cloth, and a few heavier plates.
So shimred with faint enchantnts, others looked nearly mundane.
There were even postbox-sized containers with materials and cores sealed within, glowing softly with latent mana.
Timothy's gaze drifted to one particular enclosure showcasing a large, scaly claw resting on velvet.
It had belonged to sothing once majestic and deadly from the looks, Beside it, a clean tal plaque read:
"Greater Thunder Lizard, foreclaw. Material quality: B-Rank. Limited samples available upon request."
He blinked, a bit overwheld.
Not just by the sight but by the thought that he could actually sell beast carcasses too, though that wouldn't be useful unless his companions had no need for it.
Timothy looked back up; This wasn't just an exchange; it was a quiet museum of power, a silent market of the extraordinary.
Well, the night market he encountered yesterday was sothing, but this was more.
Other hunters moved through the room too, so examining, so negotiating.
Each one was flanked by an assigned receptionist or security staff.
He couldn't say they were B ranks too, but definitely revered so he halted from probing them with his perception much and limited it to around himself.
There was an air of business, but also reverence
Security was ever-present, uniford staff with blank expressions and watchful eyes stood by the walls or moved in pairs.
It was clear their objective.
She lifted her tablet and tapped twice.
"These are the D-Rank items eligible for your exchange. Your B-Rank status gets you a fifteen percent discount, so the adjusted values are displayed here." She turned the screen toward him.
Timothy leaned in, squinting at the list as she scrolled.
Prices flickered beside each item, asured in mana crystal units and, if he wanted, in Naira currency.
There was a sleek-looking dagger that caught his eye, though only in aesthetics; he had no preference for daggers despite needing another weapon to complent his machete.
Another item entered his view, a bracer said to increase perception, was appealing… until he saw the fine print about its mana drain.
It was expected of a D-rank weapon.
He looked around again, this ti more critically.
Now that the awe had faded slightly, he noticed that most of the D-Rank equipnt, while well-maintained, lacked any bite.
It was entry-level, intended for new hunters just breaking into raids.
Compared to the gear he already had, much of it was practically ornantal.
Speaking of gear on himself, he only had two, which were the scarf and the bride's prayer ring.
Well, there were others in his inventory, but for obvious reasons, they remained there.
In the end, none of the d rank items felt worth his attention.
Yet, the presence of that claw, just a part of a beast reminded him that the exchange wasn't just about weapons.
It was access.
Access to parts, materials, knowledge, and control
Timothy was weighing his options; the only thing he lacked was a defense, at least a very strong one at the mont, even though his HP said otherwise.
But raw materials could empower his companions; he wondered what exactly would be Gray's reaction if he ate a beast of a higher caliber, considering his predation skill.
The receptionist noticed his silence and offered gently,
"If you're interested in monster parts instead of ready-made gear, we can arrange a curated list based on your needs. Materials have far more potential… if you know a good smith."
Timothy tilted his head, intrigued, but said nothing yet.
"What's your na?" Timothy asked out of the blue
She blinked, montarily caught off guard.
"My na?"
"Yeah.." His tone was casual, warm, not flirtatious, just the kind of polite curiosity that built healthy rapport.
A flicker of sothing unreadable passed over her face, misinterpretation perhaps but she recovered quickly.
"Chioma," she said, straightening slightly.
"Chioma Osei."
Timothy gave a small nod.
"Nice na."
She smiled professionally, yet just a touch pleased, and returned her attention to the tablet Timothy.
Timothy had noticed the shift in her deanor earlier.
B-Rank hunter? Must be rich, prestigious, possibly backed by a guild or private interest must be what she thought, frankly that was what everyone thought.
Her tone and approach were peak
Nothing condescending, just careful, respectful.
It was a misconception.
But why correct it?
He let the illusion linger.
It didn't hurt him.
In fact, it helped.
After a mont, he cleared his throat gently.
"One more thing. Do you know when the rewards from the last raid are supposed to be distributed?"
Chioma paused, then looked up.
"As of this morning, the association hasn't released any official figures yet. The budget allocations are processed monthly, so I expect disbursent to be finalized by the end of the cycle." She hesitated, then added,
"Possibly today or tomorrow."
Governnt speak, really.
Wrapped in calm efficiency but always vague enough to buy ti.
Timothy gave a small nod, digesting that.
She continued, almost as an afterthought,
"However, given your rank and involvent, you do have options. The association, through governnt authorization, offers provisional overdrafts to ranked hunters in need. Especially those involved in high-risk raids."
He raised a brow.
"Overdrafts?"
Chioma nodded.
"Up to five hundred million naira in advance, depending on scale and urgency. Given the classified nature of your last raid and your participation, you'd be eligible to withdraw the full amount, pending approval," she said with knowledge of his last raid despite sohow confidential, though he assud she had just taken a peak from the tablet which would have a detailed record of his life, he wondered what was actually written in it.
Timothy felt a chill pass through him nevertheless
Five hundred million.
That wasn't a small figure.
But it made him wonder, how bad was the damage? How many of them had actually made it back? That was stupid he knew how many made I back.
The offer was ant to be generous, reassuring even, but to him, it felt like bait wrapped in a velvet glove.
He didn't need to think twice.
"No… I'll wait. I'm not in that much of a rush"
Chioma didn't question him.
But he noticed her expression subtly shift.
Maybe she'd caught the hesitance in his voice, or maybe she'd read between the lines.
Either way, her neutrality never faltered.
Still, he was certain she now understood.
B-Rank or not, he wasn't swimming in wealth.
He tucked that realization away, along with her na, Chioma.
Sothing told him she was the sort he might need to deal with again.
"Thanks for the help," he said with a polite nod.
"Just send the reward directly to my account when it's processed."
"Of course, Mr. Timothy. Have a nice day."
He didn't linger.
Making his way out of the hall and back into the clean, cool corridors of the Hunter Association building, he dialed for an Uber and waited out front, watching the subtle movents of other hunters coming and going.
As he slid into the back seat, a thought crossed his mind.
The governnt handing out money like candy… that never ends well.
He sank into the seat, eyes half-closed, and let the city blur past the windows.
The Uber was quiet, just the low hum of the engine and the occasional rattle of tires over potholes.
Timothy leaned back in the seat, gaze distant, arms folded loosely across his chest as the city passed by in a blur.
His thoughts drifted.
His sister and uncle would definitely need money soon, probably sooner than he'd like.
Their situation was manageable for now, but barely.
And then there was his mother.
The monthly bill for her facility wasn't forgiving.
Another ten million naira straight into the Association's dical coffers.
A quiet scam wrapped in noble intentions.
But what choice did he have? The system had its hooks in everyone.
And then, as his other intended aim, which was to go shopping, but with how much he had on him, he didn't doubt he'd get enough; he just worried he wouldn't be left with enough cash for the month.
Well, he didn't trust the governnt to keep their word; they'd pay, just when they liked, and the crystals he sold would probably be sent at the end of the end or their end. Anyhow, he could depend on that.
Then he rembered he didn't even ask the price.
Well, there was his Kingpin raid he'd just finished; he could probably depend on Miebaka to pay up, right? Definitely.
Regardless, anyti he thought of them, he always thought of those supernatural beasts, and then there was the assassin.
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