Days after Varrin’s warning the strange tension hanging over Dustfall thickened. The Thieves Guild had failed to sabotage the exchange from the outside. They had failed to burn the boards. Failed to scare adventurers. Failed to choke supply. So now they shifted to a new strategy. Breaking the exchange from within. Alan knew it would happen but not how. He prepared the clerks. Strengthened verification. Increased inspections. But even he did not expect how fast the first blow would land.

It began on a quiet morning with a single merchant.

A man named Revan from the east arrived with a wagon full of beast cores. His clothes were worn but clean. His voice calm. His manners humble. Nothing about him seemed threatening. He entered the exchange and offered a massive load of C class cores at a price far lower than normal. So low that the entire hall froze. Merchants muttered. Adventurers stared. Clerks whispered nervously.

Alan approached him. Sir you are selling at half the usual value. Did something happen in the east. Revan shook his head. No. I simply need coin quickly. Please buy them before they spoil. Cores do not spoil Alan thought. And no merchant sells at heavy loss without reason.

He tested them. They were real. Genuine C class. Not cracked. Not drained. Not fake. He checked Revan’s papers. Perfect. Too perfect. Something was wrong. A single man carrying such a massive supply in pristine condition was unlikely.

Alan hesitated but Dustfall needed supplies. Adventurers needed stable prices. He bought the cores. But the moment the transaction was written the price board showed a small drop. Not dangerous. But noticeable. Merchants murmured. Word spread fast.

Then the second merchant arrived.

This one offered B class cores at a suddenly low price. The next offered low A class. Three more offered C class again. Every seller claimed desperation. All of them used the same tone. Not aggressive. Not panicked. Calm. Controlled. Alan saw the pattern instantly. This was not random supply. This was a coordinated flood.

The Thieves Guild had sent waves of sellers to overload the exchange with cheap cores. Enough to push prices into freefall. Enough to make adventurers panic. Enough to make merchants doubt. Enough to shake the entire market psychologically. Not through violence. But through numbers.

Alan tried stabilizing the board using reserve stock but the waves kept coming. Prices dropped more. Adventurers panicked. Some shouted that they would lose everything. Others accused the exchange of failing. Chaos spread exactly the way the guild wanted.

Ressa pulled Alan aside. This is bad. If prices keep dropping people will blame you. Alan nodded. Price collapse was more dangerous than fire. Once trust broke even truth could not repair it quickly.

He closed his eyes. Thought like a strategist. Not in fear but in logic. He noticed something. Every seller avoided selling S class and high A class cores. Only mid grades were being dumped. Why. Because mid grades defined the stability of the whole chart. If they collapsed the rest followed. But if he could anchor the high grade category prices might stabilize. The guild had overlooked this.

He stepped onto a table and raised his voice. Everyone listen. This collapse is artificial. Someone is flooding the market with controlled supply. But they avoided top tier cores. So today the exchange will anchor the price of S and A class at fixed emergency prices for the next six hours. Merchants may buy or sell only within a narrow band.

The hall fell silent.

Emergency anchoring was something no one had tried before. Some merchants protested. Others approved. Adventurers begged him to continue. Alan held steady. Stability required structure.

He ordered clerks to post the emergency price bands. Then he spoke again. If anyone tries to abuse this they will be banned. The exchange will not be broken from within.

People watched. The panic slowed. High grade prices held. With the top categories stable the mid grade collapse slowed as well. Buyers became cautious. Sellers hesitated. The artificial flood began losing momentum.

But the Thieves Guild was not done.

In the afternoon the same merchant Revan stood on a crate and shouted a rumor. He claimed the kingdom planned to seize all exchanges soon. He said Dustfall’s system would be outlawed. Adventurers would lose all stored value. Merchants would be punished.

The hall erupted in fear.

Alan stepped forward. That is a lie. Revan shrugged. Believe what you want. I am only repeating what travelers say.

Alan’s voice remained calm. If the kingdom were coming they would send an official. Not rumor. Not shadows. Revan smirked. You trust too much.

Ressa moved swiftly. She searched Revan’s bags. Inside she found black market marks burned into the lining. Proof. Revan panicked and tried to run. Ressa’s team caught him. Adventurers cheered. The rumor fell apart as quickly as it rose.

Alan stood before the crowd. This is how they operate. Not with blades. With fear. Today we choose clarity. Today the exchange stands.

The crowd quieted. Merchants nodded. Adventurers returned to trading.

By sunset prices stabilized. Not fully but enough. Enough to survive the day. Enough to prove Dustfall would not fall easily.

Alan sat alone afterward staring at the chalkboard. The numbers were steady again. But a warning lingered in his mind. If the Thieves Guild could manipulate supply this effectively then the next attack would be more subtle. More dangerous. They had tested Dustfall. Next time they would try to break something deeper.

He closed the notebook. We held the line today. But tomorrow will be harder.

Dustfall had survived the first price collapse in history.

But the war for the mana economy had only just begun.