She could not trust outsiders with system-created weapons. The mechanics were too unique, the risks too high. Leaving Zion in one store while she managed another was impossible. Zion was her shield, her blade, her most valuable asset.
Then a thought surfaced.
What if she did not expand geographically?
What if she expanded strategically?
Travel.
Bulk supply.
Guild contracts.
She could operate like a roaming arms merchant, selling in large quantities to established stores, guild halls, and regional houses.
But for that to work, modern firearms needed broader acceptance first.
She needed demand before distribution.
Her gaze sharpened with quiet determination.
*
Far away, in the Duchy of Drake of Eastern Phoenix, the air trembled with tension on a different scale.
Five kilometers from the Red Portal, a massive encampment sprawled across the plains.
