SSS Awakening: I Can Create Skills By Will-Chapter 46: The Value of What You Carry II

Arthur observed the separated tray carrying the mutated pieces.

Some of his cores had faint black veins, while some carried uneven coloration.

It was pure corruption, but it wasn’t clean either.

The clerk paused on one of them and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Mutation traces."

Arthur nodded. "Some of the monsters weren’t normal."

She muttered softly at his reply. "That explains it."

Then she placed the mutated cores aside.

"After processing, these can be refined into higher yield mana vials or cultivation grade potions."

Arthur tilted his head a little.

"So they’re better than normal cores?"

"In most cases," she said. "Unstable, but richer. Alchemists like them."

Arthur filed that away.

Mutation did not only mean danger. but was also a means of profit.

The clerk continued.

"Cores go to refining. Bones and dense plates go to smithing. Organic parts are split between alchemy and material crafting."

She glanced at Arthur.

"Every part is processed into something better."

Arthur nodded.

That indeed made sense.

Nothing existed in isolation.

Monsters died and their bodies became materials.

Materials became gear, and the gear made explorers stronger.

Stronger explorers killed stronger monsters.

Which produced better materials.

A simple loop.

Brutal, but efficient.

He could already see how the entire system sustained itself.

Not through kindness or fairness.

But through function.

People who produced value were rewarded, and people who didn’t slowly disappeared.

The clerk lifted a larger core next.

It was heavier than the others, and severely cracked along one side.

Arthur knew what it was.

He had been saving it.

She studied it for a moment, then slowly looked up.

"This is a boss’ core."

Arthur nodded.

Her brows rose slightly. "You’re serious?"

"Yeah." Arthur replied quietly.

She tapped it lightly with a metal probe, producing a dull vibration.

"Cracked, but not collapsed."

Arthur let out a quiet breath. "So it’s still usable?"

"Yes. Just not optimal." She answered as she placed it on a padded surface.

"If it were more intact, you’d be looking at a much higher payout."

Arthur accepted that without complaint.

Then he reached into his pouch again.

The clerk noticed as she watched Arthur place several large dark bone plates onto the counter.

Thick.

Heavy.

Slightly curved.

Then a bundle of dense ribs.

The clerk reacted instantly, reaching forward so fast that Arthur almost pulled his hand back.

She picked up the semi intact core again, and one of the bone plates.

As Arthur watched her expression shift from curiosity to professional focus.

She ran a small scanner over the items as faint light passed across their surfaces.

"This carries mana density above standard F-rank," she said, "but below E-rank."

Arthur tilted his head.

"So?"

She looked at him.

"Pseudo E-rank environment."

This was Arthur’s confirmation. "The dungeon was indeed mutating."

She nodded.

"Your boss was forming toward E-rank but hadn’t crossed the threshold."

She glanced at the cracked core.

"That also explains the instability."

Arthur released a slow breath. His instincts had been right.

"It’s a shame the core isn’t fully intact," she added.

Arthur shrugged.

"I stabbed it a lot."

She snorted.

"Fair."

As she began entering values into her terminal.

"I’ll price the boss core at damaged-boss rates."

Arthur nodded.

Then she checked the smaller cores from skeletons and kobolds, inspecting a few before nodding again.

"These are decent."

After a moment, she looked up.

"Total payout. Fifteen yen."

Arthur blinked once.

"Fifteen".

She pointed at the boss core.

"Five yen from this."

Then at the rest.

"Ten from everything else."

Arthur felt a quiet weight settle in his chest.

Five yen from a single damaged core, and ten from everything else combined.

The memories of the slums washed over him. they were people fighting over scraps. Families surviving on one yen..

One yen could feed a slum family for weeks.

And here he was, holding fifteen.

The weight he felt inside his chest steadied. This was the difference between an explorer and a commoner.

The clerk gestured for him to wait, then returned with a small cloth pouch and placed it on the counter.

Arthur accepted it, feeling the solid weight inside.

"Thanks," he said.

She nodded.

"Don’t spend it on garbage."

"I won’t." He replied, which earned him a faint smile.

As Arthur adjusted the pouch at his belt, someone tapped his shoulder making him turn, as he observed who drew his attention.

The young man looked a few years older than him, lean, with short dark hair tied loosely at the back and light scars along his forearms.

His leather armor was worn but well maintained.

Not appearing flashy, but functional.

"That’s quite a haul for a new explorer," the man said.

Arthur shrugged as he replied. "I got lucky."

"Lucky people don’t usually walk out with boss cores."

"Fair." Arthur replied sharply.

The man smiled before he continued.

"No wonder Commander Lyra took you in." Which made Arthur raise a brow.

"Is that supposed to reassure me?"

"Depends."

The man extended a hand.

"I’m Ryn. Bronze Squad Captain. Sixth Division."

Arthur took it.

"Arthur."

Ryn studied him briefly before letting go of his hands.

Then Arthur remembered something important.

"I was told to meet you," he said breaking the brief silence. "Commander Lyra mentioned it."

Ryn waved his hand lightly.

"I know. I was supposed to wait near the mission hall, but I figured I’d just come find you instead."

Ryn continued as he gestured with his head.

"Come on. I’ll show you where you’ll be staying."

Arthur followed.

As they walked through the guild’s internal corridors, Arthur couldn’t help but observe his surroundings.

They passed some of the better dorm areas as they went.

Wide halls.

Polished floors.

Personal rooms with reinforced doors and mana locks.

Places he knew clearly was reserved for higher squads.

So Arthur did not expect anything like that.

The world had already shown him, repeatedly, that strength decided treatment.

Bronze squad.

Lowest tier.

And that alone told him what kind of accommodation he should expect.