Supply and demand. An economic model that focuses on the customer relationship between the items or services they desire and the quantity you are willing to produce. Our parents taught us that topic a few times when I was in middle school and I have never expected it would be used in a VRMMO game like in [Isekai] so we can gain enough money for materials and other stuff. However, what is more, surprising is that we have to use it to save the game’s popularity.

Right now, we’re inside Star and Annie’s tent as we wait for Arthur and Razul to check on our stand to see the current situation in so far. It’s still in chaos and I’m still praying that things will calm down once we safely open our shop. However, Kazu isn't idling much as he spends on an empty table making potions with his advanced kit. I can understand what he's trying to do, so I decide not to disturb him for now. Just then, we notice the self-proclaimed “knight-in-training” or whatever title he preferred to enter the tent, seemingly to be exhausted from the events outside it.

“How is it, Arthur?” I calmly ask as I cross my arms.

“Really bad, Wind. Some alchemists sold their potions at the other district already, but it’s not enough to satisfy the rest of the playerbase in this town.”

All of us sigh at this and I say, “Guess we better do this, then. But I’m still worried about the number of herbs we have left in our inventory.”

“That’s true. Even if you take a break just to grab a few more outside, it still isn’t enough to mitigate the potion shortage,” Star points out while sitting down at her sewing table. "Plus, thanks to your role as a [Guardian Player], you have to stay together during the whole ordeal unless you want a penalty that would cost you and the others the game itself."

"I know. That's why Kazu already asked Azel and Ol' Wally to help us out gather some herbs in our place for a while. The more hands outside, the better."

Not only that, but I’ve also asked him in private if he can try modifying the vending machine Kazu and I made. He did refuse because he isn't much of a mechanic, but he will try to contact his friends if it's possible. That's one thing I'm relieved to hear.

"Don't forget about me, you two! Razul and I are going to make sure to calm any rowdy players out there. We can't have them ruin your business after all."

"I hope so. Just be careful with the players you will meet. Who knows what happens if you get distracted by a girl again?"

Arthur jumps up and grits his teeth as soon as I said this.

"Hey! I am focusing on important stuff a lot! Hey, Kazu! Back me up here!"

Despite his calls, I notice that he's still busy with the potions to reply, which is enough for my armored friend to sigh in dismay.

"Well, enough chattering, you two. I think it's time for you two to get into the battlefield."

Star's right. It's now or never for us and [Isekai Online's] future. All I can offer on my side is some food that I just cooked up during our stay in the [Force Blade's] guild home, but it should be enough to make them happy for a while.

"Hey, Kazu. Are you going to join Mr. Wind?"

I turn around when I hear Annie's voice and notice her staring at my younger brother with concern. As I can see on the table, he has already made a few dozen [Healing Potions] and [Mana Potions]. He still has enough herbs, but right now, we have to go. I want to approach him. But as I do, he suddenly stands up and stares at us.

"Yeah, I'm ready. It's time to save !"

Thanks to Arthur, we manage to get through the panicked crowd and reach our stand. There, we see several players waiting in front of it, and let's just say that they are too eager to see us.

"Alright! The Potion Kid and the Cooking Hunter are back!"

"We really miss you two!"

"Finally, we get some potions for our raids!"

Yeesh, all of this hype for potions?! Well, I can't blame them considering what’s happening outside . Regardless, I clear my throat and stand in front of our potential customers as I try to retain my calm composure.

"I know you guys are relieved to see us. But to make sure that we have to do this quickly and manageable, we're going to offer a dozen potions at this time. With all of you here right now, there is a chance that our stock will be sold out in a few minutes and it will take a while for my brother to make a new batch. So we ask of you to stay patient until this matter is resolved!"

The only thing I hate more than a rowdy crowd is disorganization. So with this, we're able to sell them the potions without dealing with the crazy players begging us for them. Thankfully, everything seems to calm down as I see the crowd smiling and chattering among themselves without any signs of hostility.

"I'm okay with that. As long as we get what we want."

"Which means we have to rely on you as a healer, okay?"

"Sure! You can count on me, thanks to Wind and Kazu!"

"We're counting on you, [Hidden Quest] heroes!"

I smile as I witness the players lining up before I turn to Kazu.

"You heard them, Kazu. We're counting on you to make as many potions as you can."

Kazu grins at me and gives me a quick salute.

"You got it! One bunch of potions, coming up!"

He leaves my side for a while as I turn my attention to the whisper chat that I had opened up a while ago.

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I just roll my eyes at Arthur's gloating as I sigh and turn my eyes on my cooking tools on the other table.

