"What fracture do you want? We'll give it to you as long as it is not above a certain clearance level and within FIB custody."

"Is there a list I can look at?"

"Here's a tablet with a list of fractures you can choose from."

I look through the option, and there are 88 fractures I can choose from, ranging from low-level fractures with barely any creatures in them to high-level nests of powerful monsters.

The fracture I'm looking for is near the bottom. It's labeled a [Hazard] fracture with low-worth resources and weak creatures.

[This fracture is filled with a deadly miasma that will poison and corrode the living. It grows denser as you traverse farther into the fracture. Preliminary scans show that this fracture holds nothing of worth. (Although the region hasn't been mapped, and the size hasn't been determined.)

This fracture is to be stored until its future is determined. Whether teams will be formed to venture deep within or if the fracture will be sold. See the supplement for guilds and organizations banned from buying, trading, or inquiring about any FIB-owned property.

The fracture's name has been revealed as the [Endless Graveyard].

"How are fracture names determined."

"Skills or items that can uncover the name of a fracture as long as the user goes inside them. Sometimes the names take a while to be revealed."

"I want this one."

I slide the tablet back to him, and he looks at my selection before locking eyes with me. He puts a credit cube on the table.

"If that's your decision, fine by me. Here are credits for your time as well. Officially, this is additional payment thanks to your time in that jungle fracture."

"Cool. I like under-the-table deals. Can't get taxed on them by their very nature."

"The fracture will be delivered within a week. Do you have a preferred address?"

I silently absorb the credits on the table and gawk at the amount he gave me. 200 million. Two days to make 200 million fucking credits. What the actual fuck.

"Yeah. Uh, here's my address. What's with the credits?" I wrote down the address of the house I bought for my parents. Free Chains is renting a room from my father so he can pick up any package for me. It feels strange to remember that my father hooked me up with this cat-man [Lawspeaker] because he's his part-time business lawyer.

"One part legal reasons, two parts insurance. As long as you keep quiet about your time here in the containment facility and do not share any information you gained with your time here, nothing will happen."

"And If I do?"

"You'll get arrested for not declaring those credits in your taxes."

"..."

"If you declare them, however, you will definitely be audited. You can get rid of the credits silently... or keep the two hundred million credits and stay silent."

"I don't need the blackmail or coercion, man. The hush money is enough. Call me if you want to give me more fractures or money. Since I worked for two days, you've set my daily rate. One hundred million a day." I stand up from my chair.

