Heavy Metal [ A Monster Evolution LitRPG ]

Chapter 69 – Peddling Metal

As the morning sun filtered through the cracks of the worn-out building he called his temporary home, Rusty prepared for the day's mission. He sorted through his inventory, selecting the best bronze and iron weapons he had crafted. Though they weren’t the most valuable, they were functional and would fetch a reasonable price if sold in bulk.

Once he had selected the weapons, he used his SP to generate multiple copies of the same quality. His guides had warned that it could be dangerous if they encountered an exceptionally skilled craftsman. All the replicas were identical, which might raise suspicion. If that happened, they advised him to claim that he had received them from a peculiar craftsman with a unique skill that allowed him to produce such identical items or just keep his mouth shut.

"Remember, Rusty, we need to keep a low profile. The merchants might get suspicious if you sell too many weapons at once."

Rusty nodded, understanding the need for caution. Aburdon, however, was less worried about subtlety. 

"Just sell them quickly and get out. If anyone asks questions, just remind them of the last merchant who pushed too far.”

Aburdon cackled menacingly but Rusty wasn’t sure what the demon lord meant. He had not attempted to sell any weapons before so there was no ‘last merchant who pushed too far’ 

“There was a merchant that pushed too far?”

“Hm, our young Rusty doesn’t seem to understand wordplay or jokes, don’t worry about it, you’ll eventually understand. I meant that in a more hypothetical sense, of course. You know, as a warning. Merchants of the lesser races can be quite… nosy. It's best to keep them in line."

“Lesser races?”

“Of course? Every race is below the demon race!”

“Is it?”

Rusty glanced in the direction of his other guide Alexander who was quick to dismiss Aburdon’s assertion. 

“Don’t listen to him, Rusty. There’s no such thing as ‘lesser’ or ‘greater’ races. It’s just the way some beings try to justify their power or actions. Treat everyone equally and they will respect you.”

“Hah, just like you did hero and got stabbed in the back? That worked out well for you, didn’t it?”

“Shut up!”

Rusty sighed as the two guides continued their bickering. He found their banter entertaining at times but it often made his decision-making more complicated. With the plan now set, Rusty stepped out into the bustling streets, the sun casting long shadows as the early morning light filtered through the narrow alleys.

The city was beginning to stir with activity as merchants set up their stalls, filling the air with the mingling aromas of freshly baked bread and sizzling meats. Rusty’s monster senses picked up the scents, and though he couldn't fully appreciate them, he was made aware that the body hidden within his armor could taste food if he allowed it. Rusty’s metal frame clinked softly as he moved, his form was nothing out of the ordinary as he blended in with some of the other early-rising adventurers.

Now that the sun had risen he had the opportunity to look over this large city. It was much different than the underground dungeon he came from but there were also some similarities.  The city's layout was a chaotic yet functional mix of winding streets and towering buildings, much like the dungeons Rusty was familiar with. The side alleys reminded him of the narrow corridors and the stone buildings of the temples on some of the other floors. 

The buildings were constructed with stone and timber, their roofs overlayed in red and brown tiles. The streets were uneven, worn from years of foot traffic, and the occasional clatter of hooves echoed as carts passed by. Rusty observed everything through his visor, taking note of the market district's layout as he walked towards it.

‘So this is the market? Who should I go to first?’

He had arrived at the main square with many street vendors and merchants around. Some of them were just sitting down on rugs filled with items, others had wooden stalls with food. It was early in the morning so the customers hadn’t arrived. This made it an ideal time for Rusty to do business. His deposition of not needing any sleep was very handy when it came to shopping as most people were just waking up or getting past a hangover. 

"Look for a smith or an armory stall. They’re more likely to buy weapons in bulk, and they might not ask too many questions if the price is right. But first, we should look around and get an idea about the prices before we make a decision."

"Yes, yes. Find someone who looks like they could use an influx of goods. And remember, Rusty, if they get too nosy, we can always… persuade them with a slight nudge…”

“A nudge?”

Rusty asked but before Aburdon could answer he was interrupted by Alexander.

“There will be no nudging!”

The two started arguing again and he was forced to order them to stop.

