Morning came with a shitty headache.
Not from drinking.
From thinking.
I barely slept, replaying the bird-feed shop's situation in my head. Someone was squeezing those suppliers—forcing them to raise prices. That meant someone big wanted the smaller shops to die quietly.
But why target bird feed?
It's not exactly gold bars or exotic spices.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized:
Someone wasn't after the product. Someone was after the space.
A shop closes → district rent drops → big players swoop in → boom, new monopolized spot.
Dirty move… but smart.
Also completely legal.
I hated legal villains. They were harder to punch.
Morning Visit
I pushed open the door to the bird-feed shop. The bell jingled like it was mocking me.
The shopkeeper looked like he hadn't slept either.
"You're late," he grumbled.
"It's five minutes past sunrise," I said. "Calm your feathers."
"Funny."
"Thanks, I try."
I glanced around. Same dusty shelves. Same depressing vibe. Same faint smell of hay and defeat.
"Let's start. Who are your suppliers?"
He handed me three name cards.
FeatherCo
WingMark
Skygrain Traders
Fancy names for people selling seeds to birds.
"And all three raised prices by the same amount?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Huh. That's shady as hell."
He sighed. "If you're here to mock me, go home."
"Relax, old man. I'm thinking."
He folded his arms. "Well, hurry the hell up."
The Sniff Test
I left the shop and followed the supplier addresses listed on each card. They were all in the same district—Warehouse Lane.
When I reached the first location, I expected a huge warehouse.
Instead, I saw… nothing.
Just a locked door and a faded sign.
FeatherCo.
No workers.
No movement.
No goods.
"Suspicious," I muttered.
The second address?
Same thing. Empty building.
The third?
A goddamn abandoned house.
So all three suppliers were "real" only on paper.
I rubbed my temples. "You've gotta be kidding me."
This wasn't just illegal.
This was organized bullshit.
Someone created fake suppliers, used them to raise prices across the area, and pressured shops into bankruptcy.
One supplier doing it is risky.
Three?
Impossible without a higher authority helping.
Someone powerful was behind this.
My stomach twisted—
because that meant messing with them could get me crushed.
But hell, if I backed out now, I'd remain a street kid forever.
A Shadow in the Market
On my way back, I noticed something weird.
Every stall owner watched me.
Not like they usually do.
No friendly waves.
No curiosity.
Just stiff faces.
Cold eyes.
The kind that said, "We know what you're digging into. Stop."
My heartbeat slowed.
Someone had already noticed my movements.
Someone was watching.
I kept walking, pretending I didn't see anything. I wasn't stupid enough to react. But damn, I felt the weight.
Invisible competitors.
Invisible watchers.
Invisible threats.
In the street market, everyone acted openly.
In the guild district?
Everyone acted like assassins with ledgers.
I muttered under my breath: "Fantastic. I haven't even made a single damn coin yet."
The Shopkeeper's Shock
I returned to the bird-feed shop.
"Find anything?" he asked.
"Yeah," I said. "You're fucked."
He paled. "W–What?"
"Your suppliers don't exist," I said. "Someone made them up to strangle this area."
He sat down like someone had kicked him in the gut.
"I knew it," he whispered. "I knew something was wrong…"
"You're not the main target," I said. "Your shop is just collateral damage."
"Then what do I do? I can't buy stock. I can't sell anything. I can't—"
"Relax," I interrupted. "I didn't say you're doomed. Someone wants this district? Fine. Let's ruin their plans."
He blinked in confusion. "How?"
"We dig a tunnel under their perfect little scheme."
His face brightened. "You have a plan?"
"…No," I admitted. "But I'll have one by tonight."
He deflated instantly. "Goddamn it, kid."
The Ping
When I stepped outside, the system chimed.
Ping.
[New Challenge Detected]
— You have stepped into a manipulated market.
— Opponents: unknown.
— Visibility: low.
— Danger: increasing.
[Advice: Move carefully.]
Move carefully?
Yeah, no shit.
But the last line caught my attention:
[Reward for solving this manipulation will increase significantly.]
So the system wanted me to challenge these invisible bastards.
Fine.
I will.
If someone thinks they can control this district, then I'll break their control.
If someone thinks they can collapse shops for profit, then I'll collapse their plans first.
And if someone thinks they can intimidate me?
They're welcome to try.
Because the world may not know who Montig Levan is yet—
but I'm sure as hell going to make them remember.
Nightfall
As the sun dipped behind the guild towers, I stood on a balcony, staring over the district.
The lights flickered.
Shadows moved.
Merchants whispered.
Deals were made behind doors I couldn't see yet.
And I realized something:
This wasn't a playground.
This was a jungle.
And I wasn't the strongest animal here.
Not yet.
But I had teeth.
I had instincts.
And I had one week.
I smirked.
"Alright, invisible assholes," I said softly.
"Let's play."