The next morning didn't feel like a fresh start.
It felt like continuation.
Andres stood near one of Velmora's busiest trade streets, quietly observing. Merchants shouted prices, customers bargained, carts rolled past filled with goods from unknown regions.
Everything moved with purpose.
Everything revolved around value.
"…Strength isn't the only currency here," Andres thought.
Yesterday's encounter had made one thing clear—he was being watched. Not as prey, but as a possibility. That meant he couldn't rely solely on power.
He needed presence.
Stability.
Influence.
His gaze shifted toward a fruit stall nearby.
The fruits were small, dull-colored, and inconsistent in quality. Some bruised, others overripe.
Yet people still bought them.
Not because they were good—
But because they were available.
"…Supply over quality," he noted.
And that was where opportunity lived.
Without drawing attention, Andres stepped into a quiet alley and activated his skill.
Multiplication.
In his hand, a single fruit became two.
Then four.
Then eight.
He stopped there.
Controlled.
Careful.
Each copy was identical—perfect in shape, color, and freshness.
Better than anything on the market.
"…This could work," he murmured.
Not as a display of power—
But as a business.
Something sustainable.
Something quiet.
For the first time, Andres wasn't thinking about survival.
He was thinking about building.