"All right... Time to get to work."

At this point, the plan is simple. Kazu will work on the potions and I will provide some food as a way to say thanks for our customer's patience. As for the others, Star acts as a pseudo-cashier as she gives the finished potions and gathered some [Lapi] from the players with Annie using her crafting [Masteries] to create gift wrappers for the packaging. For the line, Arthur and Razul act as security guards to ensure order and safety to everyone while Kazu's friend, Azel works with Wallaby with gathering more herbs outside .

Eventually, about 15 dozen potions are sold as many players leave with smiles on their faces with some thanking us for doing all of this. Just those words make me smile a bit. Even if we're doing this to save the game, I'm happy to help out a person in need or two. I'm guessing it's the same as Kazu since I notice him smiling while he keeps working on the potions. Though, after 30 minutes have passed, Star and Kazu approach me with troubling news.

"Wait, there's only 4 dozens of [Mana Potions] and 2 dozens [Healing Potions] left?!"

Kazu nods as he frowns and says, "I almost finished with the third batch of the [Healing Potions], but I'm almost out of ingredients to need for it."

"And I can see that more players are lining up waiting for the potions. At this rate, we can't fulfill their orders as much as we can."

I see. Well, I'm not surprised by this news. With the potions are on high demand right now, we're inevitably going to face a shortage soon.

"Did you contact Azel about the herbs?"

"Yeah. But it may take a while for them to get to . They said their guild members volunteered to help us out with the herbs and they just encountered hordes of monsters during their harvest. They do send some of them to town as we speak."

Monsters? Hang on, could they be the ones who destroyed the NPC's carts outside earlier? Now that I think about it, this is too much of a coincidence for this game-wide dilemma. Regardless, I groan at this news as I rub the temples on my head.

"In any case, let's keep what we're doing here and leave the monsters to [Force Blade]. We'll do what we can in here to avoid any kind of disor-"

"HEY, BREAK IT UP!! BREAK IT UP!!! WE'RE TIRED OF WAITING HERE, SO GET OUT OF OUR WAY!!!"

What the hell?! Just as we can discuss our next action, we notice a bunch of players pushing our customers away from the line and marching towards our stand. Damn it. We’d been so close to a peaceful business.

"Heh... What do you know? Just when we think we give up on our potion hunt, we managed to find a stand that sells potions and good food! Talk about lucky!"

Once they arrived at our stand, I get a good look at our intruders. Punk-themed armor, leather clothing, a lead player wearing a red and black armor with the helmet that hides half of his face...Hold on, I know them!

"Huh? Do I know you two from somewhere?"

I frown in response as I calmly approach the leader.

"Yeah. The newbies that you looked down for my [Mastery] and my brother's race. Remember us?"

I wait for him to take a closer look at us. As expected, he grits his teeth and narrows his eyes as he glares at us.

"Oh, yeah. The archer and the useless [Insignis]. I didn't expect two weakest players ended up as weak merchants in a weak town."

Repeated words aside, I quickly push Kazu away just as he jumps at him. I don't know if he remembers him as well, but I know he has a lot of pride in the character that he has forged for months. So I know just one insult regarding his character is enough to tick him off.

"What do you want in here anyway? If you want potions and food like you said, then I suggest you wait at the back of the line like everyone else."

Speaking of which, what the heck are those two doing?! Did Arthur ditch Razul for another lady again?

"That's the thing. Waiting is such a bore and we just so happen to encounter your little establishment of yours. Heck, these two are even more pains in the neck when we try to get to your stand."

He snaps his fingers and his goons toss something below the stand. To my shock, I see Arthur and Razul covered in digitized wounds and cuts around their bodies. For once, I'm not going to blame the former for this. Instead, I just silently glare at the rude party's leader as I see Star and Annie gather beside them.

"So rather than wasting our time in line, we're going to ask you to hand over your remaining products to our party."

I grit my teeth when he suggests this.

"And what makes you think we're going to hand them over you so easily?"

"Because if you don't, there will be no shop for you all to sell potions."

Before we act, one of his goons wearing nothing but pants and gauntlets kicks the sign nearby and crushes them down with his bare feet, causing us to gasp.

"No! I worked so hard drawing that sign for Kazu and Mr. Wind!"

Damn those jerks! I didn't bother to see Annie's despair after seeing that. Still, I tried not to lose my temper over this yet. I take a deep breath and glared at the players.

"Nice offer. But it’s one we have to refuse. And before you end up suspended from the game, I suggest you leave before I report you to the admins for harassment over our establishment!"

However, all we get from the leader is a booming laugh that seems to mock us even more.