"One thing before you go. I have some advice if you are interested in a full-time job in the FIB. Don't pursue a career in the exploration branch or any of the hazard teams."

~~~

I have so much to do. How do I optimize my time?

I have to gain levels, unlock more skills for my martial arts, train my beasts, deduce the secrets I've been putting on the back burner, create a guild(?), and keep up with interpersonal relationships. Welp, I can do those last two with just a single use of a skill.

I call for a meeting using my skill, [Court of Allegiance].

[Ellis Vincere (Master) has initiated a meeting.]

[Dylan Silvervein has voted positively.]

[Free Chains has voted positively.]

[Rain Wang abstained from voting.]

[Duchess has abstained from voting.]

[The meeting commences.]

The first thing I do is kick Dylan out of the meeting. After confirming that she is not needed, Rain opts out and leaves the meeting voluntarily.

"Interesting ability, Ellis. Can you see me?"

"Within a week, a fracture will be delivered to the house. Also, I'll allocate some funds to the business/guild thing.

"Alrighty!"

"What makes a guild a guild."

"Hmmm... There are three main things. One, you need to be a group or organization. You can't be just one person trying to get tax benefits. Two. Guilds are technically mercenary companies and can be categorized into three different types based on their means of income. The people who raid fractures, raid outside of fractures, and the people who get paid to be actual mercenaries. Most guilds do all three. Rarely do guilds specialize."

"What counts as 'mercenary' work."

"Protecting cities in a crisis, solving jobs that 'normal' people can't, and - gods forbid - getting paid for actual war. Drafting doesn't bode too well with rankers unless they like warfare. At that point, there isn't a need for a draft."

"Do we need a guild building? I have money."

"Property prices near the ravine have dropped tremendously. We can try to secure some land."

"After the meeting, I'll send you some credits. Buy me something nice."

"Alright! I have some questions about the fracture-"

"The fracture is filled with deadly miasma making it inhospitable to all but the undead."

"...That doesn't sound profitable. I'd assume that we'd be able to have an internal source of revenue."

"Okay. Can you do something about that, then?"

"Ellis, I hope you know I'm not some business guru. I'm a savant at the law and not much else. I can make everything prim and proper in the eyes of the law, but I wouldn't have needed that loan from you if I was exceptional at managing money."

He has a point. Shit.

"Don't worry about it."

I sent the money using [Court of Allegiance]'s resource transfer function and hung up. I fish out my phone and text my foster father that I'm alright before getting a thought.

Charlie. He's good enough to make deals with a goddess. He's my friend as well. He is the best candidate for anything related to business.

But is it okay for me to seek him out solely because I find him useful? Welp, he's the one who wanted to be friends, not the other way around. I call him.

*ring ring ring* *click*

"Ellis? It's good to hear from you."

"You answered! I expected you to still be on lockdown."

"Not anymore. I got out of there like I said I would."

"Where are you?"

"I can't talk, bro. I can't risk my family finding where I'm hiding. It's bad enough that I answered a phone call."

I wonder... I activate [Court of Allegiance] and try to designate Charlie Greenback over the phone.

"...Ellis. Did you do something to me? I see a weird contract."

"Yeah. It can let us talk in private... among other things."

"I'm going to have to make amendments to this contract before signing it, but thank god."

"You can do that?"

"It's a skill. All I changed was the abnormal influence your words would have on me. As a businessman, my professionalism would be questioned if I allowed myself to be swayed by such abilities."

A mini prompt appears on my end and asks if I'm alright with this alteration. I accept and...

[Charlie Greeback has accepted!]

[Chalrie Greenback - Archon of Coinage]

What the fuck is that moniker?! "Hey, Charlie. What's an Ar-"

"Not over the phone. Use the skill."

The skill went through, but I kicked everyone out except Charlie and FreeChains. I put FreeChains in stasis by muting, deafening, and blinding him to our conversation until I'm ready to introduce him.

Then we caught up with each other. Charlie told me about his imprisonment, and I told him about my time in the capital.

Charlie first told me about the coming-of-age ceremony for his family, where you need to go off to a random city and grow the economy there with no starting capital. His father's designated city was Bluefield, and since he had no talent for making money, he was stuck there and couldn't come back 'home.'

Then Charlie was born. He wanted to become someone worthy of the name 'Greenback' and was determined to become as rich as possible. His father wasn't much help, but he persevered regardless.

Charlie can't discuss the deal with Merita in detail. However, the transaction gave him a title, a class, and an honorary position in her church after his death as the Archon of Coinage. Since the Church of Mertia and the Greenback family have a deep connection, they became aware that their dear Charlie suddenly became a big shot.

Charlie was deceived by the open arms of the people he wanted to impress and was confined. Since he refused to share how he contacted a god and snagged a deal, Charlie suffered ruthless beatings and inhumane conditions until the goddess stepped up.

Then the conditions became humane, and the beatings were not as brutal.

"How did you escape."

"Ironically, those people let me keep the cake you gifted me. They didn't think that a nonmagical file could help me in any way, and since I could probably acquire a better tool just by scrounging around the mansion. I kept it on me because it was nice knowing someone cared enough to think about me. In retrospect, it was strange that you gave a present during Remembrance, not that I'm complaining."

Huh. "How did it help?"

"The guest mansion I was living in doesn't have the fortifications the main buildings do, so during the earthquake, it partially collapsed. The guard tasked to watch me sleep was crushed under the roof and was barely alive. I knew he was tenacious enough to recover from his injuries if left untouched, so I stabbed him in the neck with that nail file until he died, took his stuff, and fled through the hole in my wall."

"Nice."

"The fence's wards were momentarily offline, so I managed to climb over and run. I'm guessing someone embezzled funds during the construction of the compound. The city's carnage made it easy to hide."

"What is your family doing about all this? Do you need any help?"

"It's not like they are publicly hunting me down or putting bounties for my capture - not that I know of - but I'm just avoiding anything that could be related to them. Some enforcers are on their payroll, but I found a good hiding spot and a part-time job."

"Job? I'd assume you'd be loaded after that business deal."

"Haha, yeah. I need to make a certain amount of money in a certain amount of time, or my sweet new class abilities stop working. Also, I'm barred from affecting economies with my deal money since it can cause... issues."

"Want a better job?"

~~~

I introduced Charlie to Free Chains and left them to get to know each other. Free Chains knows a way to keep Charlie away from the grasp of his family, but that's for them to discuss.

If all else, he can live in my mansion.

I should start preparing for the 'friendly spar' with the Ken family Master Giles talked about before the earthquake. For that, I should speak to Master Wang. I wonder if he has my heart ready.

I forgot that I can't casually walk down the street anymore. People stop me to talk to me, thank me, take pictures, et cetera. I don't know how to respond to this situation, so I pretend to be cordial.

Eventually, I find myself back at Master Wang's place. The place has been cleaned up since last time. Master Wang was meditating in his dojo, expecting my arrival.

"Master Wang."

"Disciple."

"I wish to know more about the upcoming bout with the Ken family and if the dragon heart is prepared."

"The fight is using dojo rules. Go whenever you want and break their disciples until the main family arrives. Then beat them up too. Extra points if you make them put their swords up as collateral. Most would rather die than lose their blade."

"I'm not going to get blitzed by some elder swordmaster or something, will I?"

"Nah, you'll be fine."

What a reassuring answer. I look at Master Wang, waiting for a response about the heart. Getting nothing, I ask again.

"The heart?"

"Yes. Do you want to do the surgery, or shall I?"

"Surgery? I thought you were making a pill or elixir?"

"Hahaha, no." Master Wang presents a green heart in some glass cookware. Although it's not beating, it's full of vibrant life.

[Verdant Heart (Draconic)

The heart must be implanted into the body.

+10% Vigor

+20% Spirit

Gain the skill Enhanced Vitality]

[Enhanced Vitality A

The user gains an overall health improvement.

+120% Health]

"..."

"What do you think, disciple? Pretty good, huh? First time augmenting a heart with another heart and a handful of herbs and spices."

Fuck it, why not. I was going to contemplate whether investing this much into hp is worth it, but why wouldn't I want to be harder to kill?

"As long as I don't explode from having too much life, I'm fine and dandy."

"That's the spirit! Take off your clothes."