“Examine the prices then and figure out how much the bronze and iron weapons should go for…”

For Rusty, this arrangement was quite convenient. After his Call Guide skill evolved, he could summon both guides in either their Familiar form or their previous forms. The mana cost for the skill had become so low that he could slowly regenerate his MP even with both guides active. They could see whatever he saw, hear whatever he heard, and give him constant real-time advice. While their bickering was annoying, he needed both of them in this city.

Rusty approached the stall, which was adorned with an assortment of weapons: swords, shields, and other metallic goods. The man on the other side didn’t look like a full-fledged blacksmith. He looked quite young and sleep-deprived, his hands slowly polishing a large sword while his head tilted to the side. 

‘Is that a blacksmith?’

He asked and got a reply from Alexander.

‘No, that’s probably a blacksmith’s apprentice or maybe his son. They usually get them to sell weapons outside the smithy where more people gather. We won’t find any enchanted weapons here but it's enough to get rid of the bronze and iron weapons you made.’

Rusty approached the stall, his metallic steps echoing softly against the cobblestones. The young man behind the counter looked up with bleary eyes, his fatigue evident. Despite the disheveled appearance, there was a certain shrewdness in his gaze that suggested he had experience in the trade.

“Good morning.” 

Rusty said as guided by Alexander to show proper decorum when interacting with the merchants.

“I have some weapons to sell. Could you tell me if you’re interested?”

The apprentice’s eyes narrowed as he assessed Rusty. Before him stood a man about two meters tall, clad in a full suit of armor. While the voice confirmed it was indeed a man inside the armor, the apprentice's attention was drawn to a peculiar bundle of items strapped to Rusty’s back. It was wrapped in what appeared to be a gray bedsheet and secured with cheap string. Various weapons protruded from the bundle, revealing a large quantity contained within.

“We’re always interested in new stock. What kind of weapons do you have?”

Rusty’s spatial satchel was not large enough to contain all the weaponry so he decided to use the bed from his inn room to assemble a backpack. Thanks to his crafting skills he was able to create something sufficient for this occasion. 

The apprentice's eyes widened as Rusty unwrapped the makeshift bundle to reveal an assortment of bronze and iron weapons. Swords, daggers, and sabers were inside and even a few spears made their way in. He could tell that they were crafted by an average blacksmith as none of them were particularly high-end but neither were they low-end. 

“These look… decent.” 

The blacksmith’s apprentice said, eyeing the weapons with skepticism. 

“But why so many? And why are they all bronze and iron? Usually, we don’t see such a bulk of lower-tier items. Most adventurers prefer higher-quality gear, especially if they’re serious about their business.”

Rusty already had a sales pitch prepared that his guides came up with the previous night. 

“I recent-lly acquired these from a craftsman who was getting out of the business. He had a large stockpile he wanted to liquidate q-quickly, so I took them off his hands. I’m just looking to resell them to… interested buyers. They’re g-good quality for their tier, and I’m offering them at a reasonable price…”

‘Oh?’

While talking, he received confirmation that his skill had evolved further. He had been using the body inside his armor for some time, and the more he spoke, the easier it became to move the flesh. The stuttering and pauses he once experienced had lessened, and the weight felt lighter. If this progress continued, he envisioned being able to fight comfortably with the mummified remains of Albert inside him.

“I see, that makes some sense…”

The young man began rubbing his chin thoughtfully. It wasn’t unusual for blacksmith shops to close down, leading to old unsold stock being sold at a low price or even given away for free. While the weapons here weren’t exceptional, they still had their uses. Iron could be melted down and repurposed into steel weaponry, and bronze was a decent choice for practice weapons. 

While there was a use for them, he had a limited amount of money and would be punished by his master if he overspent. The young apprentice scratched his head, clearly weighing the situation. Rusty couldn’t tell much from the young man’s expressions as he had not yet been among the people of the races. This was a simple human, but some of the merchants had animalistic features that would only complicate things.

“I might need to consult with my master before taking all of this off your hands. But I can give you a rough estimate of what we could offer.”

The apprentice pulled out a peculiar apparatus that Rusty had never seen before. It featured several rows of marbles connected by strings, each row a different color. The apprentice began shifting the small, round objects around as if performing a complex task.

