Chapter 19: Ch. 19 – Making Some Cash!

Following a brief bike ride, Yves arrived home at their apartment late at night. Noticing that his younger brother Yuto was still wide awake, likely waiting for him.

Inside, Yves wasted no time in taking a refreshing bath and changing into more comfortable clothes. He had grabbed some takeout ramen earlier, and now, after reheating it just right, the apartment was enveloped in the savory scent of piping-hot noodles and broth.

With their bellies full and feeling tired from the day, Yves, Yuto, and Taro all went to bed. They wrapped themselves in cozy blankets and soon fell asleep, leaving behind the events of the day as they entered into the world of dreams.

The morning light gently filled the room, waking Yves from his sleep. As he rubbed his eyes, he noticed the black ring on his finger, the one Jade had given him as payment, reminding him of the previous day's events.

With a blank face, he looked at the ring for a moment before moving it from his index finger to his middle finger. He was impressed by its ability to fit so comfortably, as if it were made specifically for each finger.

Switching the ring between fingers, he was amazed every time. Yves found it fascinating how a seemingly ordinary ring could possess such incredible capabilities. It not only provided huge storage space but could also adjust itself to fit each finger, regardless of its size or shape.

With a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Yves muttered to himself. "This ring is really something. Yesterday was definitely my lucky day."

Feeling energized, Yves got out of bed and went about his usual routine. After enjoying breakfast with Yuto and Taro, Yuto headed off to school while Yves stayed behind, still on break.

With a clear goal in mind, Yves headed to his room where his Blueberry Blood Shrub awaited his attention. Diligently, he scattered fertilizer around the plant's roots, ensuring its nutritional needs were met. Next, he poured the Black Iron-order Monster's Blood onto the soil, making sure the creature was well-hydrated.

Completing his duties to his plant monster, Yves took notice of the three plump berries it had produced. Plucking each one carefully, he admired their vibrant appearance and sweet fragrance.

With a warm smile, Yves turned to Taro, who had been patiently watching him tend to the Blueberry Blood Shrub. Holding out two of the fresh blueberries, he offered them to Taro, knowing how much the little creature enjoyed the sweet fruits.

Taro's eyes lit up with excitement as he accepted the berries. Wasting no time, he gobbled them up with delight, enjoying every juicy bite. While Taro happily munched away, Yves went to the kitchen and stored the last berry in the fridge, saving it for later.

Feeling satisfied, Yves moved to the more spacious area of the room. Closing his eyes for a moment, Yves focused his thoughts on the storage space ring that held the spoils from Taro's previous victories.

In a blink, various materials with different shapes and colors materialized on the floor before him. Yves smiled as he surveyed the array of resources, grateful for Taro's excellence in battle.

Seating himself comfortably, Yves began to sort through the materials, counting and organizing them with efficiency. After a few minutes of meticulous work, he had tallied up the results:

36 Numbing Rat's Claw

8 Numbing Rat's Incisor

2 Numbing Rat's Tail

2 Rocktail Horned Rabbit's Ear

1 Rocktail Horned Rabbit's Horn

6 Rocktail Horned Rabbit's Incisor

4 Rocktail Horned Rabbit's Leg

1 Rocktail Horned Rabbit's Tail

"Wow, Taro, look at all these things we've got." Yves exclaimed with a grin, admiring the pile of materials they had collected.

"We just took a quick trip to the lushwood forest, and now we're sitting on a small fortune. Not bad at all."

Taro squeaked happily, his tail wagging, clearly proud of their adventure.

Yves paused, scratching his head as he considered their options.

"You know what? We don't really need any of this stuff right now."

"I think we should just sell it all." he decided.

"We don't have any immediate use for them, and it's better to turn them into money that we can use for things we do need."

Taro nodded in agreement, seemingly understanding Yves' reasoning. After all, having a stockpile of materials sitting around wouldn't do them much good if they weren't going to use them anytime soon.

"Alright." Yves muttered, standing up from his spot on the floor. "Let's go to the virtual market. I also have to add Jade so she can send her payment."

With a simple thought, all of the materials disappeared, sucked into the storage space ring.

Yves flashed a smile at Taro. "Let's get moving, Taro." With a gentle wave of his hand, Taro vanished into the circular pattern glowing in Yves's hands. With everything in place, Yves left the apartment, making his way to where his road bike was parked.

Within a few moments, Yves arrived at the virtual cafe. Locking up his bike, he quickly headed inside and approached the counter. Today, he decided to rent a VR pod again, but this time for two hours instead of just one.

Yves knew that two hours would give him enough time to accomplish everything he needed to do. While he now had money to spend, he understood the importance of spending it wisely. He didn't want to use it recklessly, but rather in a way that would benefit him in the long run

By choosing the two-hour rental, Yves was making a calculated decision. He was ensuring that he had enough time to accomplish his goals without rushing, all while being mindful of his spending habits. It was a logical choice that would allow him to make the most of his time and resources in the virtual world.

Yves scanned the room and found an empty pod near the corner. Entering the pod, he settled himself comfortably and slipped on the VR helmet. Closing his eyes, he focused on the familiar interface that appeared before him.

After selecting the virtual market, Yves tapped the start button. The loading screen appeared, and soon the darkness around him gave way to a lively virtual marketplace. People were moving all around, browsing through stalls and chatting with each other.

Yves glanced around, allowing himself to soak in the atmosphere of his surroundings. With a contented sigh, he remarked. "Ah... It feels good to be back here."

He snapped his fingers and chuckled before saying. "Let's send a friend request to Jade first." Yves opened the holographic interface and navigated to the friends list section. Pressing the icon with a person silhouette and a plus sign, he began typing Jade's ID: "White Bun #3457."

As he typed, Yves couldn't help but laugh. "White Bun," he repeated, shaking his head with amusement. "Her ID is so adorable and innocent, it's like a fluffy bunny hopping around. Hard to imagine she's got those massive pet monsters."

With a grin, Yves finished typing Jade's ID and sent the friend request. "First step completed."

"Now, onto the next task. Time to make some money!"

Yves weighed his options carefully, considering two different approaches. The first method involved listing the materials on the market and waiting for potential buyers. This approach offered the advantage of minimal interaction and the ability to set his own price.

However, it also came with the drawback of uncertainty, as it could take a significant amount of time for the materials to sell, depending on factors like demand and pricing accuracy. It might require weeks, months, or even years if he misjudged the value.

On the other hand, the second method involved selling the materials directly to virtual stores. While this approach promised a quicker turnaround time, as there were numerous stores willing to purchase materials, it also came with its own set of challenges.

Interacting with the store owners could involve negotiations, and Yves risked being cheated if he wasn't familiar with the true value of his items.

He knew that making the right decision would be crucial in maximizing their profits from the materials they had collected.

"Which one should I pick?"