Peter stared at the rewards. They were slightly underwhelming.

  [Dungeon battle awards: enemy dungeon core eliminated

  Battle essence collected: 314,687

  Win Rewards: 2,000,000 essence, 50 support card packs, 1 support card unlock, 1 spare dungeon core, 10 A tier ghost type cards (x2 due to eliminating another dungeon core).]

  He had spent over 6 million essence in units along with 8 triplifications and a few equipment cards in support of this battle. In return he basically got 3 million in essence, with a third of it being in the form of A tier ghost type cards. The 50 support card packs, 1 support card unlock, and spare core, did not seem like much to make up the difference, but the spare core alone could be priceless. It was an epic support card that would have to be unlocked. Peter doubted he would ever do so, so the ones he got as a rookie dungeon would likely be all he would ever get.

  The 10 A tier ghost type cards were the true treasure. As he had just seen, ghosts and other incorporeal units were quite strong in the alternate dimension. If he really wanted to shore down that front he needed to do so with the best. Elyra’s phase cards might get him in the alternate dimension, but the units he got were not necessarily bolstered by the environment. He needed the best if he ever wanted a shot at beating a millennial. It seemed so far away, but early preparations would make all the difference.

  “Ahhh, there you are,” a male voice came snapping him out of his thoughts. “I thought I might have misunderstood you, but then I guess you just showed that you can be quite daring indeed. Don’t worry I was as discreet as possible. The intermediate level battle is already starting, so most cores should have their focus on that.”

  Peter studied the core ahead of him. August, abyss core, 452. August was the youngest core currently on the blacklist, and one of the youngest to ever be blacklisted by a millennial after a fallout with Void about a hundred years ago. An unassuming figure with pointed ears and blue skin. He wore a black trenchcoat and a black hat. Potentially due to his core type, he was actually really easy to pass over with sight or thought, the same as the millennial void.

  Peter had caught the blacklisted core’s eye earlier and motioned down and then put his finger to his lips. A subtle enough gesture that most would have missed it, and it would have been difficult to tell who he was making the gesture at. Peter had trusted that some one as ambitious as abyss, would both be looking for opportunity and smart enough to help make it happen out of view from prying eyes. It was true someone dealing with Abyss might get punished, but it was equally true that Void might decide to have Abyss culled early. They both needed to be careful.

  “Lets get to the point, kid. I wander around quite frequently. I swap sides and meander in blind spots all to ensure that I’m difficult to keep tabs on, but it still would be smart for us to conclude our deal in a matter of minutes. You were smart to recommend me meeting you down here after your battle. Now out with it.

  “Okay four cards for one,” Peter said, as he projected a sample a A tier card for the abyss core to examine.

  Abyss studied it for a half minute, considering the possibilities. “Not impossible, I can see the value of your ‘card’, especially given my own that I believe is already well known.” Peter did indeed know about abyss’s cards. There were a handful of cards out there that made it easy to get a tier up, inevitably leading to more S tier units on average. Dragon and Void were both such core types as was abyss. Peter knew there were likely others currently being used, but they were likely kept within their factions

  “I could deal with you, but would you be interested in working out some other arrangements? Advice that would both keep you alive. Also I’ll tell you how to approach dragon. If you do it correctly, I think you could easily walk away with an arm full of A tier dragon cards. Of course I would want some of them, say 10.”

  Peter did not need to think too hard on it. From what he knew about dragon, he had known he was perhaps the only millennial that Peter might be able to make a deal with. “I’m listening.”

  The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

  “Dragon as everyone knows is obsessed with dragon units. If he gets something that is not a dragon he would repurpose it instantly S tier or not.”

  Peter nodded. That was not exactly news, that was common knowledge. “So you think he would be interested in my design cards to ensure he got one?“ Nothing revolutionary, Peter had planned to approach the dragon core with the idea eventually.

  “Not completely. At least not how you should sell it. You see, Dragon has other less known compulsions and motivations, and he has so many resources he potentially does not care if a summoned unit does not meet his standards. Think, he has summoned hundreds of thousands if not millions of dragons over the last 8,000 years. He likely doesn’t even need new units, he likely just summons a handful every so often for fun or to replace units after they die in battle, or perhaps because he is bored. Instead you need to play to one of his other compulsions.”

  The core paused for a moment smiling. His white teeth were pearl white in contrast with his blue skin and lips. “Dragon is always looking for new types of dragons. Ones he has not summoned before. Like I said he’s summoned millions, so how often do you think he is able to get something new…?”

  “So I should play up the choice feature?” Peter said understanding. His design card could allow Dragon to look at 6 options for each combination.”

  “Correct, but there is one more thing you need to understand. Dragon is also a fickle and unpredictable creature. Normally he keeps himself insulated by having his underlings pick up cards of interest, so even getting him to entertain you once might be difficult.”

  Peter nodded again. That was also a well known thing about the reptile faction leader.

  and likely only if you approach him at the right time when he is in the right mood. Get it slightly off and not only would he never deal with you he might cull you as soon as you became a centurion, or one of the cores in his so-called faction might do it well before then to try to garner some favor.”

  “So I’ll give you some tips, since you might only get one opportunity, so when you do go you need to go big. You should try to get as many cards as you can since it might be a one time deal.”

  Abyss coached Peter for the next several minutes. It was a plan that would have to wait since he only had 3 million right now, but if it worked he could potentially grab a large amount of cards from several powerful cores.

  “And what will be our deal if I can secure the dragon cards?”

  “Just like you said 4 abyss cards for 1.”

  “What about void cards…? I’m sure you still have some.”

  Abyss’s smirk dropped and he took on a more serious expression. Not necessarily angry, but not far off. It only lasted for a moment, before the relaxed smirk returned. “I could potentially spare 5 from my dwindling supply, but I would want both 5 more dragon cards as well as 5 A tier cards from some other core types. They would have to be other core types that I would be interested in. Your ghost type cards would work. I would gladly take 5 of them.”

  “No, I need all the ghost cards that I have,” Peter detailed what other types he had good access to. Abyss really only indicated interest in Gabriel’s fallen type cards.

  “Okay, I should get going. I’ve already stayed a bit too long,” Abyss turned as if to leave, but then paused. “Oh for the advice. Your move today, taking out ghost. A solid move, it will only be a minor loss to the older cores in the undead faction. That core type has come and gone quite a bit over the years, has even stirred internal conflict between the millennial factions. That is to say I guess the older undead cores kind of expect it to be targeted by others who know its worth.”

  “However, for the younger undead cores, you just took away an easy source of power from them. They were probably making 1 for 1 trades with the guy. You should assume that they will target you, but let me warn you wipe out a whole generation of undead and eventually the older ones will get involved. You can pull that shit with the reptile faction since Dragon and the other elites wont care, cold blooded and all, but the insect and undead are easily provoked into long standing grudges.”

  Not a surprise to him, Peter had already known he would probably end up at the top of the undead factions shit list. It was certainly good news that would only include the younger cores that he had just taken opportunities from, at least until he started dealing with more undead since they would likely see that as a challenge to their faction.

  “Now the advice. There is another core type that you should obtain regardless of the cost. Not that the cost should be that high the core should be pretty desperate,” Abyss indicated where the screens should be currently showing the intermediate dungeon battles.

  “I don’t know who his guide was, but he set his protege up for failure by having him choose the holy type. I’ve seen it half a dozen times. The undead and demon factions never let a holy core get very far. I’m sure you can guess why. You can only hope he has enough spares to survive this year.”

  With that the youngest black lister departed.