"Ah, an abacus. Not many people use them these days, but not everyone has the skills to count without one." 

Alexander commented and Rusty took the opportunity to glance around, observing other stalls and getting a better feel for the market. He understood the numbers and the writing but didn’t really have a point of reference to know how much everything was worth. First he would need to try earning money to truly understand its value. 

“Remember, Rusty, don’t let them lowball you too much, These weapons are still worth something, even if they’re lower-tier. You have to negotiate.”

“Yes, and if they refuse to pay a fair price, we might have to ‘persuade’ them…”

“No, we won’t.” 

Just as they were back to arguing the merchant finally spoke out.

 "Alright, here's what I can offer for the whole lot. For the bronze weapons, I'll give you ten silver coins. For the iron ones, maybe fifteen silver coins. That totals to about twenty-five silver coins, which is equivalent to just over two gold coins."

‘Hm, is that good or not?’

Rusty glanced at the young man feeling that the offer seemed a bit low but had no idea. After consulting with his guides he replied in a monotone voice.

“Hmm, I see. I was hoping for a better price considering the quantity and quality. How about twenty-five silver coins for the bronze weapons and twenty silver coins for the iron ones? That would be a total of thirty-five silver coins, or three and a half gold coins.”

The apprentice's eyes widened slightly at Rusty's counteroffer. 

"That's quite a jump. I’ll need to check with my master. He’s usually very particular about pricing, especially with bulk items."

“That’s fine… I’ll see if another merchant will offer me a better price, then I’ll get back to you later…”

‘Yeah, just like that, Rusty. Make him think that another merchant might offer you a better deal, even if they won’t. We can always withhold some of the truth.’

‘Oh? I see that even the great hero has a knack for a bit of deception when it comes to bartering.’

Aburdon cackled.

“Alright then, I'll check with my master and see what we can do…”

The man scratched his forehead but didn’t seem particularly concerned. Rusty, on the other hand, ventured into the bustling marketplace, slowly investigating each stall. He visited every booth that sold weapons or armor, comparing deals. While each place offered a slightly different price, none were significantly better than what the young man had offered. With time being of the essence, he spent only a bit over an hour on this endeavor before eventually returning to the apprentice blacksmith’s stall.

When Rusty returned, he found another man at the stall - a short but stout figure with a beard, resembling the dwarves he had encountered in the dungeons, though dressed differently. The man was in the midst of lecturing the young apprentice, punctuating his words with a firm smack on the apprentice’s head.

"How many times have I told you not to doze off? What if someone grabs one of the daggers and runs off?" 

Rusty paused at the sight of the older man reprimanding the apprentice. The stout figure was clearly the blacksmith, and from the way he carried himself, it was evident he was someone of authority. The older man noticed Rusty and turned to address him, his demeanor shifting from stern to more professional.

"Ah, you must be the one my apprentice mentioned earlier, listen here, even if you look around here, you won’t get much better prices, at most I can meet you halfway, take it or leave it.” 

Rusty's armor clinked loudly as he contemplated his next move. He placed the weapons he had brought onto the table once more, and the blacksmith examined them with a critical eye. The man clicked his tongue, an expression of mild annoyance, sparking Rusty’s curiosity.

“Is there something wrong with them?” 

“Wrong? Not exactly. These are ordinary, but they're not worth the metal they're made of. I'd rather have some copper and tin ingots instead…” 

The blacksmith replied in an annoyed tone as if he thought his creations were a waste.

“Ingots?”

He had assumed that selling raw materials would be less lucrative than presenting fully crafted weapons. However, he now realized that a more skilled blacksmith could forge a superior weapon from the same ingot and sell it for a much higher price. Additionally, the metal could be used in an alloy mixture or for armor, making the base resources more valuable to some than lower-quality weapons.

‘Wait, Rusty, we can probably profit from this… look there to the right. Ask the blacksmith if he would sell that to you.’

Alexander spotted an opportunity as he brought his attention to a barrel to the side that contained broken pieces of weapons and armor, many of them rusted and corroded. 

“Um… how much does that cost?”

“Huh? You want that scrap pile?”

“Yes…”