"Harassment? No, you must have mistaken, kid. We're just desperate as everyone here."

Desperate? Depends on how you use that word, jerk.

"Heck, I got an idea. We'll leave you and your little shop alone if you give us your potions and food along with the mage kid to make us more of them!"

Mage kid?! He's talking about Kazu, isn't he?!

"Hey! Leave his brother out of it, you jerk!" Star shouted as she pushes me aside from the back. "He told you to leave us alone! So do it anyway!"

"Now why do we do that? We're not leaving here until we get want we want!"

"Don't you know who you’re talking to?! Those two are the ones who beat the first [Hidden Quest] and unlocked the dungeons for all of you! If you don't want to get their bad side, then get out of our sight!"

"[Hidden Quest]?" The leader then stares at us for a few seconds, which I thought might be enough to change his mind. Alas though, he just laughs it off as a response. "What's so great with just one measly [Quest] that they completed? They still have weak [Masteries]. They just finished it with just dumb luck and low levels anyway."

"That doesn't mean you have to bully us like this! Just leave us alone before I'll make you!"

"Yeah! Leave us!" Annie added as she steps forward, which is something I'm worried about in front of Kazu. "Kazu don't want to give you potions to bad men like you!"

Just as I fear, the leader growls and raises his fist as I watch with my eyes widen.

"Don't get very cocky, you brat!"

Knowing what will happen next, Star and I try to run to Annie just as he throws his fist at her. But before we can reach him, I stop and gasp to see Kazu push her aside and take the attack from him. I can't believe what I saw. Kazu, my weak-willed brother, protected Annie from a thug. Usually, he ends up being beaten up by one before I can help him.

"Kazu, no!"

I try to run to his side, but he just stands up and grins towards the party leader.

"I-It's okay. T-This is nothing like the monsters we fought. B-Besides... I-I don't want you to get involved with a big gorilla like him."

Big gorilla, huh? Guess he's trying to invoke me at a time like this. However...

"G-Gorilla?! That's it, you cocky mage!" The leader takes out his large sword and raises it in front of Kazu. "Forget your potion-making skills! I'm going to make sure you won't able to play this game ever again!"

With this, I have reached my limit. Using most of the speed I gained from the game, I run behind the rude leader and grab his wrist where he is holding his sword.

"W-What the hell?!" Before he can turn around, I tighten my grip around his wrist using most of my [Physical Enhancement] skill to give him a message. "H-Hey! Ow, ow, ow, OW!!!"

"Here's one tip, you asshole," I say in a low tone with my narrowed eyes still dead set on him. "Break my brother and I'll break you."

Once I said this, I release my grip from his wrist and continue glaring at him as he massages it while glaring back at me.

"Damn you... Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"

"That depends. If you want to take a crack at me, then bring it. Unless you're too chicken to face me."

As expected, the rude party leader growls and starts to tap several times something on the air. Just then, a holographic window appears right in front of me.

[CHALLENGE NOTICE]

[You have been challenged by [Ruthless] to a [1v1 Duel]. Do you accept?]

[YES] [NO]

Huh. I didn't expect this type of feature to have here. I was hoping we can take this outside to do some kind of competition to shut him up. Nevertheless, I know how I will answer next.

"Very well. But I must warn you that I won't go easy on you."

With that said, I tapped [YES].

[A [1v1 Duel] has been initiated. To the participants, prepare any equipment you will use for this [Duel]. To all potential spectators, please step into a portal in about a minute.]

I see. It's not much, but my current equipment will have to do it for now. All that's left is...

"Wind!"

Oh, right. I was blinded by my rage that I almost forgot about Kazu. Still, there is no turning back. All I can do is just grin and give him thumbs up.

"Don't worry, Kazu. I'll take care of this in just a second."

I know this will make him more worry about me, but it's too late. That jerk almost hurt him. Now, it's payback time.

[The portal is now closed. The [1v1 Duel] will now begin. Now transporting all participants into the [Duel Plane]...]

Without any second thought, I turn to the thug just as white lights erupt from the ground and envelop us with it.

Wind's Masteries

[Archery] Level 18

[Woodcrafting] Level 7

[Swordsmanship] Level 16

[Cooking] Level 7

[Wind] Level 15

[Physical Enhancement] Level 15

[Hunting] Level 14

[Blacksmithing] Level 6

Kazu's Masteries

[Arcana] Level 19

[Thunder] Level 16

[Wind] Level 14

[Alchemy] Level 15

[Magecrafting] Level 10

[Magical Affinity] Level 17

[Scribe] Level 4